NO. 599 "THE GIFTS AND CALLINGS OF GOD"

(Genesis 12:1-8)

“I will bless thee and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing.” Our lesson relates to the call of Abram (high father), whom God renamed Abraham (father of a multitude), although indirectly the special point of the lesson refers to the calling of Abraham’s seed, natural and spiritual, and the Divine bestowments to them, constituting them the centers of hope to the world of mankind. Already they have been greatly used of the Lord, but the Scriptures indicate that their influence and usefulness toward their fellow-creatures have only begun, and will reach their glorious culmination during the Millennium.    

Abraham's early life was spent at Ur of Chaldea, the ruins of which (now known by the name of Mugheir) are being excavated and explored. They indicate that it was once a seat of business activity, and Professor Sayce says that the name Abram (Abu-Ramu) is found on early Babylonian contract tablets, and some tablets recently unearthed at Ur contain part of the story of the deluge. Scholars are hoping to find in these ruins the Babylonian library, containing the original tablets from which the narratives of the creation and flood were copied for the library at Ninevah.

We are to remember that Abraham was born two years after the death of Noah, and that Noah's father, Lamech, was born fifty-six years before Adam's death ─ hence the chain of tradition had few links up to Abraham's time, even though the period was nearly 2,000 years long. It is not strange, therefore, that the story of the creation and of the flood are found in the land of the Chaldeans at a date prior to Moses' writings ─ the Pentateuch. It should always be borne in mind that the Scriptures make no claim that Moses was present at the time of creation or at the time of the flood, nor that the writer was a witness of the other incidents recorded in Genesis. Moses was merely the recorder who, under the same Divine supervision and direction that enabled him to be the Law-giver and commander of typical Israel, was used as God's amanuensis in recording for our benefit such events in the lives of individuals, as well as their chronologies, as would help to perfect the chain of previous history. We should remember, also, that the records of God's doings would be appreciated by those who are loyal to him, amongst whom must be included Noah and his family, and that Abraham, as we have seen, was directly in this line ─ a scion of one of the best branches of Noah's immediate posterity.

THE REIGN OF SIN

The indications are that idolatry and immorality had taken firm hold upon that branch of Noah's family (Shem) of which Abraham came, and which is recognized to this day as the highest and noblest branch and the one most favored by the Almighty. The assumption is not unreasonable, therefore, that Abraham's father, Terah, and his two elder brothers, Haran and Nahor, were considerably influenced by this spirit of idolatry. The record is that God first communicated with Abram while he resided at Ur, indicating, the propriety of a change of residence to Canaan. Apparently he (Abram) had considerable influence with the family, so that they all removed from Ur, a distance of about six hundred miles northward to Haran, possibly a place of their own establishment and named after Terah's eldest son, who died about that time.

Whether it was God's revelation to Abraham or the death of his son Haran that influenced Terah and the family to remove from Ur we cannot know ─ possibly both incidents had their influence. However, it was not God's design to call Abraham's entire family but merely himself. Hence, apparently with the Lord's approval, Abraham remained in Haran for five years, until the death of Terah. Then, with his share of the property, with his wife Sarah, who was also his half sister, and with Lot, the son of his deceased brother Haran, Abraham carried out the Divine arrangement by removing from Haran into the land of Canaan, a journey of about three hundred miles more. The clear intimation of the Scriptures is that in this matter Abraham acted in harmony with God's directions, along the lines of faith and obedience. We may infer that this obedience was rendered at the cost of earthly name and fame, and that Abraham must have been out of record with the idolatry and licentiousness and immorality of his native place, as well as full of faith in God and fully in harmony with the Divine principles of righteousness, and glad to be obedient to the Lord.

ABRAHAM WAS WEALTHY AND POWERFUL

A lesson for us here is, God first, righteousness first ─ before earthly prosperity, especially that which might be obtained through evil methods or other fellowship with the unrighteous. True, as the Apostle says, to have no dealings with the unrighteous might imply that we need to go out of the world, since unrighteousness is so prevalent; but as in Abraham's case the Lord's invitation to us to separate ourselves as much as possible from peop1e and circumstances and conditions whose tendency is downward toward sin, and to affiliate ourselves as much as possible with those influences which would help us to a closer walk with God. Although Abraham had no children he had a large number of persons under his care. These were his servants, and how numerous they were may be judged from the fact that a little later Abraham was able to muster 318 fighting men amongst them ─ the company who went after those who had taken Lot's property. This number of fighting men would imply a considerably larger number in the aggregate. It would appear, therefore, that Abraham was a very powerful sheik or prince of that time, the number of whose flocks and herds, requiring so many servants, must have been large indeed. No wonder his servant was able to tell Rebecca that Abraham was very rich. Much of those riches, of course, was gained in Canaan, but a considerable portion of it evidently went with him into Canaan.

FURTHER SEPARATION FROM IDOLATRY

When Abraham and his company had come into the land of Canaan under the Lord's direction, he settled for awhile at Shechem, that portion subsequently known as Samaria. But he did not remain there long, for, as we read, the Canaanite was still in the land. It was doubtless to be free from the immoral influences of the Canaanites, and to have his people separated from these, that Abraham removed subsequently to the mountainous country near Bethel. There he established his home, there he reared an altar to the Lord and prayed. Would that each head of a family were thus careful to look out for the interests of those under his charge, that these interests should be advantageous to their welfare everywhere! Would that more could realize how indispensable it is to have an altar to the Lord in their home, where the prayer incense would ascend to the Father through the merit of the Redeemer. The true altar not having been provided of the Lord, Abraham and others of his time reared altars of stone for use in the Lord's worship. But we have the Golden Altar of the Holy, and are permitted to offer thereupon, as members of the body of the great High Priest, under Him as our Head and glorious representative.

THE DIVINE PROMISE

Whenever God calls any for any purpose He sets before the called ones an object, a reason, a motive, and this He did with Abraham. He not only called him out of his own country to a life of separation from sin, but He attached to that a great promise, which had a mighty influence upon the mind of Abraham and his children and all the Jewish nation, and since then upon all the Spiritual Israelites, the Israelites indeed. The promise was that not only would Abraham receive a blessing, but that in and through him “all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” This must have seemed a very obscure promise to Abraham, and his obedience to it was the more remarkable, so  that  he  is  held  up  to be  an example of a proper unquestioning faith in the Word and Wisdom of the Almighty ─ “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.” He might have objected that he could do more good in Ur, where wickedness prevailed, than he could accomplish in the mountains of Palestine, where he and others under his godly influence were comparatively separate from others in the world. His faith was shown in that he did not attempt to argue the matter with the Lord, but obeyed implicitly. So it is with many of God's Spiritual Israel of the present time: the call of the Lord comes, and His direction of Word and Providence seems perhaps from our standpoint to be not in harmony with our anticipations respecting His will and the attainment of His purposes.

And alas! how few of nominal Spiritual Israel take Abraham's course and get Abraham's blessing. The obedient are only “a little flock,” to whom it will be the Father's good pleasure to give the Kingdom and its great work of blessing all the families of the earth. Many of them are inclined to resist God's providences, not exercising a sufficiency of faith. Some determine that it is their mission to convert the world; others that they must engage in political reform; others that their efforts must be used in temperance work, thus bringing about a reign of righteousness. We are not disputing that all of these are good works, and that good motives are behind them; but we do claim that many of the dear friends who are zealous in these ways are not sufficiently attentive to the Word of God to be obedient to it. As a consequence, many of them are disappointed and numbers are sidetracked.

How many temperance workers have become discouraged at the paucity of results they are able to attain! How many interested in foreign missions are disappointed that, whereas the number of heathen a century ago was estimated at about 600,000,000, statistics today tell us that they now number 1,200,000,000. We appreciate, and feel sure that God appreciates, their good intentions, their good endeavors; yet they are liable to make shipwreck of their faith because not heeding with sufficient care the voice of Him that speaketh from heaven and who directs us.

“THIS IS THE WAY, WALK YE IN IT”

The spiritual lesson in the story of Abraham is that God is pleased to honor faith, and that the experiences of life which He permits to come to the faithful are intended for their development in faith and in the graces of the Holy Spirit, and that these all are unitedly a preparation for God's still greater work of the future.

Abraham was not sent as a missionary back to Haran or to Ur, nor indeed to the people who surrounded him. The Lord's message was, “Walk thou before me and be thou perfect.” God, of course, knew that Abraham was actually imperfect, tainted by the fall, and this command, therefore, signified that his heart should be perfect ─ his will, his intentions, and his conduct as nearly as possible in harmony with God's perfect will. The Apostle Paul shows us that he was not justified on account of any righteousness of his own, for he puts Abraham with the list of Ancient Worthies who were justified not by the works of the Law but by faith, and who, because of their faith, “had this testimony that they pleased God.” It was his faith that led Abraham into a strange country away from his kindred, because he trusted God; it was faith that enabled him to stand various tests by the way, including the command to offer up his son as a sacrifice, his only son, in whom centered all the promises.

It was his faith in the promise of God ─ that in a future time through his seed a reign of righteousness would be established in the earth ─ that led Abraham to look for that city (government) of sure foundation upon principles of righteousness ─ the heavenly city, the government or kingdom of God's dear Son, which is to put down all insubordination and bring everything into subjection to the Divine will. The seed of Abraham, the elect Church of this Gospel Age, is to exercise Divine power in the earth and cause every knee to bow and every tongue to confess; and after instituting a reign of righteousness and blessings thereby to all the families of the earth, is to deliver up the Kingdom, perfect and complete, to God, even the Father, at the close of the Millennial Age. This was the promise made to Abraham, “In thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” And he was willing to waive his share in the governmental position and power of the present time under present adverse conditions, that he might have some share in the glorious Messianic Kingdom of the future.

“YE SHALL SEE ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB”

When Messiah's Kingdom, itself invisible, shall establish a reign of righteousness in the earth, it will have amongst men visible representatives, “princes in the earth.” (Psa. 45:16) We are assured that Abraham will be one of these (Heb. 11:17), and will thus have to do actively, prominently, with the establishment of the reign of righteousness and the demonstrations of justice and mercy and love to the world of mankind, “to all the families of the earth.” He is mentioned as one of this class in Hebrews 11:39,40. At one time, in company with others, we surmised that Abraham would have been placed in the heavenly Kingdom of the spiritual class; but a more careful consideration of the matter shows us, to the contrary, that he belongs to the class of Ancient Worthies of whom the Apostle declares that God has provided some better thing for us than for them, although their blessing shall be a great one. Abraham, styled the father of the faithful, the Redeemer says, “rejoiced to see my day: and saw it and was glad.” (John 8:56) By faith he saw the day of Christ, the Millennial Day, the Kingdom well founded; by faith he rejoiced in the glorious reign of righteousness then to be established.

But while this blessing is to come to the world through the seed of Abraham, the Scriptures indicate that a great change takes place by which the seed, the child of Abraham, Christ, becomes greater than Abraham, as it is written, “Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.” (Psa. 45:16)

Abraham, instead of being viewed any longer as the father of Messiah, will be recognized as one of His children, perfect on the earthly plane and made a prince amongst men, to be used as an active agent of the glorified Christ in dispensing the blessings secured by the great redemptive sacrifice. Referring to the matter, our Lord points out the fact that these Ancient Worthies will be visible to men, but properly enough says not a word about Himself and the Apostles or any of the Bride class being visible. The statement is, “Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets.” The fact that the still more notable ones in the Kingdom are not referred to is an evidence that they will not be seen by the world, and this comports with the Lord's statement to some of His day, “Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more.” It agrees also with the declaration, “We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Only those changed from human to spirit nature, under the terms of the Lord's arrangement of this Gospel Age, will be spirit beings, and they alone therefore will be able to see, discern, the Lord and other spirit beings.

“WHICH SEED IS CHRIST”

The Apostle points out to us most distinctly that the seed of Abraham according to the flesh was Jesus, our Lord, who is now of the flesh no more, having sacrificed it and received the begetting of the spirit to the new nature. He is now the glorified one, the Christ, Abraham's Lord and David's Lord. And the Apostle points out to us as a great mystery the fact that God during this Gospel Age is selecting from amongst mankind some to be joint-heirs with Jesus in the Kingdom ─ to be members of the seed of Abraham (Eph. 3:9; Acts 15:17; Rom. 8:17). We ask how could this be, since the Law Covenant was added, and since Jesus alone fulfilled the terms of the Law Covenant and ended all the hopes and prospects it contained? Surely no Jew preceded our Lord in the matter, and surely, since our Lord has finished His course, the offer of the Law Covenant is no longer open to the Jew, as it never was open to a Gentile. Where, then, is the prospect for either Jew or Gentile being joined with Christ, in joint-heirship with Christ in this Abrahamic Covenant?

We reply that we are accepted of the Lord, as the “bride of Christ,” the “Lamb's wife.” The Church, composed in the beginning exclusively of Jews, and subsequently almost exclusively of Gentiles, is as a whole accepted by the Lord as His Bride, and by becoming joined to Him and by union or marriage with Him these, whether Jews or Gentiles, are made His joint-heirs. This is the Apostle's clear statement of the matter, for after telling that Christ is the seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:16) he adds a word respecting the Church, his prospective Bride, saying “If ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29) In the one figure we are accepted as members of the Lord's Body, that is, when the Apostle says, “Ye brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise;” in another figure we are accepted as members of His Bride.

THE WIFE MADE READY

As our Lord was tested in all points yet without sin, so all of these who are counted worthy to be His members must similarly stand the testing to demonstrate their character-likeness to Him and their worthiness of a share in His glorious Kingdom. Hence it does not surprise us that everywhere throughout the Scriptures appeals are made to the Lord's people, not so much respecting what they shall do for others as what they shall do for themselves and for each other. We are not opposing the thought of doing good unto all men as we have opportunity, but emphasizing the other thought that we are to do good “especially to the household of faith.” We are to “build one another up in the most holy faith,” we are to “lay down our lives for the brethren,” we are to “comfort one another” ─ “edify one another.” In a word the Bride, the Lamb's wife, is to “make herself ready” ─ not without the Bridegroom's supervision and assistance, but with it and as a part of it.

As the trial of faith was the most prominent feature of Abraham's testing, so it must needs be with us, His true children. It is the trial of your faith that is much more precious than gold, as the Apostle says, and he assures us that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” For this reason it is required of those who now walk in the narrow way that they shall walk by faith and not by sight. When the time comes for the shining forth of the Sun of Righteousness and the scattering of the darkness and mystery that surrounds the Divine character and Word and the permission of evil, there will be plenty ready and able to walk by sight; but the Lord is now looking for the few, the Little Flock, able and willing to walk by faith, through evil report and good report, to trust Him where they cannot trace Him, and to demonstrate their loyalty by their faithfulness and their endurance even unto death. The trials of the present time upon the Gospel Church are with a view to testing the character, with a view to determining who are worthy and who are unworthy to constitute the seed of Abraham, which God promised shall ultimately bless all the families of the earth.  

