Salvation (1939)
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SALVATION
Disclosing
God’s provision for man’s protection from disaster and salvation to life
everlasting in complete happiness
A text book for the Jonadabs
By
J. F.
RUTHERFORD
Author
of
ENEMIES
RICHES CREATION
PROPHECY
GOVERNMENT and other books
1,000,000
Edition
Publishers
WATCHTOWER
BIBLE
AND TRACT SOCIETY, INC.
International
Bible Students Association
Brooklyn,
N. Y., U. S. A.
Also
London, Toronto, Strathfield, Cape Town,
Berne,
Copenhagen, and in other countries.
Copyright, 1939, by J. F. Rutherford
Made
in the United States of America
SALVATION
CHAPTER I
EMERGENCY
THE streamline express, crowded with passengers,
was speeding at one hundred miles per hour. It must cross the river on a bridge
which made an almost fifty-percent curve, so that the persons on the rear
platform of the train could see the engine. Immediately upon emerging from the
tunnel the train was entering upon the bridge. Two men riding on the rear
platform of the observation car were seriously
discussing the troublesome world conditions and expressing hope that some means
would be found to avert another world war. The alarming scream of the engine
whistle and the sudden application of the emergency brakes caused the men to
look, and to their great astonishment they beheld that a span of the bridge at
the far end was on fire and falling into the river. They realized that they
were facing great danger. That was a real emergency. Could the train be stopped
in time to save the lives of the many passengers aboard?
Today every nation is in the grip of fear. Tn many nations there
is internal distress and disturbance. This is seized upon by the ruling factors
as an excuse for unprecedented taxation and an orgy of spending of public
funds. The break-up of the seventh world power is threatened and greatly feared
by those who rule. Dictators imperil all nations, and even now the liberties of
the people are about all gone. In these modern days wars begin without a formal
declaration and truly it is now said that uneasy lie the heads of those who
rule. Fearing an attack from some source, each nation is making enormous
preparation for war, and this furnishes further excuse to deprive the people of
their liberties. It is believed by many that armed conflict involving all
nations of the earth is just at the threshold, and hence all nations are
attempting to fortify themselves against such an emergency. Is there any way to
escape to a place of safety? Only those who believe, understand and confidently
rely upon God and His Word know what is soon to come to pass. Sincere persons
are anxious to know. Unbiased consideration of what follows will enable each
person of good will to see and fully appreciate the only way of escape.
GREATEST TRIBULATION
“Salvation” means deliverance from impending disaster, and the
finding of refuge in a place of complete safety. Because the greatest
tribulation that will ever befall the world is just at the door an
unprecedented emergency confronts all the peoples of the earth. There are
certain universal rules which are unchangeable and which disclose the cause of
the impending disaster and which point to the only means of escape and safety.
To become acquainted with those rules will result beneficially to those who
give heed thereto. Both profane and sacred history furnish an abundance of
proof that approximately 4,000 years ago the world fell under the overwhelming
disaster of the flood and a few were saved. Since then from time to time other
emergencies have arisen; but the greatest of all is yet to come, and concerning
that emergency the evidence is indisputable. Those who will now examine and weigh
such evidence with unbiased mind will see that action must be taken immediately
by those who may hope to escape to the place of safety.
All persons of good will and who desire to see righteousness
prevail readily recognize that the great Creator is the Almighty God, who alone
is named Jehovah, and that the Bible is a sacred record of the truth, which the
Almighty God has caused to be kept for the aid of those who love that which is
right. The citations herein are from the sacred record, and the reader may
examine the Scripture texts for confirmation of what is here set down. Jesus of
Nazareth, the Son of the Almighty God, came into the world for the express
purpose of telling the truth. (John 18:37) He bore testimony to God’s universal
and unchangeable rules above mentioned, which all men should learn for their
own good. He made known the cause of disasters that befall men and nations, and
plainly set forth the only means of escape to safety and complete salvation. He
told of the flood of Noah’s day and said that the wicked conditions that
immediately preceded that deluge of waters would again exist throughout the
earth, and which will be proof that the greatest of all disasters is quickly to
follow.
Jesus is the greatest of all prophets. (Acts 3:22,23) His
prophecies must all come true, because he is the spokesman of Almighty God who
tells of the purpose of Jehovah, whose purposes never fail to be carried out.
(Isaiah 46:11; 55:11) When we observe conditions that have come to pass about
which Jesus prophesied, and see that the physical facts well known to us
exactly fit the prophecy, then we are sure that it is the time for the
fulfillment of the prophecy and that these events have come to pass for that
very purpose. Jesus prophesied concerning the conditions now existing in the
world, and which conditions immediately precede and lead up to the greatest of
all disasters that the world can ever have. He foretold the World War, which
began in 1914 and was suddenly stopped in 1918. He stated that such war would
be accompanied or quickly followed by famine, pestilence, and great
disturbances in the earth, and that such would be the beginning of sorrows
immediately preceding the great disaster soon to befall the world. (Matthew
24:7) He prophesied that following the “war in heaven” many woes would come
upon the nations of the earth (Revelation 12:7-12); and the facts show a
fulfillment of that prophecy. He foretold that following the World War his true
followers, who are witnesses for Jehovah, must go amongst the people and tell
them the cause of these disturbances and inform them emphatically that the
kingdom of heaven is at hand. That prophecy is in course of fulfillment.
He prophesied that “the abomination of desolation” would appear in
the earth, and the Scriptures make it clear that such abomination is the
combination or combined effort of the religious, political and commercial
elements to arbitrarily rule the peoples of the earth and take away all their
liberties and make them serfs. That prophecy is now being fulfilled; and in
this connection Jesus added for the benefit of all persons of good will that,
‘when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to
stand, then flee to the mountains,' that is, to God’s organization, the only place
of safety. (Mark 13:14) And why flee then? Jesus answers: “For then shall be
great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this
time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:21) “And the slain of the Lord shall
be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;
they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung
upon the ground.” (Jeremiah 25:33) These prophecies now in course of
fulfillment show that there is impending an emergency such as never before
confronted the world.
