No. 673: OUR LORD’S RETURN​

“…I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place and for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also.” (John 14:2,3)

That our Lord intended his disciples to understand that for some purpose, in some manner, and at some time, He would come again is, we presume, admitted and believed by all familiar with the Scriptures, for when he said “If I go, I will come again” (John 14:3) He certainly referred to a Second personal coming.

Quite a number think that when sinners are converted that forms a part of the coming of Christ, and he will continue coming until the entire world is converted. Then, say they, he will have fully come.

These evidently forget the testimony of the Scriptures on the subject, which declare the reverse of their expectation; that at the time of our Lord’s second coming the world will be far from converted to God; that “In the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:1-4); that “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, de­ceiving and being deceived.” (Verse 13)

They forget the Master’s special warning to his Little Flock: “Take heed to yourselves lest that day come upon you unawares, for as a snare shall it come on all them (not taking heed) that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” (Luke 21:34,35)

Again, we may rest assured that when it is said, “All kindred of the earth shall wail because of his coming” (Rev. 1:7), no reference is made to the conversion of sinners. Do all men wail because of the conversion of sinners? On the contrary, if this passage refers as almost all ad­mit, to Christ’s presence on earth, it teaches that all on earth will not love his appearing, as they certainly would do if all were converted.

Some expect an actual coming and presence of the Lord, but set the time of the event a long way off, claiming that through the efforts of the church in its present condition the world must be converted, and thus the Millennial Age be introduced. They claim that when the world has been con­verted and Satan bound, and the know­ledge of the Lord caused to fill the whole earth, and when the nations learn war no more, then the work of the church in her present condition will be ended; and that when she has accomplished this great and difficult task the Lord will come to wind up earthly affairs, reward believers and con­demn sinners.

Some Scriptures, taken disconnectedly, seem to favor this view; but when God’s Word and plan are viewed as a whole these will all be found to favor the opposite view; that is, Christ comes before the con­ver­sion of the world and reigns for the purpose of con­verting the world. The Church has now been tried, and that the reward promised the overcomers is that after being glorified they shall share with the Lord Jesus in his reign, which is God’s appointed means of blessing the world and causing the knowledge of the Lord to come to every creature. Such are the Lord’s special promises: “To him that over­cometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne… And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

The Apostle (Acts 15:14) tells us that the main object of the Gospel in the present Age is “to take out a people” for Christ’s name — the overcoming Church, which, at his Second Advent will be united to him and receive his name. The witnessing to the world during this Age is a secondary object.

“MY PLANS ARE NOT AS YOUR PLANS.”

A further examination of God’s reveal­ed Plans will give a broader view of the object of both the First and Second Advents; and we should remember that both events stand related as parts of one plan. The specific work of the First Advent was to die for men; and that of the Second is to restore, and bless, and liberate the redeemed. Having given his life a ransom for all, our Savior ascended to present that sacrifice to the Father, thus making reconciliation for man’s iniquity.

He tarries and permits “the prince of this world” to continue the rule of evil, until after the selection of “The Bride, the Lamb’s Wife,” who to be counted worthy of such honor, must overcome the influence of the present evil world. Then the work of giving to the world of mankind the great blessings secured to them by his sacrifice will be due to commence, and He will come forth to bless all the families of earth (Heb. 9:24,28; Rev. 3:21).

True, the restoring and blessing could have commenced at once, when the ransom price was paid by the Redeemer, and then the coming of Messiah would have been but one event, the reign and blessing beginning at once as the Apostles at first expected (Acts 1:6). But God had provided “some better thing for us” — the true Christian Church (Heb. 11:40); hence it is in our interest that the reign of Christ is separated from the sufferings of the Head by these eighteen centuries.

The period between the First and Second Advents, between the giving of the ransom for all and the blessing of all, is for the trial and selection of the Church, which is the Body of Christ. Otherwise there would have been only the one advent, and the work which will be done during the period of His second presence, in the Millennium, would have followed the resurrection of Jesus. Or, instead of saying that the work of the Second Advent would have followed at once the work of the First, let us say, rather, that had God not purposed the selection of the “little flock,” “the Body of Christ,” the First Advent would not have taken place when it did, but would have occurred at the time of the Second Advent, and there would have been but one. God has evidently designed the permission of evil for six thousand years, as well as the cleansing and restitution of all shall be accomplished during the seventh thousand.