SURE TO BOTH THE SEEDS

The Apostle declares that God promised not the blessing through the seeds of Abraham, as of many, but “in thy seed,” as of one. We have already seen that this one seed is the Christ, but we now notice that while there are not many seeds there is another seed beside this Messianic class ─ a seed's seed, as it were. The Apostle clearly intimates this in his declaration respecting the Law and Gospel, that the object was “that the promise might be sure to both seeds,” not only that which is according to the spirit, but also that which is according to the Law. This was intimated also in the fact that a promise was made to Ishmael as well as to Isaac. But the promise to Ishmael proceeded through Isaac, the one seed of promise. Similarly the Lord's blessing on all the families of the earth must proceed through the one seed, which is Christ ─ the Messianic seed of Abraham.

St. Paul makes very clear that there is a double allotment of Divine mercy and provision ─ one portion to the spiritual seed and another portion to the natural seed of Abraham. In Romans Chapter 11, where, after describing the rejection of the natural seed of Abraham and the acceptance of the spiritual seed, he points to the fact that at the end of this Gospel Age the spiritual seed will be complete, and then he declares that the Divine blessing shall go to the natural seed of Abraham again ─ to those who were once broken off, rejected and blinded because they were unable to realize and appreciate the spiritual part of the promise. For them then remains an earthly or natural part, and blessing will surely come to them, because God has already declared that “the Deliverer shall come out of Zion and turn away ungodliness from Jacob, because this is my covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes, but as touching the promises of God they are beloved for the fathers' sakes; for the gifts and callings of God are things not to be repented of.” (Rom. 11:26-29)

After thus most clearly specifying that God's gifts and callings from the remote past included the restoration of the Jews to Divine favor at the close of this Gospel Age, the Apostle proceeds to show how this blessing must come through the spiritual seed, saying, “They shall obtain mercy through your mercy” ─ through the mercy of the Gospel Church, the spiritual seed of Abraham, under Christ their Head.

“ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH”

The turning of God's blessing to Israel at the close of this Gospel Age will include the exaltation to honorable service of the worthy ones of the past dispensation, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets ─ “princes in all the earth” ─ ensamples of perfect manhood, leaders of the people. But it will mean more than this, for the promise was not merely that through the seed of Abraham, spiritual, the natural seed of Abraham shall be blessed, but “In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Hence, as the Apostle points out, the Gospel Church is a “first-fruits unto God of his creatures” in one sense, a first-fruits on a spirit plane, and natural Israel will be a first-fruits of His creatures on an earthly plane; and in proportion to their willingness, under the guidance of the Ancient Worthies, they may be helpful to all the families of the earth in spreading knowledge of the great Messiah and the rules and regulations of His Kingdom, for the blessing and uplifting of all the families of the earth.

Mark how the Apostle declared that if the rejection of Israel meant a blessing to the Gentiles, will not the regathering of Israel signify life from the dead to the world in general. (Rom. 11:15) It surely will. In order for the seed of Abraham according to the flesh to realize the blessings God has promised, an awakening from the sleep of death will be necessary, since God is no respecter of persons. In a general sense it follows that these blessings which He has covenanted to give first to Israel, He is equally willing and able to give to all mankind in due time. O, how much of goodness and mercy God can crowd into a few words! How little Abraham was able to comprehend the lengths and breadths and heights and depths of Divine blessing that was conferred upon him when the Lord said, “Because thou hast done this, in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed, and it shall be as the stars of heaven and the sand upon the seashore.”

How little Abraham could have understood that the seed that was to be as the stars of heaven is the spiritual seed, and that the seed that shall be as the sand upon the seashore is the natural seed. In a word, not only those of fleshly Israel who accepted the blessings and favors of the Kingdom, but humanity in general, all the families of the earth will be privileged to become the seed of Abraham through faith and obedience, even as we of this Gospel Age who are Gentiles have been privileged through faith and obedience to become joint-heirs in spiritual Israel with those Jews who were Israelites indeed at the First Advent.

THE GOLDEN TEXT

God's promise to Abraham was abundantly fulfilled in his own person: it was fulfilled also in his natural seed and his spiritual seed. Surely, of all, the latter is the most blessed. What more could God say to us or do for us than He has already said and done? Lifting us from the horrible pit and miry clay of sin and condemnation, He has placed our feet upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, and put a new song in our mouths. Yea, more, He has adopted us into His family and made us heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:4,5)

The declaration is added, “I will bless them that bless thee, and I will curse him that curseth thee.” This does not refer to blessing by the lips or cursing by the lips merely, but rather appertains to conduct ─ he that does good to you, who favors you, I will favor; he that injures you I will permit to be injured.

How this has been fulfilled in the case of the natural Jew, even in his outcast condition! Those nations which have maltreated the Jew have suffered, those which have treated him with kindness have been more or less blessed. And if we apply this to the spiritual seed of Abraham, does it not fit even better? Has there not come a blessing of the Lord to all those who have either said or done kindness to His faithful? And has not blight followed upon those who in any sense of the word have sought to do injury to the Lord’s Anointed? “If God be for us who can be against us?”

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 3935-3938, February 1, 1907)

THE WORTHIES: The above article was written to and for the Saints, the Church, but all the exhortations, admonitions and under-standings of the Plan of God apply also to the Youthful Worthies. They can understand all of the Plan that has been revealed, and their consecration is unto and until death the same as the Saints, but their trial is for faith and obedience and not for life. Another difference is that the Youthful Worthies do not have spirit begettal, consequently they cannot understand things pertaining to that, and their rewards will not be Spiritual as will the Saints.

As for the Ancient Worthies, their consecration is the same also, but they did not have the understanding of the Plan as do the Youthful Worthies, because of the time difference. They lived long before much was revealed of God’s Plan, but this makes their faith much deeper and stronger. Therefore, their standing in the Kingdom will be higher than the Youthful Worthies.

___________________________________________________________________

“WHEN I SHALL TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS”

Beyond all question the Apostle applies the above words (Rom. 11:27) to the Jewish people at the conclusion of this Gospel Age, after God shall have gathered the spiritual seed of Abraham out of all nations. We cannot well consider this the forgiveness or taking away of their national sin, because their national sin shall have been expiated by their punishment in the past 1800 years, as St. Paul prophetically foretold, saying, “Wrath is come upon this people to the uttermost, that all things written in the Law and the prophecies concerning them should be fulfilled.”

If, then, it is not their national sin that is referred to here, what sins are these? They are the individual sins of the Jew similar to those which are upon all humanity, the sin in which they were born; as it is written, “I was born in sin, shapen in iniquity; in sin did my mother conceive me.” This inherited sin comes down, we recognize, from Father Adam and Mother Eve and is termed original sin. It is true that God made a special arrangement with the Jewish nation whereby their original sin would be considered cancelled under the sacrificial arrangements of the Mosaic or Law Covenant. But, as the Apostle points out, this never brought them life nor release from Divine condemnation pronounced first against Adam. It merely extended or doubled this condemnation, as it were, because they had first the Adamic sin condemnation, and second the condemnation of their Law Covenant.

The only explanation which will fit the Apostle’s words is that suggested by the Lord through the Prophet (Jer. 31:31),”This is my covenant with you when I shall take away your sins.” The Apostle shows that this taking away of their sins and the instituting of the covenant with them, will be after this Gospel Age, when the Church, which is the body of Christ, shall have completed the sufferings of Christ and shall have entered into His glory.

The manner of the taking away of the sins of the Jews will not be the same as that of the Church ─ instantaneous ─ but rather a gradual matter. Instead of Israel’s being justified instantly to fellowship with God, they will be under the care and control of the great Mediator between God and men. And this great Mediator, Prophet, Priest and King will for one thousand years be engaged in the work of taking away their sins, according to this covenant which God specified through the Prophet Jeremiah. And at the conclusion of the one thousand years He will present them perfect, blameless, irreprovable to the Father. Having then accomplished the purposes of His Mediatorial Kingdom work he will resign His dominion to God the Father, and Israel will thenceforth be in actual Covenant relationship with God.

As we have heretofore seen, it is the Divine programme to permit all nations, peoples and kindreds of the human family to come in under this New Covenant with Israel; to come under the Mediator’s blessings and Millennial Kingdom; to have a share as Israelites indeed in all of the blessed opportunities for having their sins put away. And all who do not, whether Jew or Gentile, will die the Second Death; as it is written, “It shall come to pass, that the soul that will not hear [obey] that Prophet, shall be destroyed from amongst the people.” (Acts 3:23)

This thought is further confirmed by the statement of the Prophet Jeremiah (31:31-34), that the Lord would take away the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh and renew a right spirit. It is not supposable that this would be an instantaneous work. It is a restitution work. True, sin had a small beginning in disobedience; but under its development it has effected headiness, lovelessness of heart, degradation and selfishness of character in the whole world of mankind. It will be the work of the entire Millennial Age to eradicate this stony condition of heart and restore mankind to a proper fleshly condition of heart.

(Pastor Russell, Reprint 4612, 4613, May 1, 1910)

___________________________________________________________________

WATCHTOWER: In the January 1, 2007 Watchtower there is an article written by someone who evidently never read any of Pastor Russell’s books, in spite of the fact that the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim him as their founder. However, Pastor Russell was the founder of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, which was usurped after his death. He was not the founder of Jehovah’s Witnesses, for they did not come into existence until the 1930s.

For example, in this issue there is an article written about the Resurrection. And on page 26 the writer says there were nine resurrections and he gives examples purporting to prove this. But those were not resurrections, they were resuscitations or awakenings. The word Resurrection is from the Greek word Anastasis, which means standing up again ─ raised to perfect life again. Those obviously were not raised to perfect life, for they lived a while longer and died again. There is nothing much said about them after their awakening. Even Lazarus was heard very little of after Jesus awakened him. But these awakenings all were representations of the real Resurrection of the Millennial Kingdom, when all those awakened will grow into perfection, if they obey the laws of the Kingdom.

Then again on page 27 of this same article the writer is confusing the literal heaven, God’s abode, with the symbolic heavens of the present evil world. The citations he gives refer to the battle against the counterfeit Kingdom of Papacy and its church. The true church at this time was in the wilderness condition. That is they were not recognized by the world, but they very definitely fought the Papal system. We could give more on this, but we think each person should study this for themselves. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  (2 Tim. 2:15)

On page 28, the writer tries to identify the “four and twenty elders” of Rev. 4:4 as representing the 144,000. But the Truth is that they are the personifications of the testimonies of twenty-four prophets who foretold things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Being symbolic they cannot be individual saints, nor can they be the entire body of saints. The writer has mixed literal and symbolic things. The entire book of Revelations is symbolic, except the numbers, which are literal, such as 144,000 saints and 24 elders. The first verse of the first chapter of Revelation states that Jesus “sent and sign-ified it by his angel to his servant John.”

We could say much more but we believe that this is sufficient to show that the writer is not to be relied upon to tell the Truth as given in the Scriptures and revealed during the Harvest to Pastor Russell, who was that “wise and faithful servant” of Matthew 24:45.

___________________________________________________________________

The Bible, in whole and in part, has been translated into approximately 2,300 languages or dialects, with at least that many remaining.  (Biblical Archaeology Review, Nov./Dec. 2006)

NO. 598 "TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS"

Isaiah 61:3

“As ye therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6,7)

The context from which our text is taken seems to show that the Apostle is contrasting with the Gospel hope the various hopes which might go to establish one in some kind of faith, some kind of belief, some kind of course in life. But he is addressing those especially who have already accepted Jesus Christ as God's Representative ─ those who believe that God has sent His Son into the world to be the Redeemer of the race of Adam, and by and by to be the Deliverer of mankind from the power of sin and death. All those who are in Christ Jesus have received Him with this under-standing. This is the only Message which God has sent; this is “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3)

DIVINE VS. HUMAN MESSAGE

The Apostle Paul urged those to whom he wrote to continue in this faith, and not to try to combine earthly philosophy with this Heavenly Message. As they had received Christ as God's Anointed and their Sufficiency in all things ─ One “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col.2:3), in whom “dwelleth all the fullness of the Deity bodily” (Col.2:9, Dia.) ─ so they were to walk. As they had recognized Him as the Heavenly Teacher, so they were to continue to make progress in the same way. They were not to think for one moment that any human teaching could be mixed with the Divine Message; for any other doctrine would serve only to confuse the Heavenly Message in the minds of the hearers.

This would not mean, however, that the teachings of the Apostles were to be ignored, for the Master especially informed the Church that His Twelve Apostles would be His mouthpieces. It would, however, guard us against any supposition that there would be any other teaching or any other Church to take the place of Jesus and His Apostles. To these He declared that whatsoever things they would bind on earth would be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever things they would loose on earth would be loosed in Heaven (Matt. 16:19).

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPIRITUAL PLANT

Having stated the matter in this way, the Apostle then uses a forceful illustration to show how we are to progress in Christ. St. Paul gives us the picture of a tree, the root of which goes downward and the trunk of which reaches upward, to obtain that nourishment which will give it strength and stability. As the roots of a tree push themselves downward and imbibe the nutriment of the soil, while at the same time the trunk and the branches reach up into the atmosphere to obtain through the leaves the necessary elements of growth, so the mentality of the Christian takes hold of the great and precious promises of the Word of God, while at the same time he is building character through his heart appreciation of these promises, in connection with the experiences of life. The roots of faith push down deep into the knowledge of the Divine Plan, while the tree of character grows higher and higher, developing and maturing the rich fruits of the Holy Spirit of God; for instruction is a form of construction.

While the Christian is thus growing up in character-likeness to our Redeemer, and his roots of faith are reaching deep down into the deep things of the Word of God, he is becoming established, settled. A tree that is well rooted in the earth is hard to uproot. It has a wonderful strength, a wonderful hold upon the earth, and requires years to die out. So it is with the Christian whose faith has been properly established; he should be so fixed, so established in the promises of God's Word, that no wind of doctrine could overturn his faith.

Whoever is continually looking around for something new is thus demonstrating the fact that he is not established in the Faith. Having once made sure that the Divine Plan is the Plan of God, we should not permit ourselves to be moved away from that position. On all Christians who are thus rooted and grounded in the Scriptures the theories of our day ─ Evolution, Christian Science, New Thought, etc. ─ have no effect whatever. No Christian growth will be developed nor spiritual life retained unless the soul becomes fixed and settled in the Truth as it is in Christ Jesus.

ONE CAUSE OF SPIRITUAL DECAY

When once we have seen the Plan of God as revealed in Jesus, and have given ourselves to God and the study of His Word, the only way to retain our spiritual life is to continue in this doctrine, to root ourselves in this soil and remain there. We are not to seek other fields with the thought that we can receive additional nourishment there, and that an admixture of other elements with what we have will be advantageous. No theories will mix with the Lord's Plan. It is complete; it needs no assistance from other systems of belief. Any attempt to incorporate with it theories and ideas of men will only destroy its value. We can never become rooted and built up in Christ by such a course; our spiritual decay, and finally our spiritual death would be the result.

  No child of God can be carried about by every wind of doctrine; nor can he indulge in a morbid curiosity as to what this or that new theory may teach. To do so is very dangerous to the spirituality of a Christian. For one who has never known the Truth there might be some reason for such a course, but for one who has once thoroughly proven what is the Truth in Christ to go hunting around for new pastures in which to feed, there is no excuse. Either he has never been established in Christ, or else he has fallen into a spiritual decline. There is an exhaustless field for thought and for mental and spiritual activity in the Plan of God in all its varied features.

