The Watchtower, September 15, 1918
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Vol XXXIX
BROOKLYN, N. Y., SEPTEMBER 15, 1918
No. IS
THE NEW COVENANT
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah." — Jeremiah 31:31.
The new covenant is the Scriptural name for the new arrangement
between God and man which will be instituted at
the beginning of the age to follow this, and by which God purposes
to receive the world of mankind again into favor with
himself. The covenant relationship which Adam originally enjoyed
with his Maker, and its resultant harmony with him,
was based upon contingent obedience to the expressed will of
God, and was forfeited by disobedience.
This covenant relationship with God was renewed typically
at Mount Sinai, with Israel. (Exodus 19:1-9; 24:3-8) Through
Moses as mediator, God promised that if Israel would keep his
law they should have everlasting life. The inauguration of
that Law Covenant was effected by their mediator, six months
after Israel left Egypt, through the sacrifices of bulls and of
goats; the children of Israel solemnly agreeing to their part
of the covenant. These Atonement Bay sacrifices were repeated
year by year continually; for the blood of bulls and of goats
could never take away sin. (Hebrews 10:1-9) Israel failed to
gain the blessing promised in their Law Covenant. God foreknew
that Israel would fail; but through their endeavors he
was giving an object lesson which would in the future be a
lasting blessing to Israel and to the world.
The mediation of the old Law Covenant brought Israel into
a typical covenant relationship to God. The mediation of the
new Law Covenant will bring not only Israel, but all mankind
who will have come into line with the kingdom arrangements
, into actual covenant relationship. Then each individual
will be finally tested by Jehovah, as Adam was in the beginning
, to demonstrate whether he is worthy of everlasting life.
None who fail to stand the test will be permitted to enter upon
the eternal ages of blessing to follow.
THE EFFECT OF THE "BETTER SACRIFICES"
God will introduce this new Law Covenant through the
Mediator of the New Covenant, Christ Jesus, in whom the entire
arrangement centers, and through whom it will be carried
out. For a period of a thousand years this Mediator will do a
work of mediation for mankind. And he will not only be
Mediator, but will be Priest, Prophet. King, Judge. As
priest, he will uplift and bless humanity and receive the^r
offeringa* (See Tabernacle Shadows, pp. 93-100) As king he
will rule mankind in righteousness; as prophet he will teach
them; as judge he will decide and pass sentence, favorable
or unfavorable. It will require the full thousand years to
bring the people out of their condition of death and degradation,
to restore whosoever will of all mankind to the image and I'kenes
^ of God, lost by Adam in Eden.
The basis of mediation on the part of the better Mediator
will be the "better sacrifices" of this Gospel age. Let us notice
the Apostle's declaration regarding this matter. In referring
to the type, he says, "It was therefore necessary that the
patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these ;
but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than
these." (Hebrews 0:23} The words "heavens" and "heavenly
things" as used in tins text do not refer to spiritual things;
for nothing spiritual is secured by these better sacrifices. Only
human blessings, human rights, are thus secured. The word
"heavens" means "heaved up, or higher"; and in order fro understand
its specific meaning in any text, the word must be
defined in harmony with its context. St. Paul is here contrasting
the types of the Jewish age with the antitypes of
the Gospel dispensation.
In the an ti typical arrangement the sacrifices will never be
repeated. They are offered once for all. Through the "better
sacrifices" the an ti typical Mediator will have the power to
start the world with a clean slate, as it were. Then the work
of uplift, of restitution, will begin. As the Lord declares
through the prophet, "I will take away the stony heart out
of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." — Ezekiel 30:26;
11:19. DEATH UNDER THE NEW ORDER
Thus Adam's Bin and ^condemnation, which came to mankind
by heredity, will no more be remembered by anybody;
that is to say, it will be no more a torturing remembrance.
While the lessons learned by the world through their experiences
with sin and death will never be forgotten, nor their
benefits lost, nevertheless these experiences will cease to distress
mankind. The joys which will then be theirs will swallow
up the sorrows and tears erf the past; and the minds of mankind
will be filled with the wonderful truths, the wonderful
blessings, the glorious new projects and prospects continually
opening before their widening vision. To all eternity the perfected
earth will be filled with a race of happy, perfect beings
in the human likeness of their Lord,
The work of taking away the stony heart, and the giving
of a heart of flesh will be gradual, however. Many will awake
to shame, in proportion to their wilfulness in sin in the past.
But the disciplinary processes of the kingdom will gradually
relieve all who are amenable to the influences of righteousness
and to the work of reformation then instituted. By degrees
their hard-heartedness will disappear, and they will become
more and more tender-hearted and affectionate. No member
of the human race will longer be held accountable for
Adam's sin. In Ezekiel 18:2-4, we read of present conditions
: "Tile fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children
's teeth are set on edge." But during the next m^p the
effects of the sour grape of sin will be gradually eliminated.
Under the new order, whoever dies will die for his own sin, not
for the sin of his fathers.
Since all mankind are in a condition of imperfection, all
will in that day still bo liable to commit sin. The only arrangement
by which they can attain to everlasting life will be
by their adoption into the family of the Mediator — the Christ
— who will quicken their weak mortal bodies. Although no
divine condemnation will hold over against them from their
past, yet only such as come into proper relationship with the
Mediator will receive the divine blessing. Under the New
Covenant the special favors of the Lord will be only for the
obedient. Whoever rejects the opportunities then offered will,
at the close of the first hundred years , be destroyed from
amongst the people. — Isaiah 65:20, Leeser.
THE SEALING OF THE NEW COVENANT
God cannot consistently enter into a covenant with people
who are under his own sentence of death. Under the typical
arrangement of the Law Covenant, the death of bulls and of
goats was accepted as a sacrifice to God ; and the people of
Israel, thus typically cleansed, were enabled to enter into a
typical relationship with him. This did not mean that the
•blood of bulls and of goats was sufficient to take away sin ;
but that it was a typical representation of the real sacrifices,
under the Grace Covenant, the Covenant of Sacrifice.
