The Watchtower, September 1, 1917
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VOL XXXVIII
BROOKLYN, N. Y., SEPTEMBER 1, 1917
No. 17
THE BOND OF PERFECTION
" And besides all these things, put on love; it is the bond of completeness; and let the peace of the Anointed preside in your
hearts, for which you were also called in one body; and be thankful. ' ; — Colossians 3 :14, 15, Diaglott.
The children of God, walking toy faith, rejoice in the hope
of the glory of God, and all along their journey are striving to
put on the bond of perfection, which is love. To aid us in the
development of the likeness of our Lord and Master, God has
given us in his Word many great and precious promises.
Love is an inexhaustible sirbject. Only when we have attained
to that perfect state which Gad has promised as a reward
to those who love him supremely shall we be able to love
as we ought and to manifest it as we desire.
The Apostle Paul, a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, was
wholly devoted to the Lord and his righteous cause; and possessing
a keen -desire to build up the brethren in the most holy
faith, he wrote much to them concerning love. Since he tells
us it is the bond of perfection, we can with profit meditate
much upon the subject.
What is love? It is the greatest and grandest attribute
of character possessed by any creature. The Scripture declares
, "God is Love." This does not mean that Love i3 God,
but that in Jehovah is found the perfect expression of love.
The Scriptures show that there is a distinction between
our love for God and our love for the brethren. It is well
that we get this distinction clearly in our minds, that we may
analyze the subject and have a deeper appreciation thereof.
Love for God may be defined as a worshipful adoration of Jehovah
, a fellowship of spirit, and a joyful submission to his
holy will because of our reverence for him and gratitude to
him as the Almighty One, for what he has done for us.
WHY IW> WE LOVE GOD?
We believe that our heavenly Father is pleased with an intelligent
worship of him. The Apostle Peter tells us that we
should be able to give a reason for the hope that is in us. ( 1
Peter 3:15) We should likewise be able to give the reason
why we love Jehovah. The reason that must appeal to our
minds is the reason which we find in the Word of the Lord.
Sweeter than all things else is love. The human race has
had only a taste of that which pertains to life, and never the
enjoyment of life with the right thereto, since Adam forfeited
that right. Any one who would give to us the thing that we
chiefly desire would merit our deepest gratitude. Desiring life,
death has ever been the certain portion of man. Desiring love,
how few have found its satisfaction! Behold the unselfish
desire of God to do good to man, to give him a supreme exon
him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John
3 j 16) It would be impossible for one to truly love God without
having a knowledge of him; and as a man with a reverential
mind increases in knowledge of the gracious and loving
character of* Jehovah, his love necessarily increases.
WHO 18 GOD?
Who is the great and mighty One who has taken cognizance
of us to provide a means whereby we may obtain life? — the
Giver of this unspeakable gift provided for all his obedient
creatures? Answer: He is the great First Cause, without beginning
and without ending, "from everlasting to everlasting/'
It is he who created all things for his pleasure and for the Joy
of those who will love and serve him faithfully. All creation
bespeaks his justice, wisdom, love and power. Truly did David,
the sweet musician and singer of Israel, say to him: "The
heavens relate the glory of God, and the expanse telleth of
the works of his hands; day unto day uttereth speech, and night
unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech; there are
no words ; their voice is not heard ; but their melody extendeth
through all the earth and to the end of the world their words.
For the sun hath he set a tabernacle among them." — 'Psalm
19:1-5, Leeser.
As a youthful shepherd David reveled in the visible- creation
of God. With the field for his bedchamber, with probably
a sheepskin for his mattress and a stone for his pillow, he gazed
into the expanse above him with the naked eye and beheld the
myriads of stars moving noiselessly through space, and his own
heart was moved to adoration and praise, and with reverential
mind he gave utterance to these words of worship and devotion
What might one say if he could behold all the wonders of
God's creation? By the use of modern appliances, scientists
tell us that they are able to measure the distance to the sun,
and even to the Pleiades, supposed to be the throne of Jehovah.
They tell us that millions of planets— which are merely the
satellites of great suns and which have their own satellites —
have been discovered by the use of such ■ instruments ; and
doubtless if man could stand on the outer rim of the orbit of
the farthest world that has been discovered, and gaze on into
space with even stronger instruments, millions more of God's
wonderful suns with their retinue of planets would appear.
As we have in mind the visible creation of Jehovah and
pression of his love by making provision whereby these deep contemplate its wonders, beyond all that man can comprehend,
fully gratified! "God so loved the world we begin to have a deeper appreciation of the works of King
longings may yet be
that he gave his Only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth
David, when he said on another occasion, "0 Lord, how mani-
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THE WATCH TOWER
Brooklyn, N. Y.
fold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all! The
earth is full of thy riches! So is this great and wide sea,
wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great
beasts The glory of the Lord endureth forever; the Lord
shall rejoice in his works. T will sing unto the Lord as long aa
I live; 1 will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
My meditation of him shall be^sweet; 1 will be glad in the
Lord."— Psalm 104:24, 25, 31, 33, 34.
Language is a poor vehicle to convey our conception of
God ; and yet our conception is as nothing compared to what
he really is. This is the Mighty One who takes cognizance
of man. Who, then, beholding his power and wisdom, would
not reverence this great One? He who possesses a reverential
mind is led indeed to adore and worship such a God. It was
his beloved Son Jesus who said, "This is life eternal, that they
might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent." (John 17:3) If to know him and his beloved
Son means life, and life in perfection, the greatest thing
that we desire, then why should not all with eagerness seek a
knowledge of Jehovah and of his Son? Truly, if mankind knew
the Lord, the earth would be filled with the creatures who
would love and adore him.
But for six thousand years the adversary has blinded man
to the goodness of God. " As St. Paul declares, "The god of
this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe
not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who
is the image of God, should shine unto them," — 2 Corinthians
4:4.
GOD'S GEE AT PLAN OP REDEMPTION
Let us review some of the reasons why we should have
gratitude and why we should worship and adore Jehovah and
obey his holy will. Created in the image of God, man lost this
by disobedience. In sorrow he went forth to battle against his
many foes, and to battle thus unto death. There was no way
for him to regain life by his own efforts. But Jehovah in his
own due time and in the exercise of his wisdom and lovingkindness
sent his dearly beloved Son to redeem man from death.
