No. 672: The State of the Dead

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:16-17) “…the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”  (Ezek. 18:4)

Did Adam understand what “sure­ly die” meant? He surely did! However, note that Eve did not exist yet when the Creator gave this one law to Adam. So it is understandable that the serpent could–would deceive her. After all, she did get the law second hand from her husband and oh, that serpent was beautiful and such a charmer. He taught deceivers who came later how to deceive — the popes, bishops, preachers, evangelists, law­yers and politicians among many, many others. Come to think about it, he deceived these most of all. He even tried to deceive Jesus during his First Advent when Jesus was on earth to die Adam’s death; blame­lessly and event­ually to restore Adam and all his progeny for a chance to obtain everlasting life. “Get thee behind me, Satan.” (Mat 16:23)

The Medical Dictionary defines Death as the cessation of all vital functions of the body, the heartbeat, brain activity (including the brain stem) and breathing. In Jewish Law, for whatever the reason, the current definition of "death" is now a composite one. It is deemed that death occurs when there is either irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions (the "old" definition) or irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain including the brain stem. (The new) The principal utility of these second standards permit declaring as dead a comatose, ventilator-dependent patient incap­able of spontaneous respiration but whose heart is still beating due to the provision of oxygen via an artificial breathing apparatus. Judaism does not specifically mention an afterlife, although we think they fully expect a resurrection.

Notice the Creator did not breathe into man an immortal soul. (One could search the Scriptures for that one and find it doesn’t exist.) The thought of an immortal soul was introduced by man much later. It is total nonsense and a big lie, unsupported by scripture and fostered on fallen man by the deceiver; dubbed by the Apostle Paul as the “prince of the power of the air” of this present evil world. (Eph 2:2) The mother of Harlots (Papacy) and her harlot offspring still promote this nonsensical belief. It is almost astonishing that so many otherwise intelligent people cling to this blatant error, inspired by The Evil One. Much additional errors and superstitions have traveled down this avenue. Most people never bother to seek the truth, “precept upon precept;” they daydream through Bible Study as many do on Sunday mornings when the preacher delivers his sermon.

The penalty for Adam’s sin would have been much worse if it had been “living thou shalt live in eternal torment.” This might have been the penalty for sin if the Creator had given Adam an “immor­tal (death proof) soul,” which even GOD could not eliminate. Think about the difference between “Eternal” and “Immortal.” Eternal seems to imply a long indefinite period of time that does not include incorruptibility. There is no other way to consider immortality as anything but incorruptibility – death proof.

Our Lord God, whose major character traits are Love, Power, Wisdom, and Justice, has not extended immortality to the person of anyone except The Christ – the second Adam and his 144,000 strong Bride, the second Eve, gathered during the “Gospel Age.” They will rule the earthly Kingdom of God and lead Adam and his progeny to human perfection with full knowledge of good and evil. Humanity has spent the last six thousand years learning evil and during the Christ’s 1,000 year Kingdom will learn the opposite and become gods (mighty-ones)  of this physical universe.

What about NDE? – “Near Death Exper­ience” we occasionally read or hear about in news reports and gossip. One victim said that before her NDE she did not believe in a benevolent God and afterward – she still didn’t. She added, however, she now is convinced there is an “Afterlife.”

When Adam sinned, received the death sentence and passed it on to his progeny, all life as we know it became a Near Death Experience. When a person suffers painfully over a long period, death can become a blessed relief for the patient who will have no pain or knowledge of any kind in the grave and the friends and relatives of the patient who suffer the loss, also are relieved but continue living for a while.

Most of the people, who have accepted the immortal-soul concept with eternal torment for the bad people, never consider they or any of their loved ones would ever experience this forever Afterlife of a burning hell. If it is true we all are condemned by the prospect and God has no love in Him.

We would never enjoy any of the life we have here now for worrying about the “After life” des­cribed. The term should be “After­­ death” for death comes after we have lived for a while. The human race has enough to worry about for we are near death from the moment of our conception within our mother’s womb and every second of our present life thereafter.

The life we now live in this present evil world is a true “Near Death Experience.” Though some are nearer than others, such as those who are approaching death through illness, or a court of law, or who have lived beyond the age where their bodies can no longer support living. Fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is surely allegorical. The provisions for life of the newly created Adam were conditional, dependent upon obedience to his Creator’s law. His instruction was that he could eat the fruit of every tree: that is, he could experience everything within Eden except the “fruit” of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This was the one and only law the Creator gave his Special Creation. The tree with the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil was surely allegorical. Think about what this night have repre­sented. Perhaps it was the act of pro­creation?

Why would the Creator provide the means by which his creatures could self-destruct after HE had already said the creation was “good?” Doubtlessly, the Heavenly Father had a higher purpose for his creation. Though the physically per­fect, Adam was unfinished. He, along with the rest of us, was born needing a proper education. The Crea­tor purposed to give us one and man was to become the god of our universe. In order for this to be, the human needed to have knowledge of both good and evil and voluntarily to eschew evil and accept only the opposite. Note that Adam and his prodigy learn evil first.

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (Eccl 9:10)

What is hard to understand about this Scripture and are there not others, which make the same indisputable declaration? The only answer is that there is very little seeking of truth in this Age, it is easier to believe the catechisms of the Man of Sin. Attend any nominal Christian church, and the sermon is a great sleeping pill. But, you might feel that momentarily you are a “Good Christian” and have done your duty-worship.

“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”( Gen 3:19)

This is another nail in the coffin of the “afterlife” belief of the vast majority of human minds, corrupted in the hands of the prince of the power of the air. The death curse includes sweat for food just to stay alive. We were created from the dust of the earth and when death takes us we return to the dust from which we came. Remember, “No knowledge in the grave.” (Eccl 9:10)

Adam and Eve had it so good, everything they would ever want or need right there in Paradise-Eden. The weather was perfect they needed no wraps, clothing or covering of any kind. The animals were their friends and servants, food was plentiful, lots of good apples and other fruits and vegetables, just do not eat the fruit of that one tree – Just one law and what an easy one! Through Moses, God gave the Israelites 10 laws, the obedience to which could gift them life forever. These ten laws are impossible for imperfect men to obey, but this marked the Jews as His “typical” chosen people.

Did The Creator really mean that “surely die” would be a bright light of peace and joy at the end of a tunnel for the good people and the horror of being dragged off into darkness by a couple of the evil one’s henchmen to be seared and burned forever. Did the Creator of every­thing whose chief character traits are Love, Wisdom, Power and Justice actually do that? Did the Creator make man with a death-proof kernel of immortality? Did He plan this horrible method of punish­ment for the disobedient of his crea­tures? Did He plan to turn the bad people over to Satan for everlasting unspeakable tor­ment with no way out, ever? Was that part of God’s Eternal Purpose? After all, when souls are immortal you must have a way to separate the bad from the good.

Notice, it has always been “everlast­ing life” and not “immortal life.” Search the Scriptures and try to find the phrase “immortal soul.” This phrase is not there. We cannot pay attention to the catechism; (A book in question-and-answer form giving a brief summary of the basic principles of Christianity ac­cord­ing to the Papal system,) or bishops, preachers, priests, popes, evan­ge­lists, etc. They are all deceived; under the influence of “That Man of Sin” pointed out by the Apostle Paul.

O, what a tangled web we weave,

When first we practice to deceive!

But when we’ve practiced quite a while

How vastly we improve our style.

Satan, enticed poor Eve like a hand­some lover, telling her she could eat the fruit and become more alive than ever. He appeared to her in the form of a beautiful serpent and enticed poor Eve , which condemned the serpent to forever having to crawl upon its belly like a reptile. Eve had no armor to protect herself. Adam and Eve were two souls who when together were one, a head and body. She went running to Adam and told him the good news; we’ll be like God, “more alive than ever.”

The evil one told her this lie and preachers of all stripes have been repeating it at almost every funeral sermon they preach. Poor father Adam, he was not deceived, but he loved this woman who had been taken from his body and did not want to live without her. He deliberately disobeyed his Creator’s law. Adam and Eve lost their lives, life rights, and their home in Paradise.

“…in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen 2:17) But Adam and Eve didn’t die in a 24-hour day, did they? ―“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”(2 Pet. 3:8) We don’t know how long Eve lived, but we are told Adam lived 930 years, (Gen 5:5) about 928 of which were after being banished from the Garden of Paradise, their wonderful home. Adam’s death was 70 years before the end of a thousand-year Day of the Lord. Adam and Eve’s children never experi­enced life as perfect creations.

They were born in the exact condition as their earthly parents were already—a “Near Death” condition. The human race was already devolving. One of Adam and Eve’s sons, Cane killed his brother and became the first murderer. Their new home, the earth outside of Eden was much different. Food didn’t grow easily and they had to determine which of the plants were nutritious or poisonous and which were just fattening.

They had to learn how to make their food more edible, more near to what had been available in the Garden of Paradise. The Creator knew it all from the beginning as He planned it that way. He permitted Satan to deceive them, for the evil one can do nothing not allowed by The Creator’s “eternal purpose.” Obviously we needed this oppor­tunity to experience evil.

Oh My Lord, we humans had to seek, kill and eat animals upon realizing that growing food from the ground was hard labor and too dependent on things a human cannot control. We became carnivores and lost almost all our animal friends. Down through the years the animosity between man and beasts has grown. Some animals are susceptible to becoming pets and some to slaves, but largely now there is much antagonism between man and the lower animal souls.

But let’s go back a moment. In Gen 1:22 it says, “...be fruitful and multiply,” But notice no children were born to Adam and Eve until after the sin and its consequences. Therefore their children were born cursed with a death sentence handed down through their parents, and it has been such ever since. What an inheritance! Instead of evolving from our beginnings, we have been devolving for more than 6,000 years. We are now approaching our extremity and need our Creator’s help.

In the beginning “eternal torment,” was never an issue. The wily deceiver had not invented it yet. Today, many people believe this deception, which has filled them with superstition. First, the evil one had to foster the belief in an immortal soul, which even the Creator, it is implied, could not take from these growing errors in the beliefs of the human race. We have been getting an education in “evil.” Immortal means death proof even though the scriptures tell plainly, “The soul that sinneth shall die.” (Ezek 18:20)

The English word soul is translated from the Hebrew word “Nephesh” meaning a breathing creature, any breathing creature, a man, ape, dog, elephant, horse, etc; all of us earth animals are souls. The root of the word Nephesh is Nêphash, meaning to breathe. The voluntary taking in and letting out of air.  Since Adam and Eve had been perfect earthly physical specimen, it took time for the gradual disintegration to end with death. Also, they did not have the natural nutritious food from the Garden of Eden. Still Adam lived 930 years. Death happens to us all. Yet, He passed from our near death condition to the oblivion of death. We have devolved into much less perfect souls than Adam was before he sinned. God did not suddenly strike Adam dead, but allowed him to die naturally, while gaining knowledge of both good and evil. Where did all the fairy tale beliefs of humanity come from? “The Evil One,” of course. The prince of the power of the Air; (Eph. 2:2.) “More alive than ever” will have believers only in this “present evil World,” (Gal 1:4.)

How many times in “Nominally Christian” funerals have we heard expression from the pulpit, such as; “Our dear departed is now more alive than ever—and is now looking down upon us with love.” They never preach that the loved one has gone to horrible torment and is now looking up at us with hateful, fierce jealousy.

“One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.”  (Eccl 1:4) The physical earth “God created to be inhabited.” (Isa 45:18) So it will never be destroyed, despite the several diamet­rically opposite conclusions fostered by Satan onto orthodox religions and so called sciences.

A few years ago some scientist were concluding that the solar system was running down and that eventually the earth would become very cold and lifeless. Now, of course they are predicting just the opposite —“global warming.” They sound like pol­iticians, promising one thing today and the opposite tomorrow.

“For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.”  (Eccl 9:5)

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” (Eccl 9:10)

                            MORE ALIVE THAN EVER?