With these revelations of truth from the Lord’s Word the people of
good will, like the passengers on the railway train aforementioned suddenly
emerging from the darkness of the tunnel, are now just coming out of the
darkness of which the prophet of God wrote, to wit: “Darkness shall cover the
earth, and gross darkness the people.” (Isaiah 60:2) There never was a time in
the history of the world when there was such great ignorance generally
concerning God’s purpose as set forth in the Bible, and that particularly
amongst religionists. The people of good will toward God are just now coming
into the light of a new day and, being enlightened, they see before them the
great emergency. They see the mad waters of the river (symbolically
representing the people) rushing on to be swallowed up in the sea, that is, the
turbulent and uncontrollable conditions just ahead. They have a vision of the
greatest catastrophe ever known, while all the other people, who are not of good
will, are totally ignorant of what is just ahead. The flood of waters or deluge
in the days of Noah was a prophetic picture foretelling this very time and
concerning which Jesus said: “And as it was in the days of No'e, so shall it be
also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married
wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that No'e entered into the
ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”–Luke 17: 26, 27.
What will be the result to those not of good will? and what is the
possible means of escape? With the emergency aforementioned the whole world is
now faced. What is done must be done quickly, and only those persons of good
will toward Jehovah God will give heed to the warning and act quickly and find
the place of safety.
CAUSE
Jehovah is the God of love; which means he is entirely unselfish
and does nothing merely to gratify self. He is the God of justice, and his
every act is just and right. (1 John 4:8; Psalms 19: 7-9; 89:14) He is of
unlimited power, hence the Almighty God. To be sure, he has the power to stop
the threatened destruction. Why should the God of justice and love permit such
a terrible disaster to befall the peoples and nations of the earth? A knowledge
of the facts it is necessary to have that one may appreciate the true answer,
and for that reason a brief statement of the undeniable facts as set forth in
the sacred history is here given. The prophecies long ago recorded in the
Bible, and the facts in connection therewith, and particularly the physical
facts that have come to pass in these days, are recorded for the very purpose
of furnishing information to persons of good will that they may avail
themselves of the opportunity to find the place of safety. Therefore the
statement is made following:
God created the earth for man, and then created perfect man and
woman and put them on the earth to inhabit it. (Isaiah 45:12,18) To the perfect
human pair God issued his mandate to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the
earth”. (Genesis 1:28, Rotherham) God made Lucifer a spirit creature or
overlord of the world, including perfect man. (Ezekiel 28:14,15) All creation
in heaven and earth gave honor to Jehovah God, and that properly so, because
every creature owes the privilege of life to the Almighty God. The exception to
this rule was Lucifer, who began to covet what he was not entitled to, namely,
the honor and praise that was rightfully bestowed upon the Almighty God.
Lucifer rebelled against God and attempted to set himself up as God’s equal,
and in this rebellion he led away from the path of righteousness both angels
and men, and Adam found himself involved in that rebellion. The name Lucifer
God then changed to that of Satan, which means “adversary”; Dragon, which means
“devourer”; Serpent, which means “deceiver”; and Devil, which means
“slanderer”. Since then that great rebel has been known by the four names,
Dragon, Satan, Old Serpent, and the Devil. (Revelation 20:2) The Devil then
defied God and challenged him to put on the earth men who would prove faithful
and loyal to God, and at the same time Satan declared he could cause all men to
curse God to His face. (Job 2:4-6) That wicked challenge of the Devil raised
the question as to who is supreme. If Satan could cause all men to curse God,
that would prove Satan at least the equal of Jehovah God, if not his superior.
God would have all creation to hear and see the proof, that there could never
be a real doubt as to who is the supreme one. God had entered the judgment of
death against Satan, but, instead of destroying him immediately, God deferred
the execution of that judgment and accepted the challenge of Satan in order to
give him full opportunity to make proof of his boastful challenge. Therefore
God said to the wicked one: “But for this cause have I allowed thee to remain,
in order to show thee my power.” (Exodus 9:16, Leeser) Thus it is seen that God
announced his purpose to give Satan the rebel a full and free opportunity to
prove his challenge and that in due time the day of final reckoning must come,
and that when that day arrives, God would cause his name to be declared in all
the earth and then he would exhibit his supreme power against his adversary the
Devil.
Adam and Eve, because of the sin of rebellion, were also sentenced
to death, but God permitted them to live for a season that they might bring
forth children. They could never fulfill the divine mandate to fill the earth
with a righteous race of people, because they were sinners; but they could
exercise the function of producing their own species, even though they were
imperfect. All of their children were hence born in sin and shapen in
lawlessness, and for that reason all such in due time must die. (Psalm 51:5;
Romans 5:12) Emphasizing the issue of supremacy God gave his word of promise that
in his due time he would send to the world a Savior who would purchase the
human race or offspring of Adam and that he would provide a means whereby those
so -purchased might be saved and receive life everlasting. That would mean that
all of the offspring of Adam who escape and are saved must comply with
Jehovah’s rules and must maintain their integrity toward God, and all so doing
would be a vindication of Jehovah’s name; and that of itself would prove Satan
a liar.
In God’s due time he sent his beloved Son to earth. Jesus was
born, that is, made flesh, and lived amongst men on the earth. “And the Word
was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of
the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) In this
text Jesus is called “The Word”, because in his prehuman existence he was the
spokesman of Jehovah God. When the man Jesus reached the age of thirty years
God anointed him to be the King of His promised kingdom. Satan immediately
attempted to bring about the destruction of Jesus; but in that he failed.
(Matthew 4:3-10) Jesus then began to declare the purpose of his coming to earth
and to tell the people of and concerning the kingdom, which God would set up.
