The Watchtower, December 1, 1918
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Vol. XXXIX
PITTSBURGH, PA., DECEMBER 1, 1918
No. 23
VIEW FROM THE TOWER
GATHERING WHEAT — BURNING TARES
"In the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them;
but gather the wheat into my barn'" — Matthew 13:30.
MUCH WOKS YET TO BE ACCOMPLISHED
Many of the dear friends think that "the door is shut,"
and that opportunities for service are at an end, or nearly so.
The tendency of such an opinion is to make us lax in our efforts
and to cause us to cease watching for opportunities of
service. The Society does not share this opinion. It is quite
probable that the harvest, in the sense that no more will be
spirit-begotten, ended in the spring of 1918, except as some will
fall out or be rejected, and others take their places. As suggested
by Brother Russell:
"We have every reason at present to 'believe that the number
of the elect is not yet completed, because of many crowns
having been forfeited. We see coming in, day by day and week
by week, some who give evidence of the Lord's acceptance, who
give evidence that the Lord is permitting them to lay down
their lives in his service. But the time will undoubtedly come
in the near future when the number of the elect will be complete
. Then only such vacancies as might still occur by some
falling out would remain. In that case there might be a number
in the consecrated attitude whom God would accept to
take the place of some who would drop out. These would receive
fhe begetting of the holy Spirit, and would find opportunities
for serving the truth and for suffering for the truth's
sake."— Z '14, p. 68.
We remind our readers that the Lord is using the truth,
the word which goeth forth out of his mouth (Isaiah 65:11),
to accomplish a variety of works. It has been used (1) to
gather the wheat, (2) "to bind the tares, (3) to gather the
clusters of "the vine of the earth/' and (4). to smite Jordan.
Thus does our Lord call to our attention the two parts
of the harvest work, both of which are to be accomplished
by the same reapers. The plain intimation of this text is that
the latter part of the harvest work is to be the burning of
the tares. If at one time we had the thought that the burning
of the tares was no part of the harvest work, and that the saints
would have no part in the work of "burning" them, a careful
study of the above text will convince us to the contrary.
A clear understanding of these two parts of the harvest
work is necessary at this time ; for the Lord's people are more
or less puzzled and perplexed as to what to do and how to do
it. How true is the saying, "Man's extremity is God's opportunity
"! How many times have we seen this principle
illustrated during the past forty or more years of the harvest
work!
Tabernacle shadows came to the church in a time of extremity
. The various volumes of studies in scriptures also
came just as they were needed. Again, the sermons in the
newspapers, and the photo-drama as well, were given just at
opportune times. In 1914 we thought that all the work had
ended ; but just at the opportune time again the Lord brought
to our attention another work, that of gathering the clusters
of the vine of the earth. At the present time another "extremity
" is upon the church; and from every part of the field
come the queries: ,f What remains to be done? How can I
do more to serve the truth?" We hope that each toweb reader
will ask himself these questions, and then act according to
the answers. Furthermore, we wish to assist any and all to
the extent of our ability.
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December J, 1918
THE WA TCH TOWER
(355 356)
All of this work we believe is an accomplished fact; and it
is our thought that very soon the Lord will use the truth to
awaken and enlighten a great company of consecrated believers
yet in the nominal systems. On this point we quote "that
servant" :
"We are not to understand that the harvest is yet wholly
finished; for there are two parts to the work — the gathering of
the wheat and the burning of the tares. We might have
thought that the gathering of the wheat has been accomplished;
that if our expectations are true, with the end of the Gentile
Times the number of the very elect would be complete, so that
no more could enter. We are not positive of this, and we must
not go by guessing. The latter part of the harvest work is to
he the burning of the tares, and the waking up of the great
company and preparing them to go out and purchase the oil
for their lamps." — 'Matthew 25:8, 9.
THE PLOWMAN OVERTAKING THE REAPER
In the above quotation two points should be noticed ; namely
that the burning of the tarea and the awakening of the great
company are a part of the harvest work, and that the church
will do both these works. We continue to quote:
"In the text of Scripture which speaks of the plowman
overtaking the reaper, we are to remember that the reaper is
the Lord, and that the plowman is the great time of trouble.
This time of trouble will overtake the reaping work and bring
it to a close. But the time of trouble will go on, the plowman
will keep on plowing, after all our efforts have ended in respect
to the reaping. But meantime, before this dark night
fully sets in, we are to go right on with the work which the
Lord has put into our hands. The truth is designed, not only
to perfect the bride of Christ, but to develope the great company
class and also to be a witness to- the whole world. Any
carelessness on our part, or any cessation of activity in the
service of the truth while opportunity yet remains, would in
our estimation be a great mistake. If we are loyal, the Lord
will give us far greater opportunities in the future — the blessing
of all the nations, all the families of the earth. — Gal. 3:8,
16, 29. TH0SB CONSECRATED BETWEEN THE AGES
"It is our thought that with the closing of the 'door' of this
Gospel age there will be no more begetting of the holy Spirit
to the spirit nature. Any coming afterward to God through
consecration, before the inauguration of the restitution work,
will be accepted by him, not to the spirit plane of being^ but
to the earthly plane. Such would come in under the same
conditions as the ancient worthies who were accepted of God.
The ancient worthies came in, no call being opened to them —
the high calling not being yet open, and the restitution opportunities
not open. But they freely gave themselves up to God
without knowing what blessings their consecration would
bring, except that they had the intimation that they would, in
the future life, have a 'better resurrection* than would the
remainder of the world.
"Our thought is that whoever under Buch conditions as
these will make a full consecration to the Lord, to leave all
to follow in his ways, and will faithfully and loyally live up
to that consecration, may be privileged to be counted as a
similar class to those who preceded the Gospel asre. We know
of no reason why the Lord would refuse to receive those who
make a consecration after the close of the Gospel age and its
high calling, and before the full opening of the Millennial age.
THE BURNING OF THE TARES
"Whether the overcoming saints will have a part in the
burning of the tare class, is a thought that is not very clear
at this time. 'This honor have air his saints, to execute the
judgments written.' All the saints would include, then, those
who would be living in the world when the judgments would
be executed, as well as the resurrected saints. Just how any
living here would have a share in executing the judgments
written we do not see ; but we are keeping our eyes open, with
the thought that this may be so.