If the New Covenant were now sealed, then all the Wood
of the covenant must have bee© previously prepared, must have
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been already fully shed. If this were true, then we could have
no chance of sharing in the death of Christ. It is evident,
then, that the New Covenant is not yet sealed. The antitvpical
bullock has been slain, and his blood taken into the Most
Holy. The an ti typical goat is in process of being slain. When
its sacrifice shall have 'been fully completed, its blood will be
sprinkled upon the heavenly Mercy Seat by the great High
Priest, as was the blood of the builock. In other words, the
merit of Jesus, now in the hands of Justice, will then be free
from embargo, and will be applied by our High Priest as an
offset to Adam's sin. At the end of this Gospel age, now about
closed, all the sacrificing will be over, and the great Mediator
will be ready to do the work assigned to him for the world.
Tlie first work of the new dispensation will be the application
of the blood upon the antitypieal Mercy Seat, in heaven,
to make reconciliation for the sins of "all the people" — the entire
race of Adam. Until that shall have been done, the New
Covenant cannot be inaugurated. This -second presentation of
tlie blood of Jesus, of the merit of his sacrifice, will effect the
sealing, or making valid, of the covenant.
NEW COVENANT BENEFITS WORLD-WIDE
For many centuries the New Covenant has been promised
(Jeremiah 31:31-34), but it has not yet gone into effect. As
soon as the blood of the Atonement shall have been applied for
the sins of all the people, the New Covenant will become operative
. At the beginning of the new dispensation the world
will begin life anew, so to speak. The condemnation resting
upon them for six thousand years will have been canceled. Satisfaction
to Justice will have been made for Adam and for his
posterity, who fell in him. All the resultant blessings are to
come through the Redeemer's hands, as Mediator. Throughout
the Millennium, all who ever would have life must obtain it
through this great Life-giver. (John 5:21} None can receive
a share of the blessing provided save by the terms of the New
Covenant and by endeavoring to live up to thera. All who
do so will be helped and grante 1 graee sufficient through the
Mediator,
The sprinkling of the blood upon the heavenly Mercy Seat
on behalf of all mankind will take place before restitution begins
, before the legal right to live can be given even to the ancient
worthies. Nevertheless, although the sins of the past
will be fully canceled, whoever would have God's blessing,
God's approval must become "an Israelite indeed" — must become
a believer in God, by believing in the'Mediator, who will
be God's Representative, and by nlacing himself in the hands
of the Christ for training and uplifting. This law of the New
Covenant will be applicable to every son a-nd daughter of
Adam. Whoever would attain life everlasting must accept
Christ and join this earthly kingdom class; for Christ's kingdom
will rule the world until all sin and all wilful sinners
are destroyed.
The entire race of mankind will receive some benefit from
the New Covenant, irrespective of their acceptance of Christ,
in that they will be awakened from the tomb and be brought
to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-6) The Scriptures
tell us that as by the offense of one man condemnation
passed upon all, so by the obedience of one man the free gift
comes to all, unto justification of life. (Romans 5:12, 18)
Because of the application of Christ's sacrificial merit for all
men, it will be just for God to awaken the world from death
and give all an opportunity to attain justification to perfect
life. This free gift of God through Christ does not guarantee
eternal life to any except upon specific conditions. We would
say, therefore, that the benefits of the New Covenant will be
applicable to everybody in a limited sense. If God had foreseen
that nobody would adopt this arrangement, that fact
would no doubt have altered his plan.
THE SIN UNTO DEATH
At the introduction of the new age, all the accounts against
humanity will have been canceled by divine Justice, and mankind
will be turned over to the Mediator; for if they were
kept under divine Justice, they would immediately be condemned
again, because of their inability to do perfectly. Therefore
the Father will not take cognizance of sinners. For a
thousand years they will be left under the merciful provisions
of the New Covenant. Those who will obediently do their best
will receive all the blessings of the kingdom; and those who
will not become obedient under those conditions will go into
the second death.
During the Gospel dispensation, the only ones who can
commit the sin unto death (1 John 5:16), blasphemy against
the holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31, 32), are those who have
t>een enlightened of the holy Spirit. St. Paul says, "As touching
those who were once enlightened, and tasted of the heavenly
gift, and were made partakers of the holy Spirit, and
tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the age to
come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them unto
repentance." (Hebrews 6:4-0. Rev. Ver.) Their sin would be
wilful; for it would be ''blasphemy against the holy Spirit.*'
Therefore only the church are on trial now. We who have
been begotten of the holy Spirit are on trial for life or death
eternal. Those who now die the second death will have no opportunity
in the future. (Proverbs 21:16) If those now begotten
of the holy Spirit are faithful, they will be granted to
be members of the glorified bride of Christ. Tnose of the spiritbegotten
wiio fail to attain a place in the bride class will, if
overcomers, eventually receive life on a lower plane. They
will be of the great company, the virgins who serve the bride.
(Psalm 45:13, 15) But if they fail to attain either of these
positions, all that remains for Ihem is the second death.
As for the world, their day of judgment, as individuals, has
not yet fully come. They are still in condemnation through
father Adam — not recognized as having any rights at all. Some
of the world are excellent people; but even these have neither
part nor lot in the salvation of the present time. The blessed
arrangement for them is in the Millennial age, when, it they
yield full obedience to Jehovah's Anointed, their sins and their
iniquities will be forgotten.
As the sins of the church are now canceled, so likewise will
the whole world go absolutely free from the condemnation of
Adamic sin ; and they will have all the kingdom opportunities
and privileges, it they accept of Christ, the great Mediator.