At his first public appearing Jesus said to the people: “Repent; for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) He was then anointed to be the
King; and truly “the kingdom”, or the One who should rule, was “at hand”. For
three and one-half years thereafter, he continued to tell the people of God’s
kingdom as the hope of humankind, and during all that time he was bitterly and
wickedly opposed by Satan and the religious men of that time, the leaders of
whom were called “Pharisees”. Jesus was charged with sedition and treason
because he continued to declare the coming of God’s kingdom. When he stood
before the Roman governor, charged with treason, he was specifically asked the
question: 'Are you a king?’ And to that Jesus answered, “I am. ... To this end
was I born, and for this cause came I into the world.” (John 18:37) Thus he
continued to consistently proclaim God’s purpose to establish his kingdom, even
until the time of his crucifixion.
God did not deprive Satan of overlordship of the world, but
permitted him to continue in that position in order that he might have a free
hand to carry out his wicked challenge, if possible. Thereafter when Jesus was
on the earth Satan was the invisible prince or overlord of the world, and Jesus
spoke of Satan as “the prince of this world”. (John 12:31; 14:30) Satan well
knew that if God should set up a kingdom on earth, with Christ Jesus as the
King and invisible over- lord, that would mean Satan’s rulership must end and
his execution must take place. Satan therefore determined to exercise
everything within his power to defeat God’s purpose. The kingdom of heaven,
with Christ Jesus as King, is the deadly foe of Satan and of his advocates.
While Jesus was on the earth the Devil and his religious agents continuously
attempted to kill Jesus, and finally succeeded in having him wrongfully
convicted of treason and causing his crucifixion by being nailed to the tree.
God suffered Jesus to thus be put to death, knowing that He would raise Jesus
out of death as a spirit creature and place him at the head of His kingdom and
that this would be accomplished in his own good time and to his own glory.
Jesus told his disciples that he must go away and receive the
kingdom and that then he would return and take unto himself his faithful
disciples who should be associated with him in his kingdom. (John 14:1-3; Luke
22: 28-30) Within three days after his crucifixion God raised Jesus out of
death, and he was clothed with full power and authority in heaven and earth;
and in forty days thereafter he ascended into heaven, and he was then the King
of the world, the duly anointed and commissioned Ruler, whose right it is to
rule. (Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2:9-11; Acts 2:32-36) Thereafter the faithful
apostles of Jesus Christ continued to look for his second coming and his
kingdom, about which he had informed them and which he stated to them would
take place at the end of Satan’s world.
All the true followers of Christ Jesus for centuries have likewise
looked for and hoped for the coming of that kingdom under the Lord Jesus
Christ. So keenly interested in his coming and his kingdom were the apostles
that they propounded to Jesus this question, shortly before his death: “What
shall be the sign [evidence] of thy coming, and of the end of the world [that
is, the end of Satan's uninterrupted rule]?” (Matthew 24:3) In response to that
question Jesus said that the first evidence discernible by men would be the
world war, in which nation would rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom. That came to pass in A.D. 1914. Jesus said that the war would be
quickly followed by famine and pestilence and earthquakes; and everyone knows
that these things did quickly follow the World War. Then Jesus said to his
disciples: ‘When you see the abomination that maketh desolate standing where it
ought not to stand [that is, claiming the right and authority to rule the
world], then flee to the kingdom.’ (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14) That has also
come to pass at the present time, in this, that a few men, called “dictators”,
and the great religious system of the world together claim the right to rule
and regiment the people and take away their liberties and to rule the world in
the place and stead of Christ the King. Furthermore Jesus said that great woes
would come upon the peoples of the earth because of the activities of the Devil
to thwart God’s purpose. (Revelation 12:12) All the world is now experiencing
woes such as never before have afflicted the nations, and these woes have come
with increasing force since the end of the World War.
As further evidence of his invisible presence and the end of
Satan’s uninterrupted rule, Jesus said: "There shall be . . . upon the
earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea [meaning peoples] and the
waves [the radical, disturbing elements thereof made mad by the present conditions]
roaring [causing much trouble]; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for
looking after those things which are coming on the earth.”–Luke 21: 25, 26.
Exactly those conditions now prevail upon the earth, as every
observing person well knows. During all the time of the existing conditions
aforementioned, evidencing His presence and the end of Satan’s uninterrupted
rule, Jesus declares and commands: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the
end come.”–Matthew 24:14.
It follows that those who love God and Christ must obey this
commandment. In obedience thereto a little company of Christian people made up
of men and women who are known as “Jehovah’s witnesses” have been and are still
continuing to go about the country preaching the good news of the kingdom of
God. This preaching of the gospel must continue until the great threatening
emergency comes to a climax; and when this preaching of the good news of the
kingdom is completed, what shall follow? “For then shall be great tribulation,
such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever
shall be.”–Matthew 24: 21.
That great tribulation is the battle of Armageddon, and which is
also called “the battle of that great day of God Almighty”. (Revelation
16:14-16) It is the battle of Almighty God because in it will be finally and
for ever settled the question at issue as to who is supreme and whether or not
God can carry out his announced purpose. That great battle will result in the
complete destruction of every vestige of Satan’s supporters and organization.
At the time of the ascension of Jesus on high he was then the King
with full power and authority to rule, but it was not then God’s due time for
him to begin his reign as King. God purposed to permit Satan to have full
opportunity to prove, if possible, his wicked challenge. Therefore concerning
Christ Jesus the King it is written: “The Lord
said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy
footstool.”–Psalm 110:1.
Jesus must wait until Jehovah’s due time for him to take and
exercise his power to destroy Satan’s rule and to set up his own righteous and
complete rule in the earth. (Hebrews 10:12,13) That time of waiting came to an
end in 1914, and then God sent forth Jesus Christ to rule while the enemy Satan
was still exercising his power. (Psalm 110:2-6) When that period of waiting ended,
in 1914, and Christ Jesus was sent forth to exercise his royal power as the
great Executive Officer of Jehovah, the Scriptures say: “Thou hast taken to
thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry [the World
War began], and thy [God’s] wrath is come.” (Revelation 11:17,18) God’s wrath
was expressed against Satan at that time, and Christ Jesus as Jehovah’s
Executive Officer cast Satan and his wicked angels out of heaven. – Revelation
12:1-9.