Thus seen, the coming of Jesus as the sacrifice and ransom for sinners was just long enough in advance of the blessing and restoring time to allow for the selection of the “little flock” of “joint heirs.” This will account to some for the apparent delay on God’s part in giving the blessings promised, and provided for, in the ransom. The bles­sings will come in due time as at first planned; though for a glorious purpose, the price was laid down longer beforehand than men would have expected. So the Bride of Christ will abide with patience and the blessings will come.

“DIFFERENT CLASSES OF ELECT”

Those who claim that The Heavenly Father has been trying for six thousand years to convert the world, and failing all the time, must find it difficult to reconcile such views with the Bible assurance that all God’s purposes shall be accomplished. That His Word shall not return unto Him void, but shall prosper in the thing where to it was sent.

Glancing backward, we notice the se­lec­t­ion, or election, of Abraham and certain of his offspring as the channels through which the promised Seed, the blesser of all the families of the earth, shall come (Gal. 3:16,29).  We note also the selection of Israel from among all nations, as the one in whom, typically, God illustrated how the great work for the world should be accomplished — their deliverance from Egypt, their Canaan, their Covenant, their laws, their sacrifices for sins, for the blotting out of guilt and for the sprinkling of the people, and their priesthood for the accomplishment of all this, being a miniature and typical representation of the real priesthood and sacrifices for the puri­fying of the world of mankind. God speaking to Israel, said; “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” (Amos 3:2) This people alone was recognized until Christ came; yes, and afterwards, for his ministry was confined to them, and He would not permit His disciples to go to others — saying, as he sent them out, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.” Why so, Lord? Because, he explains, “I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Mat. 10; 5,6; 15:24) All His time was devoted to them until His death, and there was done His first work for the world, the first display of His free and all-abounding grace, which in “due time” shall indeed be a blessing to all. When the called-out company (called to be sons of God, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ our Lord — who have made their calling sure) is complete, then this feature of the plan of God for the world’s salvation will be only beginning.

Not until it is selected, developed, and exalted to power will the Seed bruise the serpent’s head. “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.” (Rom. 16:20; Gen. 3:15) The Gospel Age makes ready the chaste virgin, the faithful Church, for the coming Bridegroom. And in the end of the Age, when she is made “ready” (Rev. 19:7), the Bridegroom comes, and they are ready to go in with him to the marriage — the second Adam and the second Eve become one, and then the glorious work of restitution begins. In the next dispensation the Church will be no longer the espoused virgin, but the Bride; and then shall “The Spirit and the Bride say, Come! And let him that heareth say, come! And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)

Gospel Age, so far from closing the Church’s mission, is only the necessary preparation for the great future work, for this promised and coming blessing “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, waiting for this mani­festation of the sons of God.” (Rom. 8:22, 19) And it is a blessed fact that free grace in fullest measure, not merely for the living, but for those who have died as well, is provided in our Father’s plan as the blessed oppor­tunity of the coming Age.

PRE-MILLENARIANS COME SHORT

Those who can see something of the blessings due at the Second Advent, and who appreciate in some measure the fact that the Lord comes to bestow the grand blessing secured by his death, fail to see this last proposition; viz., that those in their graves have as much interest in that glorious reign of Messiah as those who at that time will be less completely under the bondage of corruption — death. But as surely as Jesus died for all, they all must have the blessings and opportunities which he purchased with his own precious blood.

Hence we should expect blessings in the Millennial Age upon all those in their graves as well as upon those not in them; and of this we will find abundant proof as we look further into the Lord’s testimony on  the subject. It is because of God’s plan for their release that those in the tomb are called “prisoners of hope.” What is, and is to be, their condition? Did God make no provision for these, whose condition and circumstances He must have foreseen? Or did He from the foundation of the world make a wretched and merciless provision for their hopeless, eternal torment as many of His children claim? Or has He yet in store in the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of His plan, an opportunity for all to come to knowledge of that only Name, and, by becoming obedient to the conditions, to enjoy everlasting life? We read that “God is love,” and “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish.” (1 John 4:8; John 3:16) Would it not seem that if God loved the world so much He might have made provision, not only that believers might be saved, but also that all might hear in order to believe?

Again, when we read, “That was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9), our observation says, Not so; every man has not been enlightened; we cannot see that our Lord has lighted more than a few of Earth’s billions. Even in this comparatively enlightened day, millions of heathen give no evidence of such enligh­tenment; neither did the Sodomites or multitudes of others in past ages. Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death “for every man.” (Heb. 2:9) But if He tasted death for the entire race of over twenty billions and from any cause that sacrifice becomes ef­ficacious to only one billion, was not the redemption comparatively a failure? And in that case, is not the Apostle’s statement too broad? When again we read, “Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10), and looking about us, see that it is only to a “little flock” that it has been good tidings, and not to all people, we would be compelled to wonder whether the angels had not overstated the goodness and breadth of their message and overrated the importance the work to be accomplished by the Messiah whom they announced.