As a tree does not breathe the same element at all times, and as it is not always flooded with sunshine, but needs also the rains and storms for its development, so the child of God needs varied experiences and sometimes change of environment to best develop all the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The great Husbandman knows just what experiences and surroundings each one of his "trees" needs ─ how much sunshine, how much rain, how much cold and how much heat, how much pruning ─ and He will supply just what is best adapted to each case. He knows how to vary these conditions, environments, etc., without disturbing the process of rooting and upbuilding, but developing it. This we do not know how to accomplish, but would bring upon ourselves spiritual disaster. So we need to keep ourselves continually under the care of the skilful Husbandman and earnestly cooperate with Him, that we may grow and become strong and immovable ─ firmly established.

DEPTH OF ROOT SHOWN IN VIGOR AND FRUITAGE

The depth and the spread of the roots of a tree are shown by the vigor and the fruitage of the tree. A tree that is not deeply and firmly grounded can neither bring forth rich, luscious fruit nor furnish cool, refreshing shade to man. Depth of root is absolutely essential. So the Christian's faith must be deeply grounded in Christ; and thus shall we also grow up into Him, learning more and more what is the Divine will as expressed in Him. The rooting process is unseen, and can be judged only by its outward manifestations. When there is luxuriant foliage there is good rooting. But the growth must not stop there; fruit must be borne. And so the spiritual life of the child of God will manifest itself more and more in its likeness to Christ. He will bear rich clusters of fruit, which should become more choice in quality and size year by year (Jer. 17:7,8).

We sometimes see Christians who have little knowledge of worldly things and yet have deep spirituality, very deep rooting and grounding in Christ, a clear insight into the deep things of God, and a rich Christian experience. Perhaps their knowledge of the usages of polite society is less than that of many others of their brethren; they may have had fewer opportunities to learn all these details; and yet their ripe attainments in Christ may shame some who are more outwardly correct according to the social standards of the world. How careful we should be that our standards of judgment and our estimates of character are fashioned after the pattern of the Master; that we look beneath the surface; that we note rather the real essential traits, than any outward peculiarities of the flesh which in the sight of the Lord would have no weight in deciding the quality of the character or the place in the Kingdom.

The Apostle urges that we become established in the faith. This term refers to “the faith which was once delivered to the saints” ─ the one Faith. This is to hold at all costs. Satan will attempt to divert our minds into other channels, to draw our attention to some new thing. But the Plan of God, the Truth of God, as revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord, is but one. It is given us for our instruction in righteousness, “that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:17) It is not the truth of Geometry or Trigonometry or Geology or Astronomy or any other science that we are to be diligent to study and be grounded and built up in, but God's Word (John 17:17). These other truths are very well in their way, but we have little time to study these now. We shall have all eternity in which to learn all the wonders of creation, but now we are to apply ourselves especially to the mastery of spiritual Truth, the deep things of the Mystery of God, revealed to His saints for a specific purpose.

AN ESTABLISHED CHRISTIAN IS NOT A BIGOT

The Truth embraces all the Scriptural teachings relative to Christ and His work and our relationship to Him. We are to abide therein with thanksgiving. We should familiarize ourselves with the different features of this Truth more and more. We should be clear in regard to what our Lord taught and why He taught it, and should know how to connect the different parts of the Truth into a harmonious whole. We are to be thoroughly furnished. We are heartily to appreciate the loving kindness of our God in revealing to us these glorious things, and to realize that we did not originate them ourselves, nor was any man the originator of them but the Lord Himself. They are the Gift of God to us, and we are to be most thankful for this great Gift, to guard it jealously as a priceless treasure, and to let our light shine to the glory of God's Name.

The general sentiment among the teachers of false doctrine, and even among the world in general, who do not believe in the necessity or the advisability of being established in faith, is that to be established is to be bigoted. Those who are so unfair in mind as to receive and tenaciously hold what they have never proven, either by sound logic or by the authority of the Word of God, are rightly called bigots. But one who in simple, child-like faith accepts and firmly holds to what God has inspired, what He has caused to be written in His Word for our instruction is not a bigot, but a strong, established character, and will stand when all the structures built upon the numerous theories and imaginings of men shall have fallen. The great Day now upon us is trying every man's character-structure, of what sort it is, and but very few even among professed Christians, will stand the test.

The few who will pass safely through this crucial trial without loss are those only who have become established in the Truth of God, “rooted and grounded and built up into Christ.” The difference between a strong and steadfast Christian and a bigot is that one is established in Truth, and the other is established in error. The “fire” of this Day will continue to burn and to manifest the great difference between the two classes, until all have been tested and tried and found worthy or unworthy.

IMPORTANCE OF SELF-SCRUTINY

The Apostles words in our text lead each child of God back to the time when he first made his own consecration. Under what conditions did we come into Christ? We recall that it required much humility on our part to acknowledge that we were sinners, utterly unable to save ourselves. Some seem to forget the way in which they started. They started with faith and humility and meekness, and with the desire to be truly built up into the Master's likeness. But they seem by degrees to lose sight of this, and begin to grow in another direction than straight upward into the fullness of Christ.

Truth is to become brighter and fuller and more luminous as we go onward. To this end, we must keep close to the Word and in line with His Program. The Lord will not accept little, undeveloped sprouts for the Kingdom, but He wants those that have grown and matured ─ strong, sturdy “trees of righteousness.” (Isa. 61:3)

Delve into the promises of God more and more. As you do this, the roots of faith will draw up the nutriment and send it out into your life, and you will grow, just as a tree grows, because nourished, fed. Thus alone will you become established in THE FAITH, and not in your imaginings nor the imaginings of others. Our faith is to grow stronger and more vigorous day by day. It is not to be a faith in ourselves or in anything apart from the Lord. Faith is what we started with in the beginning, and we shall need it in increasing measure as we go on in our upward way ─ faith in God and His sure Word. All that we know as children of the Lord has come to us through the channel of Jesus, His holy Apostles, and the Prophets of old, and we are to continue feeding at this same table with thanksgiving.

We are not to feel a spirit of bondage, and say to ourselves, “I would like to ramble outside; I do not like to confine myself merely to what the Bible teaches. I would like more liberty.” This disposition is not the spirit of a true follower of Christ. Such sentiments encouraged would lead to utter spiritual disaster. All such temptations, if they come, must be promptly and positively resisted. Our spirit should be one of deepest gratitude and thankfulness that we have been granted this glorious Divine Revelation. Following thus in the Lord's way we find the only true joy, and can make the only true progress. “1f ye do these things, ye shall never fall, for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly in the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 1:10,11)

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.” (2 Pet. 3:17,18)

But what is it to grow in grace? It is to grow in favor with the Lord through an intimate personal acquaintance and fellowship of spirit with him. It implies, first, a knowledge and recognition on our part of our redemption through the precious blood and a personal faith in and dependence upon all the promises of the Father made to us through Him, and then an intimate communion with Him in our daily life of prayer, and of observation of His will and obedience to it. If such be our constant attitude of mind and heart, there must be a constant ripening of the fruits of the spirit, rendering us more and more pleasing and acceptable to our Lord. A sense of the Divine acceptance and favor is given to us from day to day in increasing measure, in fulfillment of that blessed promise of our Lord, “If a man love me he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23)

This as nearly as words can express it, is what it is to grow in grace; but the full and blessed understanding of it is best appreciated by those who from day to day walk with God in faith and obedience and love.

To grow thus in grace and not grow in knowledge is impossible; for the very object of such communion is to build us up in a more perfect knowledge and acquaintance with the Lord ─ to bring us into closer fellowship with the Divine Plan. 1f, therefore, we love and obey the Lord and desire to grow in His favor, His written Word is our daily meditation and study; and thus we grow in knowledge; not, however, by finding out each year that what we learned last year was false, but adding to what we learned until we realize its glorious completeness in the full discernment of the Divine Plan of the Ages. We are then ready to do valiant service for the cause of Truth in withstanding the encroachment of error (Eph. 6:10-13), being established, strengthened and settled in the faith (1 Pet. 5:10). But even to those thus established in the faith there is abundant opportunity to grow in knowledge; for while they will see nothing new or different in outline or design, they will be continually charmed and cheered with newly discovered lines of harmony and beauty in the Divine drawings of the wonderful Plan of the Ages. As pupils we may ever study the master workmanship of the Divine Architect.

"KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD"

(Jude 21)

Knowledge is valuable, but only incidentally; of itself the Apostle assures us knowledge would be inclined to puff us up, make us vain and boastful, and this quite out of harmony with the spirit of God, the spirit of love, meekness, gentleness. Knowledge might make us merely tinkling cymbals giving out a sound, but possessing no real merit in the Lord’s sight. But knowledge, when it serves its proper purpose, brings us to the appreciation of the love that is of God, and to a realization of the wisdom of copying His character, that we should seek so far as possible to be like our Father which is in heaven, copies of His dear Son, our Lord.

Undoubtedly love is the principal thing to be studied, to be appreciated, to be copied and practiced in our lives. We trust that a large proportion of our readers have already become partakers of this “love of God,” and that all such are seeking to have it perfected in them, and to be rooted and grounded in it. We have the Apostle's assurance that only those who take this standpoint can make permanent and thorough progress in grace and knowledge. Those who have entered the school of Christ, and who refuse to progress in it toward perfection, may assuredly expect that sooner or later their knowledge of the Divine Plan will slip from them; while those who do make progress in this proper direction may expect that the lengths and breadths of the Divine Plan will continue opening before them, and that their growth in knowledge will keep pace with their growth in love.

Let us see then that we have the faith of Christ ─ the faith well founded in the Word of God, a faith examined and proved, deeply rooted in the heart as well as in the head, and therefore established as the motive power of life. Such a faith is not nervously looking about for something new, and always probing the vain philosophies of men to see how skillfully they can withstand the Word of the Lord; for those who do so show plainly that their faith is not of sufficient influence to be the moving power in them, impelling them onward to full and complete victory over the world, the flesh and the Adversary.

The above has all been gleaned from That Servant's writings, and, of course, was directed more especially to the Saints, who were being gathered at the time these words were written. But we earnestly believe that this counsel is very much applicable to the unbegotten class here in the end of the Age. These, whom we call Youthful Worthies, can apply all of this advice to themselves, the only difference being that they do not have spirit begettal. Each individual, no matter of what class he considers himself to be of, should strive to reach as near to the standard given as he is capable of doing.

___________________________________________________________________

GOD IN THE HOME

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Do not understand us to teach that the world's opportunity for life everlasting or death everlasting is now. “God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world,” grant the world a judgment or trial or test. That great day is future. It is the day of Christ, a thousand years long. It will be a glorious opportunity! Present right doing and right thinking, or wrong doing and wrong thinking will have much to do with the condition of every man and woman at that time. He or she will enter upon that Day of blessing and opportunity either from a higher or a lower standpoint, proportionately as he or she has acted wisely and conscientiously at the present time.

But nothing that the world can do can interfere with God's great proposition, that a full opportunity for life or death eternal shall then come to every member of the race, because Christ died for the ungodly. The only class to whom present life means life or death eternal is the Church. And by the Church, we mean, not church attendants, nor outward professors, but those who have entered into a covenant with God through Christ and who have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasting of the good word of God and the powers of the Age to come. If these should fall away, the Apostle forewarns us, it would be impossible to renew them again unto repentance. And there will be no home for them with the world in the world's trial day because they already have enjoyed their share of the merit of Christ's death.

A GREAT PRIVILEGE

When, therefore, we speak of God and the home, we have in mind a family composed exclusively of Saints who daily and hourly are following their great Redeemer's footsteps in self-denial, in sacrifice, in the narrow way which leads to glory, honor and immortality and association with the Redeemer in His glorious Kingdom which is to bless the world for a thousand years.

We believe the Bible teaches that there are many of the world who are reverential, kind and just to a large degree, who are not saints, who have not presented their bodies living sacrifices to God, who have not been begotten of His Holy Spirit, and not, therefore, members of that "little flock to whom it is the Father's good pleasure to give the Kingdom" ─ in joint-heirship with their Redeemer and Head. To this latter class our Master evidently referred when He said to His followers, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

To live righteously, soberly and godly in this present world to the extent of one's ability is what everyone should do ─ no less. To live a life of sacrifice ─ to lay down our lives for the brethren, for the truth, in the service of the Lord, is another matter, which justice does not require, and which the Bible nowhere enjoins upon mankind. It is pointed out as a privilege to those who desire it, and glory, honor and immortality on the spirit plane is the reward attached to this invitation or High Calling. It is the selection of this special class of consecrated ones that is the particular order in the Divine program at the present time, because the faithful, the elect, the “overcomers” of this class are to be the associates of the Redeemer in His great work of uplifting the world and restoring all the willing and obedient to human perfection, to an earthly Eden home everlasting in which God's will shall “be done on earth as it is done in heaven.”

AN INUNDATION OF UNBELIEF

In our day the shackles of ignorance and superstition are breaking. Men, women and children are beginning to think for themselves. They no longer believe the fairy tales of childhood. The dreadful hobgoblins and nightmares of the Dark Ages respecting purgatory and eternal torture are doubted by all, and by the great mass totally disbelieved. What have they now to attach them to the Almighty since they have never been taught the love of God, the lengths and breadths and height and depths passing all human understanding? This is the world's great need ─ to know God as He really is, a father, a friend, a God of love! And to thus know Him the people need to be taught how seriously they were mistaught in the past along the lines of hell and purgatory.

How could they ever truly love and worship a God of injustice and of hate ─ one inferior to themselves ─ one who knew, foreordained and prepared for their torture before they were born. They must see that these things taught by the creeds of the Dark Ages are wholly at variance with the Bible, else they will never come back to the Bible nor be able to see its teachings in their true light. They must be taught that the sin and death, sorrow and trouble all around us are the wage or penalty of Father Adam's disobedience. They must learn that God purposes a blessing and uplifting which will be as world-wide as the curse.

Many religious leaders today deny that there is a personal God, and ascribe everything to a great Nothing, which they designate Nature-god. Is it surprising, in view of the fact that these teachings are being promulgated in the universities, colleges and theological seminaries, in the high schools and even to some extent in the common schools ─ is it any wonder that the rising generation is losing its God?

AWAKENED PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

It is high time that parents realize the true situation ─ it is almost too late now. The seeds of unbelief already sown in the minds of the rising generation are being watered continually and are growing. All who love their families, all who love mankind in general, should awaken to the fact that a world that has lost its God must of necessity be an unhappy world. Platonic philosophy may serve the purposes of the few, but surely cannot serve the masses of our race. A godless world will, ere long, mean a discontented world, an unhappy world, and, bye and bye, a world of anarchy and strife. This is what our worldwide education is leading to. Few of our race can stand an education which recognizes no God, no revelation of Him, no responsibility to Him, and no hope of a future life which will be effected by the conduct of the present.

(Pastor Russell, What Pastor Russell Wrote for the Overland Monthly, pages 292, 293)

___________________________________________________________________

HOW STRONG AND SWEET MY FATHER’S CARE!

1 Peter 5:7

How strong and sweet my Father’s care!

The words, like music in the air,

                                          Come answering to my whispered prayer─

He cares for thee.