Satan invented this “more alive than ever” baloney and so many people believe it! He is certainly the deceiver, “Prince of the power of the air,” But he can do nothing without The Heavenly Fathers permission who has allowed Satan to acquaint mankind with the evilness of sin.

“Irreversible ending of life and the approach of that end, death, involves a complete change in a living entity— the loss of its essential characteristics. “Death occurs at several levels. Somatic (bodily) death is the death of a living thing as a whole, marked by the stopping of heartbeat, respiration, move­ment, reflexes, and brain activity. After somatic death, several changes occur, which indicate the time and circumstances of death. Algor mortis is the cooling of the body after death. Rigor mortis is the stiffening of the skeletal muscles, begin­ning from five to ten hours after death and disappearing after three or four days. Livor mortis is the reddish-blue discoloration that occurs on the underside of the body, resulting from the settling of the blood. Clotting of the blood begins shortly after death, as autolysis does, the death of the cells. Putrefaction, the decomposition that follows, is caused by the action of enzymes and bacteria.

“Ideas about what defines death vary with different cultures and times. In modern times, death has been thought to occur when the vital functions of breathing and circu­lation stops. As medical advances have made it possible to sustain respiration and cardiac function by mechanical means, the concept of brain-death (the irreversible loss of brain activity) has gained acceptance. Some authorities now challenge the concept of brain-death, arguing that death should be considered as the loss of the capacity for cons­ciousness or social interaction, activities controlled in the higher centers of the brain. “Dying people go through several stages: denial and isolation; anger, rage, envy, and resentment; bargain­ing; depression; and accep­tance. Families and friends also go through stages of denial and acceptance. Grief often begins before a loved one dies. After the death, mourners typically cry, have difficulty sleeping, and lose their appetites. Some may feel alarmed, angry, or betrayed at being deserted. Later, the grief may turn to depression. Finally, the survivors begin to feel less troubled, regain energy, and restore their ties to others.”  Encarta® Encyclopedia ©

Upon the death of a loved one we hear statements from those grieving, such as; “My , [the deceased] is gone and I will never see her or him again.” Frequently these kinds of statements are made by good “Christian” people who are faithful church-goers in the nominal systems and momentarily forget that their sect teaches that the dead go either to Heaven of Hell. If this were true, there would be some chance they might meet up with their loved ones in one of those places.

We’ve heard dying people acclaim, “I’m going to join my Jesus.” We can’t fault them since momentarily at least; they feel better. However, the vast majority of the dying masses are not be members of the “Little Flock,” the “Bride of Christ” for as Scriptures tell us there are only 144,000 of these out of all the billions who have lived since Jesus Christ took upon himself to die for Adam and his progeny. (Eccl. 9:5; Rev. 14:1)

The Christ,” head and body will attain the Divine Plane with The Father of all Creation: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable.”  (1 Cor 15:19). In other words, if our hope in Christ is merely dependent upon the circum­stances of this present life, we rob ourselves of what little enjoyment and advantage that might be obtained here.

Christ knew not anything in the tomb; he was dead, unconscious, for a part of three days. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”  (Eccl 9:10) Con­demned to death and nailed to the cross, perhaps the brief uncons­cious rest was beneficial after what he had gone through. His death was for Adam and all of mankind, Adam’s progeny. But now is Christ risen [raised] from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. —(1 Cor 15:20) The Emphatic Diaglott has it “Christ has been raised.”

It wasn’t God that died and was raised. 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) (Benja­min Wilson’s Dia­glott) in other words he has it as, Christ was the first in the beginning of God’s creation. He was the first-fruit of all God’s Creation.

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell [the grave].” (Mat. 10:28 KJV) A better translation of this verse is in the Diaglott by Benjamin Wilson: “Be not afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot destroy the [future] LIFE, but rather fear HIM who can destroy life and body in Gehen­na.”[Hell-grave].” (Matt.10:28 Dia­glott)

“And no one hath ascended into HEAVEN, except the Son of Man who des­cended from heaven.” (John 3:13 Diaglott)

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (Ezek. 18:20) This scripture refers to the coming age, The World to come beginning with Christ’s Millennium.

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No. 671: WHO MAY KNOW GOD'S SECRETS

NOTE: The following paper is from a Sermon by That Servant, no doubt delivered late in his life. It is the first one in a book of his sermons. We have no idea if the book is available now.

What a joy it would have been to hear it delivered by him. You will note that it is especially for the Saints, the Little Flock, — The Bride of Christ. We are distributing in now because we feel it is good for all of us. There is some editing to fit this paper in this format, we trust his message was not harmed of changed.

WHO MAY KNOW GOD'S SECRETS

“None of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”— Dan. 12:10.

In heathen lands as well as throughout Christendom secret societies include large proportions of the human family. Outsiders know something of their general motive and object, but their particular methods, hopes, endeavors, ambitions are kept secret.

To effect this secrecy, to protect and conserve the interests of their association, obli­gations to profound secrecy are fast­ened and clinched with oaths, some of which are reputed to be almost blood-curdling, the endeavor being to fetter liberty of expression on such matters, not only by the obligations of honor but also by those of fear.

It is no part of my mission to attack any of these orders or to inveigh against their procedures. I merely refer to them here; to call your attention to the fact that this is a common method amongst men which evi­dently has the sanction of many, because I wish to draw to your notice the fact that the Almighty God Himself is the:

FOUNDER OF A SECRET SOCIETY

Moreover, while there are certain cor­respondences between the human secret orders and the one of Divine origin, we shall find, as we should expect that the latter is in every way superior to all others. Its aim and object are wider than all, embracing the entire human family, promising good, bles­sing and assistance to every member of the race — “in due time.” (1 Tim. 2:6) Again, although its methods of operation are secret, this is not because they are in any measure or degree sinful, disreputable, injurious or underhanded, but merely because secrecy is to the advan­tage not only of the members of the society, but also specially because present secrecy as respects the work accomplished will be beneficial ulti­mately to the masses of mankind. This is in full harmony with the Divine statement. “As the Heavens are higher than the earth so are my methods higher than your methods and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” —Isa. 55:9.

As in some secret societies there are different steps or grades—for instance, all Masons are familiar with the secrets per­taining to the first degree yet not all Masons are familiar with the secrets, etc., pertaining to the thirty-second degree, so in God's Secret Order there are first principles of the doctrines-of-Christ which must be known to all who belong to the order, and are also “deep things of God,” which may be known only to those who have made advancement by growth in grace and knowledge and love. (Heb. 6:1; 1 Cor. 2:10)

To some unfamiliar with the facts but having knowledge of earthly secret societies it may seem strange to say that the secrets of the Divine Order of the Sons of God are so abstract, so impenetrable, that they may be discussed freely in the presence of others and not be com­prehended at all. Indeed, so far from laying restrictions upon the members of this Order not to communicate its secrets they are authorized, yea, urged to make these known to all who may be able to Com­prehend, understand them, with many assur­ances that only the right class will be able to comprehend.

Our text is one of these assurances, “None of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.” Another as­surance is, “The natural man receiveth [understandeth] not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually dis­cerned”; and again, “The secret of the Lord is with them that reverence Him, and lie will show them His covenant.” (1 Cor. 2:14; Psa. 25:14)

The only restrictions in respect to the telling of the secrets of this Order of the Melchizedek Priesthood are:

“Give not sacred things to dogs, nor throw your pearls before swine, lest they tread them under their feet, or turning again they tear you.” —Matt. 7:6 Diaglott.)

These secrets would be injurious to them; and, misunderstanding them, the swinish, the groveling, might be incited to violence through disappointment, recog­­­nizing no value in pearls nor appreciating anything that would not give earthly satisfaction.

THE FOUNDING OF THIS ORDER

The Scriptures assure us that our Creator purposed the founding of this Order of the Melchizedek Priesthood before the foundation of the world. In due time Melchizedek, a kingly priest, constituted its type in the days of Abraham – and then, too; a preparatory or Junior Order was inaugurated, Abraham being chosen of the Lord as its Grand Master.

To him the whole secret of the Order was com­municated in few words saying, “In thee and in thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” The meaning of this was but partially grasped by Abraham himself and all of his posterity, the Jewish nation, who with him became members of that Junior Order during a period of two thousand years. They understood this to signify that at some time Messiah would come and establish a new order of things with the result that Abraham's posterity in particular and the nations of mankind in general would receive through Him a great blessing.

These hopes of the Junior Order proved very encouraging and helpful to such of them as properly entered into the spirit and designs of the Order and sought to appropriate the blessings and privileges of Divine relationship thus accorded them. In proportion as by faith they entered into this Order they took degrees of knowledge and of love and had more of the Divine approval.

But as for the other nations of the world they were not admitted in any sense of the word to this Order. It was exclusively for Abraham and the Jews; and all others were strangers, aliens and foreigners from the Commonwealth of Israel, without God and having no hope.

It was at our Lord’s First Advent, or more particularly at Pentecost following His redemptive work and ascension to the presence of the Father, there to appear on our behalf, as our Advocate, that the present Order of the Melchizedek Priesthood was organized – “the Church of the Living God, whose names are written in Heaven.” (Heb. 12:23) It is not an earthly organization, but a Heavenly one, and hence properly it is not composed of those whose names have been written on earth, but those whose names have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The earthly organization, called by various names, represents many misunderstandings of the Divine arrangement and unintentionally does violence to principles of the Order; and, whereas these sectarian lines separate some of the true members of the Melchizedek Priesthood, they also receive as members many whose names are not written in Heaven, many who have not the credentials of the true Order, who do not understand its secrets, because they have not been properly initiated  by the Holy Spirit.

You will understand, therefore, dear friends, that in our view of the matter the division of the Church of Christ into various bands and companies under various banners – Wesley’s, Calvin’s, Luther’s, the popes’, etc., – represent so many mistaken ideas, represent so much of confusion and mis­understanding and bewilderment and contention and error. These organizations are not only not neces­sary but also wrong, in that they tend to distract and divide the true members of the Divine Order who should know each other not by outward badges and names but by their acquaintance with the Lord and with His secret, which is with all those who fear Him.

The first principles of the doctrine of Christ should enable any of these who are truly the Lord’s, to make themselves known and well acquainted with others without any earthly introduction or distinguishing name. Indeed, all these do know each other when they meet; but Who May Know God's Secrets the Adversary’s effort has been to keep them apart and thus if possible to hinder the progress and growth of the Divine Order. But he has not really hindered it; instead, his methods have merely assisted in making the Order the more secret and unknown to the world, including those merely nominal Christians, not spirit-begotten. So great has been the deception that the Lord Jesus, the grand and everlasting Head and Master of this Order of the Melchizedek Priesthood, was crucified by some who belonged to the Junior Order and who were in one sense earnestly waiting for the establishment of the new Order and for an opportunity to enter it! They were not permitted to enter because they were unworthy — except the few of whom we read (John 1:11, 12): “He came unto His’ own and His own received Him not; but to so many as received Him, to them gave He liberty to become the sons of God” — to join the Order of Spiritual Sons, which is the Melchizedek Order of Priesthood.

“THE WORLD KNOWETH US NOT”

Similarly all down through the Gospel Age there has been an outward Church of God and a true, the inward one. The world has seen the outward one, but not the inward. It has applauded and reprimanded the outward, but has uniformly disallowed the true and considered its members to be merely foolish. Thus the Apostle Paul assures us that himself and others, zealous in the service of the Lord and doing the work of this higher Priesthood, were counted fools all the day long for Christ’s sake (1 Cor. 4:10); and St. John says, “The world knoweth us not, even as it knew Him not.” (1 John 3:1) Similarly all who live godly in Christ Jesus have, as the Apostle advised, suffered more or less of persecution and ignominy because they were not recognized of the world – so impenetrable are the secrets of this Order and its message that others cannot know them. Nevertheless, the Order has been growing, increasing, and its fixed or limited membership will soon be completed. Then no further additions will be accepted.