This he did at great cost to himself. He gave up the dearest
thing to his heart — that great and unspeakable gift, his Only
Begotten! St. John tells us, "In this was manifested the love
of God toward us, because that God sent his Only Begotten
Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein
is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:9, 10)
All this Jehovah did for us without our knowledge, yea, even
before our existence. Abstractly, then, we may define love as
an unselfish desire to do good, and to do good without regard
to whether the recipient knows or does not know of it. This
love may include the sentiment of appreciation, or it may be
only a sympathetic desire to aid, its scope depending upon the
object loved.
HEAVENLY CAUSING OF THE GOSPEL AGE
God foreordained before the foundation of the world that
Christ Jesus should be the Redeemer and King of the world,
and that he should have associated with him in this great work
144,000, designated as members of his body and as his bride.
He did not call the angels of heaven to this high and honored
place, but his call was issued to some from the children of
men. This call was an invitation. Jesus, having ascended into
heaven, opened the way to life and immortality! and then the
invitation went out, calling some to become j oint-aacrificers
with him and to share his glory. In phrase more beautiful than
human tongue could form, Jehovah sent this call: *'Hearken,
O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also
thine own people and thy father's house; so shall the King
greatly desire thy beauty; for he is thy Lord, and worship thou
him." (Psalm 45:10, 11) Never was a proposal of marriage
couched in phrase so sweet! Thus he called us out of darkness
into his marvelous light! He called us to a heavenly calling,
to be kings ajid priests unto him and unto Christ, and to reign
with Christ in glory ; to be joint heirs with him in all blessings
to be received at the hands of Jehovah in the ages to come.
Those who hear and respond to this call by fully consecrating
themselves to do the will of Jehovah he begets to the divine
nature. (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3, 4) Such also he
anoints at the same time to the high office of kings and priests ;
and this anointing enables such to grasp the deep things of
God's Word. (1 Corinthians 2:9, 10) "The anointing which
ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that
any man teach you; but as the same anointing teacheth you of
all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath
taught you, ye shall abide in him." — 1 John 2:27.
Foreknowing the church, God aforetime made provision for
their feeding and nourishing. He caused to be prepared for
their benefit the expression of his will, which is set forth in
the holy Scriptures: "For whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning, that jve through patience
and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." {Romans
15:4) All the types and shadows recorded in the Old
Testament and all the exceeding groat and precious promises
of the New Testament God provided for our benefit — "according
as his divine power hath given unto us things that pertain
unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that
hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might
be partakers of the divine nature."
COMFOBTS, PROTECTS AND DELIVERS
The Lord foreknew that the church would ha\e many trhN
and sorrows, and that in these they would need comforting
assurances; hence lie provided in his Word for all such need-*.
And it is his will that we in turn use this same comfort which
we receive to comfort and bless others who journey with us
in the narrow way. St. Paul, having this in mind, exultantly
exclaimed, "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who
comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to
comfort them which are in trouble, by the comfort wherewith
vc ourselves are comforted of God." — -2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.
In addition to till this, our dear Father protects us from
the evil one; He gives us the assurance that thus he will do.
"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that
reverence him, and delivereth them." (Psalm 34:7) "There
shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh
thy dwelling." (Psalm 91:10) King David was a type of
the Christ, head and body. David means "beloved, " and he
prophetically expressed the sentiment of our hearts when he
said, "I will love thee, O Jehovah, my Strength; the Lord is
my rock [solid foundation! and my fortress [invulnerable to
any enemy's attack] and my deliverer; my God, my strength,
in whom I will trust; my buckler and the power of my salvation
, and my high tower. [In this tower the Christian can see
what others cannot see, because he is above them,] I will call
upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be
saved from mine enemies." (Psalm 18:1-3) Again says King
David, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits
—the God of my salvation!" (Psalm 68:19) "Bless the
Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits." — Psalm 103 : 2,
WHY WE LOVE OtTR LORD JESUS
In all that God has done for us, Jesus has been his honored
instrument. In every purpose and work the Father and the Son
are one. All things are of the Father; all things are by the
Son. {1 Corinthians 8:6) If a man of great wealth should
give one of us a million dollars that we might use it to the
Lord's glory, we should feel very grateful to such an one. But
if he would give us all of his millions, and in addition would
devote his life, with ua, in proclaiming the Message of Messiah's
glorious kingdom, surely our hearts would respond with gratitude
and love to him!
But Jesus did far greater things for us than this. "For ye
know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was
rich, for your Bakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty
might be rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9) He was rich in heavenly
honor, glory and power. By him were all things made, and he
enjoyed the glories and blessings of the heavenly realm. All
this he left, and took upon himself the form and nature of
man, and then surrendered his humanity to the most ignominious
death known, in order that we might have life.
It was Jesus himself who said: "Greater love hath no man
than this, that a man lay down his' life for his friends; and
ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you." (John
15:13, 14) He shed his blood for us; and all who become his
friends receive the benefit of the merit of that sacrifice, which
leads to life everlasting in a state of supreme happiness. Man
comes into the world with burdens; and as he journeys along
life's Way his burdens increase until he finds the Lord, who
graciously says: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are
heavy-laden, and I will give you rest/ 1 (Matthew 11:28)
His love prompts him thus to do.
HIS BRIBE AND JOINT-HBIB
God instituted the relationship of bride and bridegroom.
It is the sweetest relationship known to mankind. From the
time of the betrothal contract between the bridegroom and
bride, they both look forward with sweet anticipation to the
full consummation of their agreement. The Prophet of the
Lord foretold this beautiful relationship between Jesus and
the church, and speaking to the prospective bride as the
mouthpiece of the Bridegroom, said, "I will betroth thee unto
me in righteousness [and since she has no righteousness or
wedding garment of her own, Jesus provides it], and in justice
and in loving-kindness and in mercies [suggestion of his own
beautiful attributes of 'character, which she must also work
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out in her character, while wearing and at the same time embroidering
the wedding garment] ; I will even betroth thee unto
me in faithfulness [suggesting that she as well as lie must be
true and loyal to the end], and thou shalt know Jehovah. "
(Hosea 2:19, 20) Thus the Bridegroom offers her the wonderful
blessing of being associated with himself forever in unspeakable
joy, and as an additional reward, that she shall
know the great and mighty God of the universe, the One who
inhabiteth eternity.
AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST
To be an ambassador of a government, such as that of the
United States, to foreign courts, is a position greatly desired
by honorable men. To be an ambassador of the King of kings
and Lord of lords in this world, to whom the message of reconciliation
is committed to be delivered to the peoples of earth,
is an honor not within the comprehension of the human mind,
and is greatly to be desired above all honors that could be conferred
by any official position upon this earth. Such an honor
the Apostle Paul declares Jesus grants unto every one of his
followers who love him and manifest their love for him. — 2
Corinthians 5:20.
THE PROOF OF OUR LOVE
How may we know that we love God and love the Lord
Jesus? It will not always do to rely upon our feelings, because
feelings are deceptive. Sometimes we feel joyful and
exuberant, and at other times exactly the reverse. We must
have more certain proof than this. "Jesus said, If a man love
me he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and
we will come unto him and make our abode with him. He
that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings." "If ye love me,
keep my commandments." (John 14:23, 24, 15) "This proves
our love to God — that we keep his commandments with joyful
heart."— 1 John 5:3.
The foregoing Scriptures approve of the element given in
the definition of love as it applies Godward; namely, a worshipful
adoration for God and the Master, a reverence for him, and
gratitude to him for what he has done for us, bringing a joyful
submission to his will. Wbo could know these precious
things bestowed upon us by our Father and fail to love such
a God and Father!
LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN
The more we understand the love of God and of Christ
Jesus as manifested for us, and the more we increase in our
love for them, the greater the necessity appears to us for
loving the brethren, and the greater desire we have for the
perfection of our love toward them.
Love for the brethren may be defined as an unselfish desire
to do them good, an affectionate and tender regard, and a
kinship of spirit; and this in proportion as we see the manifestation
of the spirit of the Master. If we possess this love,
we shall desire to do good to the brethren, even to the degree
of sacrificing our own interests, having in mind the one purpose
of building up the brethren in the most holy faith, that
they may grow more and more into the likeness of the Lord.
The comprehensiveness of this heavenly love is shown in the
words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:13-21.
WHY SHOULD WE LOVE THE BRETHREN?
Our love or lack of love for the brethren will prove the extent
of our love for the Lord. When we have the proper appreciation
of the fact that the brethren in Christ are really
a part of the Christ, and when we appreciate what it means to
love God and to love Jesus, our hearts will increase in love
for the brethren. Jesus said that the proof of our love for
him and for the Father would be made known by the manner
in which we keep his commandments. Among his commandments
is a very important one. He said to his disciples, "A
new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another :
as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this
shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love
one to another*" (John 13:34, 35) To what extent shall we
love one another? Jesus answers: "This is my commandment,
That ye love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12)
The love of Jesus for us was an unselfish love, a sacrificial love,
a desire to do us good, with no thought of reward from us.
And he did this at a great cost to himself. This is the kind
of love he says we must have for the brethren — a sacrificial
love.
The Apostle Paul tells us that if any man be in Christ
Jesus he is a new creature, and that henceforth "we know
no man after the flesh," but know him as a new creature. (2
Corinthians 5:16, 17) This would mean, then, that we should
love each other as new creatures in the Lord. If we were required
to love each other because of physical appearance, that
might often be a great difficulty. But the new creature in
Christ should love his brother because of the spirit of the Lord
in him and manifested by him. And as we grow more in the
likeness of our Lord, we thus cause the brethren to love us
more.
SOME OF OUR TESTS
The Apostle Paul, giving an analysis of love in 1 Corinthians
13, points out that it is the crown of all the fruits and
graces of the spirit. He emphasizes the fact that we may
possess all knowledge of the Scriptures and have the ability
to present them to others, may make full sacrifice of all our
time, strength and energy, even to the giving up of our lives,
and yet if we have not love, we have profited nothing. In our
text he points out that love is the bond of perfection. In the
context he has called attention to other qualities of character
that we must develop, and then adds that if we would be perfect
we must put on love; and that if we do this, the peace of
Cod which passeth all understanding shall keep our hearts-and
minds through Christ Jesus.
So, then, \i love is the chief of all the attributes of character
to be developed, it follows that love must be put to the
most severe tests. Tests are for the purpose of demonstrating
that one possesses an approved character.
Our love for Cod and for the Lord Jesus will be tested in
the manner of our obeying the will of God — whether we do
this in a joyful manner or not. In proportion as we have and
maintain our love for the Lord, in that proportion will our
joy increase in the performance of his will. We can see how
many have fallen under this test. Once ambassadors of the
Great King, they became ashamed of the Gospel of Christ
Jesus and him crucified, and desired more the plaudits of men.
They failed, therefore, in keeping the commandments of the
Lord. The Apostle sets us an example, saying: "I am not
ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth." — Rom. 1:16.
The Lord Jesus put to the test the love of the Apostle
Peter. He said to him, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me
more than these? He saith unto him, yea, Lord, thou knowest
that I love thee. He [Jesus] saith unto him, Feed my lambs."
Again a second and then the third time, Jesus said, "Simon,
lovest thou me? And Simon answered, Lord, thou knowest all
things. Thou knowest that I love thee! He saith unto him,
Feed my sheep.'* (John 21:15, 17) What a wonderful lesson
is in this for all the brethren who are elders in the various
classes 1 If we see pride developing in our hearts, a disposition
to put aside the food that the Lord has given with which to
feed -the lambs and the sheep and Jo substitute something of
our own, in order that we might shine before men, or a disposition
to neglect the lambs and the sheep in helping them with
the food, then this would prove that we were not standing the
test being placed upon us. Addressing the elder?, the Apostle
said, "Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and to all the
flock over which the holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to
feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with the blood
of his own."— Acts 20:28.