The thought great wonder with it brings─

My cares are all such little things;

But to this truth my glad faith clings,

He cares for me.

Yea, keep me ever in Thy love,

Dear Father, watching from above,

And let me still Thy mercy prove,

 And care for me.

Cast me not off because of sin,

But make me pure and true within,

And teach me how Thy smile to win,

Who cares for me.

O still, in summer’s golden glow,

Or wintry storms of wind and snow,

Love me, my Father: let me know

Thy care for me.

And I will learn to cast the care

Which like a heavy load I bear

Down at Thy feet in lowly prayer,

And trust in Thee.

For naught can hurt me, shade or shine,

Nor evil thing touch me, nor mine,

Since Thou with tenderness Divine

Dost care for me.

NO. 597 THE RESURRECTION

The following article is very elementary truth, and we are sure that most of our readers are familiar with it. But since we are leaky vessels, we think it is a good idea to review basic truths occasionally to refresh our minds about it, and also to make sure that any thing presented to us as new truth is harmonious with what we already know to be truth. May it be a blessing to all.

___________________________________________________________________

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

 (1 Corinthians 15:19)

In other words, if our hope in Christ is dependent merely upon the circumstances and conditions of this present life, we rob ourselves of what enjoyment and advantage might be gained in this life. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” (Verse 20) Christ was dead ─ unconscious ─ asleep for parts of three days. “But now is Christ risen.” The Diaglott says, “Christ has been raised.” This is the Resurrection and states that Christ was “the firstfruits of them that slept.”

A resurrection under the various nominal Christian creeds, Catholic and Protestant, doesn’t make sense, if all men are on trial in this present evil world (Gal. 1:4). The creeds all declare that at the death of the body, the soul is transported to Heaven if we have been good, or to eternal torment, if bad. Although, the Catholics devised an in-between place for the purging of sins, called Purgatory.  This was a way out of the terrible doctrine of eternal torment. But it wasn’t a completely altruistic scheme.  It was a way to make rich on the bad consciences of the vast majority. Pay money and get yourself or a loved one out of purgatory, or get the sentence shortened. In any case, a resurrection when judgment has already been made is unreasonable.

“The love of God was manifested toward us, because God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9)  “In the beginning was the Logos and the Logos was with God and the Logos was (a) God.” (John 1:1, Dia.)  The word Logos is a synonym for Jesus. The literal meaning is “The Word,” but there is no doubt amongst biblical scholars that Jesus Christ is meant. Translators who were prejudiced in favor of the false idea of a trinity left out the article “a.” Greek scholars agree the “a” should be there.

We are told that Christ was the first in the beginning of God’s creation. He was the first   of all creation, God’s only begotten Son (John 3:16,18). Christ was the Archangel (1 Thes. 4:16; Jude v. 9), and no other being, human, angel or animal, was created except by God through Jesus. “All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:3) God was the architect and Christ executed the architect’s plans. He was the contractor, you might say.

Christ placed himself on the altar of sacrifice for mankind after having been made “a little lower than the angels.” (Psa. 8:5)  This is pictured by Abraham placing Isaac on the altar of sacrifice, and in other ways throughout the Old Testament. After Christ’s sacrifice, he became the firstfruits of them that slept, or that was dead, unconscious.  Notice that firstfruits is plural.  It implies other fruit, that others would be raised from the dead.

“For since by man [Adam] came death, by man [Christ] came also the resurrection of the dead.” (Verse 21) This tells us that Christ at his First Advent was a man, a human being, perfect, as was Adam before he sinned. The word resurrection is from the Greek word Anastasis, which means standing up again ─ raised to perfect life again. The word is used 40 times in the New Testament.  It doesn’t appear in the Old Testament for in those times the Jews, God’s chosen people, believed in a resurrection. Pagan religions and the Greek philosophers believed that at death the person was transformed into a spirit being, a concept later adopted by the Christian creeds, but not taught by the Holy Scriptures.

“For as by Adam all die, even so by the Anointed also, will all be restored to life.”  (Verse 22, Dia)  It doesn’t say “For as in Eve” because the father is the lifegiver. And through Adam we received or inherited the death sentence. The Scriptures refer to us who are still walking around as the dead. Christ said, “let the dead bury the dead.”  (Matt.8:22)  “Dead man walking” is a term heard from inmates on death row when one of them is taken from his cell to be executed.  All mankind has been and are “dead men walking.”  They are not fallen asleep yet, but are on the way. Some are a little further along the way than others, closer to the execution of the death sentence ─ dead men walking.

Throughout the Bible death is referred to as sleep. Christ said, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth.” (John 11:11) When the disciples didn’t understand, he added, “Lazarus is dead.” (Verse 14)  David, the Prophets and others are said to “sleep with their fathers” ─ that is they died. Sleep indicates an awakening, sooner or later and thereby when used Biblically to describe the death state, teaches that death is unconsciousness, oblivion, not in Heaven or in a place of punishment, but in a dreamless sleep, and that there will be a resurrection. An awakening is the first step of a resurrection, but not the only step. After the awakening then comes a restoration to the perfect life that mankind would have had, if Adam had not sinned. But he did sin and received the death penalty that we, as his progeny inherited. Adam could not bequeath something he did not possess himself.  The “dead men walking” and those who are already asleep, Christ by his sacrifice restores to life ─ the life that Adam had before he sinned, disobeyed his Creator.

Then in verse 23 the Apostle goes on: “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”  The word coming would have been better translated presence, which means to be near, or at hand, the same as the English word presence.

Verse (24) “then the end.” The Apostle jumps to the end of Christ’s Kingdom, when he has restored man to perfect life; the life Adam had before he sinned.  We pray “In Jesus’ Name” and Christ intercedes for us.  It is the only way in which we are acceptable to God. “Then cometh the end, [the word cometh is not in any mss.] when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power” ─ all that opposes His righteous power. The outwardly incorrigible have already been eliminated at the time Christ turns the Kingdom over to God.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim.2:15) Reading the Bible verse by verse is a pleasant and ennobling pastime, and perhaps we should read some part of it every day. Study involves reading but reading does not necessarily involve study. The Bible is not a textbook; it is a book of texts. “For precept must be upon precept; precept upon precept; line upon line; line upon line; here a little and there a little.” (Isa. 28:10)  Many times two entirely different thoughts and/or time frames are expressed by contiguous verses.

Verses 25 and 26 ─ “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”  Why make such a point of destroying a mere delusion, as Christendom describes death.

Saint Paul, whom we have just quoted here, may be styled the Resurrection Preacher. He may also be called Preacher to the Gentiles. Who is Paul? There were 12 Apostles, “Ambassadors of the Gospel,” “Commissioners of Christ.”  Just as there were 12 sons of Jacob whose offspring were the 12 tribes of Israel, formed in the wilderness into the nation of Israel, after the name of Jacob was changed to Israel. Israel means “ruling with God.”  The nation of Israel was a type of the Kingdom of God.  A type, tupos in the Greek, is translated in the New Testament as ensample. The Israelites were the people to whom God gave the Oracles of God, the Old Testament.  The antitype or the substance of the type is the real Kingdom of God, which the nation of Israel was an ensample ─ type.

Of the 12 original Apostles, one failed ─ Judas who betrayed Jesus. In the intervening 10 days from ascension of Christ to Pentecost those present received the Holy Spirit and were anointed as the Gospel Age Church (Ecclesia ─ Body of Christ). The remaining 11 Apostles, knowing there should be 12, thought to help God by selecting a pair from the followers of Christ and drawing straws, so God could make the final selection.

Good Christians are forever seeking to help God, but He doesn’t need help. We hear preachers say many times, “God needs your help.”  (Usually when the preacher is asking for money.)  The help to seek is from God, not for God. The scenario of drawing straws nips in the bud the false idea of apostolic succession.  There were, and are, no succes-sors to the Apostles. They are the twelve stars of Rev. 12:1,14. The two men chosen in this event were no doubt good disciples, who perhaps made their calling and election to sainthood, though we can’t be sure.  But God overruled the selection of either to replace Judas and they were never again mentioned in the Scriptures.

God already knew who the replacement would be.  It was Saul, a Jew of Tarsus, a seaport on the Mediterranean now a part of Turkey.  It was a noted city of philosophy and literature at the time and which in those days ranked with Athens and Alexandria.

Paul was probably the only well educated man of the Apostles. He was a Roman citizen,  a Pharisee and persecutor of the followers of Christ.  He held the coats of those who stoned Stephen to death in one incident.

This says to us that no matter if we have been wrong, repentance is always an option and if we accept Christ as our Ransom, consecrate and remain faithful and obedient, we will be forgiven and rewarded beyond our fondest dreams.  Easier said than done in the Present Evil World.  But there is one other requirement, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightfully dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)

Saul was on his way to Damascus where he was headed to persecute some followers of Christ, when Christ appeared to him in a blinding light.  We all know the story. Paul was converted, became a prospective new creature and was renamed Paul. Why did God choose this man? Because he was honest, sincere, fervent and faithful in his belief. He just didn’t have the truth yet.  All he needed was to be shown that Jesus was Christ ─ The Anointed, the Messiah, promised to the Jews.  He had everything else right. There are Jews today who like Paul have everything right except recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. Paul said in 1 Cor. 2:2, “I am determined [after his conversion] not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”

It was said of Paul in Acts 17:18: “He preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection.” Then in 1 Cor. 15:13-18 Paul said, “If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen…then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain…then if Christ be not raised…ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” Then follows our opening text, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Christians of all stripes claim a belief in a resurrection. They could hardly do otherwise since it is so prominently declared in the Scriptures. But the vast majority of Christians believe that death is a delusion, that we don’t really die but have an immortal soul.  But, take a concordance and try to find the expression “immortal soul.”  It doesn’t exist in Scripture. If there is no death, what’s the point of a resurrection?  Seldom is resurrection used as a topic for sermons except on Easter Sunday, which Easter purports to celebrate.

Easter is the anglicized name of a Germanic pagan goddess, which derives from the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, the goddess of fertility, the sex goddess.  Though she was also the goddess of war. In spring a young man’s fancy turns to love ─ and war. The Easter celebration of this goddess began at or near the Vernal Equinox, the beginning of spring, and was adapted by Christendom as a celebration of the resurrection.  The Jewish day begins at sundown.  Christ was crucified on the day of the Passover, which falls on the 14th day of the first month of the Jewish year, which is determined by the new moon nearest the vernal equinox, the first day of spring.

But you cannot believe in a resurrection if you don’t understand the meaning of death.  It is amazing, if you stop to think about it.  The vast majority of all mankind has believed and now more than ever, believes the lie told by that serpent, Satan, in the Garden of Eden. It was the first lie ever told by the father of liars.  Christians, Jews, Muslims, and most all religions of mankind believe it. Many agnostics and avowed atheist believe that man does not die.  Many evolutionists believe the final stage of evolution is from the human nature to the spiritual, a step in the evolutionary chain. This is believed by the Pope, Billy Graham and most of the leaders of Christendom but they don’t call it evolution.

“Out of body” experiences by the near dead are continually reported in the media.  Almost breathlessly TV shows and movies are dealing more and more with angels as dead human beings.  Those of the science-fiction genre have moved almost exclusively to depicting a spiritual realm inhabited by former humans or humanoids of some other sphere. This is a sign of the times in which we are living.  It is proof that Satan rules.

Not many throughout all time have believed God when he said, “…in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) Or “…there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”  (Eccl. 9:10)

Only a very few worthy ancients from Abel to Abraham, from Isaac to John the Immerser, believed God and had faith in Him.  Read the names of some of them in Hebrews chapter 11. A very “little flock” starting with the Apostles and others gathered throughout the Gospel Age, the Good News Age, believed God and had faith in Him. And in the present time, there are relatively few people who believe God and have faith.

God said to Adam in the Garden of Eden, “…of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17)  But 2 Pet. 3:8 says, “But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”  Adam died at 930 years, 70 years short of that one-day.

Then in Gen. 3:4,5, “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die; for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”  The word serpent here is from the Hebrew Nachash (naw-khash), which means “to hiss or whisper a magic spell ─ to prognosticate.” So Satan, the deceiver, the Adversary of God, put a spell on Eve and she did eat and offered the fruit to Adam.  Adam understood that to die ─ death ─ meant oblivion, non-existence, and the loss of the breath of life, his spirit ─ his soul. Adam received this information directly from God and passed it on to Eve, but she was deceived by Satan ─ and how that deception has grown.  Adam didn’t want to live without Eve, so he ate of the fruit. Knowing the penalty, he deliberately disobeyed God. He loved the woman.

Love is one of the major attributes of the creator ─ Love, Wisdom, Justice and Power.  These attributes of the Creator were in man when he was in the Creator’s image before he disobeyed, sinned, although the creature, Adam, did not have these attributes to the extent as did his Creator, who is omnipotent and omniscient.  Adam let his love overpower the power he had to obey God. Nor did he use the wisdom that was built in as part of the image of God, which should have told him God would overrule.  And he completely forgot justice.

Even though Adam and Eve had been told by God to multiply and populate the earth before they sinned, they did not have any children before they were condemned.  You cannot pass on to your heirs that which you do not have.  They no longer had life or the right to life.  It was lost, they were “dead men walking.” They were dying and this is what they passed on to their children.

We inherited the death sentence and all that goes with it ─ birth defects, sickness, sorrow, tears, degradation, death and corruption.  The hook is in our mouth and like the fish we can’t get free no matter how we twist and turn, jump and run.  We search all the philosophies of the world, we study all the wise guys, we search for a fountain of youth and we manufacture out of whole cloth an immortal soul so we might believe that we don’t die. We completely overlook the Word of God, “The soul that sinneth it shall die,” we are told in Ezekiel 18:4.

But hold on, we find in the Word of God that there was a glimmer of hope in the Garden of Eden. “The seed of the woman will bruise the serpent’s head.” (Gen. 3:15) Then later to Abraham God said that in him and his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed. And in Gen. 17:8, “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” There’s that word “seed” again. And He said, “The land wherein thou art a stranger…the Promised Land, Canaan, for an everlasting possession.”  One of the things Adam lost when he disobeyed God was his perfect home, the Garden of Eden ─ Paradise, but it is promised that the whole world be as a Garden of Eden.  And they shall say, “This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.” (Ezek. 36:35)

But Abraham died before he ever really got full possession of Canaan.  Could it be that here is a hint of the resurrection, the raising up again ─ of Abraham? We think so. In Matt. 22 some Sadducees tried to trick Christ regarding the resurrection. They were a sect in Israel at the time of Christ, and they denied the resurrection.  In His rebuff, Christ said, “But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”  This tells us not only that there is a resurrection of the dead, but also that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are dead.

Certainly Abraham was righteous in the eyes of God for “he believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Rom 4:3)  So faithful Abraham, the friend of God (James 2:23) is not floating around Heaven, reclining on a cloud and playing a harp.

There are a few things God can’t do. One of them is to renege on a promise. “The testimony of God is sure.” (Psa. 19:7) Now here is a conundrum: In Gen. 22:17, God talks to Abraham: “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.” The point here is that there are two divisions or sections of the one seed. The earthly, indicated by sand, and the heavenly called the stars of heaven.  Sand is almost uncountable, but the heavenly is a much smaller number. The natural stars of heaven have been counted, that is the ones that can be seen with our present powerful telescopes. But try counting the grains of sand at the seashore.