"It would seem that the burning of the tares has now been
going on for some time. That is, some who have professed
that they were Christians, and who have thought that they
were Christians, but who have never entered into true fellowship
with the Lord and become of the wheat class, are to be
destroyed as tares — shown in their true light. If questioned
now as to their consecration these will say: 'I am no saint,
but I wish to be right and just in my dealings as far as possible
,' Thus such will demonstrate that they have not understood
what it is to be a real Christian. This great war in
Europe is waking people up to think in a way they have never
thought before; and now is the time when the real Christianity
and the counterfeit will be differentiated. Many people will
come more or less rapidly to recognize this; but there is a
large proportion of tares that have not yet been burned, and
the burning will progress to a completion and the true and
the false will be completely manifested." — Z *15, pp. 269, 270.
THE WORK CONFRONTING THE CHURCH
Clearly Brother Russell's thought is this: When professing
Christians cease to profess to be Christians, and come to
recognize and acknowledge themselves to be "worldings," they
will then have been destroyed (burned) as tares. Surely nothing
can bring their false position to their attention but the
truth; and just as surely this work is in the future, and the
church is to do it. And not only this, but another future
work, which is to beours, is the bringing of the truth to the
attention of a modern worthy class, who consecrate too late
to obtain "the prize of the high calling," but who will be
counted in with the ancient worthies, and as a reward for faithful
service during the Millennium will get the spirit nature
at the end of that age. (Z '13, pp. 52, 53) Many are asking
why it is, if the harvest ended last spring, that since that
time numbers are consecrating themselves and giving every
evidence of appreciating the truth and the privilege of sacrifice
. The above thoughts in re the second part of the harvest
work and the quotation from Brother Russell (Z '14, p. 68),
will clearly explain the matter.
It would be entirely proper for all who will constitute
the great company class to come to an appreciation of the truth
and to symbolize their consecration. The ancient worthies also
appreciated the privileges of sacrifice, and jlid sacrifice equally
as much as do the church. So these modern worthies must also
sacrifice, if they would share with the ancient worthies in the
grand Millennial work, and at its close reap the glorious reward
of the spirit nature.
Brethren, if these things are true, there is a great work
just ahead of us — a work in behalf of the great company, a
work in behalf of the modern worthies, a work in behalf of
the tare class, and one of witnessing to the world, sowing the
seed of the new dispensation. It is apparent that all this work
will properly and logically be done after the full number of the
little flock is made up. What a wonderful incentive to activity,
and how thankful we should be for the privilege! Surely the
present is not the time to hesitate nor to argue over nonessentials
, but for earnest endeavor.
PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES OF SERVICE
For some time the opportunities of service have been considerably
restricted, and may continue to remain under these
restrictions for a time. While awaiting the Lord's "due time"
for these great future services, let us not overlook the fact
that there are still some present opportunities. It is still possible
to sell the six volumes of studies in the scriptures.
Many are doing this successfully. There are still many opportunities
for persona] work, in a conversational way; and
this can be supplemented with some literature. The Society
is preparing some neat little tracts in booklet form, suitable
for mailing or for handing to people. These will be reprints,
and will as a rule contain but one article each.
There are multitudes of parents who have lost loved ones
in battle or by disease, whose hearts can be made glad bv
"Where are the Dead?" "The Resurrection of the Dead," "Refrain
thy Voice from Weeping," etc. Many letters inquiring
about spiritism are coming into the office now. Some tracts
are being prepared on this subject. What a grand privilege
it will be to give to those inquiring just the information they
need respecting the great "scourge" which is soon to "overflow
" in the earth. The time used for tract distribution in the
past, and the money formerly spent for public meetings, may
be profitably used in mailing literature. Telephone directories
will furnish the names of thrifty intelligent people in city,
town and county. Then again, we are of the opinion that
meetings for the public can be held in many places, especially
in rural districts — country schoolhouses, etc.
Orders for the above mentioned booklet-tracts may be sent
in at once. Please do not order more than you can and will
use. These will be forwarded prepaid, and you can refund the
carriage charges. Here are our opportunities. Let us, dear
brethren and sisters, by the Lord's help take fresh hold of the
work. The people never needed the truth more than they do
now. It is the only thing that will keep them from despair
and infidelity! People were never more ready to receive the
truth! People realize that some great changes are at hand,
and many wish to understand them.
THE LOBD'g JUDGMENT 8
"Wben the judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness [truth,
justice]." The effect of the Lord's judgments on the human
heart is disciplinary, breaking down pride, arrogance and rebellion
. When the divine judgments are in the earth, his dealings
with mankind will be entirely changed. In the past God
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THE WATCH TOWER
Pittsburgh, Pa.
has permitted man to succeed measurably in his aims and
plans ; and so the prophet wrote: "Now we call the proud
happy; yea, they that work, wickedness are set up; yea, they
that tempt God are even delivered." (Malachi 3:15) But
in this judgment time "the righteous will be exalted," and
the wicked abased.
Under these retributive disciplines, thwarting their plans
and punishing their evil deeds, men's hearts wi5 speedily be
mellowed, humbled; and they will begin to inquire the reason
why these things are so. Their reason will return, as did that
of Nebuchadnezzar, after his seven years of insanity. Even
now, the Lord's judgments are operating thus. Never before
have people been inquiring as now. The opportunity is ripe,
and the people are hungry. For a long time there has been a
famine in the land (Amos 8:11) ; and now the Lord is saying
to us in no uncertain tones, "Give ye them to eat."
It is the desireof the Watch Tower office to do everything
possible, not only to encourage the friends everywhere to
greater zeal and activity, but to bring the entire work of the
Society up to the highest point of efficiency. T>o Colporteur
sisters are averaging the sale of over 400 volumes per month.
They sell chiefly Vols. 1 and 4. Their experience gives an estimation
of what can be done. In all, there are about two hundred
Oolporteuns in the service. Some are having excellent
success by specializing on the Scenario; and some, by grouping
Vols. 1 and 4.
In order that the Pilgrims might render more effective
service, and might more accurately represent the Society and
its attitude toward religious and secular questions, a four-day
conference of all the Pilgrims was held recently in Pittsburgh.