Nevertheless, they will suffer stripes, as a result of the deeds
done in the present life — not as a punishment for their sins,
which have during that time all been remitted, but because of
the habits previously formed, the character developed; for
the weaknesses of the fallen nature will have left wounds,
which will require more or less rigorous treatment in order to
their healing. With the world it will then be true, as now
with the church, that if they shall sin against the spirit of holiness
, the holy Spirit knowingly and wilfully, the penalty
will be a second condemnation — to the second death, destruction
While our Lord Jesus said that all manner of sin would be
forgiven except blasphemy against the holy Spirit, yet the
Pharisees, to whom these words were addressed, could not
commit this sin, because they had not the fulness of knowledge
.— Matthew 12:31, 32; Acts 3:17.
FORGIVENESS OF ADAMIC SIN ABSOLUTE
When God recognizes the satisfaction of justice and cleans
the slate for the sinner race, this does not mean that he has
merely transferred the account to Jesus, who will hold it
against them. Our Lord will not hold against mankind the
things which the Father has forgotten. On the contrary, as
the Representative of the Father, the Lord Jesus will be glad
to give to men the benefit of that forgiveness, merely holding
them at a distance from the Father during the period of their
imperfection, standing between as Mediator, to give whosoever
will of (mankind time for restoration, development of character
, etc., and taking away the stoniness of their hearts and
giving them hearts of flesh.
The Lord through the prophet says, * 'Their sins and their
iniquities will I remember no more." The Apostle Paul call.*
attention to this statement. He points out that under the Law
Covenant this was not done, but that the =sins remained; for
although atonement was made afresh for Israel year by year.
nevertheless the inferior sacrifices could not take away sin.
{Hebrews 8:10-12; 10:1-4, 16, 17) This New Covenant in
Christ, however, will absolutely take away sins. See Jeremiah
31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-29. When mankind becomes n part
of Israel, the promises made to Jews will apply to Gentiles
a-lso- "PBINCES IN ALL THE EARTH'*
The Scriptures tell us that "out of Zion shall go forth the
law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem." { Isaiah 2:3;
Micah 4:2) When the kingdom is set up the ancient worthies
will be made "princes in all the earth." (Psalm 45:16) This
arrangement will appeal first and primarily to the Jew, who
would naturally be the first to come under the new regulations.
We may not say that all the Jews w T ill do so, but that this will
be true of at least a considerable number of them. In time
others of the world will join. There are many well-meaning
people who have not taken the vow of consecration to the
Lord, but who would like to help rather than to hinder others
. Such will in due time attach themselves to the kingdom,
which shall be "the desire of all nations." — Haggai 2:7.
In the case of the ancient"worthies, the earthly "princes ?'
their freedom from imperfection will make them conspicuous
amongst mankind. As the world come to know about theBe,
they will say, "Are not these God's people?" Mankind will perceive
that God has rewarded the ancient worthies by giving
them an instantaneous resurrection to perfect life, and will
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learn that their "better resurrection" was given because of
faithfulness in the past.
EXPIATION OP WHJTJL SIN
Our Lord Jesus, having laid down the ransom price for
the sins of the whole world, has placed it in the hands of Justice
as a deposit, to be held during this Gospel age for the
benefit of the church class. At the end of this age he will apply
it to the cancelation of the claims of Justice against Adam,
which will include all sins due to the fall. Jehovah God will
accept the price and will remit the Adamic sins. There will
be some sins, however, which will not be covered by this great
Sin-offering. These are wilful sins conumtted by members of
the race. As wilful sins are not covered by the Sin-offering,
but only Adam's sin and those sins resulting from Adamic
weakness, God has mercifully arranged that the sufferings of
the great company class, the "scape-goat" class, necessary to
the destruction of their flesh, which they had covenanted to
sacrifice, will be utilized as an expiation — not as a sin-offering
—for these wilful sins of the world. — Leviticus 16:8, 10, 20-22.
When the great company shall have finished their course,
the Atonement for sin shall have been fully accomplished,
and the account against the world upon the books of Justice
shall have been fully squared. Divine condemnation will be entirely
lifted from the race, the new covenant of blessing will
then be inaugurated. Then it will be the part of the people
to come up to the requirements of the New Covenant, by
earnestly striving to do their best. If, however, because of
imperfection they unwittingly violate God's Law during the
Mediatorial reign, they will not be amenable to that law ; for
the Mediator will stand between them and that law.
COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD CONDITIONAL
The Mediator will not, as we have said, hold against any
one the transgressions of this present life. But it will require
long, patient effort to regain the perfection from which the
first parents of the race fell. Some of mankind have fallen
much further down than others, because of having inherited
greater depravity, or because of a more perverse disposition
and of a less effort to control their fallen nature. But under
the gracious arrangements of the New Covenant, the great
Mediator purposes to grant the necessary assistance, by nelping
the people individually to understand the requirements of
the new arrangement, by v p r m ptly punishing any attempt to
do wrong, by rewarding every effort to do right, and by supply*
ing strength, physical and mental, to meet the requirements
of his righteous rule.
By the close of the Mediatorial reign those who respond
and make earnest efforts to advance, will be brought to a condition
of human perfection and of covenant relationship with
Jehovah, as was Adam at the beginning. Then they must be
subjected to the same test of loyalty as was Adam, with no
mediator between them and God's justice, How many will
maintain that relationship, and how many will lose it and
suffer destruction, we cannot know. That some will prove unworthy
of life and meet this extreme penalty of wilful sin —
the second death — is clearly shown. See Revelation 20:7-9:
22:14, 15.
The ancient worthies are to be at the head of the earthly
phase of the kingdom. They will form its nucleus, ruling
under the glorified church, which will be invisible. These
worthies cannot come forth from the tomb until divine justice
has been satisfied for the world; for they also were members
of the fallen race. After the Mediator has made this satisfaction
, the ancient worthies will be the first to be blessed by
the New Covenant, and will be raised from the dead as perfect
men, in the image of God, as Adam was originally created. In
their resurrection they will receive complete restitution to
human perfection; for during their previous lifetime "they
had this testimony, that they pleased God." — Hebrews 11:5.