So we believe there is an earthly seed, a large number consisting of all who have lived since the beginning and survive the judgment of Christ’s Kingdom; and a much smaller heavenly seed consisting of classes which are gathered in this present evil world ─ those overcomers and the more than overcomers prior to the Kingdom, while Satan is the prince and sin prevails and righteousness is persecuted.  The Christ is the one seed of Abraham, and it has two parts or divisions. Who are Christ’s seed? Eventually all mankind who accept the privilege. But before that, the Heavenly or Spiritual seed is drawn during the Gospel Age from among mankind to be the body of Christ and with the head to form The Christ.

Two other classes, of which we have hope, one drawn from before the door to High Calling is opened and another from after it is closed will be Christ’s earthly representatives in helping to bring the rest of mankind to perfection. These classes will be resurrected perfect as Adam was before he sinned. After the Kingdom is complete, we are assured, they will have the privilege of being changed to Spiritual nature.

There are two resurrections and two deaths.  The two resurrections are pointed out by the Apostle in Acts 24:15, “…there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.”  Also, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (King James translation of John 5:28,29)  However, the word damnation here is from the Greek krisis meaning judgment. From it comes the English word crisis; meaning a change toward improvement or deterioration.

We might say that the Household of Faith in this present evil world has been in a crisis, an impossible row to hoe but for the grace of God through Christ. The remainder of the world will be in crisis during Christ’s Kingdom, when good will predominate and evil gradually stamped out.

That is the two resurrections, but what about the two deaths? We know about the death sentence passed upon Adam, which all mankind inherited from him. It is called the Adamic death. The Good news was ushered in by Christ, who was not subject to that death penalty and “who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Tim. 2:6)  Ransom is from the Greek anti-lutron, which means a corresponding price ─ under the law, a life for a life was required.

Christ sacrificed the life everlasting of his perfect human nature.  He wasn’t immortal at that time. He hadn’t inherited the death penalty from his Father, God in Heaven, as we did from our earthly father.  He obeyed God; he didn’t sin, as Adam did.  He lifted the Adamic death sentence off mankind by sacrificing His perfect life and rights to life as a perfect man and gave our lives back to us ─ to be testified in due time. For His faithfulness, Christ was given life within himself as a reward, immortality, which until then only God possessed. And through the Good News Age, the Gospel Age, the call went out, “I beseech you Brethren…that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”  Those who answered this call and were faithful unto death were the Little Flock, the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, the Second Eve. When that Little Flock, the number of which is given in Rev. 7:4 as 144,000 were sealed, the door to the High Calling was then closed. And the Christ, Head and Body, begins to assume control of the universe and from its spiritual seat of power prepares for the work of restoring that which was lost (Luke 19:10). The Christ becomes the lifegiver for Adam and his children, and all under the new parents of the human race will be brought up gradually to perfection. Those who are incorrigible will die the second death, from which there is no Ransom. (See Rev. 2:11; 20:6,14 and 21:8 about the second death.)

The new spiritual Adam and Eve will have as their earthly helpers the faithful Ancient Worthies of Old Testament times before the door to the High Calling was opened by Christ, and the Youthful Worthies, those who remain faithful in the time of trouble during the period from the closing of the door to the High Calling and full establishment of Christ’s Kingdom.

After the restoration of mankind to Adam’s condition before he sinned and the Kingdom of Christ is turned over to the Father, He will try them in much the same way Adam was tried originally. After this trial and the bogus wheat (tares) are destroyed in the second death, the true wheat will make the one loaf of God.

We fervently hope and pray this sketchy examination of such a very important Biblical doctrine will help us come to believe consistently, logically and Scripturally in the resurrection.

God’s book, the Bible, containing the writings of numerous imperfect human beings inspired by God, is really a very small book.  But it is a big little book, from whence comes the word Bible.  It contains The Divine Plan of the Ages (“According to a plan of the ages, which he formed for the Anointed Jesus our Lord.” ─ Eph. 3:11, Dia.) devised by God before he laid the foundation of the universe.  He knew the end from the beginning.

The Bible sets out God’s perfect Love. It shows Wisdom beyond our comprehension, and astonishing Power, which can create a universe with all its creatures and laws of nature, and use them with an exacting Justice to perfection.

 “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” To this hymnal phrase, may be added, “from whom all knowledge flows.”

“Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” (Zeph.2: 3)

PERFECTION OF ORGANISM NOT NECESSARY TO TRIAL FOR LIFE

“He must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet; the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (1 Cor. 15:25,26)

The Divine arrangement respecting Messiah's Kingdom seems very clearly stated in the Scriptures. Our text above, if no other, proves that Messiah's Kingdom will not be dealing with perfect conditions. By the sealing of the New Covenant he will make satisfaction for the sins of the world; and those of the world who prove worthy have God's assurance of attaining eternal life. The great work will be that of uplifting mankind out of sin and death conditions. For this reason he will rule as King and will officiate as the great Priest. The basis for this is the fact that our Lord Jesus purchased the world through the merit of his sacrifice.

“Where a tree falleth, there shall it be.” (Eccl. 11:3) So, as mankind go down into death, there they remain. In the awakening from death there will be a resuscitation to practically the same conditions ─ mentally, morally and physically ─ which they had before they went into the tomb. If mankind came back from the tomb perfect, no one would have any way of identifying himself. If one were raised perfect in every thought and word and act, he would not know himself; for all those things composing his identity would be gone. Hence, he would have no way to distinguish himself from the rest of mankind! The world will be resuscitated with the same kind of intelligence in which they went down into death. But theirs is a death condition, and the very object of Messiah's Kingdom is to uplift out of that condition, and to raise up that which was lost to the perfection of man's nature.

The Scriptures show us that at the end of the thousand years of Christ's reign the whole world will be turned over to the Father; and the race will then have a trial time, a testing, just as Adam had when he was in Eden. For “a little season” Satan will have the power to tempt mankind as he tempted mother Eve. But the world should then be so thoroughly established in righteousness of heart that nothing which Satan or any other being could bring upon them in the way of temptation would make them sin; and those who will not have learned to hate sin and to love righteousness will not be fit for eternal life. We read that fire [judgments] will come down from heaven and destroy such.

(Pastor Russell, Reprint 4985, March 1, 1912)

___________________________________________________________________

QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION ─ Did David understand the doctrine of the resurrection?

ANSWER    ─ Even from what David has written in the Psalms we cannot really tell whether he clearly understood the doctrine of the resurrection; for the Scriptures inform us that David spoke and wrote very much by  inspiration. The Apostle Peter tells that many of the prophets themselves did not know the import of the things they were saying; but that the Spirit of God moved them. God reserved much of the understanding for the Church. So when the Prophet David makes certain allusions to the resurrection, we do not know whether he fully understood or not. We believe that all those in God’s confidence knew that, though they were dying, yet the time would come when God would recover them from the grave. The resurrection hope was the hope of all the Jewish nation, not only in the days of Jesus, but prior to that time.

In the days of Jesus the orthodox Jews, the holiness people, or Pharisees, were firm believers in the Resurrection. The Sadducees were the higher critics and infidels of that time; for they did not believe in angels or spirits, or in the resurrection of the dead; but the Pharisees believed in both. On one occasion, particularly, when St. Paul was in great danger, he perceived that part of the audience were Pharisees and part Sadducees; and thinking he could get the good will of the one part, he cried out, “I believe in the resurrection. That is the reason I am on trial here.” Immediately the Pharisees went to his side and said, “Yes, this man believes in the resurrection. We all do. It is you Sadducees who do not believe in the resurrection; and you are trying to injure us.” (See Acts 23:6-9.)

And so we feel sure that David believed in the resurrection. We are to remember, however, that while apparently he spoke of his own resurrection ─ “Thou wilt not leave my soul in sheol, nor suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” ─ St. Peter, speaking, we believe, under inspiration, said that David spoke these words not concerning himself, but being a prophet he spoke beforehand of Christ, that Christ’s soul would not be left in sheol. (Acts 2:29-32) So the principal text in the Psalms that tells of David’s faith in the resurrection, we are told, is applicable prophetically; but we think there is no question in the matter that David and all the prophets in the past knew that they were not getting their reward then, but must get it in the future.

St Paul brings this fact to our attention in Hebrews 11:38-40. He had been telling about Abraham and his faith, and states that some of the prophets were stoned to death, sawn asunder, etc. Then he sums it all up saying, “All these died in faith, without having received the promise.” They knew they had not received eternal life or any of the things which God had promised, but they died in faith that they would get it in the resurrection; faith that God was able and willing to fulfill every promise he had made. So St. Peter gives us the assurance that they knew, though they did not understand all that they wrote themselves (1 Peter 1:10-12).

(Pastor Russell, Reprint 4961, January 15, 1912)

………………………………………………………

QUESTION ─ Did Christ’s death give to every person a right to a resurrection?

ANSWER    ─ No! Christ’s death gave nothing to any person except to Christ himself. Our Lord’s faithfulness unto death gave him a right to a better resurrection, according to the Father’s promise. Having received that better resurrection, he no longer needs the earthly life and earthly rights, which he “laid down” in obedience to the Father’s program. However, since he did not forfeit those earthly rights, and did not give them away, they are still his.

Not needing them himself now, because he has the better, the spiritual, as his reward, the Lord has those earthly rights in the Father’s hands to his credit on the books of Justice. He is holding that credit on the books of Justice, and intends, according to the Father’s arrangement, to use it in due time for the purchase of the world. In the end of this Gospel Age, he will present the merit of his sacrifice “for all people.” We are assured that it will be accepted by Justice and that all mankind will come forth, will be turned over to the Redeemer, who will then take unto himself his great  power and will reign for a thousand years, as the Mediator between God and man. This mediation will reach mankind through Israel, with whom the New Covenant will be inaugurated.

While waiting for the time to come when he shall give his earthly rights as a restitution blessing to mankind, the Redeemer in carrying out the Father’s program makes use of his merit in the interest of those whom the Father draws and calls to be the Church of the Firstborns. To each called and obedient one who turns from sin and presents his body a living sacrifice to the Father, the Redeemer, as his Advocate, imputes a sufficiency of his merit to make the sacrifice acceptable. Then, as soon as the sacrifice is accepted and completed, the imputed merit of Christ will be thereby freed and returned, so that in the end of the Age, after the Church has been assisted by the imputation of Christ’s merit, the original amount in the hands of Justice will be unimpaired ─ sufficient for the sins of the whole world ─ sufficient to give restitution blessing to Adam and all of his posterity during the Millennial reign of Christ.

(Pastor Russell, Reprint 5299, August 15, 1913)  

NO. 596 THE TRANSFORMING INFLUENCE OF THOUGHT

“As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

The heart is one of the most important organs of our body. If it ceases to work, death is sure to follow. The blood that flows through the heart constitutes the life, the energy of the body. If the blood current is interrupted for a little while, a clot is formed. This is so much of a preparation for death. There must be a continual stream of blood circulating through our bodies to keep life there.

In view of this important function of our natural hearts, the Bible very properly uses the heart, the center of life, as a symbol of the center of our affections, including the will. Our will has to do with everything we do. Whoever of the Lord's people wills to seek more and more to purify himself becomes more and more alive. If we are pure in heart, we resolve to live righteously and soberly in the present life. Who­ever appreciates the principle that right is right, and wrong is wrong will desire to live right ─ whether Jew or Gentile or the consecrated.

All elect classes, including Youthful Worthies, having accepted God's terms, have made a con­secration of their lives to him. They have engaged to fight a good fight against the world, the flesh and the devil. They are under special obligations as consecrated classes. Their hopes and ambitions are separate from those of the world. They are therefore doubly responsible in respect to their hearts, which represent their inmost sentiments.

According to a man's innermost sentiment, so is he. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is his real character. What is your real will?  What are your real sentiments?  Not, What words do you use? not, What are your actions, but, What is the motive underlying all these?

They, as consecrated members of an elect class, are to be God-like, spiritual, eventually of the spirit nature in glory ─ perfect. But before it attains that perfection, their heart is required to prove its loyalty. Some will attain in a higher sense than others, but none will attain except those who are true, loyal, pure. If, therefore, we have made a consecra­tion to God, it should be our endeavor that our hearts, our desires, our motives be perfect. The only proper attitude is to confess our imperfections, if we are wrong. God expects us to be loyal of heart. And that loyalty of heart should reach out and control the whole life.

If our thoughts are not according to our ideals, we should endeavor to make them so. We should put away anger, malice, hatred, strife, and all such works of the flesh and the devil. With some people, in some conditions, these thoughts go very deep. It is not the transitory thoughts of the mind ─ the pass­ing thoughts ─ that are meant in our text. Even people of very bad character may at times have deep emotions. The eyes of some persons will be suffused with tears over some trivial matter. This makes them appear to be very tender­hearted, and yet their lives may show that they would as easily be moved to some vicious deed as to sympathy.

We see this fact illustrated in the conduct of mobs. The people who hailed Jesus as king were five days later crying, “Crucify him!” Those who shortly before had seemed to be so appreciative of him appeared to lose that appreciation.

IMPORTANCE OF RIGHT THINKING

In rea1ity a man is not always what on the surface he seems to be. His real character is deep down below ─ the purpose of his life. These are not the mere transitory thoughts, but the deep fissures of thought, if we may so designate those which involve the whole life. The Scriptures bring to our attention the fact that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds ─ by having them made over (Rom. 12:2).

The Apostle, speaking of some very vicious traits of char­acter, says, “And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:11) This cleansing, this sanctifying, comes not merely through the reading of the truth, or the mental application of the truth, but through the heart-thinking on the truth. This heart-thinking, these deep resolutions, are ours as Christians, and are to be guided by certain principles. These have to do with the real man whom God is considering ─ not the old person, more or less blemished, according to the degree of depravity. God looks at the new “man.”

These deep heart convictions and purposes constitute a transformation of character. This is the man's real condition, and so is he. If he have some transitory emotion of anger or of malice, it would not be his real thought, his real intention. Therefore it would not be he, but his old nature, temporarily asserting itself. He is to watch his words, his thoughts, his actions. If a transitory, wrong thought should pass through his mind, it would not be the thought of his heart. And he should stop it, put it away, so that it may not take root in his heart, and choke out better sentiments.

This right thinking of the heart has very much to do with the whole life. The Apostle says that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, to know what is the perfect will of God. This is the Christian's standpoint.  How glad we are that our heavenly Father is judging us from this stand­point! How glad we are that he is able to read the heart, that he knows our hearts, that he knows our inmost thoughts!

At one time we might have thought that we were doing God service when we were not. We show our loyalty to God by giving attention to his Word, that we may know what is his will. The more we study God’s Word, the more we re­ceive the spirit of the truth, and the more we appreciate it. And in proportion as we understand God's regulations and desire to be guided by them, our hearts will become purified. Then the more care shall we take of our hands, what they shall do; and of our tongues, what they shall say. Thus we shall keep our hearts ─ submit our wills to the will of God.

