1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

the Church, the Bride class, the joint-heirs. Faithfulnessand zeal in this service will determine whether or not theywill be worthy of having a place in the Bride class, and, ifworthy, how high a station of honor they may occupy.Let us give heed gladly to the Divine Word respecting ourobligation.We must "have no fellowship with the unfruitfulworks of darkness, but rather reprove them." Howsearching, how positive--absolutely no fellowship withthem! More than this, we must not be content with anegative opposition, but must reprove them. Howeverwisely we may seek to fulfil these requirements, they aresure to bring to us the enmity, the disfavor and the disappointmentof many whom we love, and whose goodopinion we strongly desire. But as good soldiers of theLord Jesus Christ we must be loyal, we must be faithful.He that is ashamed of the Master and His Word and theprinciples of righteousness for which He stands, of himwill the Savior be ashamed when He comes to establishHis Kingdom, when He comes to reckon with Hisservants.Evidently the Apostle does not mean that we shallundertake to reprove everything that is out of accordwith our high ideals of the Divine Law and the Divinewill, because he here mentions the things to be reproved,saying, "It is a shame even to speak of those thingswhich are done of them in secret"--uncleanness, impurepractices, the Apostle evidently had in mind. We mustmanifest our disapproval when we are in close contactwith such things.This does not mean that we shall leave the preachingof the Gospel to go "slumming," to do "muck-raking."It may not mean that we shall even publicly denounce theevil, but it surely does mean that our lives shall be socontrary to all sinful and impure practices that all maytake knowledge that we have been with Jesus, and havelearned of Him. This is evidently the Apostle's thoughtin verse 13. It is not necessary for us to suppose thatthe world is in full sympathy with all the darkness andsin prevalent. On the contrary, as the Apostle suggests(verse 14), some are asleep and do not, therefore, realizethe distinction between light and darkness. Some ofthese, if thoroughly awake, might be glad to know ofChrist and the true light.WALK YE CIRCUMSPECTLYIn view of these things, said the Apostle, the followersof Jesus should be careful, circumspect in the walk of life,not foolish, but wise, not squanderers of time, but redeemingthe time, purchasing it back from worldly caresand pleasures, to have the more to use in the Master'sservice, realizing that the days are evil and that all ourenergies are needful if we would "fight a good fight" forthe light as against the darkness of sin. To do this willrequire that we study and understand the will of the