Everybody present pronounced it a wonderful event, probably
the first of its kind. A great number of questions came up for
discussion; and unanimous concurring conclusions were arrived
at. We think that great and permanent good will result from
this conference. The suggestion was made that a similar conference
be at least an annual event. The Society feels sure that
as a result the Pilgrims can render a better service, and give
a better answer to all questions re the Society and its work.
May the Lord bless the work and "labor of love" of his saints
everywhere!
VARIATION IN THE APPLICATION OF CHRIST'S MERIT
"He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our$ only, but also for the sins of the whole world." —
1 John 2:2.
Adam, the father of the human race, came under sentence of
death because of his wilful disobedience to God, his transgression
of the divine command. He alone was tried; he alone
was sentenced ; for his posterity were as yet unborn. But hie
children, the whole human family, came into the world under
this death sentence. By heredity they partook of father Adam's
imperfections, and thus shared his. penalty. Hence they could
have no relationship with God 1 , except as in his providence he
might make some arrangement by which the death penalty
could be lifted from the human race.
Immediately after the fall of our first parents, God gave
a vague intimation that such an arrangement had been made.
In pronouncing the curse upon the serpent that had beguiled
mother Eve, the Almighty declared that the seed of the woman
should yet bruise the serpent's head. (Genesis 3:15) Two
thousand years after man's fall into sin and death conditions
God made a covenant with Abraham in which he gave hope of
the ultimate blessing of all mankind. Still later, he accepted
the children of Israel as his chosen people because they were
the natural seed of Abraham (Deuteronomy 9:5,6; Genesis
22:15-18) ; and by the Law Covenant instituted through Moses
at Mt. Sinai he arranged that the nation of Israel should enter
into relationship with him as a house of servants.
MEBIT TO BE GIVEN TO THE WORLD
At the beginning of the Gospel age God declared his arrangement
whereby a certain class, children of Abraham by
faith, might come into special relationship with him through
Christ Jesus. Then the divine purpose ae to the seed of Abraham
was made clear. (Galatians 3:8,16 t 29) All along it had
been God's purpose that this seed should be composite — 144,000
in all ; and as but a remnant of the natural seed of Ahraham
had proven worthy, the remainder of the spiritual seed were
to be chosen from among the Gentiles, hitherto aliens from the
covenant of promise. The choosing and the fitting of this class
to be the future blessera of the world has been the purpose of
the Gospel age.
God has also arranged for the whole world to come into
covenant relationship with himself during the age to follow
this Gospel dispensation. By the acceptance of the merit of
him who "by the grace of God. tasted death for every man," -all
may be recovered, if they will, from the curse of death reBting
upon the human family. (Hebrews 2:9) These facts are
recognized by all who are careful students of the Word of God.
The question is: "How is it all to be done? In other words,
How can Christ utilize his merit on behalf of the church class
in the Gospel age and also apply the same merit on behalf of
the world in the Millennial age?"
We answer: No member of the human family could be
brought hack into harmony with God except through the payment
of the ransom price for hia sins. Neither Adam nor any
of his children could return to relationship with God save as
a satisfaction had been made that would cover the sins of the
one seeking fellowship with God. But it was just as easy for
the Lord Jesus to redeem the whole world as to redeem one
man; for all died in Adam. (1 Corinthians 15:21,22) Hence
all will be redeemed from that Adamic death and awakened
from the tomb because of the sacrificia.1 death of our Lord
Jesus Christ. All mankind are to have a full opportunity for
being raised to perfection of life. The death of Jesus is to
offset the sentence of death that came upon all mankind
through Adam's disobedience. But the benefit of the death of
Christ is not to be made effective to^all of the human race in
the same way or during the same period of time. — Rom.
5:15-21; 1 Tim. 2:4-7.
God's dealings with the church class, taken out from among
mankind and returned to himself in advance of the remainder
of the world, is distinctly different from his dealings with mankind
at large. For a wise purpose he has chosen to impute
the merit of the sacrificial death of Christ Jesus for this part
of the race before it is applied for the residue of men or for
Adam himself. The purchase price in the hands of Justice is
sufficient for all, but as yet it is not applied for all. To the
church at the present time there is merely a temporary imputation
of the merit, to be effective during the period of the
church's imperfection through the fallen flesh; whereas to the
world there will be a giving of the merit of Christ's sacrifice
of his humanity.
THE MERIT IK JESUS ALONE
The church of Christ, as members of his body, are to be
granted the great favor of being with Christ Jesus a part of the
world's sin-offering; hence the necessity of their being first
dealt with by God, The merit of the sacrificial death of the
body of Christ, which is to 'be applied for the world, is the
merit of Jesus, imputed to the church for this purpose. The
blood of the antitypical goat is to be applied for "all the people
" (Leviticus 1(1:33) ; "but the blood of the antitypical bullock
gives it virtue. Consequently all the merit is the merit
of Jesus alone. Some see this matter in part; but some see
it not at all. We wish to make the subject clear to all who
are sincerely seeking to be guided by the counsel of the Lord.
When our Lord Jesus ascended on high, he presented to
the Father the full merit of his sacrifice. Tt was all-sufficient
for the sins of the whole world; for "he is the propitation
(satisfaction] for our sins, and not for ours only [the
church's], but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John
2:2) But his merit was not applied for the whole world then;
for God's "due time" for dealing with the world as a whole had
not yet come. Hence to have applied the merit of Christ Jesus'
sacrificial death for mankind at that time would have been
to start the whole world on a new basis. Then from that time
onward all their sins would have been extraordinary— beyond
what had been atoned for; and because mankind had no mediator
, God's justice would have cut them off from all hope of
future life; for "Christ dieth no more." (Romans 0:9-) Having
had their share of the merit of Christ, they could have
no further opportunity, and would have been without hope of
future salvation.
NOT GIVEN, BUT IMPUTED. TO THE CHURCH
For this reason the whole world has been left up to the
present time without actual atonement for their sins. But
after the church shall have passed beyond the vail^and their
sacrifice shall have been finished, our Lord Jesus will make a
permanent application of this merit, which is all his own, on
behalf of all men. Then God will turn the whole world over
to Redeemer, the New Covenant will go into effect, and our
Ix>rd will take unto himself his great power and reign for a
thousand years for the restoration of the world which he purchased
. When this great work shall haw been accomplished,
and mankind shall have been restored to the original perfection
of Adam, then the Redeemer will have given to mankind
everything which he bought for them by hia death on Calvary.