Soon after the awakening of their faithful prophets of old,
the Jews then living who still retain their faith in the New
Covenant promises made to them (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews
8:7-32), and who have waited for their Messiah, will
begin to see clearly, and will join themselves to these ancient
worthies. Then the world will gradually come to see, and will
also come under the terms of Israel's New Law Covenant by
becoming a part of Israel, a part of Abraham's earthly seed.—
Romans 4:17, 18; Isaiah 49:6-12.
Covenant relationship with God means perfection, either
actual or reckoned. During the thousand years of Messiah's
kingdom, mankind will be approaching actual perfection. But
they will not enter into it as a race until the close of the
thousand years. Then the Mediator will turn them over to
God; and they will be privileged to enter into covenant relationship
with him, and must stand or fall individually. As we
read, at that time Satan shall be "loosed for a little* season";
and all who love unrighteousness in their hearts, whatever
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has been their outward course during their trial time, will be
manifested. They will be deceived by the adversary. 'These
shall go away into everlasting punishment I Greek, kolasis,
cutting off or cutting short], and the righteous into life
eternal." (Matthew 25:46) The one class passes into life;
while the other class is cut off, restrained, from life. The reward
of the righteous will be everlasting life; the reward of
the wicked — "the devil and his angels," his messengers, all who
are of his spirit — -will be everlasting death — destruction. Those
who are of the Millennial "sheep" class, who go to the King's
right hand of favor, will, after the final testing at the hands of
God, enter upon the ages of glory beyond, the blessings of
which are not revealed in the Scriptures.
THE OHXTRCH NOT TJNDEB NEW COVENANT
The church of Christ is not under the New Covenant.
Therefore it is not proper to speak of the church as being
blessed by this covenant, although the church receives a great
blessing and privilege in respect to it. If there were to be no
New Covenant, there would then be no need of a Mediator, and
no need of the "better sacrifices" whereby it is to be instituted.
St. Paul's statement that God has made the church "able
ministers of the New Covenant" indicates that the Lord's people
have something to do with its preparation. (2 Corinthians
3:6) Unless there were the "better sacrifices," there would be
no basis for that New Covenant. The sufferings which the
church undergo at this present time are a blessed privilege
to us ; for we are ministers of that New Covenant in the sense
that we are serving it by training for future service, for service
»after it shall have been inaugurated.
While a great building is in process of erection, the men
working upon its construction might be said to be greatly
benefited bv that building. That would not mean that they
would be benefited ,bv the use of it in the future, but that
they were being benefited during its construction. So now the
church receives certain rich blessings and privileges in connection
with the New Covenant. Later, the entire world will be
blest by it, in a different way.
During this Gospel age, God is dealing merely with the
church, not with the world. There is, however, some resemblance
between the divine blessings now coming upon the
church and those coming upon the world by and by. Then,
the Lord will rewrite his law in the hearts of mankind, as it
was originally written in Adam's heart; and men will have
new hearts. At the end of the thousand years all mankind
will be fleshly images of God, and ready for their final testing
; for those who have refused to make progress to perfection
will have been destroyed during the Messianic reign. But
the church have new hearts now, right views of things, right
sentiments. In the case of the church, however, there is not
a taking away of the stoniness of heart and a making of it a
heart of flesh; but there is an entirely new nature. This new
nature of course has something to do with the flesh; for the
flesh is now the servant of the new creature. The law of God
is recognized in the flesh, under the compulsion of the new
creature. GIFT OF THE CHRIST TO THE WORLD
The New Covenant, with all that goes with it, is the blessing
w T hich the Christ gives to mankind. It is God's Covenant;
and he has arranged that it shall go to the world through this
Christ class, Head and body. If, then, the church are to give
these blessings, they must first have had them. No man can
give away what he does not first possess. This thought that
the New Covenant is a testament, or gift, of Christ to the
world is made very prominent in the Scriptures. It is a gift
in which the church shares; for every member has relinquished
his restitution rights with Christ. "If we suffer with him,
we shall also reign with him; if we be dead with him, we shall
live with him," and all things are ours because we are his. — 2
Timothy 2:11, 12.
These glorious things are clearly set forth in various types
in the Old Testament, as well as plainly stated in the New
Testament. For instance, St. Paul explains that Isaac, the heir
of Abraham, was a type of the Christ, Head and body. Isaac
did not receive his inheritance by a new covenant, but by the
original covenant with Abraham, as does the church. —
Galatians 3:8, 16, 29; 4:22-28.
In Micah 4:1-4, we read that "in the last days, the mountain
Tkingdom] of the house of the Lord shall be established
in the top of the mountains [kingdoms of earth], and many
people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come and
say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of
his ways, and we will walk in his paths." The succeeding
verses of the chapter depict the influence that will be exerted.
The blessings and prosperity will then be with those who will
be in harmony with God.
Now it is different. "All that will live godly in Christ
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(279-280)
Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12) They
"shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."
(Matthew 5:11) These things indicate that all who are faithful
to God during the present age will have more hardship
than do those who are unfaithful. Many of the worldly, even
the wicked of the world, have great prosperity in the present
time. The world think that Christians, true followers of
Jesus, are making their lives miserable by the course which
they pursue. But the world is greatly mistaken in this matter
. On the contrary, we are enjoying ourselves greatly; we
are having a good time ! We have much advantage every way,
in spite of our afflictions; for we know that in a very little
while our trials and afflictions will all be over, that the glorious
Kingdom of Messiah in which, if faithful, we are to share,
is about to be set up in the earth.