The will is a part of our heart, just as the rudder is a part of the ship. The new will is the rudder to steer us this way or that way. The more we understand the Word of the Lord, the better we understand how to guide our lives. There­fore we are to keep our hearts and purify them by the knowl­edge of God's truth, the study of God’s truth. To do this, the will must ever be on the alert, watching with prayer and thanksgiving.

Some one may ask, Why should we do all this? In a gen­eral way we might answer, that we may do right ─ because right is right. But that reason is not sufficient for us. While all appreciate the superiority of right over wrong, yet in our fallen condition we need to have some inducements to action. So the Lord puts certain inducements before us. He says, “If your heart is right, I desire to give you everlasting life. If your heart is wrong, then you will not be of the kind to whom I will grant this boon.” Six thousand years ago there was a trial. Our first father, Adam, was tried, and failed. Consequently we have no right to life. But God has arranged through our Lord Jesus that every member of Adam's race may have another trial. The Father is willing to give life everlasting to all who love right­eousness.

So we thankfully accept this provision, and say, “Heav­enly Father, wilt thou indeed give us another opportunity for gaining everlasting life? We would love to have that life! We are very thankful for the opportunity! We love righteousness! If we are loyal to the principles of righteous­ness, shall we get everlasting life? It is our desire that Thy will be done in us ─ even that we love righteousness and hate iniquity.”  “Very well, then,” the heavenly Father says, “I will put you into the school of Christ, where you will learn righteousness.”

Day by day we are learning in the school of Christ. Our different experiences are a part of the general instructions for those who love righteousness and who desire to be taught of the Lord. The issue of our trial will be life or death. The world is not now on trial. There is no possibility for the world to gain life as yet. During this Gospel Age the Church were the only ones who are under this covenant of sacrifice­ ─ who are on trial, therefore, for everlasting life or everlasting death. In the next age, the world will have their opportunity for learning obedience. Then the issue for them will be life or death.

God says, “I have set before you life and death, blessing or cursing.”  There is a curse for everyone who loves un­righteousness; there is a blessing for everyone who loves righteousness. So during the thousand years of Christ’s reign the world will be on trial for everlasting life or everlasting death. All who are obedient will get everlasting life. But all who have the spirit of Satan will be destroyed in the Sec­ond Death.

Let us keep our hearts with all diligence. Let us watch our hearts. If they are in full harmony with God's will, we shall have little trouble with our tongues. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” (Matt. 12:34)

Our heart is the most wonderful organ of our body. The tongue is the most subtle of all our members. The Lord takes our words as an index of our heart condition. But since we are imperfect, it is not possible for us to be faultless in word and deed. Yet we are diligently and faithfully to seek to attain the perfect mastery of our words. We should be especially on guard in respect to evil speaking. Every tendency toward slander is to be checked. Whoever of us is reviled is not to revile again. These tendencies belong to the old nature. To be pleasing to the Master, we are to keep our hearts free from every form of evil. If this be done, the heart is rightly instructed of the Lord. Then we will know that we must make good whatever is wrong.  We are bound, thoroughly bound, to make it good to the best of our ability. Our heart must keep itself right.

DEFICIENCY IN MODERN EDUCATION

This same principle is applicable to the whole world, though not on a scale so far reaching. Mankind is influenced by thought, by experience. So vicious children may be trained up under favorable environments to become useful citizens. We have seen where, even with people of the world, good resolutions to live honestly, justly, soberly, have had a blessed influence on the life, making noble men and women, although these may not be Christians.

We have also seen the reverse of this ─ those who were criminals, but not so of necessity. Some of them were born under good conditions; but have read bad books and medi­tated upon sinful things. Thus the thoughts of their hearts have been evil instead of good. Thus they have become in­clined toward evil. As they allow their minds to run in a certain direction, and allow these thoughts to become deeply rooted in their hearts, some of them become very vicious.

We are deeply impressed with this fact in noticing the photographs of the gunmen recently who have gone into schools and other institutions and committed murder. Had we seen their pictures before knowing who they were, we should have said, “Those are strong char­acters.” Their hearts had gone wrong, doubtless because of wrong education and a failure to appreciate the principles of righteousness. This seems to be largely the case at the present time. Very few see the principles of righteousness at all. The majority are swayed by superstition, by fear and by hopes which are more or less ephemeral, more or less deceptive.

So we see that the general education of our day is lacking in a very important respect. Although the schools have taken away to some extent the veil of ignorance and superstition, yet they are not giving instead the full, proper view of right­eousness. This is because in a general way the Divine character and the Divine laws are being ignored. There is an attempt to teach morality entirely aside from the Divine law. But this course seems to be undermining faith ─ separating the pupils from faith in a Supreme Creator. Thus we see that while the world is making wonderful progress in education, yet it is not reaching its own ideals. The human mind in its fallen and perverted condition, is unable to see the subject of morality from a standpoint which educators would put before it.

The human mind needs the influence of its higher organs to assist the lower organs. Hence, although these educational influences are beneficial in many respects, yet they are very injurious in others. They do not inculcate veneration for God and for the Divine will. Therefore people are unable to grasp the best principles. The only persons who are in the right attitude are those who are seeking to have new thoughts, to have thoughts conformed to the Divine arrange­ment, taking the mind of Christ instead of their own imagina­tions and judgment, and thus growing up into him in all things. This is our happy position.

INFLUENCE OF THOUGHT UPON HEALTH

There is another view of the text ─ “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” ─ given by Christian Scientists; namely, that according to our minds, so be it unto us. They get some good out of this view. They say that if one thinks about kind, noble things, he will be influenced thus. We think our Christian Scientist friends are partly right and partly wrong. They hold that if one thinks himself to be well, he will be well; that if one thinks himself to be sick, he will be sick. There is a measure of truth in this view.

One-half the people in the world are sick because they think they are so. If they thought, not about their aches and pains, but about more helpful things, they would no doubt be better and stronger in every way. The mind has some­thing to do with our condition. Whoever mopes about a headache will undoubtedly make it worse. Whoever tries to put the thought of his condition away and to give attention to other things will undoubtedly help himself.

The less we think about our aches and pains the better for us. If we talk about them we aggravate them. It is also bad to exercise too much sympathy with each other. Of course, there are times when it would be cruel not to show sympathy. But it is not wise to encourage those who are weak to complain about their condition. We become stronger in proportion as we try to avoid thinking of our ailments.

The mistake made by our Christian Scientist friends is that they carry this principle too far. Thinking ourselves sound will not make us so. And it would not be right to lie about the matter, and to say that we have no aches and pains when we have them. The middle line is the one which the Bible encourages ─ not to say that we have neither aches nor pains, not to say that death is “mortal error,” and that there is no death.  But we can help the dying process along, or we can seek to cultivate the more helpful thoughts, and thus exercise a helpful influence upon ourselves and others. 

  One notices this principle in action in a sick room.  Some people will go into the sick room, express a great deal of sympathy, and leave the sick person under the impression that he is in a much worse condition than he really is; whereas they should have helped the person by encouraging remarks.  It is not necessary to say to the sick, “You are looking extremely bad!”  But we might say, “Are you feeling better this morning?  Have you had a good rest?”  Many people do not know how much they do rest, and do not feel thankful enough.  So we might suggest, “I hope you are feeling thankful to the Lord, and that you are glad because of this beautiful day. See how the sun shines into your room!  Hear the birds sing!” The condition of some people when they are sick is that of “groanings which cannot be uttered.”  Sick people need some one to bring sunshine into the room.

So, then, dear friends, let us resolve that since we have covenanted with the Lord to become dead to the old life, to the old ambitions, to the things of the past, these are to be all given over. We will wish to think as the Lord would have us think, to view all the affairs of life as he would have us view them, and to be influenced by the ambitions which he sets before us in his Word. Thus doing, we shall, as consecrated Christians, grow into the character likeness of the Lord.

(Excerpts with updates from Pastor Russell’s writings)

___________________________________________________________________

 THE TWO SALVATIONS

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who­soever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”­ (John 3:16)

“Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the Word; that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephe­sians 5:25-27)

Some apply the first text only and think of the Divine Pro­gram as being merely an endeavor to rescue mankind from sin and death to righteousness and eternal life in the present time. Such as hold this view are much confused, because it must be acknowledged that comparatively little has been done, or is now being done, for man's uplift. After six thousand years it is still true that “The whole world lieth in the Wicked One”; “Darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the heathen.” In order to have any confidence at all in this theory, those who hold it are obliged to greatly lower their stand­ards. They are forced to hope that God will admit millions of unfit peo­ple, crude, rude, ignorant and wicked to eternal life and happiness, or per­chance provide for them Purgatorial experiences, to make them fit, right­eous and acceptable for life eternal. As a whole, Christian people are greatly bewildered. The tendency of their bewilderment is toward doubt, skepticism, atheism.

The other view, briefly stated, is that God never intended the salvation of the world, but merely the salvation of the Church. “elect according to the fore-knowledge of God through sanc­tification of the Spirit and belief in the Truth,” Those who hold this theory have great confusion also, because it seems incomprehensible that God would make no provision for “thou­sands of millions” of Adam's race, but arrange for them to be born in sin, shapen in iniquity, and to go down to the tomb (or worse) without a clear knowledge of God and His Purposes and Will respecting them.

As we have already frequently set forth, both of the described theories are erroneous. The Scriptures set forth two salvations, entirely separate and distinct. They are different as re­spects time, in that the one “salvation began to be spoken by our Lord” at His First Advent, and began to be ap­plicable to His Church at Pentecost, and will wholly cease at His Second Coming in the end of this Age. The other salvation neither applied before our Lord's First Advent nor during this Gospel Age, but will apply to all mankind, except the Church, during the Millennium ─ the thousand years of the reign of Christ and the Church, specially designed for the blessing of the world and its uplifting out of sin and death conditions.

These two salvations are distinctly different as to kind, as well as respects their plan of operation. The salvation of the Church during this Gospel age ─ since Pentecost ─ means not only a deliverance from sin and death condi­tions to eternal life, but provides that the eternal life will be on the heavenly or spiritual plane and not on the earthly or human plane of existence. Thus the Apostle declares that our “in­heritance is incorruptible and unde­filed and fadeth not away and is re­served in heaven for us, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.” (1 Peter 1:4,5) Our Lord also told that in the resurrection we shall be like unto the angels. The Apostle also declares that at that time we shall be partakers of the Divine Nature and like our Lord and Re­deemer.

The world's salvation which will fol­low will be wholly different from this. It will not include a change from earthly to spirit nature. It will mean a rescue from sin and death to the earthly perfection of the original man, in the image and likeness of his Creator, and surrounded by every necessary blessing for his comfort. Human perfection and the Eden home were lost through disobedience to God. The Divine arrangement is that the merit of our Lord's obedience unto death, when ultimately applied for mankind, shall fully cancel the death sentence upon him. More and better than this, God has promised that the same Sin-Offering shall seal a New Covenant between himself and man­kind. The blessings of that New Covenant arrangement will then immediately begin. The great Redeemer will thenceforth be the great Mediator of that New Covenant. The whole world of mankind will be fully under His supervision and government for their blessing, their correction in righteousness, their uplifting out of sin and death conditions ─ back, back, back to all that was lost in Eden. All of this was the original design of the Great Creator. All of this will be out­worked through the Great Redeemer. All of this was secured or suretied by His death, finished at Calvary (Heb. 7:22).

St. Peter, pointing down to that glo­rious time of the world's blessing, calls it "times of refreshing and times of restitution." He tells us that all the holy prophets described the blessings of those restitution times ─ the thousand years, the Millennium. (Acts 3: 19-21) When once we get the eyes of our understanding opened, we find the Apostle's words thoroughly corrobo­rated by the Divine records, which de­scribe the wonderful blessings that are to come when the earth shall yield her increase. Then Paradise Lost shall be Paradise Regained. Then God will make his earthly footstool glorious. Then the blessing of the Lord shall make rich and He will add no sorrow therewith. Then streams shall break forth in the desert and the wilderness and solitary places shall be glad. But most glorious will be the change in hu­manity. The Lord promises to turn to the people a “pure message” ─ instead of the contradiction of creeds of hea­thenism and Churchianity. He prom­ises that Satan shall be bound for that thousand years, that he may deceive the nations no more. He promises that then all the “blinded eyes shall be opened and all the deaf ears shall be unstopped.” (Isaiah 35:5; 2 Cor. 4:4).

Two Salvations ─ One Savior

Both of these salvations, according to the Bible, result from the death of Jesus our Redeemer, who died in obe­dience to the Divine will, “Died, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18) The Scriptures clearly show not only the two salvations, but also two parts of the Redeemer's work, distinctly sepa­rating His work for the Church from His work for the world. In His death there was a Divine general provision for the sins of the whole world and a special provision for the sins of the Church. The two thoughts are fre­quently brought out in the Scriptures. One text distinctly declares, “He is the propitiation [satisfaction] for our sins [the Church's sins], and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2) His death constituted the sat­isfaction price. The Redeemer ap­plied that merit for the Church's sins, “for us,” long ago, eighteen centuries before we were born. Only when we became believers and entered into a Covenant of sacrifice did we obtain our share in the merit of that great sacrifice. The world has not yet re­ceived its share of that promised blessing, but the operation of the Di­vine Plan is sure and will bring it to them “in due time,” as St. Paul de­clares.(1 Tim. 2:6)

The drawing and calling of the Church has not been along the lines of human perfection, for all are sinners and none righteous or perfect. And many of those drawn of the Lord were by nature much more fallen and de­praved than some who give no evi­dence of the work of grace in their hearts. The Lord's calling and draw­ing seem to be along the lines of jus­tice, love of righteousness, faith, humility and obedience. These quali­ties will all belong to the perfect man. But all have lost them in varying de­grees. Such as respond to the Lord's call now are accepted as being in the right heart-attitude which, if they had perfect bodies, would constitute them perfect men. In other words, they have qualities of heart which, if brought to a knowledge of the Truth, would prove some of them to be pure in heart and such as the Lord would desire should have eternal life and all of His favors.

Terms of Salvation Differ

Of course, these different salvations imply different terms or conditions. God's requirement of Adam, that he might continue to live forever and everlastingly enjoy Divine favor, his Eden Home, etc., was obedience to reasonable, just requirements. It was his violation of the Divine Law that brought upon him the sentence of death ─ “Dying thou shalt die” ─ with all that this has implied to him and his posterity of mental, moral and physical decline, weakness, death. The requirement of God for the world of mankind during the Millennial Age will simply be ─ obedience to God's just, reasonable regulations, laws.

Whoever then will render obedience may with proportionate rapidity go up on the highway of holiness toward perfection at its end. Whoever re­fuses obedience to the extent of his ability will fail to make progress and ultimately die the Second Death, from which there will be no redemption and no resurrection.

Such obedience as will be required of mankind in the great Mediator's Kingdom will include their co-opera­tion in the resistance of their own fallen weaknesses. It will include the exercise of patience and kindness towards their fellow-creatures, fellow-­sufferers. The Divine Law of love to God with all the heart, mind, soul, strength, and for the neighbor as for one's self, they must learn fully. As they will realize their own blemishes and strive to overcome them and ask, not the Father, but the Mediator, for forgiveness, they will be obliged to follow the Divine rule of exercising towards others similar mercy and for­giveness to that which they desire for themselves.