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December I, 1918
THE WATCH TOWER
(358-559)
Let us reiterate: Before giving the blessings of restitution
to the world of mankind, the Savior uses the merit of his sacrifice
in a special way in the interest of the small proportion of
the race which become his church. When he ascended to the
Father after his resurrection, his merit was used for this class.
(Hebrews 9:24) The church, like the remainder of mankind,
were born under the death sentence. But on learning of God's
provision for such, this class indicated their desire to come
into covenant relationship with the Father, to follow Christ
Jesus in the way of sacrifice, to lay down their lives as he had
done. They declared their desire to walk in Christ's footsteps.
The Father could not, however, accept them in their natural
fallen condition. But as they presented themselves in sacrifice
, they came under the arrangement made especially for the
Gospel age, when our Lord "appeared in the presence of God
for us," the church. Thus they came individually under the
merit of Christ's righteousness, imputed to the church in this
age, covering their unavoidable weaknesses and imperfections,
and canceling all their sins of the past. Then they were accepted
of the Father through the Advocate (1 John 2:1) and
begotten of the holy Spirit as new creatures in Christ. — 2
Corinthians 5:17.
Our Lord did not give his merit to this class, but only
imputed it to them. He placed to thpir credit whatever each
one needed ; and throughout their earthly sojourn his imputed
merit covers all their daily transgressions, their trespasses
which are unwittingly committed, if they confess their shortcomings
and apply for this cleansing.
NO RESTITUTION FOB THE SPIRIT-BEGOTTEN
Jesus does not give the church restitution. If he were to do
so, it would make us perfect human beings, as he was when on
earth. But this is not the Father's plan. Our Lord merely
imputed restitution to us at our consecration, in order that it
might at once be sacrificed. Thereafter the imputation of hi3
merit is sufficient for us day by day, so that justice is satisfied
at all times, as far as the church is concerned, if this merit
is daily applied for. Otherwise our trespasses remain charged
up against us.
What we consecrate, if we do it intelligently, is all that we
have"; first, our will, then our time, our strength, our influence
, our mind, our body, our means — all that we have and
are. All things pertaining to the present life are to be sacrificed
on the altar of consecration with our Lord Jesus; and
thereafter we are to walk faithfully in his steps. In other
words, we are to give up, relinquish, that which our Lord's
merit imputed, or aocoumed to us; that is, perfect human nature
and all of those restitution blessings which would otherwise
have been ours with the remainder of the world. Therefore
as men we have nothing left. In this sense of the word
we give ourselves up in the same way that our Lord Jesus
gave himself up. The only difference is that he was a perfect
man, while we are imperfect. But he covers us with the robe
of hi3 righteousness, bo that we are able to stand before God
as though we had received full restitution. Our Redeemer
covers us as members of the Adamic race who have laid down
all earthly hopes for the more glorious hopes held out to us
as members of the body of Christ.
Thereafter we are wholly in the hands of our Lord Jesus.
He is our Head, and the One who ia to bring us off conquerors,
yea, more than conquerors. Day by day we yield ourselves
into his hands, that he may give us such experiences as are
necessary in order that we may be enabled to fulfil our covenant
of sacrifice — (Psalm 50:5) He stands bound on our account;
and his merit cannot be diverted from the purpose for which it
lias been appropriated — for the church,
THE GREAT COMPANY'S POSITION
The great company are also included in the class for whom
Christ utilized his merit when he ascended on high after his
resurrection ; for all of the church class are called "in one
hope of their calling," But since this large portion of the
church which is to constitute the great company do not sacrifice
their earthly interests faithfully, as they covenanted to do,
their flesh must be put to destruction. The great time of
trouble which is due at the close of this Gospel age is the
"great tribulation" through whieh this large class must pass
in order to "wash their robes and make them white in the
blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:14) These fail to keep
their record clean before the Lord day by day. They fail to
examine themselves properly and to perform dairy their vows
to the Lord. They are lacking in the spirit of sacrifice and are
fearful of the reproach of tiie cross.
But if this great company whom no man can number will
submit sympathetically to the destruction of the flesh according
to the divine provision granted them in mercy, they will
be purified and will come up to a place of service before the
throne. If, however, they do not submit, then the second
death will be their portion. But in either case they will have
lost their place in the throne; for thi3 position of special
honor is reserved for those who faithfully "follow the Lamb
whithersoever he goeth." (Revelation 14:1-5) The great
company's future work for the world will be as servants of the
royal priesthood, the body of Christ.
SUMMABY OF THE MAT TEE
Ihiring the present time, then, God's favor to the church is
through and on account of the virtue of the imputed merit of
Christ's sacrifice. Ours is a justification by faith, which in the
divine arrangement serves every purpose for us. But with the
world it will be different. God's arrangement for the world^is,
we see, a justification by works. Nevertheless, this justification
is through the merit of Christ; for mankind can never
attain to perfection through their own works alone, but only
through the assistance which Christ will give them. Neither
could they atone for their sins of the past. These must be
canceled through the merit of their Savior Jesus Christ. The
application of his merit in the beginning of the Millennium will
make satisfaction for the sins of the world, for every child
of Adam.
This satisfaction for the sins of the world corresponds to
the church's experience. Our sins are forgiven; the slate is
wiped clean for us when our Lord Jesus imputes to us his merit.
At the beginning of the Millennium the slate will be wiped
clean for the world as a whole. Nevertheless, there will be an
individuality of dealing; for except by personal co-operation no
one will- come to perfection. With the church in the present
time, it is not sufficient that our sins are forgiven, and that
we have Christ's merit imputed to us at the start. We need
the continual covering of our blemishes by the merit of his
righteousness. And so it will foe with the world. Their sins
will be forgiven by means of the application of the merit of the
redeemer at the beginning of the age; but they will need the
merit throughout the Millennium, until perfected and able to
live up to the requirements of the divine law.
The merit of Christ was used aB the ground, or basis, on
which the church is justified by faith. This same merit will
be used by the Father as the means through which the world
will attain to actual justification. It will be through the merit
of Jesus that they will be enabled to reach perfection. That
merit will be applied for the forgiveness of sins that are past;
and through the sealing of the New Covenant by his blood,
mankind will be covered while they are emerging from the
bondage of sin and death.