In the future dispensation, God tells us, the tables will be
turned. None of the wicked will prosper. Then whoever is
unrighteous shall suffer, and whoever does righteously shall
receive a blessing. (Psalm 37:1, 2, 7-17, 22) Very often now
the wicked prosper, and the poor and needy and the good of
earth are oppressed. When the times of restitution come to
the world, all will be changed. The blessing will be of God;
and the only way to gain that blessing will be by coming
into harmony with the new order of things in the kingdom of
Messiah.
PERSECUTION AN AID TO CHRISTIAN CHARACTER CRYSTALLIZATION
"All that will live godly in Christ Jesus
Persecution is a word that primarily means the infliction
of an injury as a punishment for adherence to some opinion
or course of conduct which cannot properly be regarded as
criminal; such as a religious creed or mode of worship. Not
all who have been persecuted have been hanged or crucified or
burned at the stake, however. Some have been persecuted by
being put into prison; others have been persecuted by bitter
words, which the Scriptures liken to arrows shot out by the
wicked. (Psalm 64:2-4) Although with the advance of
civilization matters have changed considerably, nevertheless
the statement of our text is still true. Adventists, Baptists,
Methodists, Presbyterians and others have in turn been persecuted
for their religious beliefs. These persecutions have taken
various forms; sometimes they were public whippings, etc.
We are now living in a day when gross, vile persecution is
not so popular as in olden times. Today public sentiment is
too high for any one to attempt such persecutions as Nero
practised; such as throwing to the lions or other wild beasts
those who incurred his ill-will. Nor will it permit the putting
to death of those who differ from popular creeds as to the interpretation
of the Scriptures, or who hold different opinions
along other lines of thought or practise. But nevertheless
persecution continues to be practised in various more refined
forms. There is a kind of social boycott which is popular. People
will separate from their company those who think differently
from themselves along religious lines, and will have
nothing to do with all such. They will cast out the names of
such as being evil, and will speak lightly of even their best
endeavors to live as consistent Christians.
In our text the Apostle declares that some form of persecution
will attach to any one who would live a godly life. He
explains that the infliction of injury might come directly upon
an individual, or he might suffer indirectly by being associated
with those who are persecuted. (Hebrews 10:32-34} Here he
shows that those who become companions of those who Are
persecuted for righteousness* sake are themselves also suffering
persecution. Other Scriptures indicate the same thought.
"Whether one member [of the body of Christ] suffer, all the
members suffer with it." (1 Corinthians 12:26) Whatever
injury is done to one will affect all who are of the same class,
not only in the way of arousing their sympathies and causing
them mental pain, but also in their being associated with the
class thus treated and sharing in the contumely to which they
are subject.
Having seen what persecution includes, and knowing that
all who would 'be acceptable to God must endure it in some
measure, we remember that St. John said, "Marvel not, my
brethren, if the world hate you," and that the Master assured
his disciples of what they would have to share as his disciples,
saying, "Ye shall be hated of all men for my sake." (1 John
3:13; Mathew 10:22) In a general way everybody belonging
to the world is in opposition to the Lord's people — everybody
who might be included in the world, everybody who might be
worth anything, everybody whose opinion is valued by the
world, everbody who is honorable in the eyes of the world.
WHAT COKST1TUTES GODXiY IJVIHO
To live godly means to live after the manner which God
would approve, to live in opposition to sin and in harmony
with righteousness, endeavoring to do that which is right, that
which is in accord with the divine law — practising the Golden
Rule, doing unto our neighbor as we would wish done unto
ourselves.
In the world there are two companies; one under the banner
of Satan, and the other under the banner of God. The first
class is of darkness, of sin, over whom the prince of darkness
has an influence. The other class serve the right. Whoever
walks in the light of the Word of God will find that the darkness
opposes the light. Nevertheless, we who are under the
Lord's banner are to walk in the light. Our Lord exhorted
shall suffer 'persecution" — 2 Timothy 3:12.
us to let our light so shine before men that they may see our
good works and glorify our Father in heaven. In other words,
we are to let the world see what godly living means.
In some respects the world has attained to a very good
standard. The laws of the civilized world have been just. We
are glad that we are living in a time when the laws are so
just; we are glad to have these special favors that belong,
we believe, to our day more than to any previous day. At the
same time there is on the part of many an endeavor to avoid
the spirit of the divine law. Because of the selfishness which
prevails in the world, there is a disposition to take advantage
of a neighbor, to cheat him, to take from him more than is
right, to give him less than is just. In a general way, therefore
, whoever stands for what is right will find himself in
conflict with the majority of people. If he adheres closely
to principle the greater number will be against him, will
esteem him to be a mean man, hard to get along with, etc.
Those who are of the darkness hate those who are of the light.
There is a feeling of condemnation which the world experiences
when in the presence of the godly. They are never comfortable
when such persons are present. This is not because the godly
ever do to them wrong, but because they recognize the fact
that the godly maintain a higher standard of living than do
they.
LIVING GODLY Iff OHEIST JESUS
To live godly in Christ Jesus means much more than merely
the keeping of the Ten Commandments. Not to blaspheme,
not to do harm to another, etc., is to be on the right side. But
to live godly in Christ Jesus is something far beyond this.
The Leader, the Head, of the church laid down his life in selfsacrifice
; and those who are seeking to follow his example are
also sacrificing their earthly interests, they are ambassadors
for God, and therefore will proclaim his kingdom which is soon
to be established — set up — in the earth. The message of the
kingdom will necessarily be out of harmony with all others.
Those who proclaim God's message of the coming kingdom
will be opposed by those who claim that the kingdom is already
here. They will also be opposed by those who say, "Why do
you not get out and do slum work? The present Social order
is very well established. We are trying to make the people
see that God's kingdom is already in power. We are trying to
lift the churches to a higher level and to do those things which
will make a greater outward show, and which will deeply impress
the people. But if you continue to talk about higher
conditions, etc., you will put us in a bad light before the world,
and will gain nothing by so doing; for they will merely think
that you are unbalanced."