Let it be understood clearly that membership in this Order does not mean injury to those who are not members of it, but contrariwise it means ultimately a blessing to come to them all through the Melchizedek Priesthood, as it is written of this spiritual Seed of Abraham, of which Christ is the Head and the Church the Body, “In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Gal. 3:29) The selection of the members of the Order is accomplished under present con­ditions because they must all become over-comers, willing and able to count it all joy to be in tribulation and to suffer loss for the sake of the Order, its interests, its present workings and member­ship and its future work. Whoever is not willing to suffer for the cause is counted unworthy to be a member – in a word, every member of the Melchizedek Priesthood must sacrifice his life in the interest of the Order, in support of its glorious Lord and Head and His teachings and in serving in general the interests of the Order and its members – “We ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

It will thus be seen that the gateway into this Order is a very narrow one and the pathway of membership in it a very narrow one – “Strait is the gate and narrow [difficult] the way, that leadeth unto life,” the special immortality and associated glory which God has provided as the eternal portion of this elect Melchizedek Priesthood. — Matt. 7:14; 1 John 3:16.

BONDAGE AND LAWS OF THE ORDER

Briefly! It Might say that in one sense every member of the Order is in bondage, and that in another sense every member is free. Let me explain this strange expression. Each is free to leave the Order, renounce it, de­nounce it and count the precious blood wherewith he was sanctified a common thing and to despite the spirit of favor which initiated him into this Order. In doing so he incurs no threat of eternal torture.

He merely brings himself under death sentence, similar to the one under which he was before he was reached with the grace of God through the precious blood, excepting that it means the Second Death, from which there is no remedy, no ransom, no recovery by resur­rection or otherwise – an eternal death similar to that experienced by the entire brute creation.

While, therefore, each member of this Royal Priesthood is at liberty to go back to wallowing in the mire, like the sow that was washed, yet if he chooses to remain he is also at liberty to follow this course – none shall be able to pluck him out of his Father’s hand or to separate him from this grace. – John 10:29; Rom. 8:38, 39.

However, as already stated, those who abide in Christ,’ who abide in this new Order of the Royal Priesthood, can have its blessings and privileges fully only upon the most exacting terms and conditions; namely, their full surrender to the Law of the Order so far as their intentions are concerned. “Ah!” I hear you say, “The laws of that Order must be very voluminous. Doubtless many volumes of Divine statutes and regulations would need to be studied by the members of this Royal Priesthood.” We answer, No! The entire law of the Order is briefly comprehended in one word – Love. It is demanded and required of every member of the Order that love shall be the test, not only of his deeds, but also of his words ─ yea, of his thoughts. Love is the fulfilling of the Law.

True, those initiated into this Order are persons of like passions with us, as the Apostle said. (Acts 14:15) Some of them naturally are more fallen than others, and have less of love and more of selfishness than others; but all who join the Order are required to make resolution in their hearts as respects this law of Love – and all the internal workings of the Order are with a view to the perfecting of its members in love. They must learn to love the great Founder of the Order supremely, and in turn to trust to His Love as well as to His Wisdom and Power, so that in obedience to His will they consecrate to spend time, talent and influence, yea, all that they possess, in His service.

Secondly, He admonishes that to love those who love them is not the test which He will apply; but that they will be expected to sympathetically love all mankind, to do good to all men as they have opportunity, especially the Household of Faith. (Gal. 6:10) It is required of them that they shall especially love the brethren, the members of the Order, and be ready and glad to lay down their lives for the brethren. Tests along this line are continually necessary to weed out of the Order all who are not ap­proximating its standard of Love Divine, that all delinquents may be cast into the outer darkness, in which the whole world is, and have share with the world in its tribulations present, and es­pecially in those which will come upon it in the closing of this Age and the inauguration of the new one, when the Melchizedek Order of Priests shall take possession of the empire of earth for its blessing and uplifting.

It will be seen, then, that the statement that love is the bond of perfectness with this Royal Priesthood has a deep significance. The members of this Order need not be con­strained by oaths of allegiance one toward another, as they have a stronger bond by far, the bond of love – and if any man have not this spirit of Christ he is none of His. —Rom. 8:9.

THE WICKED SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND

It is at times really amazing to note how the unconsecrated mind, attempting to under­stand the Mystery of God, designed only for the members of this Order, falls into such egregious blunders and makes such peculiar misstatements respecting what we endeavor to set forth as plainly and as consistently as our abilities will permit. Nor need we think that the fault is ours, since we find that the words of our Lord Himself and of His inspired Apostles were similarly misunder­stood, and that they have explained to us that God hides these things from others than His devoted ones. Mark our Lord Jesus’ words in His prayer, “I thank Thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight.” ―Matt. 11:25, 26

But how absurd it would be to think that our Lord would thank the Father for hiding things from any, if we were to associate with that thought the one which the world and the nominal Christian associate with it; namely, that all from whom God thus hides these special things or secrets of the Lord are in conse­quence appointed to an eternity of torture!

What a travesty it would be upon Divine Love and Justice and upon the character of the Father and our Redeemer! But this is not the thought. None of the wicked understand, because for them to understand would not only mean a greater measure of condemnation upon them but would also mean an endeavor on their part to oppose and circumvent the Divine arrangement.

As for the worldly-wise they may not understand; for not many great, not many wise, not many learned are chosen of the Lord as worthy of membership in this secret Order of Melchizedek. He explains to us elsewhere the reason for this; namely, that He is seeking only the meek, the humble-minded, those who will be willing to learn of Him, and to have their minds transformed and conformed to the pattern most pleasing to the Lord. This, under present conditions, is impossible to the worldly-wise, who feel their own superiority, etc., and seek not the wisdom that cometh from Above and the Divine approval. In a word, then, our Lord’s testimony shows us the wise who will understand the things of God and be initiated into the mysteries of the Kingdom of the Melchizedek Priesthood are not the worldly-wise or great—with few exceptions. They are chiefly the poor of this world, rich in faith, who shall be heirs of the Kingdom.

This is another reason why the world knoweth us not even as it knew Him not. Had our Lord been one of the worldly great and bright, haughty and domineering, wealthy and influential, yet possessed of His talents and powers, no doubt the very ones who crucified Him would have hailed Him King. It was His humility, His poverty, etc., that led to His rejection and His crucifixion as a false prophet. Much the same is true of all of His followers who are members of this Royal Priesthood Order. And they are to be content with such a rejection by the world – content because of their realization of acceptance with the Father and with the Grand Master; content with the assurances granted in the Scriptures and confirmed by the Holy Spirit in their experience. They are to wait patiently and the better to cultivate under these conditions the fruits and graces of the Holy Spirit.

THE ORDER’S ULTIMATE PURPOSES

We are not hindered from telling the ultimate purposes of this grand Secret Order, which our Lord organized and of which I trust, many of you are members through faith in and consecration to the Lord. We may tell of these mysteries, knowing that none of you will be able to appreciate or thoroughly to comprehend all of these mysteries except such of you as have taken several degrees in the Order, passing from grace to grace and from knowledge to knowledge. We remind you here of the Master’s words when approached by the disciples who asked, “Lord, why speakest Thou unto the people in parables?” Jesus answered and said unto them, “To you it is given to know of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but unto all outsiders these things are spoken in parables and in dark sayings, that hearing they might hear and not understand.” (Luke 8:10)

To our understanding the total number of members in this Order of the Melchizedek Priesthood will be 144,001, the one being our Grand Master and Lord and Redeemer, the others being those of whom He says, “All ye are brethren,” and of whom the Apostle declares they are members in particular of the Body of Christ, the Church of the First-horns, whose names are written in Heaven. (Heb. 12:23) Under another figure our Lord is spoken of as a Bridegroom, and these 144,000, now espoused to Him, covenanted to Him, are ultimately to be united to Him as His Bride, to become the Lamb’s Wife and associates in His Throne and work of the future. —Rev. 21:9.

With the completion of this elect class, all shaped and polished as the Lord’s Jewels by present trials, difficulties, etc., etc., the time will have come for the inauguration of the work of this Royal Priesthood. The Kingdom class will then all be in glory – Jesus their Head glorified nineteen centuries ago, the Church His Body glorified with Him by a share in His kind of resurrection, at His Second Coming. Then the Law shall go forth and the Word of the Lord; then Satan shall be bound; then every evil thing shall be plucked up by the root! What a turmoil this will mean at the beginning may be better imagined than described.

However, so far as the uprooting and upturning is concerned, the Lord has a peculiar way of accomplishing this; namely, by simply allowing present institu­tions to “run amuck,” to overthrow them­selves, to develop anarchy which will sweep the world as with a besom of destruction and produce a Time of Trouble such as never was since there was a nation! It will be at the conclusion of this period of awful anarchy toward which the world is now heading rapidly and from which it cannot be held back by human wisdom and prudence because selfishness has blinded the minds of the masses.

The Scriptures tell us that when that plowshare of trouble shall have passed through the world and finally the new Order of things shall have developed, the poor world will begin to have saner ideas in respect to life, justice and righteousness; and we read that many nations shall then say, “Come let us go up to the Kingdom of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we shall walk in His path.” (Micah 4:2); and again, “The desire of all nations shall come.” All nations will by that time be so thoroughly weary with the awful trouble that they will be glad to welcome the Reign of Righteousness then due to be inaugurated.

The reforms of that time will be thorough-going. Justice will be laid to the line and righteousness to the plummet, and the lies will all have been swept away, Satan shall be bound for a thousand years, his deceptions shall cease, and instead the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shall fill the whole earth. (Isa. 28:17; Hab. 2:14) When thus the judgments of the Lord shall be abroad in the earth (rewards for well doing and stripes or punishment for evil doing) the inhabitants of the world shall learn righteousness. Then the willful, persistent evil-doer shall be cut off in the Second Death.

Ultimately the blessing of the Lord through this Melchizedek Priesthood shall accomplish all that its Divine Founder outlined in the first statement of the good news to Abraham, namely, “In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” As a result we read that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to the glow of God, and that Christ shall reign until He shall have put down every opposition and evil, the last enemy that shall be destroyed being death. (Isa. 45:23; 1 Cor. 15:25, 26) The whole world shall thus be uplifted from the power of sin and death, and be brought back to allegiance to the Heavenly Father. And then, saith the Scriptures, The Christ, the Melchi­zedek Priesthood, shall deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father that He may be all in all. (1 Cor. 15:28)

In conclusion, dear friends, I exhort that we who have become members of this Secret Order of the Lord, including also those who under the leadings of the Lord’s Spirit, may yet become members of it, shall appreciate more and more fully its wonderful privileges and gladly conform more and more to its require­ments, that we may thus make our calling and election sure to the glorious fruition of our hopes in the Kingdom of God and its gracious work under the whole heavens!

We shall best do this by studying our Manual, which our Lord has given us, His Word, and by de­veloping the various fruits and graces of the Spirit, all of which are elements of the one general law of our Order, namely, love to God and to our fellows. I remind you of St. Peter’s words:

“If ye do these things ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be administered unto you abun­dantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” — 2 Pet. 1:10, 11; Psa. 119:97-10

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No. 670: FUNDAMENTALS OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

In Heb. 11:6 we are told “without faith it is impossible to please God”; and this is further corroborated in 2 Pet. 1:5: “add to your faith” the additional primary graces. Knowledge is the next essential – as Jesus said, “Come and learn of me”(Matt 11:29); and He further informs us that “everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice,” (John 18:37) the hearing of which adds to our store of knowledge. Not only so, but we must re­ceive the Truth in the love of it (2 Thes. 2:10). Any who lose the Truth do so because of their fail­ure to love it.