The Almighty was under no obligation to do this for the
children of Adam. It is all of divine (mercy, which is not
exercised apart from the principles of justice, but in harmony
with them, so that justice and mercy are linked together in
God's wonderful plan of redemption for mankind.
We should not use the word impute in respect to the world ;
for the Bible does not so use it. The world will have life as the
result of Christ's merit, not by imputation, but by direct
application. The merit of Christ secures the human nature;
and the human nature secured by the merit of Christ, is to
be given to the world. In the case of the church, however,
the merit is merely imputed to cover our blemishes up to the
time of our glorification, when we shall have our new body, in
the likeness of our Lord. — 1 John 3:2.
WOBE OF THE OHEIST TWOrOLD
The world will have an awakening, and the assistance of
the royal priesthood in the resurrection process. Their resurrection
will mean much more than the mere awakening from
the tomb. To awaken the world, to bring them back to conscious
being and to leave them there, would be merely to brin£
back the conditions which prevail now. Men would soon go to
striving and fighting again. Even if the devil were chained,
there is enough of the Satanic spirit entrenched in fallen mankind
to make this a world of strife. So the work of our Lord
Jesus will be not merely an awakening of men to life, but also
a work of uplifting, of helping them out of the weakened condition
and the evil environment in which they now are through
the Adamie fall from divine favor.
The work of. the Christ will not be finished, therefore, until
at the end of the Millennium he will have sriven all mankind
full opportunity of rising to perfection; This blessing is to
come first of all through the kingdom of Messiah, which is to
direct the affairs of the world. This kingdom will be in the
hands of the Christ, Jesus the Head and the church which is
the .body. The Lord has promised, however, a secondary blessing
; namely, that these kings shall also be priests, to instruct
and help mankind, to heal all the weaknesses and sicknesses
of humanity. So in the establishment of the kingdom the
work of the Christ will have only begun. Tt will reach its perfection
in the work of the royal priesthood, which will bring
mankind back to the image of God, lost through Adam's disobedience
, but redeemed at Calvary.
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LOVE ANEW
OJi, how oft we lack the Spirit
In the little things we tell,
And how oft we lose the import
Of the lessons conned eo well !
It is good to grow the graces
Of the Spirit in our head;
But 'tis grievous if our actions
Prove the fruit thereof is dead.
Love exults to see another
Being honored at her side,
And delights to be the agent
If the Lord be glorified.
Love prefers whatever method
God may use, nor questions why;
And for brethren of the Master
Love would even dare to die!
Love will suffer inconvenience
And will have no time to rue;
But with power and prompt obedience
Love will seek to serve anew.
Love, thou bond of our completeness,
Love of God and Christ our King,
I^ad us heavenward, to our homeland,
There of love anew to sing!
THE DRAWING OF GOD NOT THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
"As many as are led by the Spirit of Qod, they are the sons o
hath sent me draw him."-
Very careful scrutiny, very close study, is needful In
order that we may be able to rightly divide the Word of
Truth. The statement of our first text is quite restricted in
its application. The term "as many" implies that only those
who are led by the Spirit of God are God's sons. This being
so, how few are the sons of God! This declaration of the
Apostle Paul makes the matter of sonship a very limited
one. And this is in harmony with the entire Bible, which
points out that the number of the sons of God in the world
is only a "little flock."
Throughout the Jewish age, God was the Instructor and
Guide of his people through Moses and the prophets ; but they
were not sons of God, and none of them hud the Spirit of
God in the begetting sense. The Spirit was not yet given in
this sense, nor could it be until our Lord had provided the
ransom price, had been raised from the dead, and had ascended
to the Father. During the Master's earthly ministry it could
not come, as the Scriptures say, "because Jesus was not yet
glorified." (John 7:39) In other words, the Spirit of God,
as referred to in the New Testament as the possession of the
consecrated believer in Christ, is, primarily, a special in*
ftuence, a power, coming from God upon a special class in a
special manner Bince a particular events— not before that event.
The holy Spirit came, was manifested on the day of Pentecost
, so that it might stand out in our minds as separate
and distinct from anything that had occurred before that very
remarkable event.
WHY SO FEW UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE
Secondly, the Spirit of God is the mind, the disposition,
which the holy influence or power of God operating in the
child of God produces in the individual. This spirit, dieposi*
tion, of God, grows and developes as it feeds upon the Word.
The Spirit of God is variously called the holy Spirit of God,
the spirit of Christ, the spirit of truth, the Bpirit of love, the
spirit of a sound mind, the spirit of sonship. These terms all
represent the one possession of the saints of the present age.
These are a special company who have taken up their cross to
become followers of Christ, and who, on this account, are recognized
of the Father and begotten of the holy Spirit. This
Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth, so illuminates and permeates
the Bible that the revelation of God may be properly understood
only by those who have the holy Spirit. They only are able to
comprehend the deep things of God, which cannot be understood
save by a supernatural illumination of the mind. While
others not having this Spirit might get some light from the
Bible, only the spirit-begotten can get the real essence of the
truth; for they have this spiritual illumination. Thus, these
can understand things that are hidden from all others.
We call to mind Scriptures which speak of a leading of
God's servants prior to the Gospel age, and hence prior to the
begetting of the holy Spirit. In ages preceding the present
age, there were a few faithful servants of the Lord who were
guided by the holy Spirit ; that is, they obeyed God as he made
his will known to them. They had the spirit, the disposition,
of righteousness. God's Spirit, his power, operated, too, in a
mechanical way upon the holy prophets, causing them to utter
not only words from God to natural Israel and to certain individuals
to whom they were sent, but especially to declare prophetically
messages designed of God for the Church of Christ,
which was to be called out centuries after their time. See 1
Peter 1:10-12.
But the leading of the Spirit spoken of in the text under
consideration is a leading which is not the result of personal
revelations from God, visions and dreams, visible ministrations
and messages from angels, etc., as with God's servants of
old, but is the inspiration of the holy mind to which the saints
of the present age have been begotten by God's power within*
/ God." "No man can come unto me except the Father which
Romans 8:14; John 6:44.