Another statement is, “There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all.”  (1 Tim 2:5,6) "A ranson for all?" Then why should not all the ransomed have some benefit from Christ’s death? Why should not all come to a knowledge of the truth that they may believe?

PLAN OF THE AGES— THE GOD-GIVEN KEY

Without the key, how dark, how inconsistent, these statements appear; but when we find the key to God’s plan, these texts all declare with one voice, “God is love!” This key is found in the latter part of the text last quoted—“Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” God has a due time for everything. He could have testified it to these in their past lifetime; but since he did not it proves that their due time must be future.

For those who will be of the Church, the Bride of Christ and share the Kingdom honors, the present is the “due time” to hear; and whosoever now has an ear to hear, let him hear and heed, and he will be blessed accordingly. Though Jesus gave our ransom before we were born, it was not our “due time” to hear of it for long years afterward, and only the appreciation of it brought responsibility; and this, only to the extent of our ability and appreciation. The same principle applies to all; in God’s due tine it will be testified to all, and all will then have opportunity to believe and be blessed by it.

The prevailing opinion is that death ends all probation; but there is no Scripture which so teaches. Since God does not purpose to save men on account of ignorance, but “will have all men to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4); and since the masses of mankind have died in ignorance, and since “there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave” (Eccl. 9:10); therefore God has prepared for the awakening of the dead, in order to knowledge, faith and salvation. Hence His plan is that “as all in Adam die, even so shall all in Christ be made alive, but each one in his own order”— the Gospel Church, the Bride, the Body of Christ, first; afterward, during the Millennial Age, all who shall become His during that thousand years of His presence (mistrans­lated coming), the Lord’s due time for all to know him, from the least to the greatest (1 Cor. 15:22).

Thus we see that all these hitherto difficult texts are explained by the statement—“To be testified in due time.” In due time, that true Light shall lighten every man that has come into the world. In due time, it shall be “good tidings of great joy to all people.” And in no other way can these Scriptures be used without wresting. Paul carries out this line of argument with emphasis in Rom. 5:18,19. He reasons that, as all men were condemned to death because of Adam’s transgression, so, also, Christ’s righteous­ness, and obedience even unto death, have become a ground of justification; and that as all lost life in the first Adam, so all, aside from personal demerit, may receive life by accepting the second Adam.

Peter tells us that this restitution is spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets (Acts 3:19-21).

They all teach it. Ezekiel says of the valley of dry bones, “These bones are the whole house of Israel.” And God says to Israel, “Behold, O my people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I… shall put my Spirit in you, and I shall place you in your own land; then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.” (Ezek. 37:11-14)

To this, Paul’s words agree (Rom. 11:25,26)—“Blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles (the elect company, the Bride of Christ) be come in; and so all Israel shall be saved,” or brought back from their cast-off condition, for “God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.” (Rom 11:2) They were cast off from his favor while the Bride of Christ was being selected, but will be reinstated when the work is accomplished. (Verses 28-33) The prophecies are full of statements of how God will plant them again, and they shall be no more plucked up. “Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel… I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land; and I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.” (Jer. 24:5-7; 31-28; 32:40-42; 33:6-16) These cannot refer merely to restorations from former captivities in Babylon, Syria, etc., for they have since been plucked up.

Though many of the prophecies and promises of future blessings seem to apply to Israel only, it must be remembered that they were a typical people, and hence the promises made to them, while sometimes having a special application to themselves, generally have also a wider application to the whole world of mankind which that nation typified.

While Israel as a nation was typical of the whole world, its priesthood was typical of the elect “little flock,” the Head and Body of Christ, the “Royal Priesthood;” and the sacrifices, cleansings and atonement made for Israel typified the “better sacrifices,” fuller cleansings and real atonement “for the sins of the whole world,” of which they are a part.

A CRUCIAL TEST—THE SODOMITES

And not only so, but God mentions by name other nations and promises their rest­oration. As a forcible illustration, we mention the Sodomites. Surely, if we shall find the restitution of the Sodomites clearly taught, we may feel satisfied of the truth of this glorious doctrine of restitution for all mankind, spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets. And why should not the Sodomites have an opportunity to reach perfection, and everlasting life as well as Israel, or as any of us? True, they were not righteous; but neither was Israel, nor we who now hear the Gospel.