God will express his complete wrath against Satan and his
organization in the battle of Armageddon. He called a halt in the expression of
his wrath in 1918, which will be resumed at the battle of Armageddon. In the
meantime and just preceding and up to the time of the battle of Armageddon God
will have his name proclaimed throughout the earth, as he had previously
declared, and which message exposes Satan and his agents on earth; and which
work is called God’s “strange work”. That work consists in this: that God sends
forth his witnesses to give warning to the people of the impending disaster
about to come upon the world. He causes his witnesses to tell the people that
religion is one of Satan’s schemes to blind the people and turn them away from
God; that God’s purpose is to shortly destroy all of Satan’s agencies in the
greatest tribulation that has ever come upon the world, and therefore he causes
the witnesses to give warning to the people of the impending disaster.
This work called God’s “strange work’’ is now in progress. This
therefore is the time of the greatest emergency, when the people are being
warned as to what is about to take place. God does not act without giving fair
notice of warning. He caused Noah to give a like warning just preceding the flood,
and now he sends forth his witnesses, particularly to the nations called
“Christendom”, and tells his witnesses to “warn them from me”. (Ezekiel 33:7)
He sends forth his witnesses to inform the people, and particularly the
religious leaders, that Satan is the great enemy of God and men, that the
religious leaders are a part of Satan’s organization, and that they will be
destroyed unless they abandon Satan’s organization and flee to the Lord. This
warning appears to religionists to be a very strange thing, and hence it is
called God’s “strange work”; and the Lord announces that when that work is done
there will immediately follow “his act, his strange act”, meaning the battle of
the great day of God Almighty, which will destroy Satan’s organization and all
those who adhere to or support the same.–Isaiah 28:21.
Again it is appropriate that we consider the scripture caused to
be recorded by Jehovah and addressed to Satan, to wit: ‘For this cause have I
permitted thee to remain, that I might show thee my power, and that my name
might be declared throughout all the earth.’ (Exodus 9:16, Lesser) For this
reason Jehovah’s witnesses in obedience to God’s commandments go about the land
proclaiming the name of Jehovah as the Almighty Supreme One. The warning is being
sounded preceding the great disaster, and that disaster is certain to fall upon
Satan and his organization and wipe them out, in order that the world may be
clean and ready for the reign of Christ Jesus forever in righteousness and
peace.
It would be impossible for righteousness to prevail in the earth
while Satan and his cohorts continue to exercise power over the people. For
that reason Jehovah God puts an end to Satan’s organization. To be sure, Satan
and his forces will resist to the bitter end. Hence the necessity for the great
battle of Armageddon, which will be the greatest tribulation ever upon the
world, because then everything in opposition to God must be and will be
completely wiped out. Up to this time the great mass of the people have been blinded
by Satan, and his agents have induced them to turn against God; and hence the
blind guides and the blind people who continue in blindness will go down in
destruction as the Lord has declared. The multitudes that will be destroyed at
the battle of Armageddon will be so great that not enough people will be left
on the earth to bury them. (Jeremiah 25: 33) That destruction will be so
complete that it will be the last, as Jesus declared, and never again will
there be such a disaster, for the reason, as it is written, "affliction
shall not rise up the second time.” – Nahum 1: 9.
All the evidence, both that of the Bible and that of the physical
facts which are well known to all persons who try to observe, overwhelmingly
proves that the battle of Armageddon is impending and is very near. Hence the
warning must now be given, and is given. Therefore the world is confronted with
the greatest emergency that has ever existed, and so vitally necessary is it
that all who would live must be warned that God puts the obligation upon those
who know his truth to tell it to others; and for this reason the publication
goes on amidst great opposition from the religionists. (Ezekiel 33: 4-19) The
battle of Armageddon will be fought by Jesus Christ and his heavenly host, on one
side, against the Devil and all his forces, both visible and invisible, on the
other side. That battle will be the expression of God’s wrath against all
wickedness. Upon the earth there are now billions of people, and naturally it
is asked, Is there salvation for them? Is there to be found a place of refuge,
safety and salvation from the impending and terrible wrath of Almighty God?
YOU MAY “BE HID”
In Noah’s day the Devil had turned the people to wickedness, and
God declared his purpose to destroy all flesh in the flood of waters that was
shortly to follow. (Genesis 6:1-20) For many years Noah, at God’s command, went
about amongst the people proclaiming to them the warning of the impending
disaster of the flood of waters. Noah was one of Jehovah’s witnesses, “a
preacher of righteousness.” (2 Peter 2:5) Aside from Noah’s household the
people did not give heed to the warning, and when the flood came all were
destroyed and only Noah and his immediate family, consisting of eight persons
in all, escaped and were saved. How were they saved? At God’s command Noah had
builded the ark, and when the flood came it floated upon the waters. In that
ark Noah and his family were hid from the wrath of God expressed by the great
deluge or flood of waters. That great disaster upon the world prophetically
foretold the battle of Armageddon. The devastation that the flood worked is a
pattern or picture of what Armageddon will bring upon the whole world. Note now
God’s provision to hide some people from his wrath which will be expressed
during Armageddon, and which people so hidden will be carried over to safety
and to salvation.
No person who devotes himself today to Jehovah God and his kingdom
is desired by the Devil or by any of the Devil’s representatives on the earth.