So those who would live godly in Christ Jesus have a narrow
path to travel, a difficult way. This is because they are
going contrary to nominalism, contrary to all the things of
the world, contrary to the devil. Those who faithfully pursue
this course bring tribulation upon themselves — the persecution
to which our text refers. But all who are loyal to God and
to the truth must thus suffer. They must expect persecution;
for doubtless they will receive it until the last member of the
church shall have finished his course in death. Whoever submits
patiently to this opposition must not only sacrifice his
natural preferences for the friendship of the world and for
the pleasures of the present life, but he must learn to endure
hardness in whatever shape it may come, while he is endeavoring
to do the Lord's will and his work of advancing the interests
of his kingdom.
In order to be really in the service of the Lord we must
study carefully and continually his plan of the ages, in order
to imbibe its spirit of loving self-sacrifice and to possess an
enthusiastic zeal for its accomplishment. Moreover, we must
be active to the extent of our ability, in its service, at whatever
cost that activity may require. This course will bring persecution
upon us, as the Apostle has foretold in our text. Our
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THE WATCH TOWER
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Lord Jesus Christ suffered on this account; and as the Scriptures
explain, his people are called upon to suffer with him, m
order that after a while they shall reign with him in glory.
WHY PERSECUTION IS PERMITTED
The word suffer as used in our text has the significance
of experience. That is, those who will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall experience persecution as a part of their lot. This
persecution may be of one kind or of another kind, according
to circumstances. Sometimes it will result in mental suffering
; at other times it will produce physical pain. Sometimes
it will cause very severe suffering, protracted anguish; at other
times the anguish will be less agonizing. But the persecution
will be there in either case. Those who have come into Christ
are enabled to live above the conditions, however. Those who
have become members of the .body of Christ have become such
by full consecration to God and by the begetting of his holy
(Spirit. On this account they belong to this special class that
"will live godly in Christ Jesus.' p For them to live godly
means to live according to the standard which God has set for
his people in his Word.
There are others than Christians who may be said to live a
pious life. Even among the heathen there are people who devote
their lives to some lines which they consider to be pious ;
and they are morally good people. Likewise in civilized lands
there are people who live moral, upright lives, and to that
extent godly lives — lives of which God would approve. Some
Of the human race are less fallen than are others; and this
clas3 find it natural bo live better lives than would those who
are more injured by the Adamic fall. Therefore amongst the
worldly there are worthy men and women who are highly
esteemed. For instance, Stephen Girard, of Philadelphia, is
reputed to have been a very just man and to have given much
alms to the poor. He provided Girard College, an institution
for the support and education of poor fatherless white boys,
where they were admitted between the ages of six to ten years,
and received an education and learned a trade, that they might
support themselves honestly.
History affords many examples of upright men and women
who have done much 'for 4he betterment of humanity. All
these were godly in that they avoided the practise of sin and
that they had an appreciation for truth, honesty and the character
of God. But we do not hear that these people were persecuted
for their morality. The world can appreciate that
condition of things. But those who come into the body of
Christ are permitted of the Lord to have a certain amount of
persecution in order for their development. The apostles were
noble characters; yet they suffered persecution, even as did
our Lord himself. Evidently, therefore, it is the will of God
that those in Christ should thus suffer, in order that their
characters may he developed and that they may be prepared
for the great work of the future, when all who endure faithfully
shall reign with Christ Jesus their Lord.
THE BLESSING FOB THOSE WHO OVEBOOME
We would naturally expect that those who came into relationship
with God under the special covenant arrangement of
this Gospel age would be immune from suffering and persecution
— that all such would be well thought of by the world.
But the Scriptures inform ua that this would be a wrong
expectation. For thousands of years the world has held in
esteem a religious class of worldly people and has not persecuted
them. Even back in the days of the Babylonian Empire
the priestly class were regarded as very sacred. In our
own day there are priests and preachers in the nominal church
who are highly esteemed amongst men and who are not persecuted
. But everywhere the Scriptures call our attention
to the fact that those who belong to the royal priesthood
will suffer persecution if they live godly, and that whoever
amongst this class does not thus suffer has evidence that he
is not living godly.
The conditions imposed upon the church are designed by
the Lord to be crucial tests of loyalty to him and to the
principles of righteousness. Trials, difficulties and persecutions
are useful in demonstrating whether our covenant of consecration
is really from the heart. Those who have made
merely a lip covenant will in due time be sifted out, manifested
, separated from those who have covenanted from the
heart to be dead with Christ. These the Lord purposes to
make joint-heirs in the kingdom with his well-beloved Son.
our Lord Jesus. It is for this reason that the call of the
church takes place during this present age, while evil is still
permitted to reign in the world, and while the majority of
mankind are under the blinding influences of the adversary,
who is not yet bound.
As our Lord Jesus explained, the darkness of sin and error
is in direct antagonism to the light of truth; and consequently
, when his people let their light shine, the effect upon
the darkened world is that opposition is aroused, for the light.
makes manifest the evils of darkness which otherwise would
not appear, and thus disturbs those who are in sympathy
with darkness. As a consequence, this latter class hate the
light, and either publicly or privately oppose the children of
the light, the light-bearers. Even those who have gotten out
of the extreme darkness of moral pollution into the twilight
of moral reformation cannot endure the clear, searching light
of the true Gospel, but such prefer a measure of darkness. —
John 3:19-21; 2 Corinthians 4:4-6.
We can sympathize with those who see nothing of the light
of the glorious character of' our God. Wie can also sympathize
with those who see a little and who strive toward moral and
other reforms, striving in various ways for sectarian prosperity
Tather than for the upbuilding of the saints, "the
church of the living God," those whose names are written
in heaven. We should have patience with all such who give
evidence that they are laboring in harmony with their convictions
; for whoever is engaged in good work of any kind
will surely obtain a blessing as a result. But the true church
is laboring, not merely for A blessing, but for the blessing —
"the prize of our high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:14) Let all, then, who see the prize, and who
see the light of the glory of God as it shines in the face of
our Lord Jesus Christ, be faithful to the terms, conditions,
of their covenant of sacrifice; for all who are faithful unto
death have the glorious promise that they shall receive the
crown of life — immortality. — Revelation 2:10.