“There is none righteous; no, not one,” aside from the imputed righteousness of Christ, who died for all. Our Lord’s own words tell us that although God rained down fire from heaven and destroyed them all because of their wickedness, yet the Sod­omites were not so great sinners in his sight as were the Jews, who had more knowledge (Gen. 19:24; Luke 17:29).

Unto the Jews of Capernaum He said; “If the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.” (Matt. 11:23)

Thus our Lord teaches that the Sod­omites did not have a full opportunity; and he guarantees them such opportunity when he adds (v. 24), “But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, in the day of judgment, than for thee.” The character of the Day of Judgment and its work is shown elsewhere. (See Vol. 1, “Scripture Studies,” “The Divine Plan of the Ages.”) Here we merely call attention to the fact that it will be a tolerable time for Capernaum, and yet more tolerable for Sodom; because, though neither had yet had full knowledge, nor all blessings designed to come through the “Seed,” yet Capernaum had sinned against more light.

And if Capernaum and all Israel are to be remembered and blessed under the “New Covenant,” why not the Sodomites should be blessed also among “all the families of the earth?” They assuredly will be. Let it be remembered that since God “rained down fire from heaven and destroyed them all” many centuries before Jesus’ day, when their restoration spoken of, it implies their awakening, their coming from the tomb.

In “due time” they will be awakened from death and brought to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4), and thus blessed together with all the families of the earth, by the promised “Seed.” They will then be on trial for everlasting life.

With this thought, and with no other, can we understand the dealings of the God of love with those Amalekites and other nations whom he not only permitted, but com­manded Israel to destroy, saying, “Go smite Amalek and utterly destroy all they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” (1 Sam. 15:3)

This ap­parently reckless des­truction of life seems ir­reconcilable with the character of love attributed to God, and with the teaching of Jesus, “Love your enemies,” etc., until we come to recog­nize the sys­tematic order of God’s plan, the “due time” for the ac­complishment of every feature of it, and the fact that every member of the human race has a place in it.

We can now see that those Amal­ekites, Sodomites and others were set forth as examples of God’s just indignation, and of his determination to destroy finally and utterly evil-doers, examples which will be of service not only to others, but also to themselves, when their Day of Judgment or trial comes.

Some, who are willing enough to accept of God’s mercy through Christ in the forgiveness of their own trespasses and weaknesses under greater light and knowledge, cannot conceive of the same favor being applicable under the New Covenant to others; though they seem to admit the Apostle’s statement that Jesus Christ, by the favor of God tasted death for every man. Some of these suggest that the Lord must, in this prophecy, be speaking ironically to the Jews, implying that he would just as willingly bring back the Sodomites as them, but had no in­tention of restoring either. But let us see how the succeeding verses agree with this (Ezek. 16:60-63). The Lord says, “Never­theless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and will establish unto thee an everlasting Covenant.”

“Then thou shalt remember thy ways and be ashamed when thou shalt receive thy sisters… And I will establish my Covenant with thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; that thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth anymore because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God"

“ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED”

To this Paul adds his testimony, saying, “And so all Israel (living and dead) shall be saved (recovered from blindness), as it is written.  ‘There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungod­liness from Jacob. For this is my Covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins…’

“They are beloved for the fathers’ sakes; because the gracious gifts and callings of God are not things to be repented of.” (Rom. 11:26-29)

How different is this glorious plan of God for the selection of a few now, in order to be the blessing of the many hereafter, from the distortions of these truths, as represented by two opposing views — Calvinism and Arminianism! They both deny the doctrine of election, and fail to comprehend the blessed fairness of free grace.

The day of trouble will end in due time, when he who spoke to the raging Sea of Galilee will likewise, with authority, com­mand the raging sea of human passion, saying, “Peace! Be still!” When the Prince of Peace shall “stand-up” in authority, a great calm will be the result. Then the raging, clashing elements shall recognize the auth­ority of “God’s Anointed,” “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together;” and in the reign of the Christ thus begun “shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”

BROKEN PURPOSES

My purposes are broken off,

So be it, blessed Lord;

     With wisdom and with wondrous Love

Thy purposes are stored

         The thoughts of my poor heart give place

   To Thy great plan for me;

         In all Thy ways my soul can trace

 Thy mercy rich and free.

This paper has been reproduced, with minor editing for space, from an article by Pastor Charles T. Russell in the “Overland Monthly” (See Page 222 through Page 228), published in San Francisco, California, by Bret Harte, journ­alist and author. The Pastor’s columns appeared in the overland Monthly from 1908 until his death in 1916.

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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.

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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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