It is seen that all of those who earnestly advocate the name of Jehovah God and
his kingdom are the objects of the expressed wrath of Satan and of his
religious agents in particular. To those persons who desire righteousness, and
who have a desire to escape, and who are therefore of good will toward God and
His kingdom Jehovah addresses the following words: “Gather yourselves together,
yea, gather together, 0 nation not desired [by the Devil and his crowd of
religionists and allies].” (Zephaniah 2:1) Such persons of good will are warned
to gather themselves together: meaning that they must separate themselves from
the political, religious and like systems or organizations, which honor men and
dishonor God; and that, because they love righteousness, they must keep themselves
separated and apart from unrighteousness. Those persons who are of good will
toward God will automatically be drawn to each other, and all such will seek
the Lord and be diligent to learn his ways and what the Lord requires of them
in order to find the place of safety. When shall such persons of good will
separate themselves from the wicked organizations of the world, gather
themselves together, and stand on the side of God and his King, Christ Jesus?
The Word of Jehovah answers: “Before the decree bring forth, before the day
pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before
the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you.”–Zephaniah 2: 2.
The act of seeking the Lord and hence seeking the place of safety
cannot be delayed until Armageddon breaks upon the world, because it will then
be too late to flee to the place of safety. The Lord Jesus speaks of such time
of tribulation as the wintertime, and concerning the people he says: “Pray ye
that your flight be not in the winter [time].” (Matthew 24:20) The day of God’s
wrath expressed at Armageddon is the ‘wintertime’, during which time will break
upon the world such tribulation as never before was known. If you are not hid
then from that terrible and destructive catastrophe, it will be too late to
find the place of protection and salvation.
What, then, shall one do to find the place of safety? He must flee
to Jehovah God and Christ Jesus, spoken of by Jesus as “the mountains”, the
mountains representing the kingdom of God under Christ. Jehovah’s prophet above
quoted answers the question in these words: “Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of
the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness;
it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” – Zephaniah 2: 3.
For their aid and benefit the Lord now brings before those persons
of good will a mental vision of the terrible impending disaster of Armageddon
and advises them to follow the rule he announces in order that they might
escape. Only the meek ones will give heed to the warning and act immediately.
The meek are those who desire to be taught the truth and who are willing to
hear and to learn the truth, regardless of who may bring the truth to their
attention. At the command of Jehovah his faithful witnesses call attention to
the message of truth as set forth in the Scriptures, and place before the
people the means and opportunity of gaining an understanding of God’s purpose.
The meek ones amongst the people will avail themselves of such opportunity to
learn, and God favors such who thus try to learn, as it is written: “Good and
upright is the Lord; therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will
he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way.”– Psalm 25: 8, 9.
To such meek ones Jehovah says: “Seek righteousness” ; which means
to seek to know God’s provision for man’s salvation from the impending
disaster; and to know His way means to know the right way. All the ways of God
are right and righteousness: “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy
in all his works.” (Psalm 145:17) One who desires righteousness must be
diligent to learn what is set forth in the Word of God, because such
constitutes his certain and perfect guide: “Righteous art thou, 0 Lord, and
upright are thy judgments. Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous
and very faithful.” (Psalm 119:137,138) “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105) The honest, sincere and meek persons of
good will toward God pray the prayer which is written in the Word of God for
their benefit, to wit: “Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me
in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I
wait all the day.” –Psalm 25: 4, 5.
To “seek meekness”, as God has commanded, one must always be
diligent to learn what God through Christ Jesus teaches the people. One who is
wise in his own conceit is not meek. The meek are those who are willing and
anxious to learn what the great Almighty God would have them to do, and this
they ascertain only by being alert to seek what is written in the Scriptures
and to readily grasp an understanding thereof. The Lord is now making clear the
meaning of the Scriptures by bringing to pass the physical facts in fulfillment
of his prophetic Word. In this God is showing his loving-kindness to everyone
who desires righteousness. The purpose of what follows herein is to enable the
sincere student of God’s Word to gain a knowledge and understanding of the
purpose of the Most High; and the meek will learn God’s righteous way and will
joyfully obey God’s Word of truth as revealed to him. Those who thus seek
righteousness and meekness have this promise from Jehovah God, as it is written
in the scripture above quoted: “It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the
Lord’s anger.” Those who receive Jehovah’s approval will receive his blessings
by being led to the place of safety and complete refuge and will learn the way
to everlasting salvation. The ones who are thus seeking the right way are the
ones who desire to know the Scriptures, and these Scriptures were written for
their benefit. Hence the admonition given to all such: “Study to shew thyself
approved unto God.”–2 Timothy 2:15.
CHAPTER II
TO LIFE
SALVATION from impending disaster is one thing; salvation to life
is another thing. The great enemy of man is death. Man’s chief blessing is to
receive life everlasting in a state of peace, happiness and prosperity. To
obtain salvation from death means to gain everlasting life. Salvation from the
wrath of God expressed at Armageddon will not necessarily mean that all such
will eventually be saved from death and live forever. Jehovah God has made
certain and unchangeable rules which, if obeyed by man, will result in man’s
salvation to everlasting life. Those who escape the disaster of Armageddon will
then be entering upon the way to everlasting life. To learn of God’s
requirements, and to have faith and to be obedient, will then be absolutely
necessary on the part of all who will be saved to everlasting life.
To have God’s approval the creature must please him. “But without
faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe
that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By
faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear,
prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the
world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”–Hebrews 11: 6,
7.
Noah and his sons escaped the disaster of the flood of waters, but
Noah is the only one, of the eight, mentioned as receiving God’s final
approval. (Hebrews 11:7,13,39) Moses and a multitude of Israelites were saved
from the waters of the Red sea, which destroyed the Egyptians (Hebrews 11:29);
but only a few of those Israelites are later mentioned by the Lord as having
received his approval. That does not necessarily mean that none of the others
shall receive life everlasting, but the point here made is that all who do
receive salvation unto life must have the approval of Almighty God. It is
therefore necessary for man to learn what God requires of men, and then the man
must diligently obey God’s fixed rules. “God is no respecter of persons,” and
he does not show partiality to any. (Acts 10:34; James 3:17) All men stand
equal before God, and all arc required to willingly obey God’s rules. All must
have and continue to exercise faith. “Faith” means to have a knowledge of God’s
purpose as set forth in his Word, the Bible, and then to confidently rely upon
God’s Word of truth as therein made known.