THE CHRIST— "THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JEHOVAH*
"Thou ftkalt he called hy a new name;
. . thou shalt also be a crown of a fort/ in the hand of the LORD, e to you, and peace, from God our Father and from
the Lord Jesus Christ. In the special trials and tribulations
through which you are passing we wish to assure you of the
continued prayers of the St. Louis Ecclesia on your behalf. We
rejoice also on account of the inspiring example of love and
patience you have set for all of the Lord's people.
Seeing now with our natural eyes so many of the things
which we have long discerned by the eyes of faith, betokening
the final features of the work on this side of the vail, we
cannot fully express our gratitude to our dear heavenly
Father for all his goodness to us. May he continue to keep
you, dear Brethren, and to guide you along the remainder
of the way. We wish that we might be nearer to you, so
that we could minister to your physical needs somewhat, if
'possible. We ask an interest in your prayers, that we too
may remain faithful unto the end.
The St. Louis Ecclesia, bv unanimous vote.
A LETTER TO THE BETHEL FAMILY
Dearly Beloved in Chbist: —
I take great pleasure in writing these few lines to you,
to assure you, dear Brethren, that I am rejoicing in the Lord,
in tlie truth and in all the experiences that I am having at
this time. They are all great blessings to me. I know that
you have been praying for me; and the Lord has answered
your prayers on my behalf. I thank you all for your loving
interest in me. What a blessed thought it is to know that
our dear heavenly Father is taking care of us. He comforts
us through his \Vord and by his dear people. Blessed be
his holy name.
I cannot find words to express my gratitude to my dear
heavenly Father for all his rich blessings toward me. It w T as
about September, 1905, that the dear Lord sent a colporteur
(Sister Mary L. Cobb) to Riverside, Conn., with Volume 1,
Scripture Studies, in Italian. Dh, what a blessing that was!
For many years I had been a member of the nominal church
(Baptist) ; but like all the rest I" did not know anything
about the wonderful plan of salvation of our dear heavenly
Father for the world of mankind. But when my blind eyes
were opened, then I saw the glorious truth of the goodness
of God as it is presented by our beloved Brother Russell in the
Scripture Studies ; and of course I wanted to tell it to others,
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THE WATCH TOWER
U\S6^8D
80 that they might also be blest. And so for more than
twelve years I have been privileged to proclaim the glorious
message of salvation to my poor countrymen (the Italians) ;
and by the Lord's grace a good many hearts have been made
glad, and are now rejoicing in the Lord in the truth and in the
trials also.
And now, my dear Brethren, the Lord has permitted my
liberty to be restrained for a while, or maybe altogether on
this side of the vail. I an: rejoicing, however, for the glorious
prospect of the blessed work in our future estate, in the
kingdom of our glorious Lord, for the restitution of the poor
world of mankind who for more than six thousand years have
been under the taskmaster Satan, and under his faithful coworkers
, the clergy, who have made the world as a wilderness.
— Isaiah 14:16, 17.
My association with you as a member of the Bethel for
many" years has been a very great blessing to me, for which
1 am truly thankful to the dear Lord. In a few day-s 1 e.\
pect to be taken to my new abiding place, the Federal Prison
at Atlanta, for ten years. May the dear Lord's blessings be
with you all, as you endeavor to serve him and his people in
this trying time, ''Let not your heart be troubled," dearly
beloved. The Lord is our helper, and he will never forsake
us. Remember me in your prayers, as 1 also remember you
all.
With best wishes and love to you 1 remain
Your brother in Christ. Giovanni De Cecca.
AN INTERESTING VISIT
Dear Bethel Family: —
Love and greetings in the name of Him who does indeed
make rich all who put their trust in Him! We have learned
to put our trust in Him as never before, and never has he
failed us. Every day he grows nearer and dearer to me!
Strenuous indeed has been each day since we came here ;
and not until now has there been time for messages, although
our thoughts have been with you daily, our prayers also. I
confess that you have been missed very keenly. I did not
realize how closely our hearts had twined about dear Bethel
and the loving family of God centered there.
We had a quiet, uneventful trip South, being very, very
tired. On the way down I slept much of the time. Sister
R rested, but could not sleep during the daytime. At
the station we were met by two of the brethren with their
autos, and were taken to the home of the brother where we
had engaged rooms. Here we were greeted by his family, and
then ate an appetizing breakfast prepared for us in true Southern
style. What a pleasant place the Lord had in readiness
for us) We raised our hearts in thanksgiving. Best of all,
we are with the Lord's own people,
In the afternoon we went out to see the brethren. The
rules for visiting the Federal Prison are very strict, and necessarily
so. Only the immediate relatives are permitted to
visit prisoners, and then only once in two weeks. But being
newcomers, and having just arrived from New York, we were
privileged to see them for three successive days, having one
hour's talk with them each time. Upon our arrival we were
shown into a good-sized private room, where we greeted our
dear ones and then were seated with a table between us, the
guard meanwhile seated at the head of the table. We delivered
all the good messages you dear ones had sent; and told
them how they were loved and missed. Then we laughed at
our husbands in their blue suits, broad-brimmed hats, etc,,
until they were cheered and rested by the little change. Both
are looking and feeling well.
During our second interview we were granted more privileges
than during the first. Of course we did not take advantage
of these privileges. The Lord's people are law-abiding
under all circumstances ; else we could not truly be his people.