WHAT CONSTITUTES THE FATHER'S DRAWING
During our lord's ministry on earth he made a statement
which we think has been misunderstood by many. It reads:
"No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent
me draw him." Let us remember that these words were
spoken by our Master before his death, before the holy Spirit,
therefore, had come upon any. Some, not having noticed the
Scriptural teaching that the holy Spirit did not come until
Pentecost, and then only upon consecrated believers in Christ,
have asked, "Was it not the drawing of the holy Spirit that
Jesus spoke of? Does not the holy Spirit operate upon the
heart previous to one's acceptance of Christ, and is it not this
that draws him to Christ?" We answer, No. It is not the
holy Spirit in the sense of our text. The holy Spirit is given
only to believers. It comes only after they have accepted
Christ, when God receives them as sons — not before.
What, then, shall we call that which went before? We
reply : We should call it what the Bible calls it — the drawing
of God. A« the Scriptures speak in a specific manner of some
being led of the Spirit, we would not be wis© to confuse ourselves
or others by speaking of it in a different way, but
should bear in mind that none can be led of the Spirit until
after he is begotten of the Spirit. But the Bible speaks of
this desire to come to the Father as the drawing of God ; and
we would best speak of it in just this way. The drawing
whieh the Father gives, and which many nave experienced,
seems to be a natural drawing of our human hearts along the
lines which belong to the natural man, and is something which
wo possessed before we were begotten of the holy Spirit. It
is nothing supernatural. There is no Scripture for such a
thought. It is our own mind that draws us.
HOW MEN ARE DRAWN TO GOD
To explain : When God created Adam, naturally he would
love his Creator. Naturally he would desire to be obedient to
God, to worship and serve him. These impulses were all natural
to him because -he was in a natural condition, a pure
condition. It is sin that has made man unnatural. But although
sin has entered in and perverted the original character
which God had given Adam, yet we find in the human heart
certain longings for God, even among the depraved. They
would prefer to be in perfect harmony with him.
All men have degenerated from the likeness of God; but
the desire for worship, the desire for righteousness, the desire
to be in accord with God, is much stronger in some than in
others. When the message of salvation is presented, some feel
an inward response. This is the impulse of a heart from whieh
the original likeness of the Father has been less obliterated
than it has been in many other hearts. This natural impulse
was God's original gift to man, a heart sentiment which
naturally drew men to their Maker. Hence this drawing which
still remains is properly called a drawing of the Father.
Among mankind there are some who have not lost their
reverence, whatever else they may have lost in Adam. Or perhaps
they may have the organ of conscientiousness or appreciation
of justice well developed. These qualities draw or incline
their possessors toward God; and they feel that they
cannot be happy without him. This is the drawing influence.
This, influence may be illustrated by the effect of a magnet. If
a quantity of steel filings were scattered throughout a box
of sawdust, and a magnet were held close to the surface, the
steel filings would immediately respond to the attraction of
the magnet. On the other hand, the Sawdust would not be
affected; nor would the steel filings respond to any other influence
than that of a magnet, exercised either directly or indirectly
upon them.
Man was created in the image of God. The fall into sin
has greatly marred that image, but no human being is totally
depraved. AH have unbalanced brains, however, some iu one
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December 1, 191$
THE WATCH TOWER
(361 363)
direction and others in another. When the truth comes into
contact with those whose organ of veneration or of conscientiousness
is less impaired, they are drawn to investigate it,
with the hope of being brought closer to God. But those whose
organs of conscientiousness and veneration are more impaired
do not have this experience. Such are not drawn" unto God, if
haply they may find him. Those who are without this drawing influence
are not to be blamed, however; for they were born
under these unfavorable conditions. Those who are reverential
by nature are favored in that whoever would come to God
must exercise faith in Christ as their Redeemer; and without
this faith there can be no blessing.
HOW TO COME TO THE FATHER
God does not draw any one by any other means than this
original power of the human heart which he implanted at man's
creation, and which has not been wholly lost by the fall. This
is the drawing which each one of us has realized who has come
to Christ. In proportion as one desires righteousness and has
the natural ability to exercise faith, in that same proportion
he is drawn to Goa\ He feels after God, if haply he might find
him. (Acts 17:27) We who have responded to "the Gospel call
had the desire to come before we did so. That desire was something
which awoke in us; but it was there before it was awakened
. Perhaps some great sorrow or calamity aroused in the
heart a feeling that we might take our grief 'to God, brought
us to realize our need of him.
Then perhaps the thought earner "God will not hear me."
This would be a very proper conclusion for one who is a
stranger to God. This soul, feeling after God, learns* that
there is no way of approach to God except through the Redeemer
whom he has provided. From the Word he receives
instruction, learns how to come to the Lord. Just as Cornelius
the centurion needed instruction and St. Peter was sent to him,
so we need help. We need to learn the terms upon which God
will receive us. As we ponder over the Word of God, we hear
our Savior say: "I am the way, the truth and the life, No
man cometh unto the Father but by me." — John 14:6.
We truly believe that thousands upon thousands of honest
souls have been turned away from God on account of the
creedal misrepresentations of his character. Some have been
drawn to him in various ways, however; such as the PhotoDrama
of Creation, etc. Not long ago we learned of a lawyer
who had felt that he had lost his hold upon God entirely; but
as the result of seeing and hearing the Photo-Drama he drew
nigh to God and made a consecration of himself. The hearing
of the true message of salvation as presented in the Bible has
led to the Ix>rd and to an earnest Christian life many who
had previously been repelled through false teachings.
Not until one has the desire to come back to the heavenly
Father is he ready to be directed to the great Advocate or to
be directed by him; for when we come to this Advocate he
very plainly tells us: "I can receive you upon only one condition
. Take up your cross and follow me." It would not
be worth while to explain about the narrow pathway to any
one who manifests that he has no drawing toward God.
DRAWING OF GOD NOT WORK OF HOLT SPIRIT
We see, then, quite a marked distinction between the drawing
of the Father, that drawing which comes from the remnant
of the original image of God not so far obliterated as to
find no response to the Gospel message, and that which in the
Bible is called the Spirit of God, The life and the testimony of
a consecrated child of God often cause a drawing toward God
or a feeling of reproof in one who is not a believer. The effect
of the holy Spirit in this Christian life thus acts indirectly
upon others who are sufficiently honest and sincere to be affected
by this testimony; but it never acts from within, in the
case of the unconsecrated.
Reverting to our first text, we repeat that only those who
have made a definite covenant of sacrifice with the Lord have
the spirit of God, only those are the sons of God. And even
these are not yet sons in the fullest sense of the word; but
they shall be when they receive their resurrection change.