The fully unfaithful lose all love “of the Truth” – depending on the various de­grees of their unfaithfulness. But all the measurably faithful use some of the Truth – that part that is acceptable to them and results in profit to them of one sort or another. The large majority of mankind receives little or none of it at all. St. Paul says it is “foolishness” to the natural man (1 Cor. 2:14) – “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not.” (2 Cor. 4:4) Said Jesus, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” (John 18:37) The truth about God’s grand plan of salvation did not put Jesus on the cross; it was the sharp biting criticism of the evils of the ‘clergy’ of His day that brought Him to His death.

The primary fundamentals of Christian character are vividly presented and elabo­rated in 2 Pet. 1:5-7, the which, if one lacks, “he is blind” (v. 9); but by the doing of which “you will never fall” (v. 10). It is not our intention here to offer analy­sis of the seven primary graces, other than to state that a sober consideration of such a character structure should be the constant striving of all who are determined “not to fall.” That knowledge (the “know-how”) is the primary requisite herein needs no elab­oration. It is not only the beginning; it is the constant companion during our earthly pilgrimage. At the consummation of his ministry St. Paul writes, “for I know whom I have believed.” (2 Tim. 1:12) Following is the clear statement of the matter in Par­ousia Vol. 5, p. 238, par. 2:

“As we mature, ‘grow in grace,’ we will desire, seek and obtain, in addition to the milk of the word, the ‘strong meat’ which the Apostle declares is for those of ful­ler development. (1 Pet. 2:2; Heb. 5:13,14) The development in the ‘graces’ of the Spirit, faith, fortitude, knowledge, self-control, patience, piety, brotherly kindness, love, will bring us into closer fellowship with the Father and with Jesus, so that the Lord will be able and willing to communicate to us more and more clearly a knowledge of His gracious plans, as well as of His own gracious character.”

In giving us the seven higher primary graces, as Faith, Fortitude, Self-control, Patience, Piety, Brother-ly love, Charity, The Epiphany Messenger differs slightly from the above; but in E-1:71, he distinctly tells us that knowledge is an ingredient of Wisdom: “The third element of God’s character is His graces. Usually we speak of the main attributes of God’s character as WISDOM, POWER, JUSTICE and LOVE. But, as St. Peter shows us in his famous addition problem, these are capable of being resolved into their parts as follows: Wisdom is a combination of faith, hope (which is the heart of fortitude) and knowledge (V 5). Power (will power as distinct from omnipotence, which is an attribute of being and not of character) is a combination of self-control and of patience (V 6). Justice is a combin­ation of piety (duty-love to God; in God’s case this goes out to good principles, not to any person, which, if it did, would imply that God has a superior – an impossibility) and Brotherly Love (duty love to the neighbor) (V 7). St. Peter does not analyze love; he simply mentions it as charity. These seven graces we call higher primary graces, because they are graces that, acting thru the religious affections as qualities, are the chief and dominating graces. These graces in God are holy; they act in a holy manner and attach themselves to holy objects only.”

We know that none of us can obtain “knowledge of God” without developing it thru the Holy Spirit; that no one, no matter how brilliant – even as brilliant and cunning as Satan – can obtain such knowledge of God without God’s help. God does not help the wicked to secure “knowledge of God.” Nor does He help the Great Company while they are in the hands of Azazel (Hebrew word for the scapegoat Lev. 16:8,10,26). It would only injure them and others, while in that uncleansed condition, so they not only do not receive additional knowledge, but the knowledge they have already received becomes dim, obscure and warped – including many “strong delu­sions” (2 Thes. 2:11) – such as declaring that Cornelius was not repentant and believing, when Bro-ther Russell said he was consecrated and converted – “an energy of delusion to their believing the falsehood.” (2 Thes. 2:11, Dia.) Here are some Berean Comments on this Scripture: “If we do not cultivate love for the Truth until it outweighs all other things, we will not be fit for the Kingdom.... That which from certain standpoints has the appearance of truth.” Such as quoting Brother Russell’s mistake on the Levites, without quoting his later corrected statement.

In all such discussions it should be kept clearly in mind that none of these graces – except agape love – can be developed to perfection in ourselves or in others. During the Gospel Age the only grace required in perfection is agape love; therefore St. Paul admonishes, “Put on love, which is the bond (or seal) of perfectness.” (Col. 3:14; Heb. 6:1) It is the crowning top stone of character structure – just as the extreme tip of a pyramid is itself a perfect pyramid; and, if severed from the pyramid’s top would in itself still present a full and complete and perfect pyramid. This is also grandly portrayed in the personality of Jesus, who is “above all” (except the Father Himself), Lord over all, but Himself a perfect unit, even tho embracing the whole saved contingent of the human family in a perfect structure under Him.

Although we believe there are but seven higher primary graces – as that is the number for Divine perfection – yet God’s attributes are: Wisdom, Justice, Power and Love. He promises the faithful that He will give them this – as much as they are able to receive. So Love (Charity) is what we call a perfect character, the end of all the development of the graces. Perfect love (agape) in the heart, and that crystallized, is all God re­quires of His saints. When we attain that and crystallize it, then we have actually “attained the mark” while yet in the flesh.. But God tells us that He will give us the spirit of “power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7). Here are His four great attributes: Power, Love, Sound Mind – a sound mind would include Justice and Wisdom; and He gives us these attributes because of our faithfulness in developing Faith, Fortitude, Knowledge, Self-control, Patience, Piety, Brotherly Kindness – which if we develop and practice, will give us that (Agape) Love desired to the extent of our capacity.

The Saints all have the capacity to develop that Perfect Love; other-wise, none of them would be “more than conquerors”; and the Great Company – after their cleansing ­– will also have to develop that Perfect Love if they gain eternal life, although theirs will be forced by their adverse experiences during their abandon­ment process; otherwise, they would go into the second death. The Epiphany Messenger tells us that some of the Youthful Worthies will be able to develop that Agape Love and they should do it if they are able. But no doubt some of them won’t be able to do that in this life, although they should do it as much as it is possible for them. However, they are not on trial for life – Character Perfection – even as the Ancient Worthies were not on trial for life, but on trial for their faith (their faithfulness in obedience to His Word and Providence). So some of the Youthful Worthies can and will be faithful who do not have the capacity to develop perfect (Agape) Love, although all of them should develop perfect Love to the extent of their ability. God does not give the unbegotten the crucial experiences that He gives the New Creatures who are on trial for life, hence perfect (Agape) Love is not crystallized in the Worthies. The faithful Youthful Wor­thies will develop (Agape) Love to the extent of their ability and be rewarded with a Better Resurrection and Kingdom Princeship (Psa. 45:16). God does not expect us to do anything we are unable to do, although He does expect us to be “faithful and obedient” in developing all the graces we are able to develop.

There is this in Parousia Vol. 5, p. 239: “Each should ask himself whether or not he has this witness of the Spirit, this testimony to his growth as a New Creature in Christ Jesus, and whether or not he is developing and maturing the kind of fruit here specified. Let us remember also that our growth in love and in all the Spirit’s fruits is dependent largely upon our growth in knowledge; and our growth in knowledge of Di­vine things is dependent also upon our growth in the Spirit’s fruits. Each step of knowledge brings a corresponding step of duty and obedience, and each step of duty and obedience taken will be followed by a further step in knowledge, for so, the Spirit wit­nesseth, shall be the experience of all who shall be taught of God in the school of Christ. If we have this witness of the Spirit of growth, both in grace and in knowl­edge, let us rejoice therein, and let us follow on in the same pathway until it shall bring us, under Divine guidance, to perfection, both in knowledge and in grace,”

However, no one will ever reach perfection in Wisdom, which has as its ingredient Knowledge, because God reser­ves such Wisdom and knowledge for Himself alone; even His only begotten Son will never achieve all knowledge. Nor will any of the Saints receive the Justice, Wisdom and Power that is inherent in God only. However, they will receive suf­ficient of these three attributes to do the Father’s will. But in the attribute of Love, they will achieve that in its perfection for them; they will develop (receive) perfect (Agape) Love while in the flesh, because no one will be of the First (chief) Resurrection (to Divine nature) unless they have developed a perfect character (per­fect love). We are told that God will give “it” (this perfect character) a “body as it has pleased him.” (1 Cor. 15:38) Of course, we all know that the Saints have vary­ing degrees of knowledge, but each one has sufficient knowledge to develop in himself Perfect (Agape) Love: each one during the Harvest came into the Parousia Truth and re­ceived enough developing Truth to perfect himself in Love (the “end of the command-ment”); however, some of the Saints needed no more knowledge than enough to develop their char­acters, as they were given further knowledge for the purpose of the work the Lord had for each of them. We cite Brother Russell as having more knowledge for the work the Lord gave him to do. Brother Johnson and others in the Epiphany were given additional Truth for the work the Lord gave them to do (which they would do, because they were in complete heart-harmony with the Lord’s plans and purposes for them).

In keeping with the foregoing, the expression is often heard, “He knows too much for his own good!” While this may sometimes be true, it was certainly not true of St. Paul, or of the Star Members – or of any of the Gospel-Age fully faithful. Brother Russell has well stated that we should esteem most highly those whose zeal for the Truth – “as the hart panteth after the water brook” – goads them constantly to the ac­quisition of more of that blessed Truth. It is a true observation that “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” Often do we read of novices crippling themselves and others by attempting to construct bombs and the like with their meager know-ledge? Thus, instead of knowing too much, they actually know too little. Quite often the Truth is injured also by those who know too little, yet insist upon appearing “wise.” The ideal, of course, is to possess the virtues and graces in perfect balance, something which only Jesus Himself was able to do. But, by a system of checks and balances, to be found in Holy Writ, all the fully faithful achieve enough of balance to gain the inheritance they seek. Thus, the Scriptures tell us, “Knowledge puffeth up (in one not properly balanced), but love buildeth up.” (1 Cor. 8:1) In similar vein, “the generous heart shall be made fat,” and “God loveth a cheerful giver”; but generosity carried to ex­treme, may make one a spendthrift or an “easy mark” for the world’s greed. Therefore, the admonition for “stewards is they should be found faithful.”

It needs no argument that our Heavenly Father is perfect in generosity – even to the ungrateful – and He has the wherewith to be generous – “the gold is mine, and the silver is mine; and the cattle on a thousand hills are mine.” (Psa. 50:10) Yet we find Him also perfect in economy – nothing wasted. Some years ago we were talking to a Government supervisor in one of the large national parks in the West. “When we first moved in here,” he said, “we thought we’d improve upon nature; so we made war on the mountain lions because they were eating the deer. Before long we had so many deer that great herds of them died by winter starvation; there wasn’t enough food to go round. We also cleaned up the fallen logs, only to learn there was no breeding ground for bugs, which deprived the birds of their food, and drove them from the park. Now the only thing we regulate here is Man; everything else keeps in perfect balance if we just leave things alone.” Yes, generosity needs economy to give it perfect balance.

And what shall we say of the virtue of courage! God’s army is no place for the cowardly; yet it is a proper observation that “Prudence is the better part of valor.” We once knew of a man who boasted he had never felt fear at any time in his entire life. Yet one night he heard a marauder at his back window, rushed right out the door with the light at his back, affording a perfect target for the gun in the burglar’s hand. His courage that night was actually a liability, as it resulted in his death. Just a little prudence would have prompted a different approach to his problem. God never requires His people to be “show-offs”; and we never need fear we are lacking in courage if we attempt a sound and prudent evaluation of any difficulty before rushing to grips with the problem.

But the worldly philosophy that “He who fights, and runs away, lives to fight an­other day,” has no standing here either. We are often admonished in the Bible to “fight the good fight”; but no place does it tell us ever to be “good runners.” The poet has well said, “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant only taste of death but once.”

Much more might be said, but we offer now the words of St. Peter: “These things (the graces enumer-rated) being in you and abounding, they will not permit you to be in­active (ever ready to “preach the word, in season and out of season”) nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus.” Here is a clear conclusion that growth in the other graces must of a certainty yield growth in knowledge; and each advance in knowledge in­creases and crystallizes all our other graces – if that knowledge is received in “the love of the Truth.” Knowledge is the first requirement to come into God’s Household; and it must continue prominent in our progress until we hear that final “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joys of thy Lord.”