Religious organizations, and particularly the leaders therein,
induce persons to believe that they must join some religious system or
organization, which men call “a church”; and the leaders or clergymen claim
that joining such religious organization is the means to salvation. Such claim
or representation by the clergymen is entirely wrong, because such
organizations do not have God’s approval. On the contrary, such religious
organizations teach chiefly the doctrines of men, which doctrines blind the people
to the truth of God’s purpose as set forth in His Word, and such teachings of
men make the commandments of God of none effect and hence are exceedingly
harmful to men. – Matthew 15:6-9.
There are hundreds of religious organizations on the earth, all of
which differ somewhat in the doctrines they hold and teach. Many persons will
contend that fit matters not which religious organization you join, because all
are traveling the same way, and if a man is satisfied in his own mind that he
is on the right way, that is all that is required in order to guarantee his
salvation’. That doctrine is very misleading, and to follow it means
destruction in the end. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; but he
that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15) “There is a way which
seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs
14:12) To follow the teachings or traditions of men, therefore, leads unto
destruction. The man who ignores God’s Word and follows the way of man is
designated as a fool by the Word of God. By his course of action he shows that
he does not have faith in God, and hence it is written in the Scriptures: “The
fool hath said in his heart [that is, the motive that directs his course of
action], There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1) The wise man is he that diligently
ascertains God’s way as set forth in the Bible and then follows faithfully and
earnestly that way: “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a
man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.” (Proverbs 1: 5) “Give
instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a just man, and he
will increase in learning.” (Proverbs 9:9) “The wise in heart will receive
commandments; but a prating fool shall fall.” (Proverbs 10:8) “He that walketh
with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”
(Proverbs 13:20) “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct
thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5,6) God’s way is the righteous way: “In the way of
righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.”–Proverbs
12: 28.
“Religion” is therefore properly defined as a belief in and
indulging in a form of worship of some higher power, and which belief is based
on the teachings of men handed down by tradition from one generation to
another, and which system of belief or teaching is induced and put forward by
God’s adversary the Devil in order to turn men away from God. For this reason
religion is a snare of the Devil.
Christianity is exactly opposite to religion. The name
“Christianity” is derived from Christ Jesus, who at all times obeys the commandments
of Almighty God. Christ Jesus is therefore the beginner of Christians.
“Christianity” means to know what God has set forth in his Word disclosing his
purpose, and to fully obey God’s commandments at all times. To follow the lead
of religion means everlasting death. To follow Christ Jesus means everlasting
life. (John 17: 3) With a knowledge of the truth there is set before men death
and life. To live, one must avoid religion and truly follow the lead of Christ
Jesus.
AUTHOR OF SALVATION
“Salvation belongeth unto the Lord”
that is, Jehovah God. (Psalm 3:8) No man or organization of men can give
salvation to others. Religious organizations, and particularly the leaders
therein, claim to save souls or to bring salvation to men; but such claim is wholly
false. Jehovah God is the Creator and Giver of life, and no creature can got
life from another. God created man and gave the perfect man life. (Genesis 2:
7) God has made provision for the salvation of sinful men from death and unto
life. The doctrine that man has inherent life and that the soul of man is
immortal and cannot die is as false as the Devil himself and is the result of
the Devil’s first lie. The doctrine of inherent immortality of souls was the
lie told by Satan, the Devil, to Eve for the first time, and led to death upon
Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:4) Every man is a soul, that is to say, a living,
breathing creature. He does not possess a soul separate and distinct from his
body; but the body of flesh and the breath of living creatures, together,
constitute the soul. When these are separated the soul is out of existence. If
a soul were immortal it could not die; but it is plainly written in the Word of
God: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4) “What man is he that
liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the
grave? Selah.” (Psalm 89:48) When a man dies he is completely dead and entirely
without knowledge or consciousness. He is not conscious anywhere, and therefore
the doctrine of “purgatory” and of “eternal torment”, “where men are suffering
conscious punishment,” is completely false, a wicked doctrine promulgated by
the Devil to deceive men: “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.” “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.” – Ecclesiastes 9:5,10.
Why do human creatures die? Because the first man Adam willfully
sinned by joining the Devil in rebellion against Jehovah God. All the human
race sprang from Adam; and since Adam became a sinner before he and Eve had
children, it follows naturally that all men have been born imperfect and are
therefore sinners by inheritance. “Behold, T was shapen in iniquity, and in sin
did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5) “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered
into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that
all have sinned.” (Romans 5:12) Unless provision is made by the Almighty God to
save men from death, in time all men would perish. God alone could provide for
man’s salvation, and therefore it is written: “Salvation belongeth unto the
Lord.” (Psalm 3:8) It is easy to be seen, therefore, why it is recorded in the
Scriptures that the man who claims there is no God is a fool, and his course of
action in refusing to hear and to obey God proves him to be a fool.
UNSELFISH
God is under no obligation to provide salvation for any man,
because all men are by nature sinners. The salvation of sinful man could bring
no profit to Jehovah God. He could well let all men die and then create a new
race and by that new race prove the Devil a liar and prove Jehovah’s supremacy.
It pleased him to do otherwise. It is written: “God is love” (1 John 4:16);
which means that he is wholly unselfish. Acting entirely unselfishly, Jehovah
God has provided for the salvation of man from death. Hence it is written: “For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
That Scripture text is no authority whatsoever for the doctrine of universal
redemption or universal salvation. The doctrine of universal redemption and
salvation is a ruse of the Devil to prevent men from learning the only means of
salvation to life. Salvation is mentioned as only to those who believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, as the foregoing scripture says: ‘He that believeth on him shall
not perish.’ It follows, then, that those who do not believe on the Lord shall
perish. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Since life is a gift from God,
then it can be received from no one else.