Those who are of thi3 class shall be sons of God on the divine
plane, if they remain faithful unto death.
During the incoming Milennial age the world of mankind,
as they come into harmony with God's arrangements, will be
coming nearer and nearer to the standard of sonship, human
sonship. Christ will then do the drawing, and will draw all
men to himself. (John 12:32. See also Scripture Studies,
Vol. 5, p. 414, last par., and p. 415, par. 1) In the end of
that age those who have met the conditions fully, who have
come wholly into harmony with the laws of the kingdom of
Messiah, will have attained full sonship. They will then
have the Spirit of God which was lost in Adam, not in the
sense that the Gospel church has it, however — a begetting and
birth to a new nature— but in the sense that they will be in
full accord with God's disposition of justice, of righteousness,
of love.
A THOUSAND YEARS HENCE
This will then be the disposition of all of mankind who
come into harmony with the laws of the Messianic kingdom.
They will be earthly images of God. They will have fully
regained the condition of perfect mentality and morality, of
God-likeness, which Adam possessed when he was perfect, plus
the crystallized character for righteousness which Adam failed
to develop. All this great blessing the world will receive
through Christ. In the Scriptures our Lord Jesus is called
"the Everlasting Father" (Isaiah 9:6) — the Father who gives
life everlasting to the world, but not to the church, however.
The church receive their life as new creatures from the Father.
JOSEPH CARES FOR HIS KINDRED
[The last paragraph of this article was reprinted from article entitled, "Joseph's Last Days," published in issue of April
15, 1894. Paragraphs 2 to 4 inclusive were reprinted from article entitled, "All Things Work for Good to Them," published
in issue of May 15, 1913. The remainder was reprinted from article entitled, "The Close of a Noble Life " published in issue
of October 15, 1901. Please see the articles named.]
FAITH VICTORIES
December 29. — Hebrews 11:8-22.
FAITH BEFORE CHRIST CAME GOD'S DEALINGS WITH THE ANCIENT WORTHIES PROVIDENTIAL CARE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL—
THEIR EXPERIENCES OBJECT LESSONS FOR SPIRITUAL ISRAEL FAITH SINCE CHRIST CAME! — ANTITYPES OF JEWISH TYPES.
"This 'is the victory that overcometh the
We are living in a day when faith is greatly discounted, in
a day when people seem disposed to declare: "I do not care
what a man believes, if only his life be honorable." Practically
this means that faith is of no consequence. Those who
thus hold usually put honor of men as the highest goal. Their
sentiment, translated into plain English, would be: "With all
your getting get money and prosperity; for without these, no
matter what you believe or whom you worship, you will never
prosper in the present life, where success is the only goal now
recognized by an increasing number of people." This argument
appeals to the majority of our race.
The Bible standpoint, however, is the very reverse of this.
God's Word puts faith first, and builds character upon that
foundation. God declares that no human being can do perfect
works. Hence he has not made works the standard. Faith
is the divine standard; and God assures us that whoever has
the proper faith must of necessity have works which will
correspond with his faith. In line with this principle, we note
that God's favorites of the Bible have all been men of faith.
Their faith did not make them perfect, nor were their works
always acceptable in God's sight; but he punished them for
world, even our faith." — 1 John 5:4.
evil works and rewarded them for their great faith. Thus we
find in the Bible record that some of God'3 favorites committed
grievous sins and made serious mistakes; yet nevertheless
they maintained themselves in God's favor by reason of their
faith.
Of all religious books ever written or read, the Bible is
perhaps the most candid. It tells of the mistakes and the sins
of the very characters which it holds up as models and examples
of men after God's own heart. Yet the Bible leaves no
room for any one to assume that God loves wickedness or that
the friends of God are the depraved of mankind. Quite to the
contrary, the highest possible standards of righteousness in
word, in deed and in thought are inculcated; and we are
distinctly told that full acceptance with God can be only along
the lines of truth and righteousness.
God tells us that all mankind are sinners by nature. He
declares that we could do nothing to clear away our own guilt
and the sentence which stands against us as members of the
fallen race of Adam. But he also tells us that he purposes to
adjust the matter satisfactorily for us; and hence that our
responsibility is not for what we cannot do } but for what we
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THE WATCH TOWER
Pittsburgh, Pa.
can do. He assures us that the foundation for our noblest endeavors
will lie along the lines of confidence in him. This confidence
-ho calls faith. He assures us that without faith it is
impossible to please him; And this lie has shown us in all the
lessons of the Bible.
Let us look into the past, and vote the method by which
God sought his peculiar people. The first proclamation of the
divine purpose respecting humanity was made to Abraham.
After Abraham had manifested some faith, God gave him
further tests. When in obedience to these tests Abraham left
his native land and went to Canaan, he manifested so much
faith that God called him friend, and made to him the very
first revelation of the divine purposes in respect to mankind.
Abraham knew that there was a curse upon the entire race,
under which the whole creation was groaning, going down to
the tomb; and God's declaration to him was that the time
would come when the curse would be removed and a blessing
come instead. To Abraham this meant that instead of wasting
away in death men would be restored from their dying
condition and brought back from the tomb.
THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
This was a wonderful proposition, even for God to make.
Yet with childlike faith Abraham believed the message. God
declared to him that because of his faith he and his posterity
would be greatly blest, so that through him as a father would
eventually come children who would accomplish the great
work of rescuing all mankind from the power of Satan, sin
and death. The briefly epitomized statement of all this was
in the words: "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth
be blessed." — Genesis "12:3.
What did it mean for Abraham to have faith in that promise
? Assuredly it meant that henceforth his mind would take
in a large horizon, the world of [humanity instead of merely
his own immediate family, his flocks and herds and his nearest
neighbors. It meant that if God would so honor his posterity
Abraham would seek in everything to co-operate with
God and that great promise.
For many years God tested Abraham's faith. Yet he still
believed. After Isaac was born and as yet had no child, God
directed that this son of the promise, the one in whom the
covenant centered, should be sacrificed. What a test of faith!
What a grand development of faith Abraham had acquired
when he was ready to obey the divine voice, accounting that
God was able to raise Isaac from tlhe dead! Oh, for such a
trust in God! Oh, for such appreciation of divine power!
What could not be accomplished in the world through the
divine message if such faith prevailed among God's children!