Upon what food should the elders and leaders feed the
ecclesias? How did the teachers, as well as the ecclesias get
their knowledge of God's plan? Did not Jesus declare that
when he came at his second advent He would provide for the
household of faith through his chosen servant the food which
should be "meat in due season" for them? This being true
{and all who accept present truth must admit that it is true),
then any disposition to depart therefrom and to encourage the
flock to look elsewhere for spiritual development would prove
that the test of faithfulness to the Lord and his flock was
not being properly met. We observe this test being put upon
the classes everywhere. Let us, then, take heed to ourselves
that we prove our love for the Lord and for his "little ones"
by keeping his commandments with a joyful heart and in safeguarding
the interests of the little ones of the Lord.
A FINAL FIERY TEST
More than a quarter of a century ago our attention was
called to the fact through The Watch Tower that one of the
final and crucial tests that would come to the church would be
the test of our love for the brethren. Do we not see this test
being applied? Jesus said, applying his words to the time
of his second presence, in which time we are now living, "Because
iniquity shall abound, the love of the many shall wax
cold." (Matthew 24:12) The word "iniquity" is derived from
the word "inequity," and literally means injustice. There can
be no love without justice first. We must be just before we are
generous; and any act of injustice toward a brother shows a
lack of love.
After we have been for some time in the narrow way our
powers of discerning between justice and injustice are keener
than, when we first believed, and when we see injustice on the
part of another, it has a tendency to dampen our love for such
an one. How often do we hear one say, "I am surprised that
& brother or sister would be guilty of thus and so! It seems
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THE WATCH TOWER
Brooklyn, N. Y.
a strange thing that we should have such trials among us." To
this the Apostle Peter answers: ''Beloved, be not surprised at
the fire among you, occurring to you for a trial,- as though
some strange thing was befalling you." — 1 Peter 4:12.
THE REMEDY TO BE APPLIED
We are sure that it ia the desire of all the truly consecrated
to be overcomers, to grow in the likeness of our Lord and
Master and to put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
How, then, may we do this, and what shall we do when we see
these imperfections in the brethren which bring such a fiery
trial amongst us? The Lord directed St. Peter to answer thi~s
question. "Above all things have fervent love among yourselves
, because love covereth a multitude of defects." (I Pet.
4:8) The word "fervent" here means overspreading or 'covering
up. In other phrase, the Apostle Peter says: Your brother
has defects, and so have you; do not be looking at these defects
, but look at him as you would desire to have him look
at you — as a new creature in Christ. Have amongst you this
overspreading love which covers these multitudes of defects.
Sometimes we hear of a brother who has served a class as
elder for a number of years, and the class drops him from
eldership for a period of a few months, subsequently again
electing him to the position of elder; and he, believing that
they have done him an injustice by setting him aside for a
season, refuses to serve. Thus is his love for the Lord and for
the brethren put to the test His conduct shows that he is
not standing the test as he should. The opportunity for service
should be accepted and used as unto the Lord. The Apostle
Paul shows us the proper attitude, saying, "And I will very
gladly spend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly
I love you the less I am loved." (2 Corinthians 12:15) By
so doing we manifest a love for God and for Christ Jesus and
an unselfish desire to serve the brethren, and thereby we prove
our love for them also. Growing in this love we shall ultimately
be united in the bond of perfection. As thus we develop the
precious fruit of the spirit, the peace of God will keep our
minds and hearts through Christ Jesus.
LOVE FOR OUR ENEMIES
The Lord Jesus commanded that we should love our enemies,
(Matthew 5:44, 46; Luke 6:27-32) If every one loved his
enemies, soon there would be no enemies, During the Millennial
reign of Christ many enemies will be transformed by being
gradually raised up to perfection of character, where love
will take the place of hatred. Those who remain perverse will
be destroyed utterly. The Lord commands that the Christian
shall now develop in his heart this feeling of love toward his
enemies.
In what way shall we love our enemies? With a love of
fellowship, a sympathetic love? We answer, No; we have no
sympathy with those who do not love God, and who are pursuing
a wrongful course. How, then, shall we love them ? We
answer, With a pity-love. We are to have sympathy for them.
"God commendeth his love toward us in that when we were yet
sinners Christ died for us/' He pitied mankind in their fallen
condition. So, we must have in our hearts a keen desire to do
good even to our enemies, if the opportunity presents itself.
And even though they persecute us and say all manner of evil
against us falsely for Christ's sake, and defame the good name
of the Lord Jesus and of the brethren, yet we should remember
that in blindness and ignorance they do it. Pity them for it.
and leave their judgment to the Lord.
THE REWARD OF THE FAITHFUL
As we journey along in the narrow way, walking by faith.
hoping for the glory of God, let us keep in mind the words
of the Apostle Paul: "And now abideth faith, hope, love.
these three; but the greatest of these is love.' 5 And having
this in mind let xis progress unto the point of perfection in
Christ Jesus. Thus doing we have the blessed assurance of the
reward which God has in store for those that love him. The
tests are now severe. We should expect it to be thus. These
tests will grow in severity; but if we keep in mind the great
reward which God has offered us, they will seem as nothing. As
St. Paul puts it, These are but light afflictions and endure only
for a moment, and are working out for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory. — 2 Cor, 4:17.
"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard neither have entered
into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for
them that love him!" How wonderful must be the glories of
the kingdom of our God! How ^ranscendently beautiful thp
things that he has in reservation for those who prove their
loyalty even unto death, and who come off "more than conquerors
" through the merit of him that bought lis with his
precious blood! To such the Lord says through the Apostle,
"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation [tests], for
when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the
Lord hath promised to them that love him." "Hearken, my
beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world,
rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised
to them that love him!" — .Tames 1:12; 2:5.
THE SON ALONE SETS FREE
( If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. } '—John 8:36.
Jesus was here addressing Jews. They had the impression
that they were free; but Jesus told them to the contrary, that
they were still slaves, still in bondage. The Apostle Paul states
that the entire race of Adam are slaves, sold under sin, sold
into bondage. He explains that father Adam was the original
transgressor, and that the sentence passing on him became
a disability upon all his race, upon all human rights. "For
by one man's disobedience many were made sinners." (Romans
5:19) If any of Adam's children had been able to live
above sin, and could have said, "Lord, even though Adam gave
me an imperfect organism, yet I have kept thy law," we understand
that such an individual would have been granted life
everlasting. But no human being" could do this. "There is
none righteous, no, not one." (Romans 3:10) God's requirement
is that his law shall be kept fully. Although a member
of the fallen race might keep the law in his mind, he could
not keep it in his flesh.