“SANCTIFY THEM IN TRUTH”

“Sanctify them in truth; thy word is the truth.” (John 17:17, Dia.) These words of Jesus contained in His prayer the night before He was crucified stress God’s Word (the Bible) as the Truth. “I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and under­standing.” (Jer. 3:15) “Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine... Precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” (Isa. 28:9) “I desired... the knowledge of God (the Truth) more than burnt offerings.” (Hos. 6:6—More than service not according to His Word – the service of those who have forsaken the “knowledge of God,” the Truth “once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3)

Clearly enough, knowledge is a fundamental requirement for anyone to be a “good soldier” of Jesus Christ. We must know what a true Christian is, and how he arrived at that state. “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.” (1 Thes. 4:3) And further, 2 Thes. 2:13: “We are bound always to give thanks to God for you, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation thru sanctifi­cation of the Spirit and belief of the Truth.” (The knowledge of God as found in the Bible.) He who offers himself to God will not at first have a full knowledge of himself or of sin. He is only a babe at the beginning, but is helped onward by the power of the revealed Word – the message of Truth.

Concerning the Apostle Paul, probably it truthfully can be said that there was only one like him in the Truth of his day. He was an “example of the believers”; yet of himself he said he could not live the way he wanted to live; to bring into captivity every thought of the obedience of Christ. Yet he could honestly say of himself, “I have fought a good fight; I have kept the faith” – even though he did things he would not have done had he been perfect, physically and mentally. He had walked in the same narrow way as did Jesus, in the same general direction and did it sufficiently well that he could say, “Hence­forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness” – “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for those kept by the power of God, thru faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Pet. 1:4, 5) This illustrates very forcefully how important is the Word of Truth, the Bible, the good word of God that maketh wise unto salvation. This would apply whether we read the Bible or study what other capable teachers have written; in fact, it would be anything that increases our measure of the Holy Spirit.

THE METHOD OF SANCTIFICATION

In Heb. 10:10 the Apostle tells us that by God’s will “we are sanctified thru the offering of the body of Jesus once for all.” We were not always set apart for God’s service, but were “children of wrath even as others.” It was the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, the sacrifice of His untainted life, which gives us the whereby we may be set apart as God’s favored people. It was His sacrifice that opened the way; it was His merit that made us acceptable to the Father. There are two parts to sanctification – we set ourselves apart, and if acceptable to God, He sets us apart.

When Jesus entered into a covenant with God, it was by offering of Himself in bap­tism at the River Jordan, the same being finished in His death on Calvary.

“He hath poured out his soul unto death”; there was no other way He could have done it.

“Almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no re­mission... Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands... the figures of the true; but into heaven itself – to appear in the presence of God for us.” (Heb. 9:22, 24

CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH

Often we are criticized for attacking the teachings of others, but we say with St. Paul – “necessity is laid upon me” (1 Cor. 9:16) if we would be faithful to the Lord, the Truth and the brethren. That Servant was definitely a man of peace, yet his entire life was very much involved in controversy. Jude 3 tells us of the “common” salvation (the salvation for Restitutionists), which was completely lost during the Dark Ages. That Servant restored it and made crystal clear the doctrine of the Two Salvations – the “great” salvation mentioned in Heb. 2:3 for the Faith Age, and the “common” salvation mentioned in Jude 3, for the Kingdom when the New Covenant is inaugu­rated.(Jer. 31:33-35) These salvations are separate and distinct – the elective salvation for the Faith Age, and the salvation for all Restitutionists for the Millennial Age.

However, since the death of That Servant there are those who were a part of his Movement who give him great lip service, but at the same time grossly perverted the Truth on the Two Salvations – the “common” salvation (Jude 3) and the “great” salvation (Hebrews 2:3). These teach that the Resti­tutionists are now on trial for “faith and obedience,” while walking alongside the Gospel-Age elect. Such perversions of the Truth on the “common” salvation and the “great” salva­tion cannot be accepted by those who “continue in His Word” and faith­fully follow St. Paul’s advice: “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” (2 Tim. 3:14)

When Jude tells us “ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once de­livered unto the saints,” he mentions one Truth we should earnestly contend for – the “common” salvation, which we believe is specially applicable to our day: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith (the Truth) which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3) We continue in the faith which was once delivered unto the saints on the Two Distinct Salvations. If Res­titutionists resolve, or consecrate, in this Faith Age to “seek righteousness, seek meekness” (Zeph. 2:3), they will be better prepared than the rest of the world to walk up the “Highway of Holiness.” (Isa. 35:8) How­ever, those who make a consecration to “follow in His steps” during this Faith Age, and that consecration is accepted, if faith­ful they will be rewarded above Restitution. God is faithful that promised. God does not require Restitu­tionists to sacrifice – “take up the cross.”

The Apostle Paul declares (Acts 17:31) that “God hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained (The Christ, Head and Body); whereby he hath given assurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” That ‘appointed day’ was future in the Apostle’s time, and it is still future, though now about to dawn. The Gospel of Christ (good tidings) is to the effect that he who bought the world with his own precious blood is to become the Judge of all men, the living and the dead. “All in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth” – and “they that hear shall live.” (John 5:28, 29)

So far as we know, the above-mentioned people who claim the truth and are still perverting the doctrine of restitution – the two Salvations, as given to us by That Ser­vant – Jude 3 stresses especially the “common salvation,” and is an open rebuke to those who now pervert it during “the brightness of his coming” (2 Thes. 2:8) “the appearing (Epiphaneia) of his presence (Parousia).” (Diaglott) Note the following from E-3:107:

“The Christ cannot receive from the hands of Divine Justice the release of the imputed merit for use on behalf of the world until all under the covering of that Imputed merit are by the High Priest taken out from thereunder.” Christ’s merit cannot extend to the Camp until all the Elect are completed.

“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the Truth, and the truth shall make you free.” —John 8:31, 32

The foregoing is from our paper Number 275, dated May 1978, penned by Bro. John J. Hoefle.

ANNOUNCEMENT

THE EPIPHANY BIBLE STUDENTS ASS’N is pleased to inform you we now have a website. It was designed by Sister Kimberly Daniel of the Lexington, NC ecclesia. As time goes on we will be adding articles, other pertinent information and items of interest to people of the truth. You may access the site by typ­ing [http://epiphanybiblestudents.com/] without the brackets without spaces in any web browser. We will appreciate hearing from you and will continue to receive the papers by mail unless you let us know otherwise. If you do not have access to a computer or the internet we will continue to mail the papers the same as always.

No. 669: JOB’S EXPERIENCES TYPICAL OF HUMAN HISTORY

“All these things happened unto them for ensamples [margins, types], and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages are come.” —1 Cor. 10:11

The Book of Job is credited with being the finest piece of literature in the Hebrew language. It is a poem and all scholars admit that no translation yet given does it justice. The Book of Job “is admitted with hardly a dis­senting voice, to be the most sub­lime religious poem in the literature of the world,” said Samuel Cox. [1824-1889]

“I call that (the book of Job) one of the grandest things ever written with pen… There is nothing written, in the Bible nor out of it, of equal literary merit…” said Thomas Carlyle. [1795-1881]

The name is not given to whomever God used as penman to write the book of Job. The book intro­duced a prose nar­rative of Job’s losses and sufferings. (The account of Satan’s conversation with God concern­ing Job should be considered as allegorical, in the style of Pilgrim’s Progress.)

Then his patient endurance is set forth, followed by the poetic discus­sions be­tween Job and his three friends. After this, Elihu’s argument follows then the Almighty’s, address and Job’s confes­sion. The conclu­sion, relat­ing to Job’s return to favor, his blessing and his death is in prose.

Some have made assumptions that the Book of Job is a parable; and that Job himself is an imaginary character. But even if this were true, the teachings of the book would not be different. But we see no cause to doubt that such a person did live and pass through the experiences related. In Ezekiel 14:14 and James 5:11, Job is classed with other holy men, which would not be the case were this narrative merely a parable. Besides, there are particular details given, such as are not common to parables.

The fact that Job lived a hundred and forty years after his adversities, or probably over two hundred years in all, together with the fact that neither he nor his friends make any allusion to Israel, Moses or the Law, nor to Abraham and God’s Covenant made with him, seem to indicate beyond doubt that he belonged to the Patriar­chal age. Possibly he lived about the same time as Abraham. His home was evidently in Arabia and not far from the land given by God to Israel.

Job is introduced as a man of great learning and influence. He is also pictured as a man of great piety, who knew and reverenced God and appre­ciated justice. He is pictured as a man of great generosity, considerate of widows and orphans; and a merchant prince of great wealth, who by his numerous servants and three thousand camels, carried on an extended and very pros­perous trade.

Disaster came upon him suddenly and he was robbed of his children, his wealth, influence and health. He sought in vain for an explanation as to why God would permit such evils to befall him. Yet still he trusted in God, saying “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him!” His wife urged that it had been without divine appreciation that he had sought to do justice and mercy all his life, and exclaimed, “Curse God and die!”

His three friends came to visit him, and taking much the same view, told him in lengthy argument that he must have been a great sinner and a hypocrite. But conscious of his own heart-honesty toward God, Job defends himself and goes to great extreme to declare his innocence and silence his critics.

He seems to realize his need of someone to represent his cause before the Lord. He cries out that he is as righteous as he knows how to be; that he cannot reason the matter with God, being so much beneath Him in know­ledge and power. He declares that the willfully wicked are not so troubled, while he who has pursued righteousness is so afflicted that life has no further pleasure and wishes he had never been born. (Chapter 9, 10 and 16) Feeling his own insuf­ficiency to state his case before the great Heavenly Father, he desires a “daysman” [a mediator] between God and himself.  —Chapters 9:33; 16:21.

Job’s masterly reply to the false reasoning of his friends (Which many improperly quote as inspired), his expressions of confidence in God and of his ultimate deliverance, are clearly presented in Chapter 13:1-16. And then, with prophetic wisdom in Chapter 14, he presents a most won­derful statement of the course of God’s dealing with mankind.

THE PROBLEM OF THE AGES

The question which perplexed Job and confused his reasoning was the same that for centuries has confused others of God’s people; namely, why does God permit evil (calamities, afflictions, etc.) to come upon his faithful servants? And why are the wicked permitted to flourish?

 But not until the Gospel dispensa­tion was it possible for any to know the mind of God on this subject; for it is one of the deep things which could be revealed only by the spirit of God, and only to those begotten of that spirit, as St. Paul explains. (1 Cor. 2:9-14) And the holy Spirit was not thus given, as a guide and teacher, until after Christ had redeemed us and ascended up on high, there to present his sacrifice as the price of our return to divine favor, peace and com­munion.

Although many are still in the dark on this subject, it is now open and clear to all the earnest ones to whom “it is granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,” and understand “the deep things of God.” (Mat. 13:11; I Cor. 2:10) These see that the reign of evil, the reign of Sin and Death under Satan, the price of this world, is permitted for two reasons; first, that all men may gain a full experience of the exceeding sinfulness of sin and the bitterness of its legitimate fruit; and, second, that God’s people may be fully tried and tested as to their loyalty to God in the shadow of affliction and trial, as well as in the sunshine of health and prosperity.

God did not directly cause the evil state of things which surrounds us in nature and among men, but He did allow it to come upon men as the legitimate result, or fruit of dis­obedience and sin.

Yet He does make use of the wrath of men, the sins of men and the animosity of Satan to work out grand designs which they do not comprehend, and of which His children know only by faith in His word or revelation. For instance, how little did Satan and those malicious Jewish priests and Pharisees and those heartless Roman soldiers know that they were assisting in the working out of the divine plan when insulting, mocking and cruci­fying the Lamb of God!