The conditions governing the salva­tion of the Church are wholly different from those which will appertain to the world. The Church is called out of the world under a Divine invitation to suffer with Christ in the present life and during this Gospel Age and then to reign with Christ during the Millennial Age, participating in His Mediatorial Kingdom for the blessing, uplifting, salvation of the world. It is not in vain, therefore, that our Lord and the Apostles, in setting forth the call of the Church, during this Age, specified particularly and frequently the necessity for all who would share in this salvation to participate with the Redeemer in His sacrificing, in “His death,” and consequently participate in “His resurrection” and in His reign of glory. Hark to the words, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life;” “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne.” (What Pastor Russell Wrote for the Overland Monthly, pages 252-254))

___________________________________________________________________

“BY MYSELF HAVE I SWORN”

What means the oath that God hath sworn?

Have Christians from their Bible torn

The great Jehovah's seal? 

When Christ shall bring the world's reward, 

Will not each tongue confess him Lord- 

Each knee in homage kneel?  - Psa. 82:8

Will every kindred, every tribe, 

To him all majesty ascribe, 

And glorify his name? 

Yet while the nations bow so low, 

Will vengeance hurl the bombs of woe,  

To blast with endless shame? - Psa. 86:9

Will God his lowly creatures cheat- 

Or call the nations to his feet, 

To feel a tyrant's rage? 

Then will he scorn their prayerful breath- 

Will nothing but a deathless (?) death

His stern revenge assuage? - Rev. 15:4. 

What being do you worship then? 

What unrelenting foe of men

Has chained you to his throne? 

What form of error doth supply, 

Your awful views of God Most High

To sacred truth unknown? - Mal. 1:11. 

Our God is love, of Gospel mould; 

Who sent the Shepherd of the fold  

To seek his sheep astray, 

With yearning still his heart will burn, 

Until the countless lost return, 

To see the "Living Way." - John 12:32. 

The love that brought salvation nigh, 

Will heed the bruised sinners's sigh, 

And soothe away his pain, 

While "whosoever," great or small, 

Upon Jehovah's name shall call, 

Will never call in vain. - Acts 2:17, 21. 

G. M. Bills

NO. 595 SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE MEMORIAL

As previously announced, the proper time for observing the Memorial in 2007 is after six p.m. the evening of March 31. This conclusion is reached by knowing that the Vernal Equinox arrives at the 30th Meridian East (the one nearest Jerusalem) at 3:28 a.m. March 21; and the new moon nearest that time occurs at 5:21 a.m. March 19. Thus the first of Nisan is established at six p.m. of March 18. Counting then to the fourteenth, we arrive at six a.m. March 31; and any time that night after six p.m. is correct for observing the Memorial of our Lord's death. We here at Mount Dora plan to observe the festival at 7:00 p.m., March 31; and we extend a cordial invitation to any of like mind as ourselves to join us on that occasion if they be in this neigh­borhood.

It will be noted aforegoing that we say "the first of Nisan" (which is the name of the Babylonian God of Spring), but that name was not known to the Jews when the Passover was instituted. The first month of their religious year (and the seventh of the business year) was Abib, which means “sprouting” or “budding” ─ very similar indeed to the meaning of Nisan. But Nisan is first mentioned in the Bible in Nehemiah 2:1 ─ just before release of the Jews from the 70-year Babylonian captivity.

Wherever it may be our privilege to be on that special night, let us keep in mind that it was exactly 3622 years since the Passover was kept that awesome night in Egypt in 1615 B.C.; and the ostentatious observance of the Passover by the Jews to this year is a very strong testimony that the Bible is the Word of Truth. According to human reckoning, 3622 years is a very long time; but it is only a little less than four days if we consider it from God's standpoint. “A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.” (Psa. 90:4)

THE NEW MOON AND THE JEWS

It should be apparent from what we have written above that the moon does play a very important part in determining the date of “our Passover.” But this contention is true only as relates to the beginning of the month Abib. Once Nisan (or Abib) is deter­mined, then the Bible tersely states that the Passover is to be held on the 14th day of Abib, regardless of the condition of the moon on that date (Ex. 12:6). The moon is always substantially full at Nisan 14, although it sometimes requires a day or two for it to reach complete fullness. Therefore, the Jewish observance of Passover is often a day or two late, because they wait for the moon to become full for their "remembrance" of that great event.

It is in order here to keep in mind that the moon on this occasion represents the Jewish nation. In its coming to the full from the first of the month it well repre­sents the rise of the Jewish nation from obscurity in the days of Abraham to the pin­nacle of glory when Jesus came into their midst. “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” (Matt. 4:16) “A new command-ment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.” (1 John. 2:8) But, as soon as they had crucified “the Lord of Glory” the moon began to wane, and with it also went God's favor from the Jews ─ until in the year 70 A.D. Roman Em­peror Titus captured Jerusalem and dispersed the Jews to the remote parts of the earth

A HOUSE DESOLATE: Just before Jesus was crucified, He had made that fatal pro­nouncement upon the Jews; “Your house is left unto you desolate.” (Matt. 23:38) The “house” in this instance includes both the political and religious establishments, but especially so the religious arrangement. When Moses organized the religious ritual at Sinai, he, at the commandment of God, anointed and installed his Brother Aaron as High Priest. At Aaron's death, his eldest son Eleazar succeeded him into that office; and this order was followed in part to the time that Jerusalem was destroyed ─ although it seems the Jews had departed in part at least from that set-up when Jesus came. How­ever, we are told in Hebrew 5:4 that “No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” Strictly speaking, then, the Jews actually had only one High Priest, Aaron ─ and subsequent heads of that office were merely a succession of Aaron.

Inasmuch as Aaron was from the tribe of Levi, it follows that all his successors must also come from that tribe. But in the dispersion at the year 70 A.D. the “des­olation” was so devastating that the Tribe of Levi was completely lost at that time. Therefore, the Jews no longer can have a High Priest in the strict and all-embracing term of that word ─ because they know not which among them are from that tribe. Con­sequently, their Atonement Day and Passover are merely an exercise in futility, because they need a High Priest for a proper standing before God. However, it is commendable that they do the best they can to celebrate the Atonement Day and Passover each year.

A few days after the “desolate” sentence the Jews were shouting, “Crucify Him,” over Pilate's objection. “When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, say­ing, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.” (Matt. 27:24,25) And God took them at their word! In the siege of Jerusalem, according to Josephus, 1,337,490 Jews were destroyed; and the prophecy of Jesus in Matt. 24:2 had a very literal fulfillment: “Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

It should be noted here that Titus was apparently a brilliant and God-fearing man. The Romans referred to him as “The darling of the human race.” Also, it is recorded of him that he was a close personal friend of Josephus. Titus did not want to sack Jeru­salem or destroy the magnificent temple, but the Jews would have no compromise with him, so he spoke to Josephus somewhat after this manner: You go over and plead with them; you are one of their countrymen, and they may listen to you where they will not listen to me. However, when Josephus made the effort it only aroused the ire of those inside the City ─ one of them threw a rock that hit him on the head; and he was carried away as dead ─ although he later revived, and tried to carry on as Titus had suggested.

However, the Jews would not be persuaded, and this left no alternative but to make a tremendous and violent assault, at which the Romans were expert at that time. Following is some of the quotation from Josephus: “The carriage of the materials was a difficult task, since all the trees, as I have already told you, that were about the city, within the distance of a hundred furlongs, had their branches cut off already, in order to make the former banks... Caesar gave orders that they should demolish the entire city and temple, but should leave as many of the towers standing as were of the greatest eminency... and so much of the wall enclosed the city on the west side. This wall was spared, in order to afford a camp for such as were to lie in garrison; as were the towers also spared in order to demonstrate to posterity what kind of city it was, and how well fortified, which the Roman valor had subdued; but for all the rest of the wall, it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been inhabited.  This was the end which Jerusalem came to by the madness of those that were for innovations; a city otherwise of great magnificence, and of mighty fame among all mankind.”

Now follows some more from the same historian ─ some time after the foregoing had taken place: “While Titus was at Caesarea, he solemnized the birthday of his brother Domitian after a splendid manner, and inflicted a great deal of the punishment intended for the Jews in honor of him: for the number of those that were now slain in fighting with the beasts, and were burnt, and fought with one another, exceeded two thousand five hundred.”

Thus, their statement, “His blood be on us, and on our children,” was exacted in magnified fulfillment; and gives us a much deeper understanding of the prophecy, “Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of the Lord's hand double [kephel, as of a thing folded in the middle ─ “I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double unto them”] for all her sins.” Inasmuch as the Jews had had God's special favor for 1845 years, they would receive an equal period of time in reverse ─ “for all her sins.” Reading the record with an un­biased mind, we must come into agreement with the statement of 2 Peter 1:21: “Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

THE PASSOVER ─ TYPE AND ANTITYPE

It should be stressed that there was only one Passover; thus, only one type of “Christ our Passover.” The subsequent observations to this present year have simply been a “memorial” of that original one. “This day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.” (Ex. 12:14) “And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.” (Ex. 12:26,27) “Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.” (Ex. 13:10)

And just as there was only one typical Passover, so there is only one antitypical Passover ─ “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” (1 Cor. 5:7) Jesus is the anti­type of the lamb slain in Egypt that night ─ “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” When He blessed the bread and the wine at that last supper, He said, “This do in remembrance [as a Memorial] of me.” The outstanding contrast between the Jewish Memorial and the one we keep is that the Jews still eat the lamb at their ser­vice; whereas, we use simply the bread and the wine. Nothing is said about wine that night in Egypt, but the Jews now use four cups of wine in their Memorial, the last one being taken “after supper”; and it was that cup that Jesus used to impress upon us the “remembrance” (memorial) of Him.

Be it noted that, while millions of Jews and Christians will in some formal cere­monies and in a perfunctory manner celebrate this great event of history, but few of either religion discern the real significance of the celebration. Could their minds be awakened thoroughly to its true significance, it would start a religious revival such as the world has never yet known. But, as the Apostle declares, "the god of this world" has blinded the minds of many, and even some whose eyes are partially opened he describes as being blind and cannot see afar off, or holden and unable to see the deep things of God in respect to these ceremonies, which have been celebrated in the world now for al­most thirty-six hundred years. However, it must be admitted even by the higher critics and agnostics in general that an event so prominently marked, so widely observed for so long a time, must have a foundation in fact. There must have been just such an occur­rence in Egypt 3622 years ago: the first-born of Egypt must have perished in that tenth plague, and the first-born of Israel must have been preserved free from it ─ all that observed the rule to remain "under the blood" ─ else this widespread celebration of the event would have been inexplicable.

Perhaps all of our readers know of most of the particulars connected with the institution: The Israelites held in a measure of serfdom by the Egyptians until, in the Lord's providence, the time came for their deliverance, how their masters sought sel­fishly to maintain their bondage, refusing to let them go forth to the land of Canaan.  During the year the Lord sent nine different plagues ─ one after another ─ upon the Egyptians, relieving them one after another when their king craved mercy and made prom­ises which he afterwards broke. Finally Moses, the servant of the Lord, announced a great crowning disaster: The firstborn of every family in Egypt would die in that one night ─ in the home of the humblest peasant, as well as in the king's palace, there should be mourning, as a result of which they would be glad finally to yield and let the Israelites go ─ yea, urge them to go, and in haste, lest the Lord should ultimately bring death upon the entire people, if their king continued to harden his heart and resist the Divine mandate.

The first three plagues were common to all in Egypt, including the district in which the Israelites resided; the next six plagues did not affect the district occu­pied by the Israelites; and the last, the tenth plague, was declared to be common to the entire land of Egypt, including the land of the Israelites, except as the latter should show faith and obedience by providing a sacrificial lamb, whose blood was to be sprinkled upon the sides and lintels of their doorways, and whose flesh was to be eaten in the same night, with bitter herbs and unleavened bread, the eaters standing staff in hand and girded ready for the journey ─ with full expectancy that the Lord would smite the first-born of the Egyptians with death, and make them readily willing to let the Israelites go, and with the faith that they would share in this calamity, were it not for the blood on their door-posts and lintels.

The Israelites were commanded to celebrate this as the first feature of the Jew­ish Law, and one of their greatest memorials as a nation. As a matter of fact, we find that in some degree the Passover is celebrated by Jews in all parts of the world ─ even by those who claim to be agnostics and infidels. We might add here that the same tendency grips most of them for the Atonement-Day service also. We personally have known Jews who make no pretense of observing Jewish rituals, yet they would go to the orthodox synagogue on Atonement day ─ in sackcloth and ashes ─ with the explanation to us that, if that one day would make their father happy, they might as well do it, although we were forced to believe that the superstitution was with them that “bad luck” might be their portion if they did not go along with the crowd. Inherently, they still have a measure of respect for it as an ancient custom.  

But is it not strange that, with the bright minds which many of them possess, the Jews have never thought it worthwhile to inquire about the meaning of this celebration? Why was the lamb slain and eaten? Why was its blood sprinkled upon the door-posts and lintels? Because it was the commandment of the Lord, of course; but what reason, mo­tive, object or lesson was there behind it all? A reasonable God has reasonable com­mands; and in due time His faithful people should understand the significance of every requirement.  Why are the Hebrews indifferent to this subject?  Why does deep preju­dice hold their minds? We know, of course, that “blindness has happened in part to Is­rael” until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in ─ that they are now shortly to re­ceive the light and joy from a full understanding of this drama of the Ages. None like it has ever been imagined by the fiction writers; it is beyond the skill of any of them ─ which is another reason why we must conclude that it is a Divine operation and performance.

Although Christianity itself has the answer to the foregoing questions, yet few Christians have a clear understanding of them. This even applies to many of the Prot­estant ministers, who know about Paul's mention of “Christ our Passover,” but do not seem capable of fitting type and antitype together. If the Jew can realize that his Sabbath of rest from the various vexations of life is a shadow of better things to come (Heb. 10:1), why does he not also conclude that the other features of the Law given through Moses are typical? Jesus Himself emphasized this point in very clear and understandable words: “Till heaven and earth shall pass away, one iota or one tip of a let­ter shall by no means pass from the law, till all be accomplished.” (Matt. 5:18, Dia.)

But “blindness in part” has befallen to Jew and Gentile alike (Rom. 11:25), as they fail fully to comprehend that the Passover lamb typified ─ represented ─ the “Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.”  It needs no argument that the blood on the door-posts and lintel that fateful night in Egypt did protect the Jews that night from the fatal ravages of sin, and in the following day when they left Egypt (type of the world in sin) with a “high hand.” And just as the Jews were protected that night by their lamb, so have Christians throughout this Age been shielded from the fatal effects of sin by our Lamb “which taketh away the sin of the world.”

It requires no great imagination or profound learning to fit together the fore­going with St. Paul's words in Heb. 12:23, where he speaks of Christians as the “Church of the firstborn” and the words of the Apostle James (1:18): “We should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” Self-evidently, this would imply after-borns and after-­fruits. While the sprinkled blood obligated only the firstborn, yet all the other Jews were likewise delivered from Egypt in that performance; and that nation typified the entire human race that will eventually come into harmony with God during the Kingdom. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” This is vividly shown in the miraculous protection received by every Jew in the passage over the Red Sea ─ not one Jew was lost that day, although the entire Egyptian army was destroyed.