The Son has not as yet fully set any free. There is neither
a free man nor a free woman in the world, in the full sense
of that term. Even God's children realize that they have imperfections
in the flesh; but they hope for the time when they
shall be fully released from them. The Bible tells us that
this time will come at the moment of our perfection in the
resurrection, when we shall be made like our Lord and have
perfect bodies. The most that we can have at the present time
is freedom of mind. Mankind has been in bondage to sin,
shackled by the fallen nature inherited from their forefather,
Adam.
For nearly two thousand years God had a special arrangement
with the one nation of Israel. He proposed that this
disability, which was resting upon the whole world, should
be removed from Israel, and that he would not treat them
the same as the rest of the world, but that they might be freed
from condemnation and come back into his family, upon certain
conditions stipulated. They thought this was a favorable
offer, and that they would get a great blessing from it. The
Lord had in mind that he would teach them a very important
lesson, and that he would teach the angels and all of us the
same great lesson ; namely, that they who go into sin cannot
get free except in the way God has provided — and this way
is through the sacrifice of Christ.
DISABILITY TYPICALLY REMOVED
So God made this covenant with the Jews, and agreed with
them that if they would thenceforth walk in his ways and keep
his statutes he would be gracious to them and blesa them, and
they should be his people'. He made this provision for them
in a typical way through typical sacrifices. But we see that
this provision for sins was not one which really canceled the
sins. The typical cancelation of original sin for the Jews was
merely for a year in advance. It did not remove the disability
entirely but merely relieved the nation therefrom for another
year. They were unable through the year to keep the law,
and the Lord's arrangement each year was in order that they
might have another year of trial. Their sins were typically
canceled afresh.
If any one should keep the law, then the blessing of life
w 7 ould go to him. If he failed to keep the law, then he would
fail to gain the blessing promised on that condition. Year by
year the Israelites tried to prove themselves worthy of eternal
life. But the sin was deeper than the surface. It was not
merely a weakness of intention, but of character. They could
not keep the Law; and God wished them to know it, and wished
us to know it. They nevertheless had a great blessing in the
law, so that, when Christ came, they were the most advanced
nation in the world, head and shoulders above all others.
Having the only true religion, they had the blessings which go
with true religion, aa far as they had faithfully conformed
their lives to it.
When Jesus came to the Jews, he accomplished a great
work, which the Father had given him to do. The Father
had promised to bless the world, and he sent his Son that he
might accomplish this work of blessing through sacrifice. The
death of Christ was the basis of all the real setting -free of
the Jews and of all mankind from the death sentence that was
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19*7
THE WATCH TOWER
(264-258)
upon them. It was the basis of setting the Jew free not only
from the Adamic penalty, but from the Sinaitic law additionally
. As a part of the Adamic family, the curse of death
was upon the Jew. The curse was not removed by Moses (for
Moses was not able to remove it) , or by anything that anybody
had done prior to the coming of Jesus,
THE CURSE OF THE LAW
But the work of Jesus was so broad as to clear everything
against any and all. Ordinarily, it would have been sufficient
that Jesus should die in any manner; for the penalty upon
Adam was merely that he should die. Therefore Jesus, to become
the Redeemer of man, would have needed only to die.
But the Jew had a special curse, or penalty, in the taw, to
bo visited upon extreme cases of criminality. It read: "Cursed
is every one that hangeth on a tree." (Galatians 3:13) So
in order to redeem every Jew, it was necessary that Christ
should suffer the extreme penalty that would come upon any
Jew. This is the reason, the Apostle assures us, that Christ
must be made a curse by hanging on a tree. He was not made
n curse for the Gentiles, but for the Jews only.
PURCHASE PRICE FOR WORLD NOT YET PAID
However, the death of Christ was the one great settlementprice
necessary for the sins of the whole world. But when
Jesus died, the Just for the unjust, it did not bring us to God.
It was only after he rose and ascended into the presence of
God — entering the Most Holy, even heaven itself — and appeared
in God's presence on behalf of those who would be of the
church class, that the sins of these could be covered. The world
has not yet been brought to God. Christ's merit has not yet
been applied for them. The time for bringing the world back
to God will be the next age — now, thank God, almost here!
God's provision is that for a thousand years Christ will
reign to bring the world into harmony with Jehovah. Some
Trill need great chastisement, many stripes. It will be the
work of that thousand years to instruct, to correct and to bring
back to God as many as shall be willing to return. Their wills
must come into harmony. But the matter will be left to their
own decision. Many may then desire to be in harmony with
God who do not now have this desire. One very important feature
of Jesus' work during the Millennium will be to make
known the marvelous riches of God's grace, that all may know
Jehovah God, from the least of them to the greatest. They will
have an opportunity to come back into that condition of mind
and body which was originally possessed by the perfect man,
plus all the experience gained during the six thousand years'
reign of Sin.
ONLY THE LOYAL WILL BE RECEIVED
The work of Christ will not be accomplished for the world
when they are awa-kened from death; that will be only a
preliminary step. It will be necessary for them to be instructed
, to be chastised for sinful character and to be blessed
for any well-doing, etc., and thus brought back to God. But
the race will not become wholly free until the end of the thousand
years, because each degree of alienation is so much of
bondage that came upon them through Adam's fall — they are
weak mentally, morally and physically. Mankind needs to be
lifted out of all this degradation. Separation from God, alienation
of mind, through disobedience, brought about the original
bondage. And so we read that at the end of the Millennial age
Christ will present to the Father all who are worthy.
But the Scriptures assure us that any who fail to come
back into harmony during the Millennium will not be delivered
over to the Father, but will be destroyed during the Millennial
reign. The Father does not desire any such. At the close of
the Millennium, the Father will give all of the perfected ones
a final test. He will say, "I condemned these once to death.
I will receive back into harmony with myself only those who
love righteousness and hate iniquity — none others. Those who
again yield to sin will be cut off in the second death."