And so it is with the many afflictions of God’s people, especially those of the little flock, the bride of Christ. Trials are designed to fit and polish them for the greater usefulness and honor in the future developments of God’s great plan. Thus, regardless of the willfulness or the ignorance of the persecutors, these trials of faith and patience are working out for such a “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

This they do by preparing the called ones to be heirs of glory, by cultivating patience, experience, brotherly sym­pathy and love. This is God likeness. Such and only such can rejoice in tribulation and realize that all things —bad as well as good; unfavorable, as well as favorable — will be overruled in God’s providence for their ultimate benefit.

JOB’S HOPE OF A RESURRECTION

But, returning to our consid­eration of Job, let us note in Chapter 14 some of his prophetic wisdom. The first four verses graph­ically picture what all of experience realizes that human life under present conditions is full of trial and sorrow from cradle to the tomb. And Job shows that he realizes that as a son of fallen parentage he could not be perfect, free from sin, clean, in the full sense of the word.

In verses 5 and 6 he tells the Lord that he recognizes the fact that the authority and power to limit man’s days are in His hands, but urges (not seeing the ministry of trouble), why not let me and all men live out our short time in peace, even as we would not afflict a hireling who already has a heavy, burdensome task!

Verses 7-10 are close reasoning respecting the utter hopelessness of man in death, so far as any powers of his own are concerned. A tree may die and yet its root retains life, which, under favorable conditions, may spring up into another tree. But when man dies there is no root left, no spark of life remains. He giveth up the spirit of life, and where is he?

Having confessed that there is no ground for hope inherent in man, Job begins to express the only, the real hope of our race — the resurrections — see verse 12 and 13. Man lies down in death and loses all power to arouse himself, nor can he be resuscitated from the sleep of death by anyone, until God’s due time. This will be the resurrection morning, the Millen­nial day, when the present symbolic heavens shall have passed away, and the new heavens or new spiritual ruling power — Christ’s kingdom — shall have come into control of the world. In this Job fully agrees with the teachings of our Lord and the apostles.

The more he thinks of that blessed time when evil shall no more have dominion, but when a King shall reign in righteousness and princes shall exe­cute judgment, the more he wishes he might die and be at rest. He exclaims (verse 13), “Oh that thou wouldst hide me in the grave [sheol]; that thou wouldst keep me secret [hidden] until thou wrath be past; that wouldst appoint me a set time and remember me!” Job had faith in a resurrection; else he would never have uttered this prayer for death — for hiding in the grave. But he preferred death and desired to sleep (verse 12) until the morning, for one reason only — that he might have no further experience with sin and with God’s wrath — evil.

A short period in the end of the Gospel age is specially called “the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,” because it will be “a time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation.” Yet the entire period from the time Adam fell is called a time of divine wrath and properly so, for in all this long period, “the wrath of God is revealed against all unright­eousness,” in a variety of ways. As Love is a control­ling principle in the divine government, it can operate only in harmony with Justice and Wisdom. It was both just and wise to let man feel the real weight of condemnation to death incurred by willful transgression, in order that when Love should in due time provide a ransom and resur­rection, the culprit might the more gladly avail himself of the provided favors of restitution and everlasting life.

Thus death and all the evil permitted to come upon the culprit race are manifestations of God’s wrath will be yet further shown in the great time of trouble. This will be followed by full and clear manifest­ations of God’s love and favor in Christ and the glorified church during the Millennial age. —Rom. 1:18

In verses 14 and 15, he puts the question pointedly, as though to deter­mine and settle his faith; but he im­mediately answers affirmatively; “Thou shalt call and I will answer thee [and awake out of the sleep of Adamic death, compare John 5:28, 29]; Thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands” — for his people are his work­manship, created in Christ Jesus. —Eph. 2:10

ELIHU’S HOPE OF A REDEEMER

When Job had refuted the argu­ments of his three friends, Elihu (whose name signifies God himself) spoke from a different standpoint, reproving the three friends as well as Job. Elihu explains to Job that he had been reasoning in part from a wrong premise — that he must not expect to fully comprehend all the ways of the One so far above him, but must trust in God’s justice and in His wisdom. And in Chapter 33:23, 24 he shows the one thing necessary to man’s recovery from the power of death and his restoration to divine favor saying, “If there be with him a messenger as defender, one of a thousand [a rare one] to declare his own righteousness for man, then will God be gracious unto him [man] and say, Release him from going down to the grave; I have found a ransom.

This is indeed the case with man; God’s wisdom and justice cannot be impugned. The sentence of death is justly upon all men through father Adam. (Rom. 5:12) But God has pro­vided us a Redeemer, Christ Jesus our Lord; and He, in harmony with the Father’s plan, became a perfect human and then gave himself a ransom price for all by paying the death penalty that was upon Adam. And as soon as the bride, otherwise called His body and the Temple is complete, this great Mediator will stand forward to declare His right­eousness as for, or applicable to, every­one who will accept it.

Then will follow restitution, as pictured in verses 25 and 26. Physically, these for whom the Mediator stands shall be restored to a perennial youth, in which death and decay will find no place. They shall find acceptance and communion with God in joy and peace; and He will restore them to the original perfection lost through sin in Eden. But an acknow­ledgment that God is just, and that the restitution was unmerited will be required. This is indicated in verses 27, 28; “He will chant it before men, and say; I have sinned and perverted the right; and it was not requited me. He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit and my life that it may be brought to the light.”

Elihu’s words were as wise as any of those spoken by Job’s comforters, proba­b­ly wiser. They offered merely human wisdom so far as we can discern.

In Chapter 34:29 he asks the question, “When he [the Heavenly Father] giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?” Evidently the young man sought to draw a line in the criticism of Job, agreeing with neither Job nor his friends, but endeavoring to be moderate in his position. He defended the Almighty, claiming that if God had not so ordered, Job’s adversities could not have come upon him.

To Elihu it seemed clear that God had a hand in Job’s experiences. Satan could not have sent all these calamities unless God had permitted it. Neither man nor angel of whatever rank could thwart the divine will. God, not Job had the authority to decide what should be done.

God alone had the right to order all of life’s affairs. Incident- ally, Elihu showed that Job was more righteous than were his  friends; and that while he was imperfect, like all, yet he was not being punished on this account.

A DIFFICULT LESSON FOR MANY

The Christian may very well draw a lesson from Elihu’s question.  Al-though the words are not inspired, yet they are very wise. We can recognize the truth they contain — that when God purposes to give peace, quietness, the whole universe will be in obedience to His laws and none can make trouble.

If we have difficulties, if we have persecutions, if we have trouble of any kind we should look to God! We should say: this thing could not happen to me unless the Lord permitted it. We have come under special divine care. God has promised that all things shall work together for good to us who are His children. The lesson of trust is one of those difficult lessons for us to learn and apply — to realize that all of life’s exper­iences are under divine supervision and that nothing can happen to us but what is for our highest good.

This is not now true of the world, but merely of God’s family. By and by God will make all things work out blessings for the world.

It is in respect to these who are His children that all things now work for good. When we are in difficulty, we are to look up in confidence and trust to the Lord. Our Heavenly Father wishes us to exercise faith in Him. St. Peter tells us that we are “kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation.” Therefore, we greatly rejoice, even “though now for a season we are in heaviness through manifold trials” and temptations. “The trial of your faith is more precious than that of gold that perisheth.” —1 Pet. 1:5-7

FALSE PEACE OF MANY

There is another way by which some may have quietness. Many in the world enjoy a measure of peace, or rest from worry. Yet, they are unaware of the great truths, which we enjoy and are in blindness, ignorance of error through the blinding influence of error and false­hood. Those of the world who come into relationship with God are therefore some­­time awakened from false security.

Then they gain the true peace and rest of heart. The Lord says; “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” No true rest can be gained otherwise.

The Lord’s people have a peace and rest of mind through the know-ledge of the Lord’s plan, the know-ledge of His justice, mercy and love, and a blessed realization that He is our God.

All these things give us peace and quiet and rest of mind. While the world, more or less, is troubled, God’s children have a peace that the world knows not of that the world can neither give nor take away.

And when all the trials are over, the Lord will make up for the many troubles of this present time, for which His children have suffered. We shall then look back on these trials and consider them but light af­flic­tions, only for just a moment. — 2 Cor. 4:17

TESTS OF LOYALTY AND DEVOTION

When the Lord permits great clouds of trouble to come upon us, we should first look to see if we can discern any wrong-doing in ourselves, which might properly bring chas­tisement. We should have joy in the Lord. But perhaps we have not been living close enough to the Lord. Yet these clouds of affliction do not neces­sarily mean that we have not been living close to Him, as we have seen in the case of Job.

We remember likewise in the experiences of our Lord Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his crucifixion, how He said to His disciples, Peter, James and John, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.” We remember that God did not give Him quietness, but allowed trouble like a great flood to sweep over His soul. He was troubled to know surely whether He had been entirely loyal, faithful and obedient, as was necessary to maintain the Father’s favor. We are told by the Apostle Paul that our Lord Jesus “offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him out of death — and was heard.” —Heb. 5:7.

We find that the Father sent His angel, to minister unto His dear son in deep distress. As soon as the angel had given our Lord the assurance of the Father that He was well pleased in his life and conduct, He became perfectly calm. And the assurance sustained Him in all the trying experiences which followed — the trial before the Sanhe­drin, before Pilate, the treatment of the soldiers, the journey on the way to Calvary, and in the midst of the trying process of execution, which followed.

Only at the last, when the Father, knew Jesus must take the sinner’s place, withdrew His presence from Him in his dying moment did our Lord manifest disturbance of mind. Then He cried out in agony of soul, “My god, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” It was necessary for our Lord to experience the entire cutting off from God and from all relationship to God, in order to pay the full penalty for Adam’s sin. This exper­ience was at the very last moment. The heavenly Father permitted it, for it was necessary to our Lord that He should realize the meaning of the sinner’s separation from God.

We do not consider it essential in every case for our Lord’s true and faithful followers to have similar experiences. We are not, as was our redeemer, the ransom, the sin-bearer, for the world; but it would not be surprising if some may have similar experiences to those of our Lord.

Some of the saints have died, exclaiming; “I am sweeping through the gates of the New Jerusalem!” while others have had dying experi­ences more like those of our Lord and have cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!”

RESTITUTION FOR MANKIND PICTURED

In the concluding chapters of the Book of Job, the Lord God addresses His afflicted servant, reproving his temerity in attempt­ing with his little know­ledge, to judge God. This Job acknowledges, and finds peace in trusting God. Job’s three friends, how­ever, are severely reproved by God. But when they obey God and go to Job and offer up for themselves a burnt offering ac­cording to the Lord’s command­ment, and Job prays for them as God further instructed, they are restored to divine favor. At once Job’s prosperity returns — his friends and influence are restored; his wealth was exactly doubled, for he had twice as many flocks and herds of camels. 

He also had the same number of sons and daughters as before, and the Scriptures note that there were “no women found as fair as his daughters.”

This ending of Job’s career with a general restitution is incompre­hensible to those which have never seen that the plan of God in Christ provides for a “time of restitution” of all things lost in Adam, to his entire race that will accept them under the terms of the New Covenant.

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:” (Acts 3:19-21)

But those who do see this plan of God can readily see, too, that Job’s experience was not only actual, but also typical. He seems to represent mankind. Man was at first in the divine likeness and favor, with all things subject to him.

“What is man that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?” —Psa. 8:4

 Because of Adam’s sin, Satan ob­tained an influence in human affairs which has resulted in degradation, sick­ness and death. God, however has really never forsaken His creatures, and is even now waiting to be grac­ious unto all in and through Christ Jesus our Lord.

The foregoing was taken from the Reprints of That Servant, Page 5401—5403, February 1, 1914

For a long time we have been smitten by the book of Esther, which precedes the Book of Job in the Old Testament. It is just 10 chapters and a very interesting short read. We recommend re-reading it.