No man can receive a gift until he first has knowledge that the
gift is offered to him, and then he must willingly accept that which is
offered, in order for the gift to be completed. Anything that is forced upon
another against his will is not a gift. When the gift is offered to man it
becomes effective only when that gift is accepted upon the terms offered.
(Romans 5:18) Jesus Christ is mentioned in the Scriptures under the symbol of
“the Stone”, upon which rests the great organization and kingdom of Jehovah,
and it ministers life to those who receive salvation to life. Therefore it is
written: “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is
become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for
there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be
saved.” – Acts 4:11,12.
The name Jesus means “Jehovah is salvation” ; that is to say,
Jesus is the means by and through which Jehovah God has provided salvation for
man to life, and such salvation is granted upon the terms which God unselfishly
provides. At the birth of the child Jesus the angel of Jehovah announced to
witnesses this message: “Unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a
Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) How does Jesus Christ become
the Savior of men?
PURCHASE
Jesus Christ becomes the owner of the human creatures by right of
purchase. The purchase price is the lifeblood of the man Jesus poured out unto
death according to the will of Jehovah God his Father. (Isaiah 53:10,12) Jesus
willingly submitted to being put to death that he might purchase the human
race, and concerning this Jesus said: “Therefore doth my Father love me,
because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from
me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power
to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” – John
10:17,18.
Jesus was “put to death in the flesh [that is to say, a perfect
human creature], but quickened [(A.R.V.) made alive] by the spirit [that is, by
the power of the Great Spirit, Jehovah God]”. (1 Peter 3:18) God raised up
Jesus out of death, and hence he is alive for evermore. (Acts 2: 31, 32;
Revelation 1:18) Jesus, as it is written, “was made flesh [that is, a human
creature], and dwelt among us [men],” as stated by John the apostle of Christ
Jesus. (John 1:14) Angels are spirit creatures, and men are human and therefore
lower than angels. It is written concerning Jesus: “But we see Jesus, who was
made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with
glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every
man.” (Hebrews 2:9) “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also
hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in
earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”–Philippians 2: 8-11.
Jesus suffered for three and one-half years the contradiction of
sinners and was continuously persecuted by the religious sinners, and under
these adverse conditions he maintained his integrity toward God. It is written
concerning Jesus: “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things
which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal
salvation unto all them that obey him.” –Hebrews 5: 8,9.
Concerning the purchase price by which the human race is bought it
is written: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition
from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18,19) The lifeblood of the man Jesus
provides the ransom price for man. The philosophy of the ransom sacrifice will
be more fully considered in a subsequent chapter. Here the proof is submitted
that by right of purchase Jesus is the owner of mankind, clothed with full
power and authority to minister salvation from death to human creatures who
comply with that which God’s law requires. Jehovah God is the great Savior,
because 'salvation belongeth to God’ and God has made Christ Jesus the “author
of eternal salvation”, that is to say, God’s Executive Officer, who ministers
the salvation of life to men according to the will of God.–Romans 5:18; 6:23.
SALVATION FOR WHOM
Is salvation for ail men, whether men desire to have salvation or
not? No, it is not for those who do not desire it. Note carefully the words of
the scripture: Jesus is made "the author of eternal salvation unto all them
that obey him”. (Hebrews 5:9) Salvation is granted to man according to the
specific terms and conditions which God has named in his Word, and one specific
condition is, “That whosoever believeth in him [Christ Jesus] should not
perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) God sent Jesus into the world
“that the world through him might be saved”. (John 3:17) There are specific
conditions attached to such provision for salvation which must be met. God’s
provisions for man’s salvation could not mean compulsory salvation, but that
salvation must be for those who believe, because the promise is to those who
believe, that they shall not perish. To perish means to go completely out of
existence. It is the love of God that provides for man’s salvation, and hence
salvation to those who desire to be saved. Since salvation is the gift of God
through Jesus Christ (Romans 6: 23), it follows that no man could gain
salvation to life for man. Life is a free gift from God, and those who comply
with the terms of the gift freely receive it.
Salvation is not provided for everyone. The intelligent creature
who willfully and deliberately is the adversary of Jehovah God certainly would
not receive salvation to life as a free gift from God. Lucifer the Devil is a
willful and deliberate enemy of God, and his end is destruction. (Isaiah 14:19;
Ezekiel 28:19) Adam, when created, was a perfect man. All the creation of God
is perfect. (Deuteronomy 32:4) Adam, being perfect, was intelligent, and he was
fully advised of God’s law and the penalty for violating it.
Satan the adversary of God deceived Eve and led her into sin, but
“Adam was not deceived”. He voluntarily joined the Devil in rebellion, and
hence he was an intelligent, willful and deliberate sinner. (1 Timothy 2:14)
Adam had the privilege of obtaining life everlasting upon condition of his
obedience unto God. Adam, being duly informed that willful wrongdoing would
mean death and the end of life, deliberately walked into death. There is
therefore no reason to conclude that he could ever thereafter find redemption
and salvation to life. God sentenced Adam to death; and God does not change.
(Malachi 3:6) To Adam God pronounced in these words: “For out of [the dust]
wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Genesis
2:7; 3:19) That judgment is final and is not subject to be reversed. It must
stand forever. God sentenced Adam to death while in Eden, but He deferred the
complete execution of that judgment for a time, and that for his own wise
purpose. In God’s due time Adam died. (Genesis 5:5) There is no promise found
in the Scriptures that Adam’s redemption and resurrection and salvation will
take place at any time. Adam had a fair trial for life and completely failed.
If God should provide the second trial or second chance for Adam, that would be
a denial of the justice of his own judgment entered against Adam. That is an
impossibility with God; as it is written: “He cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy
2:13) “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he
should repent; hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and
shall he not make it good?” – Numbers 23:19.