The Apostle tells us, in Romans 8:21, that "the creation
itself shall be delivere4 from the bondage of corruption into
the glorious liberty of the sons of God." This has reference
to the human creation. It shall be delivered from death and
from slavery to sin during the thousand years, by the great
Emancipator who has already begun the work of purchasing
the race, and who will complete the work in the near future,
and will thus have a full right to deliver his purchased possession
This is the glorious liberty wherewith all who accept God's
terms shall be made free. This is the freedom wherewith the
Son shall make them free. But we should apply our text
especially to the church, for it was to this class that the Lord
addressed these words. "If the Son, therefore, shall make
you free, ye shall be free indeed." However, the only ones
of any class who will be made free will be those who accept
the terms of salvation.
JEWS FREED IN A DOUBLE SENSE
The Jews will be made free in a double sense; first, free
from the condemnation of the law — upon certain conditions,
They must become dead to the old law, must recognize that
they could never gain life under it. If they will not become
dead to the law, any such cannot gain eternal life. They can
have eternal life in no other way than by accepting Christ's
sacrificial work on their behalf." Some Jews accepted Christ
at the beginning of this age and some have accepted him since.
These realized that the law could not make* them free, could not
make thorn acceptable to God. And so they gave up hope of
attaining anything through the law, and laid hold on Christ,
asking what they must do to have everlasting life. Jesus told
them that they must die to their own will — not only die to
the law — and must take up their cross and follow him and
thereby copy the pattern he set them in his own course. As
many as did this became free. So far as their minds were concerned
, they became new creatures. They had this freedom
of mind in an earthen vessel, however, and they could not do
in the human body all that they wished to do.
But the Lord said that it was a part of the test upon them
that they fight a good fight against the sins of the mortal body.
If they were faithful in fighting a good fight against the flesh,
he would give them proportionate honors on the spirit plane.
This is the requirement of all his disciples. And he promises
that all those who shall overcome shall become associates with
him in his kingdom for the uplifting and blessing of the world
and shall be his peculiar treasure forevermore. All these
were under bondage to sin; all were under the death sentence
—both Jew and Gentile. All these needed to be set free from
sin and death, and the Jew also from the Sinaitic law. It is
the San who sets these free!
GENTILES FREED, BUT NOT FROM THE LAW
How did the Gentile need to be set free? They did not need
to die to the Mosaic law, because they never were alive to
the law, never having been placed under it. But they did need
to accept by faith the fact that Christ had died for their sins,
and they needed to die to sin, and to give up the earthly nature.
To come under the present call, they needed also to present
their bodies living sacrifices, and to take up their cross and
follow Jesus.
All 'true disciples who heed the Word of the great Master,
and continue to be his faithful pupils, are set free, not only
from superstition and ignorance, but also from the service of
sin. They come to have a correct appreciation of their own
natural infirmities and blemishes. They come into harmony
with the divine mind, and love the truth. Hence their freedom
is a great blessing instead of an injury. It brings humility instead
of pride and boastf ulness ; patience and self-control instead
of anger and strife; generosity, benevolence and love
instead of spitef ulness and selfishness; joy and peace instead
of discontent and bitterness of spirit. Truly, the Son alone
can make us free, and he whom the Son makes free is free
indeed!
TO THE WORK
We have received letters of inquiry from many sections of
the field regarding the general condition of the work and the
outlook for the future. The friends everywhere are naturally
very much interested in knowing how the work haa been
progressing since Brother Russell^s passing beyond. The Society
is glad to advise that since January 1 every month has
shown an increase over the corresponding month of the year
1916 and that the eight months — November to June, inclusive
— show a large increase in all of the branches of work
over the same eight months of the previous year. * This seems
to us very strong evidence that the blessing of the Lord has
been resting upon the work centered here at Brooklyn. The
inquiries from those becoming interested are also on the increase
, showing tli at there is a great desire on the part of
many to understand the conditions as they exist in the world
today. Ifoe work at the Bethel and Tabernacle is^in good
order, and the laborers are very desirous of cooperating to
the extent of their ability. The Society believes that the outlook
for the future is very encouraging and trusts, by the
Lord's grace, to see a great deal accomplished during the coming
six months. It urges upon the friends everywhere to put
forth every effort to "work while it is called day." Now is
the opportune time for presenting to our inquiring neighbors
and friends and acquaintances that which will satisfy them as
nothing else could do — viz., the truth. Whether it be by tracts
or Studies in the Scriptures— 4he latter, if possible-^-or the
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T H 11 WATCH TOW E R
Brooklyn, N, V.
Scenarios, let each be diligent to the full extent of his or her
ability. The Society especially recommends the presenting of
the seventh volume to your neighbors— not to the ministers,
because this would only arouse them to more bitter opposition
— hut to those who might have ears to hear. In presenting
the seventh volume it is urged that the other six be mentioned
also that, if possible, the whole seven may be secured. The Society
will be glad to hear from friends everywhere as to their
opportunities. "Go ye also into the vineyard"; "He- that
reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal."
It is urged that those having business with the Pilgrim De
partment, respecting meetings, conventions and funerals, should
address the Society in care of the Pilgrim Dept., otherwise
there is likely to be a delay.
The sending out of the seventh volume has raised the number
of letters received during the last three weeks to 30,000.
This has taxed the office force to the utmost. The Society
would like to make individual acknowledgment of the thouSOME
TIMELY HINTS
sands referring to this volume, but finds this impossible. We
trust the dear friends will accept this as an acknowledgment
of their letters and of the Society's expression of their appreciation
and love. Several hundred volumes have come back
to us due to damaged labels en route. If you have not received
a copy this may be the cause. All orders will receive
prompt attention.
THE GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD
September 30. — Daniel 9:3-19.
DIVINE JUSTICE MANIFESTED — THEN DIVINE LOVE — THE GOSPEL AGE A PABEN THESIS IN THE DIVINE PLAN — THE BLESSINGS COMING
UPON MANKIND DURING THE INCOMING AGE — LOVE TRIUMPHANT OVER JUSTICE — GOD'S SEVERITY ILLUSTRATED IN HIS DEALINGS
WITH ISRAEL — WHY THE LAND OF PALESTINE LAY DESOLATE TOR SEVENTY YEARS — DANIEL \S PRAYER TOR DIVINE MERCY UPON HIS
PEOPLE — KEY TO TIME PROPHECIES.