Some of the brethren have been assigned to the tailoring
department. One of them made such good buttonholes that he
was complimented by the head tailor. Some of the brethren
room in pairs, together. This privilege is very much appreciated
by them. The time goes very quickly. They are asking
for no favors whatever, but quietly trying to obey every rule
and trusting the Lord through every experience. Thus they
are being greatly blessed. Everything is scrupulously clean.
The food is plain, but plentiful.
The brethren all send love, and we join with them. May
the Lord bless you and keep you under the shadow of his
wing! The friends all send love to the Bethel family. "God
be with you till we meet again."
Your sister in the Lord, L. T. Van Amburgh.
DIVINE GRACE EVER SUFFICIENT
T>early Beloved Brethren: —
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and
from the Lord Jesus Christ. We wish to use this opportunity
f63
to express our heart-felt Christian love and sympathy, and to
assure you of our appreciation of your loving service not
only to us, but to all the dear saints still this -*iue of the vail.
We do indeed thank our dear heavenly Father for the
angel of Revelation 8:3, which came and stood at the altar
and had a golden censer; and we wish by his grace to assure
you of our loyal support and co-operation, and to encourage
your hearts by calling to mind the loving words that divine
grace is sufficient in every time of need, "and that our LorL
Jesus Christ is with us always, even unto the end of the age.
It is a comfort to us that even though we are separated
in the flesh, yet wo are all gathered together in "the secret
place of the Most High," and are abiding under the shadow
of him in v\hom is everlasting strength, and are trusting in
the covert of lm wings. We pray daily for you all, and" for
our brethren in bonds, two of whom it was our privilege
to know and love personally for many years. May we all ba
faithful, waiting patiently on the Lord, "that we may be ready
when by his grace the door uf service opens.
With much Christian love in all,
The Cmmcn at Scraxton.
ALL THINGS WORKING FOR OTJR HIGHEST GOOD
Dear Brethren: —
At our regular meeting a vote was taken, and carried unanimously
, that the church send to the Bible House our love and
greetings, and that we assure them of our continued support.
We believe that the Lord is with you, arid that all things will
result in our highest good. We continue to pray for the dear
ones at the Bible House every day.
Yours in Christian love,
The Binokamton Church, — N. Y,
DAILY REJOICING IN THE LIGHT OF TRUTH
Dearly Beloved Brethren: —
After having keen fifteen years in the truth, and thirteen
years an Elder, having taken the Vow soon after it first came
out, (but now for the first time informing you of that fact),
a little explanation may !be needful now. when I arn sending
in my answers to the V. IX M. questions. These questions I
considered unnecessary, as the church, who elect their own
elders, should ask and know what those about to be elected
believe — especially as the questions do not include the covenants
, the sin -offerings, etc.
Recently we thought, as Elders in Manchester, that it would
help some members of our class to answer the questions, as a
personal examination of belief, etc. This we could scarcely
recommend, unless we all had ourselves so done, Ho 1 gladly
fall in line, and I have been blessed in the answering. I trust
that they are to your complete satisfaction.
Daily I rejoice in the beautiful rays of light that stream
forth from the Word of God, through the Studies, Towers,
etc, I am fully determined, hy the grace of God, to hold
fast; for I can see nothing better, look where I will. To
my judgment no views of the Scriptures so beautifully exalt
the Creator and so humble the creatures as the "Ransom for
all" does. Having proved then for some fifteen years the
power of the knowledge of the truth to be a magnet, drawing
me nearer to God, the weaning influence from the world,
giving victory over inbred sin, and an ever-deepening desire
to be more Christ-like in spirit, T consider that I should be
committing spiritual suicide were I to neglect the channel
which God, by his holy Spirit, has so graciously used!
With warm Christian love and tender sympathy to you all
at Bethel, and with the hope that we all may meet "at Home"
in the morning, I am
Your brother under Christ Jesus, our Head,
J. W. V?.— England.
PROMPTNESS AN ELEMENT OF OHAEAOTEB
Dear Brethren: —
There is a matter of which I wish to speak, yet hesitate
to do so lest I should seem to be speaking evil of one of the
Lord's people. Yet I feel that the matter is of grave importance
; for it has to do with character development, and
we are so near the goal of the church that we cannot afford
even to seem to come short in any respect. It is this:
Our leader is a very fine brother in many respects, but
he has the serious fault of seldom being on time at meetings.
On some occasions he arrives as late as a whole hour after
the time set for the meeting to begin. We love this brother
dearly, and do not wish to offend him in the least. But we
know of nothing else to do to awaken him to a sense of his
deficiency in this respect. Will you kindly suggest something
which may help him and us as well?
With Christian love, I remain
Yours in the Master's service.
OTJB KEPLT
The criticism in the above letter is one which .has come
to us from various classes. We hardjv know just what sug-
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THE WATCH TOWER
Brooklyn, N. Y.
gestion to make in such cases ; for there are two ways of
looking at the matter. One of these is the fact that the elder
may be unable to meet at the hour set by the church. In
that case the spirit of a sound mind would suggest the change
of the hour of meeting to one which would be convenient
for the leader. On the other hand, if the tardiness be the
result of thoughtlessness, lack of character development or
some similar reason, the spirit of a sound mind would prompt
us to elect a leader who had the interests of the church so
much at heart that he would keep his engagements witli the
same degree of carefulness that he would exercise in the matter
of any other business arrangement. In The Watch
Tower of Dec. 1 ; 1016, there is an article which deals wish
this very matter of punctuality — "Decorum in the House of
God." It would be well for all who are habitually unpunctual
to consider earefullv its contents.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
The circulation of the following books and papera is completely
suspended during the period of the war:
The Finished Mystery
Special Edition, March 1st, Watch Tower (ZG)
All Bible Students' Monthlies
All Kingdom News
Any classes or individuals holding any of the above literature
belonging to The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
are hereby instructed to hold the same, subject to outorders
;. This is a confirmation of notice sent you last March.