ESTHER

The more faithful of the Jews had gone back to the land given to them by God to repair its wastes and were rebuilding the Temple. The Lord was not negligent of the remainder of the people who had not been sufficiently zealous enough to return to “the land of prom­ise.” under the decree of Cyrus granting them the privilege. Hundreds of thou­sands of Jews resided in all parts of the Persian Empire, which then included Babylonia and Persia and nearly all Asia, including India. While special lessons and peculiar trials were given to those rebuilding the Temple, the Lord’s favor was upon the remainder of the chosen people to the extent that He permitted to come upon them a great trial — severe testing, which undoubt­edly taught them a valuable lesson in their far-off homes. A record of this great testing is furnished us in the book of Esther.

The first verse speaks of the “days of Ahasuerus” who reigned from India through Ethiopia, more than 127 prov­inces. This is “Xerxes” of secular history, king of Persia. The name means “King”.  The story of Esther occurred about 40 years after completion of the Temple by the Jews who returned to the Promised Land.

The book of Esther becomes more and more fascinating as it proceeds with the story of the young Jewish woman.

Sometime in the near future we will endeavor to present a paper on it to discover how it might fit with God’s Plan of the Ages for His Creation

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No. 668: DOUBTS AND MISGIVINGS OF GOD’S PEOPLE

As we ponder the actions and attitudes of Bible records, we may readily come to the conclusion that some of the best and most prominent of Jews and Christians have had their faith sorely tried at times – even to the extent that they found it diffi­cult to believe the direct plain statement of God Himself.

MOSES – THE EMANCIPATOR

As instance Moses, when he was told, “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Ex. 3:10,11) Pass­ing by the remainder of Chapter Three, we come now to Ex. 4:1: “Behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.” This translation is misleading in its first clause – “they will not be­lieve me.” Moses in this instance is typical of our Lord’s return in 1874 to deliver spiritual Israel and to establish the Kingdom; and the conversation between God and Moses is typical of the Second Advent preparations. Therefore, we cannot believe that Jesus would tell God that the people will not believe; rather, the correct translation should be, “They may not believe me.”

It is written of Moses that he was “the meekest [most leadable, most teachable] man in all the earth” (Num. 12:3), so we should not assume that he would make bold contradiction when God spoke to him. However, we cannot but make reasonable allow­ance for Moses here. For the first forty years of his life he had lived in the King’s palace in Egypt – at that time a formidable military power among the nations; whereas, the Israelites had no military equipment whatever. Thus, Moses would readily consider his mission impossible of performance. Humanly speaking, this certainly was a reason­able conclusion on his part, because the Jews were then slaves – subdued and unwarlike. This was a far cry from the time that Joseph was prime minister in Egypt – at which time Jacob and his entire household were received into the royal friendship and hospi­tality of Pharaoh. But at the time of Moses’ mission there had arisen a “Pharaoh who knew not Joseph.” (Ex. 1:8)

And God, wishing to increase his courage and his confidence, then proceeded to give Moses the three miraculous signs of the rod turned into serpent, then back to rod again; of Moses’ hand becomes leprous, then restored to its former health; and third, the water of the river would be turned into blood. (Ex. 4:1-9) But Moses continued, “I am not eloquent... slow of speech, and of a slow tongue” (v. 10), however, upon God’s insistence, he went to Egypt as he had been instructed. And in due course he brought Israel out of Egypt “with high hand,” and across the Red Sea and away from the pursuing Egyptian army; then fully convinced that God could and would perform whatever He promised.

It is stated of Moses that he was probably the grandest character that ever lived; and his experience aforegoing should convince all of us that God will never tell any of us to do anything that we cannot do. Yet God’s experience with Moses had to be repeated several times in subsequent years.  Jeremiah answered substan­tially as did Moses, “I can­not speak, for I am a child.” (Jer. 1:6) In addition, in this he was typical of Brother Russell in the early harvest. He also concluded that he did not have the capacity to proclaim the Harvest message, but he, too, eventually learned that he did have the talents required for the job, and he certainly accomplished his mission in an excellent manner.

A great failing of some of God’s most laudable servants is that they often expected the wrong thing at the right time or the right thing at the wrong time. Also, on oc­casion they failed to comprehend the right thing at the right time when it was presented to them. This was pronouncedly true of the Jews at the First Advent. “He came to His own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:11) “They knew not the time of their visita­tion.” (Luke 19:44) He was indeed the “light of life”; but “the light shineth in dark­ness, and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:5)  But of those that did receive Him, their understanding of what was going on was very vague and confused until they were enlightened by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Pertinent to the above is the experience of the two disciples on their way to Em­maus, as recorded in Luke 24:13–31. When the risen Lord joined them on the way there, the conversation speedily turned to the death of Jesus three days before; and one of them said, “We had trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel.” (v.21) But now they were much confused. Their timing was right in that Jesus was the Messiah, but they were completely wrong in what they expected at that time; and this improper expectation had placed a great strain on their faith when Jesus failed to do what they had expected Him to do then. On the way to Emmaus Jesus had said unto them, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all the prophets have spoken.”  

Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? Even after they were convinced that Jesus had been raised a spirit being, they were still much confused, as note their question to Him just before He finally left them to go to Heaven: “Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)

JOHN THE BAPTIST

By way of introduction, Jesus had said of John, “Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.” (Matt. 11:11) It will be recalled that John was only six months older than Jesus, which means he was probably engaged in his ministry at Jordan for six months before Jesus came to be immersed by him. However, as boys and young men they had grown up together, probably had discussed their various destinies, because we may take it for granted (although the Bible does not specifically say so) that their mothers had told them the words that the respective an­gels had told them (Luke 1:11–64); and it seems this had thoroly convinced John that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Therefore, he immediately exclaimed, as Jesus was ap­proaching him, “Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man which is in advance of me: for he is my su­perior.” (John 1:29-30, Dia.)

Thus, when John was preaching repentance to the Jews, it would seem he stressed that the Messiah was soon to appear; and that would undoubtedly prod the Jews to ex­piate any known violations of the Law, because the nation from the least to the great­est was thoroughly imbued with the thought that the Messiah would someday appear. Yet, as firmly as John was convinced at Jordan, having seen the spirit “descending from heaven like a Dove, and it abode upon him” (v. 32), he later began seriously to doubt his own statement regarding Jesus, because he sent “two of his disciples to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?” (Luke 7:19) At that time John was sitting in prison awaiting execution by Herod; but he, along with the Jews in general, were expecting the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel when the Mes­siah would appear. In line with this, we now quote a major portion of an article to be found in Reprints 2620 (April 15, 1900):

“While Jesus was performing many miracles, making numerous disciples, and meet­ing with comparatively little opposition, things were going very differently with his cousin, John the Baptizer. Yet this was only in accordance with what John himself had prophesied, saying ‘He must increase, but I must decrease.’ John was in prison about 120 miles from where Jesus was laboring so successfully. To be shut up in a dark dungeon of the kind usual at that time, and to have our Lord proceeding with his work, and raising no voice of protest on his behalf, and exercising none of his mighty power for his deliverance, probably seemed very strange to John – especially in view of his expectations respecting the work of the Messiah – that he would be a great earth­ly general and king, in harmony with the general Jewish expectations.

“We see how readily John might have permitted doubts and fears to enter his mind...  He might have lost all faith in God’s providential dealings in the past, and all heart and hope for the present and future... This is indicated in his sending two of his disciples to Jesus, to make the inquiry, and also in the character of the inquiry. He does not say, Is this whole matter a farce, and are we deluded? but on the contrary his question was a sound one, and expresses the conviction that thus far the Lord has been leading, and that the only doubt in the prophet’s mind was whether or not, as he was the forerunner of Jesus, Jesus in turn, greater than he, might be the forerunner of someone else still greater and yet to come. And strictly speaking, this was exactly the case, for Jesus in the flesh was indeed the forerunner and preparer of the way be­fore the still greater glorified Christ of the Second Advent, who will accomplish the great and wonderful things foretold by all the holy prophets since the world began (Acts 3:21-23).

“Our Lord, it will be noticed, did not answer John’s question directly – he did not say there was not another coming and still greater work than that which he was per­forming, but he did give John to understand distinctly that the work he was doing was the very work which had been foretold in the prophets, and the proper thing to be done at that time. While John’s messengers were with Jesus a number of miracles were performed in their sight, and Jesus sent them back to John with instructions that they bear witness to him of the work of the Lord progressing in his hands, and to say to John that while the opportunities to stumble at Jesus, his work and his words, were many, and while many would stumble at these, as the prophet had declared (Isa. 8:14), yet a special blessing would rest upon all who would not stumble, but whose faith in the Lord would continue despite various disappointments of expectation respecting his work and their fulfillment’s, through misap­prehension of the lengths and breadths and the heights and depths of the Divine Plan, which, as the heavens are higher than the earth, were higher than human conception could have foreseen. For instance, what Jew could have thought for a moment of the still higher than Jewish expectations of the kingdom ­of the spiritual kingdom class to be selected first before the establishment of the earthly kingdom...

“All of the Lord’s faithful servants need to remember the same lessons which were thus forcefully impressed upon John: they need to remember that when sometimes matters turn out very differently with themselves than what they had expected, when they receive injuries, reproaches and oppression, as the rewards of faithfulness to duty and to truth, it does not mean that God has forgotten them, nor that they were misled in their prev­ious service to the Lord; nor does it mean that the Lord has changed his plan; nor that he is careless or indifferent respecting their condition. True, their first thought should be whether or not present unfavorable conditions are in the nature of chastise­ments or the results of any misdoing on their part, or failures to serve the Lord in his own way, but if they find their course to be harmonious with the Divine will and word they should at once rest their faith upon the Lord, and conclude that God knows better than they how to manage his own work.

Then while thankful to be used in that work for a time – perhaps for the good of others, or perhaps for their own training in the school of experience, and in the learning of lessons of patience and of faith... The question arises, Was John imprisoned because of officiousness, or because of trying to mind Herod’s business. Perhaps he was imprisoned because of his faithfulness in discharge of that duty. Was it right or was it wrong for him to reprove the King, and to say to him that it was not lawful for him to take as his wife his Brother Philip’s wife? There is no question that Herod was in the wrong, and that John’s expression on the subject was a correct one, and that Herod was living in adultery, but the question is, Was this any of John’s business? Did he need to meddle with the King’s affairs, and thus get himself into trouble? And if it was John’s duty to reprove Herod on this subject, was it not the duty of our Lord Jesus to have done the same, in addition to have uttered a protest against the imprisonment of John and in general to have raised a great hubbub over the injustice being done by the wicked ruler? If John were right in this mat­ter, was our Lord Jesus wrong in not following the same course? If Jesus was right in not following John’s course in reproving Herod, does it prove that John erred in giv­ing the reproof?

“We answer that our Lord’s conduct is certainly to be considered as above reproach, since ‘in him was no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth’; but this does not prove guile and sin on John’s part in following a different course. We are to remem­ber that in many respects John and his ministry differed widely from our Lord and his ministry. For instance, the uncouth skin-girdle which John wore was very different from the seamless robe which the Lord wore; and the Scriptures call attention to the fact that John lived a very abstemious life, ‘neither eating nor drinking’ ordinary food, but practicing a continual fasting or self-denial as respects these comforts, while our Lord Jesus came ‘both eating and drinking,’ attended wedding feasts and banquets made in his honor. The lesson is that these grand characters each fulfilled his own mission, according to the Divine arrangement, but that they had different missions. John’s mis­sion was pre-eminently to reprove and reform and we are to understand that as a prophet he was supernaturally guided in respect to the various features of the course that he took. Our Lord’s mission, on the contrary, was a different one; he was gathering to himself those whom John’s ministry served to arouse to righteousness and to zeal to know and do the Lord’s will.”