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. M — Psalm 103:8
God's severity consists in his insistence upon absolute knowledge of the Lord, and understanding of his gracious arrighteousness
— his refusal to approve sin in any degree or
sense. The very first statement of the divine law is that
death, destruction, must be the wage, or penalty, for transgression
against his righteous regulations. For six thousand years
the Lord has maintained his original position — has refused
to sanction sin or to permit sinners to live. At first such' an
unchangeable attitude seems severe, especially when we consider
that all mankind were born in sin and shapen in iniquity,
infested with weakness and surrounded by evil influences. It
seems severe on God's part to insist upon perfection when all
our experiences teach us that it is impossible for fallen humanity
to attain absolute righteousness in deed, word and thought.
Indeed, the Scriptures confirm our experience; for the Apostle
reminds us that "there is none righteous, no, not one."— Romans
3:10.
While the goodness of God is not seen in his severity, yet
they stand side by side, although wholly separate. God's
goodness— his generosity, his mercy, his kindness, his love— is
not manifested in the sentence pronounced upon father Adam in
ISden, nor in the execution of its penalties upon humanity, but
in the ^reat gift of his love— our Lord Jesus Christ and the
redemption provided in him — a redemption coextensive with the
fall of man and the condemnation incurred by our first parents.
The Apostle expresses the thought pointedly in the words: "In
this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that
God sent his Only Begotten Son into the world, that we might
live through him." (I.John 4:9) God's love was not previously
manifested. For more than four thousand years only
the severity, the justice, of the divine character was seen,
although to Abraham and subsequently through the prophets
of Israel a hint was given that God had kindly sentiments
toward the fallen race, which in due time would bring blessings
to all the families of the earth.
THE GOSPEL AGE A PARENTHESIS
The period between our Lord's first and second advents
is in some respects a parenthesis in the divine plan, during
which the church is especially dealt with. The redemption
of the world and its reconciliation with God, based upon divine
goodness expressed in the death of the Redeemer, wait
for further expression to the world until the end of the Gospel
age and the opening of the Millennial age — "the world to
come." When the morning of that new day shall dawn, the
goodness of God will be seen by mankind more distinctly than
ever before.
Indeed, it may be said that as yet the world has seen nothing
of the goodness of God. It has seen merely his severity,
his justice, executed against the entire human family for the
last six thousand years. But a comparatively small proportion
ofmankind has even heard of the grace of God in Christ,
the only "name under heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved." (Acts 4:12) And even those who have
heard to some extent have been measurably deceived by the
great adversary in respect to the nature of the penalty for ain
and the fullness and wideness of the mercy extended to men
in the person of our Redeemer.
In that new dispensation the facts will all be made clear.
The blessings then coming to the world will be those of peace,
righteous government, helpful influences, restraint of evil,
rangements and purposes. All these blessings wdll be most
convincing proofs of God's sympathy with mankind and of his
mercy in Christ. The adversary who now deceives mankind
will then be bound, that he should deceive the nations no more
until the thousand years are finished. The Word of God,
which in general is now a sealed book to the world, will then
be opened; and as a result the knowledge of the Lord shall
cover the whole earth as the waters cover the sea.
Nevertheless, we are not to understand that this triumph
of God's mercy and goodness then displayed will in any wise
imply a change in his character or in his attitude towards sin.
God never changes. (Malachi 3:6) Our Lord Je3us is "the
same yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) When
we come to understand the matter thoroughly, this unchangeablenees
on God's part is a guarantee that the blessings to be
bestowed under his arrangements will be everlasting, unending.
Throughout the Millennial age the goodness and the severity
of God will be displayed side by =dde to every creature. All
must learn the lesson that God is kind, just, generous and full
of blessing to all who are in harmony with him and with the
principles of righteousness, but that he is and always will be
like a consuming fire to all who are not in accord with his
righteous arrangements for all his creatures.
QCABTEELT EEVIEW
In the studies of the past quarter we have an exhibition of
the severity of God's dealings with his covenant people when,
notwithstanding his repeated expostulations, warnings and
chastisements they wilfully pursued a course in violation of
their national vows. Unlike any other nation in the world,
Israel was brought into special relationship w T ith God, He
chose them to be his people, and favored them above all other
nations by giving them his law, by raising up for them judges
and prophets, and by especially guarding and directing them
in so far as they submitted to his will, as well as by warning,
counseling and chastising them when they became disobedient.
On the other hand, Israel as a nation entered into a solemn
covenant with the Lord, saying, "All that the Lord hath spoken
we will do." (Exodus 19:1-8) For the faithful keeping of this
covenant God promised them all manner of earthly blessings
and ample protection from all their national enemies. (Deu-
(teronomy 28:1-14; . Leviticus 26:1-13) But corresponding
curses were pronounced, to go into effect if the people disregarded
their covenant.
It was in fulfilment of this covenant on God's part that
the downfall of Judah came to pass. Backsliding Israel, the
ten-tribe kingdom, had previously been carried away captive.
(2 Kings 17:1-24) Judah had not profited hy this example
of the Lord's displeasure nor by the warnings of his prophets,
but had outrivaled her sister kingdom in corruption. When
her cup of iniquity was full, the Lord poured upon her the
merited punishment, due alike to king and people; for "neither
Zedekiah nor his servants nor the people of the land did
hearken unto the words of the,. Lord which he spake by the
Prophet Jeremiah." — Jeremiah 37:2.
DANIEL'S PRAYER FOB HIS PEOPLE
The seventy years which followed the overthrow of Judah
are frequently referred to as the seventy years of captivity;
but the Scriptures designate them the seventy years of desoia-
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THE WATCH TOWER
(268-269)
tion of the land — a desolation which had been predicted by the
Prophet Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 25:11, 12) The completeness
of the desolation is shown in Jeremiah 39:8-10 and in 2
Chronicles 36:17-21. Although the kin^ of Babylon permitted
certain of the poor of the land to remain, and gave them vineyards
and fields, yet it was the Lord's purpose that the land
of Israel should be desolate for seventy years; and it was so.
Later in the same year the governor whom the king of Babylon
had appointed was slain, and the entire population speedily
removed into Egypt for fear of the wrath of the king of
Babylon.— 2 Kings 25:21-26; Jeremiah 41:1-3; 43:5, 6.