What would God not do for all who would thus trust him !
It was the same with Isaac and Jacob. They trusted that
same promise, and it influenced the whole course of their
lives. It made thorn more like God. It shaped their every
interest. Although they understood practically nothing of
how God would accomplish so great a blessing, nevertheless
their faith laid bold upon that fact. From their posterity
God would raise up a holy people to be his agency, his channel,
for instructing the world, ruling the world, uplifting the
world, resurrecting the dead and bringing mankind hack to
all that was lost through Adam's disobedience.
If their faith had been weaker, they might have had plenty
of opportunities for stumbling. If they had been more worldly
-wise, they might have said: "How can God do this thing
and yet be just? Having once pronounced a sentence, how
can he clear the guilty?" But their faith wavered not. In
their hearts they said: "God has promised; and what he has
promised he will do; and he will have his own way of accomplishing
it."
ANOTHER COVENANT MADE
By and by the nation of Israel as a whole was called the
people of God. The nation as a whole entered into a covenant
with God through Moses, the mediator of the Law Covenant
. Israel was impulsed by faith — faith in the promise made
to Abraham that God would use his posterity in the blessing
of all of Adam's race, both living and dead.
The covenant made at Sinai pledged the people of Israel to
be a holy nation, to keep God's law blamelessly. God covenanted
that in that event he would fulfill in them the promise
made to Abraham. But he knew that imperfect human beings
could not keep ihis perfect law. Nevertheless he would let
them try; he would let them learn that lesson; and through
it he would give instruction to the angels respecting his own
righteousness. Through it he would also give instruction to
spiritual Israel, whom he would develop later, and through
whom the blessings would actually come. This is explained
by the Apostle Paul, who says: "The Law Covenant was
added because of transgressions until the promised seed should
come." — Galatians 3:19.
In other words God started this work with Israel in a
typical manner long centuries before the real spiritual Israel
would be developed. But he did not thereby do injury to the
people who had covenanted to keep the law, but who were
unable to do so. On the contrary they as a people were blest
by their endeavors to keep the law, as well as by the chastisements
' which came upon them because of their failures and
their lack of faith. But God especially blest all of that nation
who shared Abraham's faith. In addition to Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob the Apostle Paul could enumerate a large number
who pleased God because of their faith long before Christ,
the spiritual seed of Abraham, came. Those ancient worthies,
although they will not be the seed of Abraham in the highest
sense, on the spirit plane, will be the seed of blessing on the
earthly plane, the channel through which the heavenly blessings
will ultimately be extended to all the nations of earth.
What was it that impulsed the Jewish people during all
those centuries past? W T as it not faith that God would fulfil
the promise made to Abraham? It surely was! Moreover,
that promise still actuates Buch of the Jews as have not lost
their faith j that is, such of Abraham's descendants through
Jacob as are still Jews. Those who have lost the faith of
Abraham are no longer related to the promise in any sense
of the word; for the promise was according to faith,
St. Paul speaks sympathetically of the Jewish nation, in
respect to that promise which God originally made to Abraham
. He says: "Unto which promise our twelve tribes,
instantly serving God day and night, hope to come." (Acts
26:7) And all Jews, in proportion as they still maintain that
hope, may continue to expect a realization of all and more than
they have dreamed of, in God's due time.
THE LONG-PROMISED SEED OF ABRAHAM
The coming of Christ did not change the divine purpose,
and therefore did not change the faith of God's people. Jesus
and the apostles believed and taught the very Gospel which,
according to St. Paul, God preached in the beginning to Abraham
. (Galatians 3:8) The apostolic message also was that
all the families of the earth were to be blest through Abraham
's seed. But there was an additional feature then due to
be proclaimed and to be believed ; namely, that God had begun
to provide this seed of Abraham, the Messi&h ; that God had
sent the Logos, his Son, into the world to become the seed
of Abraham on the spirit plane and eventually to fulfil every
feature of the original promise.
All the Jews were in expectation of the Messiah, but they
did not ail have the proper faith. ^ Therefore God preferred
to permit some of them to remain in a measure of blindness
on this subject, while others were granted a special anointing
of their eyes of understanding, their eyes of faith. To this
class Jesus said: "To you it is given to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven," the Messianic kingdom, through
which the seed of Abraham is to bless all the families of the
earth. Then came another step of faith. Instead of reigning
in triumph to dispense blessings to the world aaa result of
hi3 sacrifice, he ascended to heaven. How was this to be understood
?
God's answer through the apostles was that "the faith once
delivered to the saints" was the same still, but that now under
the guidance of the holy Spirit they were to understand that
the Messiah would not be one person, but many; that not
Jesus alone would be the seed of Abraham ; but that Jesus as
the Head and the church as his members, or body, would be
that seed. St. Paul says : "Ye brethren, as Isaac was, are the
children of promise." In this figure Jesus was represented
by Isaac's head, while the church was represented by Isaac's
body. It has taken the entire Gospel age to develop the body
of Christ, which is the church.
Under another figure Jesus was represented in Isaac, and
the church in Rebecca, Isaac's bride. According to this figure
the antitypical Isaac has entered into glory, but awaits the
development of the antitypical Rebecca. At the appointed
and appropriate time our Lord will come, the seed of Abraham
, and receive his bride unto bimself ; and they twain will
be made one. Then through the one, the Christ, will come
through the Messianic reign the blessing promised to Abraham
nearly four thousand years ago: "In thy seed shall all
the families of the earth be blessed."
This is "the faith once delivered to the saints," "the hope
set before us in the Gospel," the faith that God will use the
seed of Abraham to bless all humanity, and the hope that by
faithful perseverance and trust we may become joint-heirs
with Jesus, the Redeemer, in all the glorious inheritance of
the Messianic kingdom, for which God's people long have
prayed: "Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth even
as it is done in heaven."
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QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST
IN RE-APPOINTMENT OF ELDERS
Question: — What should be the attitude of a competent
elder who fails of re-election?
Answer; — The appointment to the office of elder ia by vote
of the ecclesia, the company of the Lord's people, and is to
be the voice of the church. We believe that the proper attitude
for each one should be that of willingness to accept the
voice of the ecclesia, the church, implicitly. Whoever has
become a member of the congregation by casting in his lot
with the others has thus become subject to the rules that
represent the controlling majority, whether it be a majority*
…