As stated above, St. Paul clearly and positively identifies the Passover lamb with our Lord Jesus: “Christ our Passover is slain for us; therefore, let us keep the feast.” (1 Cor. 5:7,8) And as the Jews were to keep their Passover once a year, so it is with the antitype ─ it is also to be celebrated once a year. It goes without saying that all who come into the Lord's “house” need the blood of sprinkling, not upon our resi­dences, but upon the tables of our hearts. “The blood of Jesus Christ his son cleans­eth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) And, as the Jews ate literal unleavened bread with their lamb that night, so we also partake of our Lamb with the unleavened bread of “sin­cerity and truth.” (l Cor. 5:8) Thus, we “put on Christ” as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus. As the Jews ate the lamb that night with “bitter herbs” (which whetted their appetites for more lamb), so the Christian partakes of his Lamb with symbolic bitter herbs ─ the punishing trials of life through the sins of our­selves and those of others.

Our Lord Jesus also personally identified Himself with the Jewish Passover lamb at the last Supper before He died. He gathered His disciples together in the upper room, saying “With desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (Luke 22:15) As Jews, it was necessary that they should celebrate the Passover supper on that night ─ the saving of the typical first-born from the typical prince of this world. However, as soon as they had finished eating the lamb with all the pertinences, Jesus instituted a new Memorial upon the old foundation, saying, “As often as you do this do it in remembrance of Me.” (1 Cor. 11:24,25) And, while their Jewish neighbors, who did not accept “our Lamb,” would go on keeping the typical arrangement each year, as the faithful covenant-keeping Jews still do today. But that was the last typical Passover for the disciples; henceforth they would partake of the bread and wine “in newness of life” each year ─ with the eating of the actual lamb, etc., only a memory of the past with them.

Jesus was emphatic that the disciples should no longer keep the typical celebra­tion, as He took the bread and the wine and told them to use these “in remembrance of Me.”  His blood would be shed the next morning; and the cup ─ the wine ─ would be a fitting reminder of what they had done that night. Of course, the apostles knew very well what their future Passovers would be: the bread and the wine once each year on the typical Passover date.

This practice was followed once every year as long as the Apostles remained alive, after which a great falling away occurred ─ as foretold by St. Paul in 2 Thes. 2:3: “That day shall not come, except there come a falling away first.” This “falling away” occurred during the Dark Ages ─ a time of such confusion that there is no reliable his­tory for much of it. However, the truth that Christ was the antitypical Passover Lamb persisted even then, though the celebration itself as given by Jesus that last night fell into disuse, the Mass taking its place. Although Protestants in general have repudiated the Mass, as being wholly contrary to what Jesus commanded, yet they are still somewhat influenced by it, as their practice shows.

Many Protestants will innocently ask (not grasping the connection between the Jew­ish Passover and “Christ our Passover”), Is not the Mass merely the Eucharist, the Lord's Supper, under another name? We would answer that it is wholly different: The Lord's Supper celebrates the death of Christ accomplished at Calvary, but the Mass represents a new sacrifice for sins made every time it is performed. Our Roman Catholic friends believe that when the priest blesses the wafer it becomes the actual body of Christ in his hands, thus sacrificing Him afresh. High Mass is a particular sacrifice of Christ for a particular sin of a particular individual; whereas Low Mass is a sac­rifice of Christ for the general sins of a congregation.

Roman Catholics claim to believe in the merit of Christ's sacrifice at Calvary, that it covered original sin and general sins that are past up to baptism; but they claim also that the subsequent daily sins, shortcomings, blemishes of every individual, require to be cleansed by fresh sacrifices of Christ from time to time. Thus, from their standpoint, as represented in the Mass, and as practiced by Roman Catholics and Greek Catholics and high Church Episcopalians, Christ is being sacrificed afresh all the world over every day. However, this is in direct contradiction to St. Paul's words, “Christ dieth no more” (Rom. 6:9); He accomplished full sacrifice for sin in His death on the cross.

Once this matter is clearly understood, it requires no great imagination to rec­ognize that the repeated sacrifices represented in the Mass would have the general ef­fect of minimizing the value of the great sacrifice at Calvary as represented in the Passover and its Memorial Supper. Certainly those who come to regard the Mass as the cancellation of their sins could hardly be expected to look with deep concern and high appreciation as otherwise to the antitypical Passover ─ He that perished on the cross. Of course, the celebration of Good Friday continues to this day throughout Christendom, but the true celebration of the Lord's Supper preceding it fell into disuse long ago, with its meaning almost completely lost.

Protestants generally have repudiated the Mass centuries ago, but they have sub­stituted the Lord's Supper in its place. But, accustomed to the frequency of the Mass, they consider it but a matter of expediency how often the Lord's Supper should be kept; hence, we find some celebrating it every four months, some every three months, some every month, and some every Sunday ─ usually in the morning; whereas the proper time is after six p.m. in the evening. Did they realize that Jesus is “Christ our Passover” ─ “the Lamb of God” ─ they would then give heed to Ex. 12:6: “The whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.”  And it was in the evening of Nisan 14 ─ after Jesus and the Apostles had kept the Passover ─ that the Memorial (“re­membrance of Me”) was established by Jesus blessing the bread and the wine ─ “My body, My blood.”

Also, Christians generally have misconstrued the Lord's words, “As oft as ye do this,” to mean, Do this as often as you please; whereas the words really signify, You, My disciples (all Jews are accustomed to keeping the Passover once each year), keep this antitypical Memorial ─ once each year on the same day and hour as you have done for the typical Memorial of the Passover in Egypt.

  “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” (Heb. 13:15)

(Brother John J. Hoefle, Reprint 261, March 1977)

___________________________________________________________________

DO NOTHING WHEREBY THY BROTHER STUMBLETH

“It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbled, or is offended, or is made weak.” (Romans 14:21)

Very evidently the Apostle was not in these words endeavor­ing to put any bounds upon the liberties of God's people. Else­where he declares that the liberty of Christ makes us free. But he points out that while we have liberty to do things not sinful and not injurious to ourselves, yet it is part of our privilege and of our contract with the Lord to abstain from anything which would be injurious to others; and that we should seek to regulate our lives so as to be a help to others and not use our liberty merely for the flesh, for self-gratifica­tion. We are representatives of righteousness and should so deal with others, “Doing good unto all men, especially unto those who are of the household of faith.” (Gal. 6: 10)

In this text the Apostle is not referring to a matter where there might be merely a difference of opinion as between meat and vegetable diet. Such a question each should decide for himself. If one finds a flesh diet injurious to him, he should abstain. If, on the contrary, he finds that flesh diet is bene­ficial to him, he should use it. The Apostle's thought in connection with the eating of meat was in reference to religious convictions. In his time it was the custom for people to eat meat which had been offered to idols. No Jew would care to eat such meat. With a Christian it would be different. He would understand that it did not affect the meat to wave it before wooden idols, etc. Yet the Apostle goes on to show that to some it would seem a crime to eat meat that had been offered to an idol.

The Apostle's thought is that our conscience is the most important thing we have to deal with and should always be obeyed. The brother who would violate some one's conscience by eating the meat would be stumbling and harming that person. Thus a stronger brother would injure a weaker brother. And this was what the Apostle meant. In the case of a brother who could not see as clearly as we, not only should we not seek to break down his conscience, but we should not permit even our influence to break it down.

It would be very proper for us in the case of a weak brother to explain the matter from our standpoint. This would not be seeking to break down his conscience, but to educate it. Then, if he should eat such meat with impunity ─ without the dis­approbation of his conscience ─ we have thus made him a strong brother rather than a weak one; and this should be to his advantage. The Apostle urges that we should be on the lookout for the interests of the brethren.

SELF-DENIAL IN THE INTEREST OF OTHERS

St. Paul here is evidently laying down a broad principle of self-denial in the interest of others ─ a principle which applies primarily to the church, but also to the world. He applies this principle, not merely to religion and to eating meat offered to idols, but he extends the matter, saying, “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.”

There might be some weak brother to whom wine might be a great temptation, a snare. The Apostle urges that, while there is nothing in the Scripture to forbid the use of wine, and while he really recommended it to Timothy, whose stomach was weak, nevertheless, our liberties should be limited by the sur­roundings. We know that wine was used much more then than now, and is much more used in Europe than in this country; nevertheless, we know that the effect of alcohol is much more hurtful to the nerves of people now, because the race is so much weaker than in our Lord's day.

When there was no particular danger along this line our Lord and the Apostles seem to have used these things with moderation. They also counseled moderation ─ “Whether, there­fore, ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31); and we should not use our liberty in any way that would stumble a brother in any sense of the word. God's people are to have love, to be willing to sacrifice self-gratification in the interest of others.

So far as we are able to discern, intoxication is one of the most terrible evils scourging our race at the present time. Many are so weak through the fall, by heredity, that they are totally unable to resist the influence of intoxicants. Is it too much to ask of those who have consecrated their lives to the Lord, to righteousness and to the blessing of others, that they should deny themselves in this matter, and thus lay down some liberties and privileges in the interest of the brethren, and of the world in general?

Similar arguments might be used respect-ing the use of tobacco, cards and the various implements which the adversary uses in luring mankind into sin. The whole, be it noted, is the argument of love. In proportion as we grow in the graces of our Lord, in his spirit of love, we shall be glad, not only to put away all filthiness of the flesh for our own sakes, thus to be more like the Lord, but also, at the instance of love, we shall desire to put away from us everything that might have an evil influence upon others, whatever we might consider our personal liberties to be in respect to them.

Another illustration of this principle would be in the observance of Sunday. The Jews thought it wrong even to build a fire on the Sabbath; and anyone who was found pick­ing up sticks on that day was stoned to death. We do not consider it wrong to do on Sunday whatever might be done on other days. But would it be wise to use this liberty? Our conduct might have an injurious effect upon others and so discount all that we could say to them along religious lines. They would say: “These people are not good. They do not keep God's holy day.” They would not understand.

It would be well for us to keep Sunday more particularly than any other people in the world. In fact, we very likely keep it better than others; and this is right. This error of Christendom has worked good for us. We can have a day full of spiritual enjoyment. If the world understood it as we do there would be no Sunday to keep. On our part we would be very glad if there could be three or four Sundays in a week. In fact, with us, every day should be Sunday. We are seek­ing to serve God, the main object of life being to preach the Gospel, and to enjoy the “good tidings” ─ the message of God's Word.

Our relationship to God is that of the new creation, a heart relationship; and the blessing which the Lord gives us is as newly begotten children ─ not along lines of the flesh, but along the lines of the spiritual and of heart development, which shall ultimately be perfected in the resurrection.

True, whom the Son makes free “shall be free indeed” (John 8:36), and we should all seek to “Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free” (Gal. 5:1); but it is also true that we should be on guard lest we use our liberty in such a manner as to stumble others weaker than ourselves, not able to use the liberty of Christ discriminatingly, some-times through lack of knowledge.

The liberty wherewith Christ makes free may be viewed from two standpoints; if it gives us liberty to eat without restraint, in a manner that the Jews were not at liberty to eat, it gives us liberty also to abstain; and whoever has the Spirit of Christ and is seeking to follow in his steps has already covenanted with the Lord to use his liberty, not in the promotion of his fleshly desires, ambitions and appetites, but in self-sacrifice, following in the footsteps of the Master, seek­ing to lay down his life, even, on behalf of the brethren ─ for their assistance. How different are these two uses of liberty! Its selfish use ─ as well as the selfish use of knowledge ─ would mean self-gratification, regardless of the interests of others; the loving use would prompt to self-sacrifice in the interests of others.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR BROTHER

Knowledge does not necessarily mean a great growth in spirituality. A mite of soap will make a very large air bubble; and so a comparatively little knowledge might puff one up greatly, without any solidity of character. There is, therefore, great advantage in measuring one's self by growth in love rather than by growth merely in knowledge – though, of course, to be great in both knowledge and love would be the ideal condition. The Apostle inculcates this same lesson, asserting, “Though I have all knowledge and have not love I am nothing.”

Knowledge without love would be an injury; and to con­sider it otherwise would imply that real knowledge has not yet been secured; but to the contrary of this the same Apostle says, “If any man love God, the same is known of him.” (1 Cor. 13:2; 8:3) We might have a great deal of knowledge and yet not know God and not be known or recognized by him; but no one can have a large development of true love in his character without personally knowing the Lord and having obtained the spirit of love through fellowship with him. Hence the getting of love is sure to build us up substantially (thus avoiding the inflation of pride) in all the various graces of the Spirit, including meekness, gentleness, patience, long­suffering, brotherly-kindness, knowledge, wisdom from above and the spirit of a sound mind.

Love, after securing knowledge and liberty, will look about to see what effect the use of liberty might have upon others; and will perceive that by reason of differing mental conditions ─ perceptions, reasoning faculties, etc. ─ all could not have exactly the same standpoint of knowledge and appre­ciation of principles. Love, therefore, would forbid the use of knowledge and liberty if it perceived that their exercise might work injury to another.

EVERY VIOLATION OF CONSCIENCE WRONG

But why?  What principle is involved that would make it incumbent upon one whose conscience is clear to consider the conscience of another? Why not let the person of a weak conscience take care of his own conscience, and eat or abstain from eating as he felt disposed? The Apostle explains that this would be right ─ if it were possible; but that the person of weaker mind, feebler reasoning powers, is likely to be weaker in every respect and, hence, more susceptible to the leadings of others, into paths which his conscience could not approve, because of his weaker reasoning powers or inferior knowledge.

One might, without violation of con-science, eat meat that had been offered to idols, or even sit at a feast in an idol temple, without injury to his conscience; but the other feeling that such a course was wrong, might endeavor to follow the example of his stronger brother, and thus might violate his conscience, which would make the act a sin to him.

Every violation of conscience, whether the thing itself be right or wrong, is a step in the direction of willful sin. It is a downward course, leading further and further away from the communion and fellowship of the Lord, and into grosser transgressions of conscience and, hence, possibly leading to the second death. Thus the Apostle presents the matter: “And through thy knowledge shall the weak one perish ─ the brother for whom Christ died?” The question is not, Would it be a sin to eat the meat offered to idols? but, Would it be a sin against the spirit of love, the law of the new creation, to do anything which could reasonably prove a cause of stumbling to our brother, not only to the brethren in Christ, the church, but even to a fellow-creature according to the flesh? ─ for Christ died for the sins of the whole world.

Let us take our stand with the Lord and determine that, in regard to using our liberties in any manner that might do injury to others, we will refuse so to use them; and will rather sacrifice them for the benefit of others, even as our Master, our Redeemer, gave all that he had. Let us adopt the words of the Apostle and determine once for all that anything that would injure a brother we will not do ─ any liberty of ours, however reasonable in itself, that would work our brother's injury, that liberty we will not exercise; we will surrender it in his interest; we will sacrifice it; we will to that extent lay down our life for him.

”Thus sinning against the brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat maketh my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for­evermore, that I make not my brother to stumble.” (1 Cor. 8:13,RV.)

(Pastor Russell, Reprint 4919, 4923, November 15, 1911)