The reason why the land must be desolate for exactly
seventy years is a Very interesting study; and the Scriptures
clearly state it to be "to fulfil the word of the Lord by the
mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths;
for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath to fulfil three
score and ten years." (2 Chronicles 36:21) Tor a detailed
explanation see Studies isr the Scriptures, Vol. 2, Study VI.
The Prophet Daniel was a close student of prophecy. Accordingly
as the seventy years drew to a close he understood
the matter. During this period he had been shown many
visions, as recorded in Chapters 2, 4, 7 and 8 of his prophecy,
all of which showed great prosperity and exaltation to heathen
or Gentile kingdoms. But his special interest was in his own
nation, and he had not been informed concerning Israel's future
. Knowing, however, that the period of Judea's desolation
was nearly complete, he prayed earnestly for the return
of God's favor to his people, and for the fulfilment of the
promise made to the fathers — 'the Abrahamic covenant of blessing
to all the families of the earth.
Daniel saw not the scope of the divine plan as we may
now behold it. Nevertheless his earnestness and his faith in
the promise were pleasing to God, who therefore revealed to
him something more concerning the vision related in Daniel 8^
an increase or further elaboration of it, in the features which
especially pertained to natural Israel. In this former vision a
period of 2300 days had been mentioned. Daniel had misunderstood
this period to mean a prolonging of the seventy years
desolation, and was praying over the matter, as recorded in
today's study.
THE KEY TO TIME PROPHECIES
While he was thus praying, the angel Gabriel was sent
to explain further the misunderstood vision. This explanation
(Daniel 9:20-27) is of great importance for two reasons: (1}
it marks the date of our Lord's first advent; (2) it furnishes
a key to some other prophecies whioh have been hidden in
like manner — a day for a year. This prophecy was so worded
that Denied and other Jews might, if they chose, think it incredible
and in due time forget it; or it might be remembered
by those who "waited for the consolation of Israel," and who
might infer the time to be symbolic. (Ezekiel 4:6) Certain
it was that faithful Israelites knew to expect Messiah. It is
even written that all men were in expectation of him (Luke
3:15), although they were not all able to receive him in the
way he came.
The marked -off period of Jewish history was declared by
Gabriel to be seventy weeks from the going forth of a decree
to build Jerusalem — not the temple, but the city. During this
period the city would be rebuilt under unfavorable circumstances
in troublous times; sin would be finished by the making
of a reconciliation for iniquity; and righteousness would be
established — not like that justification accomplished year by
year with the blood of bulls and goats, but the true and everlasting
righteousness, brought about by the sacrifice of Christ.
Daniel was also informed that he who would introduce the better
sacrifices would thereby cause the typical sacrifices and
oblations of the Law Covenant to cease.
During this period Messiah, the long-expected Savior of
Israel would come; and sixty-nine symbolic weeks are given
as the measure of the time to his presence. After his coming
there would remain one symbolic week, the last, the seventieth
of this promised favor. In the midst of this week, it was
foretold, he would cause the typical sacrifices to cease, by
making "his soul an offering for sin." (Isaiah 53:10-12) These
seventy weeks, or four hundred and ninety days, represented
four hundred and ninety years, each symbolic day representing
a year. And being so fulfilled in this, the only time-prophecy
directly relating to the first advent, it furnishes a key to
other prophecies which were also hidden in symbolic numbers
— a day for a year — until their due time for solution.
It should, be noticed that the sixty-nine symbolic weeks,
or four hundred and eighty-three years, reach unto Messiah
the Prince, and not to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The
Hebrew word .Messiah, corresponding to the Greek word Christ,
signifies the Anointed, and is a title rather than a name. Our
Lord was no? the Anointed, the Messiah, the Christ, until after
his baptism. He was anointed with the holy Spirit immediately
upon coming out of the water. This was when he attained
manhood's estate, which under the law was at thirty
years of age. Hence the sixty-nine weeks, or four hundred
and eighty-three years, ended in the autumn of A. D. 29. Our
Lord's ministry covered three and one-half years, ending with
his crucifixion in the Spring of A. D. 33 — "in the middle of
the week." The remainder of the seventieth week extended, to
the Fall of A. D, 36, the date of the conversion of Cornelius,
the first Gentile to receive the Gospel.
OUR LIGHT AFFUCTION
'We are troubled on every side yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast
down, but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. " — 2 Corinthians 4:8-10.
For others not Christians to be thus troubled would mean
great distress; for these have no hope beyond this present life,
But for Christians to be troubled does not mean that they experience
it to the extent of despair, or of being unreconciled;
for they take their troubles to the Lord in prayer. Jesus is
the great Yoke-fellow of each of his followers, and he bears the
weight of the burden. He has said to them: "Take my yoke
upon you, and learn of me; ... . for my yoke is easy and my
burden is light." (Matthew 11 ;29, 30) And those who have
thus come under the yoke of discipleship have proven the verity
of the Master's word's, and can sing with the spirit:
In our text the Apostle Paul was evidently describing his
own personal experiences, though in a broader sense he meant
also those who were his particular companions. In a still
broader sense, his w T ords would include all followers of Jesus;
for the Master warned us in advance that whoever would live
godly should suffer persecution. The Apostle was finding that
these very sufferings which Jesus had foretold were his own experiences
. — .John 16:2, 3; 2 Timothy 3:12.
All of the Lord's followers do 'not receive persecutions to
the same extent. Some have more trouble, some have less.
These variations seem to depend in some degree on our natural
talents. For those who, like the Lord, are more prominent,
the persecution will be greater. They will be the special
targets at which the enemy will aim their darts. The Apostle
expresses this thought in his Epistle to the Hebrews. There
were some who suffered persecution in a more public way, and
others who shared sympathetically with them, and who suffered
also as their companions. — Hebrews 10:33, 34.
Some may be troubled who are not the open targets of the
enemy. Some may be persecuted and cast out who are not in
the forefront of the battle. They might have avoided this suffering
by disassociating themselves from those who are
prominent in the service, and who are the special objects of
attack and calumny. Thus they might have escaped the
ignominy and contempt which they have received through
…