But with Adam’s offspring the situation or condition is entirely
different. Before Adam sinned he and his wife Eve had not exercised the power
and function to bring forth children, Tt seems that God deferred the complete
execution of the judgment of death against man in order that Adam and Eve might
bring forth children ; which they did. (Genesis 4:1, 2, 25; 5:3-8) At the time
of the judgment entered against Adam his children, not having been born, were
not on trial for life, and hence they were not sentenced to death. However,
when born, they were under condemnation because of inherited imperfection. The
imperfect Adam and Eve under condemnation could not bring forth perfect
children. Every one of Adam’s children was therefore conceived in sin and
brought forth in iniquity, for the very reason that Adam and Eve were sinners
under the judgment of death when their children were conceived. Those children
had done nothing before or at the time of birth to make them sinners, as indeed
they could not do anything to that end. Their conception and birth was without
their knowledge or consent. They became sinners by inheritance; and that is
true with reference to every child that has been born on the earth, except
Jesus alone. Upon this point of inherited sin the scripture is clear, positive
and indisputable. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
“Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not
sinned after the similitude of [manner like or similar to] Adam's
transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.” – Romans 5:12,14.
Moses was a type of Christ Jesus, the great Savior of man from
death. The children of Adam being sentenced by inheritance and being therefore
under condemnation, they must in the course of time suffer death and return
unto the dust, because God could not approve imperfect ones and permit such to
live. (Habakkuk 1:13) God could consistently have mercy upon all who were not
willful and deliberate sinners or opposers of Jehovah God. This fixed rule of
Jehovah he emphasized in the declaration of his law to the Israelites through
Moses, wherein it is written: “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy
under two or three witnesses.” (Hebrews 10:28; Deuteronomy 17:2-7) All of
humankind, having been born as sinners and under condemnation, must die unless
some provision is made for them to live; and God, the giver of life, is under
no obligation to provide salvation. On the other hand, “God is love,” and in
the exercise of his unselfishness he could show and has consistently shown
mercy to mankind by providing salvation through Christ. Mercy is loving-
kindness extended by Jehovah to those under condemnation (and justly so) and
subject to destruction. God has shown mercy to mankind in what manner? By
providing redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ.–John 3:16,17.
In order to be just must God extend mercy to every creature? No.
Those who are willing and deliberate opposers of God would not accept his mercy
if extended to them; and certainly Gori would not extend mercy to such
opposers, and he does not. Furthermore, mercy is not the result of the exercise
of justice, but is the exercise of loving-kindness when such attribute may be
exercised consistently with justice. “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but
Esau have I hated.”–Romans 9:13.
Jacob was faithful and obedient to God. His brother Esau spurned
the goodness of God and died without mercy. (Hebrews 12:16,17) God foreknew
that Jacob would remain faithful; and hence Jacob was used to picture that
class of persons who receive the mercy of God and continue faithful and
obedient unto God. God also foreknew that Esau, because of his selfishness,
would prove to be the enemy of God; and which he did, and therefore with Esau
God made a prophetic picture of a class of persons who refuse to continue in
faith and obedience unto God. Was there any unrighteousness on the part of
Jehovah God in so doing? Certainly not. Concerning this it is written in the
Scriptures: “What shall we say then ? Is there unrighteousness with God? God
forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and
1 will have compassion on whom 1 will have compassion. So then it is not of him
that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.”–Romans
9:14-16.
Jehovah’s rule of action, or law, is unchangeable. (Malachi 3:6)
His mercy is extended to all who comply with his fixed rules. The result to the
wicked and unfaithful is stated in these words: “The Lord preserveth all them
that love him; but all the wicked will he destroy.”– Psalm 145:20.
The man who begins to fear God is gaining some wisdom. The fear of
Jehovah God means to hate evil and to love that which is right. (Proverbs 8:13)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. (Psalm 111: 10;
Proverbs 1:7) Therefore the man who fears God, within the meaning of the
Scriptures, begins to have some knowledge and to go in the right way, which is
the way of wisdom. ‘‘Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him,
upon them that hope in his mercy.” (Psalm 33:18) What rule of God, then, must
be followed by the creature who would receive God’s mercy? The rule laid down
by the Scriptures is, Faith in God and in Christ Jesus and obedience to the
commandments of the Lord. Such is the way that leads to life, because that is the
right way and because God’s commandments are right and righteous: “Thy
righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.”
(Psalm 119:142) Therefore it is written in the Scriptures: “Without faith it is
impossible to please [God].” (Hebrews 11:6) The mercy of Jehovah God to the
creature who is a sinner by inheritance is granted only to those who believe on
God and on Christ Jesus; as it is written: “The Father loveth the Son, and hath
given all things into his hand. He that be- lieveth on the Son hath everlasting
life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of
God abide th on him.”-John 3:35,36.
The purchase price of the human race is the precious blood of
Christ Jesus, poured out unto death for as many as believe and obey the
commandments of the Lord. To that divine rule there is no exception. Those who
receive the benefit of that rule and who continue in faith and obedience
receive salvation unto life everlasting.
WHO HAS SHOWN FAITH
Can God put on the earth men who, when subjected to the severest
test put upon them at the hand of Satan, will under such test maintain their
integrity by remaining true and faithful to Jehovah God? That is the question
raised by the wicked challenge of Satan. (Job 2:1-6) Failure to maintain one’s
integrity toward God. means death, “everlasting destruction.” Maintaining one’s
integrity toward God means life. To understand and appreciate salvation to
life, that question raised by the challenge of the Devil must always be kept in
mind. If salvation were granted to man in the absence of the test, no
opportunity would be afforded to adequately prove the matter and settle the
question at issue.
It necessarily follows that Satan must have a free hand to put the
test upon men. Since imperfect men cannot successfully cope with Satan, it
follows that such men must have some help. God has provided that needed help to
…