We may have warm sympathy with John for his doubts that Jesus was the Messiah, be­cause John – in common with the entire Jewish nation – was expecting a great leader who would relieve them from the Roman yoke, yet there was nothing in Jesus’ ministry to indicate such action: He even ordered them to pay tribute to Caesar. (Matt. 22:15–21)  “...He hath no form nor comeliness... no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isa. 53:2)

“THIS MOSES” – ANOTHER TYPE

“When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down out of the mount [where God was giving him the ten commandments on the two tables of stone], the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go be­fore us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what has become of him.” (Ex. 32:1)

The setting in this Chapter of Exodus types the happenings of the Gospel Age shortly after the Apostles passed out of the pic­ture. It had its antitypical beginning in the third epoch of the Gospel-Age Church ­in the Pergamos period (Rev. 2:12), which spanned the years between 313 and 799 AD, at the beginning of which the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great embraced Christianity.

It is well to inject here a little of the history of this Emperor. His acceptance of Christianity is closely associated with his rise to power. After his victory over Licinius in 324, he wrote that he had come from the farthest shores of Britain as God’s chosen instrument for the suppression of impiety... aided by the divine power of God, he had come from the shores of the ocean to bring peace and prosperity to all lands.

He also fought the battle of the Milvian Bridge in the name of the Christian God, having received instructions in a dream to paint the Christian monogram on his troops’ shields. Eusebius tells of a vision by Constantine, in which the Christian sign ap­peared in the sky with the legend, “In this sign conquer.” These stories may be some­what fabricated and politically motivated, although this meant very little in a time when Greek or Roman expected that political success followed from religious piety. Thus, it was not unusual, that Constantine would seek divine help for his claim for power, and divine justification for his success in gaining his goals. However, the historian places much more stress upon Constantine’s subsequent development of his new “Christian” religious alliance to quite an extreme personal commitment to the Christian faith.

By 313 he had already donated to the Bishop of Rome the imperial property of the Lateran, where a new cathedral, the Basilica Constan­tiniana, soon rose. It was in these early years of his reign that he began issuing laws conveying upon the church and its clergy fiscal and legal privileges and immunities from civic burdens. He commented that the Christian clergy should not be distracted by secular offices from their relig­ious duties – “for when they are free to render supreme service to the Divinity, it is evident that they confer great benefit upon the affairs of state.” From the foregoing it is easy to understand why the church from 313 to 719 is styled the Pergamos period, because the word Pergamos means “earthly elevation”; and it was during this period that great temporal strides were made with the help of various Roman emperors. It was in 539 that Justinian also made great concessions to the church, thus in that year, be­ginning the 1260 years of papal exaltation and eventual political supremacy.

It was in May 325 that Constantine personally opened the Council of Nice with an address to that assembly. At that Council there was great debate over the Trinity; but the subject was really over the Emperor’s head, so he described it as a subject that was fostered only by excessive leisure and academic contention – that the point at issue was trivial. The Council was held just twenty years after Constantine came to power; and he was finally persuaded by the general assembly to banish Arius and two of his supporters from the Roman Empire, at which time the three of them went to North Africa and developed a thriving Christian colony there. Those three had contended that there is but “one God.” As we study the 32d Chapter of Exodus it is easy to under­stand the similarity of what occurred there to what happened in the antitype – in the Pergamos period from 313 to 799.

The strong hope and belief of the Apostolic Age was that our Lord would soon re­turn to claim His bride and establish the Kingdom for which He had taught them to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth.” This belief found much encouragement at the Sea of Tiberias, as recorded in the 21st Chapter of John’s Gospel. There Jesus was prodding Peter over the three times he had denied Jesus on the night before He died. In that conversation Jesus told him that he would come to a violent end, upon which Peter pointed to “that disciple that Jesus loved” (the Apostle John) and asked the ques­tion, “Lord, what shall this man do?” This finds a much clearer translation in the Diaglott: “Lord, what of this man?” To which Jesus answered, “If I wish him to abide till I come, what is it to thee?” Verse 23 continues: “This report, therefore, went out among the brethren, that that disciple would not die; but Jesus did not say to him, ‘that he shall not die’; but if I wish him to abide till I come, what is it to thee.”

Jesus had charged the disciples with the duty of hoping and watching for His re­turn, but He had not told them how long that would be. If He had told them that it would be almost two thousand years before He came again, no doubt many of them would have quit. The Jewish Harvest had long been completed; and He had not returned. The second epoch – the Smyrna period of nearly 250 years had also come and gone, but He had not returned. Thus, it was easy to conclude that He intended to remain in Heaven – not come back to earth at all. Very early in the Pergamos period, the doubts and misgivings of many throughout Christendom now become accepted as fact. The people appealed to the hierarchy and the priests to provide them with some powerful substitutes for what they had expected in the Kingdom (“make us gods”). To prepare ways for them to go (“go before us”), saying that, while Jesus had brought them out of bondage to sin and error in Satan’s empire (“brought us up out of the land of Egypt”), yet they were at a loss to account for His whereabouts, condition and non-return (“we know not what is become of him”).

The hierarchy and the priests (antitypical Aaron – Ex. 32:2) told the people to do what the priests knew was a violation of their Divine understanding of the Lord’s Word. It implied surrender of the Truth and its perversion to error held by their churches, movements, powers and qualities. They were also told to bring these understandings into the control of the hierarchy and the priests. Thus, the priests took those proper under­standings into their charge and changed them to error. The hierarchy, at that time claimed apostolic succession; arrogated to themselves the custodianship of doctrine and practice and in their arrogance perverted both and then elaborated them in great detail and subtlety by their keen minds.

From the year 100 (right after the death of the Apostle John) to 325 AD was a period of the rise of sectarianism and fundamental error, including union of the Church with the Roman Empire.  When Constantine accepted Christianity, he brought with him many of the abominable practices of pagan Rome. Following are the main errors of doc­trine and practice that constituted the antitypical golden calf (Ex. 32:4-6): The Church consisting of all professed Christians visibly organized under the hierarchy, must convert the world and reign over it 1000 years before Christ’s return (post-Millen­nialism). Augmenting this thought, the abomination eventually came to the full when Charlemagne (probably born in 742; died 814) forced most of the Christian world in Eu­rope to combine into one super state, after which – in 799 – he invited the Church to dominate in civil as well as religious affairs, thus beginning the Holy Roman Empire. This arrangement continued for 1000 years to 1799, completing the supposed 1000-year reign of Christ, which history has now proven to be a counterfeit reign; and it accomplished just the reverse of what the real 1000-year reign will accomplish when it comes fully into power.

Other errors, which arose during or shortly after that time were the Trinity; Christ the God-man, the Spirit a person, worship of Mary, the saints as mediators, and of their relics and images. Also there arose purgatory, the mass for the sins of the living and dead, for release from Purgatory, celibacy of the priests, monasticism, a gorgeous ritual, asceticism; excessive penances, secular­ization of the Church and professed Christians, persecution of dissenters, church made a civil power, forced conversion, etc. After establishing each of their errors the priests declared it to be a part of the creed of true Christians, as distinct from the alleged errors – actually truths ­that they displaced. Thus they displaced God’s true Plan and set up another – a coun­terfeit plan. They also began to agitate for a special mode of religious exercise, ­which they claimed to be for the Lord: they embellished the religious service with singing and entertainment by special talented persons. (This same procedure accounts for much of the success of “successful” evangelists even in our time.) Speedily forgot­ten are the words of Jesus, “The kingdom of heaven cometh not with outward show.” (Luke 17:20, Dia.)

They made and kept vows according to their new religious creed and practices. They also entered into a thorough union of state and church, which had its beginning shortly after Constantine publicly espoused Christianity, and began to overthrow in war the heathen party in 313 AD. It was at Nice in 325 that the Apostles’ Creed was formulated, the same being repeated in many churches every Sunday even to this day.

The evils of doctrine and practice that appeared during the Pergamos period – from 313 to 799 – were gradually enlarged and solidified during the epochs that followed. The Truth and its arrangements as first taught by Jesus and the Apostles were gradually very much changed or completely lost.

THE CRUSADES

The Holy Roman Empire may be said to have its official beginning in 799, but in subsequent years (during the Thyatira and Sardis periods), it increased greatly in prominence and power so that the true followers of Christianity were almost completely submerged.

Their number was comparatively very small and often impoverished; they were forced to seek refuge in the catacombs to avoid detection and great persecution. In anticipation of this situation, the Apostle John wrote concerning the fifth epoch of the Church – “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.” The general Christian mo­rale at that time was at very low ebb. The large majority displayed very little of the sublime characteristics that had been taught by Jesus and the Apostles; and this condi­tion is graphically typified in Ex. 32:25: “Moses saw that the people were naked [de­void of Christian qualities]; for Aaron [typical of the priesthood] had made them naked to their shame.”

Much of the same condition exists today, with quite a few claiming to be “in the truth,” but they are not “of the truth.” (John 18:37) We are living in that “evil day” (Eph. 6:13), when “Perilous times shall come” upon the Household of Faith. People are very much confused over the different religious views being taught in our day; and they are more likely to accept any hocus-pocus rather than accept the Truth. “They will not endure sound doctrine... they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” They are “Ever learning, and never able to come to knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim. 4:3,4; 3:7) However, those who are “of the truth” will hear His voice. (18:37) Our Lord asked: “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith [Truth] on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) – inti­mating it would be scarce.

However, during the time of the Thyatira and Sardis periods of the Church great progress was made in military might and power to persecute all dissenters. It was dur­ing this time that the nominal Church – for it was Christian in name only – decided to institute a crusade to wrest the Holy Land from the terrible Turk. It could be said there were seven crusades in all, the first of which was known as the People’s Crusade, and began with papal support in 1095. It ended in complete failure, as did all the fol­lowing ones. The second began in 1146; also defeated.

The City of Jerusalem was completely subdued in 1187; and Richard the Lion-hearted of England tried to recapture it, but failed to do so. About this time the church mem­bers were urged to take the “Crusade Vow,” which would obligate them to join expeditions to the Holy Land. However, if the one making the vow later reconsidered, or could not go for some special reason, he could hire someone to go in his place, the price for such substitution depending upon the ability of the person to pay. This was somewhat akin to the sale of indulgences, which was prevalent in Luther’s time.

Then there were a couple of children’s crusades, the first of which was led by a boy named Stephen, who claimed Jesus had appeared to him in a vision. He believed the Holy Land would more readily be recaptured by love rather than by military might. He gathered around him about 30,000 children; but they fell prey to disreputable merchants, who shipped them to the slave markets in North Africa. Then in Germany a ten-year-old boy named Nicholas gathered about 20,000 boys; but they also were sold to the slave mar­kets of the East.

GENERALITIES

The various efforts to do what was thought to be God’s will, but were proven by time itself to have been nothing but “strong delusions” (2 Thes. 2:11), were prompted largely by the doubts and misgivings of so-called Christians, who thought the Lord was not moving fast enough. Such situations occurred repeatedly after the work of most of the reformers. The first of these occurred after the Apostles died. They gave the Church complete instruction, and had it completely organized for the work it should do (See Eph. 4:11-13); but one of the proofs of human depravity is the rise of corruption after a season of good development in most human movements.

Not only was this true after the Apostles had died, but it was also true of just about every reform movement of the entire Gospel Age. The Lutheran Church today bears little resemblance to the one Luther started; this is true of John Wesley, William Miller, and especially so here in the end of the Age, when new groups sprang up like mushrooms. Every system of error has some good in it; otherwise no one would believe it. This is even true of the Mormon religion, which is probably the most ex­treme of all the fanatical sects. Of all the Truth groups it is our firm belief there are many good Christians in all of them, with many doing excellent work in “preaching the Word.” To his own Lord each man must stand or fall, so we do not attempt to pass judgment upon individuals in general. Thus we speak here of systems – and not of in­dividuals.

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding” (Prov. 4:7); and “In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall di­rect thy paths.” (Prov. 3:6)

(By John J. Hoefle, Reprint No. 382, 1997)