1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

and of the Covenant of sacrifice which we have made.A later development of this wrong spirit by and byfinds opportunity, under one pretext or another, to putthe person into opposition to the Lord, to the truth and tothe brethren. He thus gradually passes from being a soldierunder the banner of Christ to becoming a co-laborerwith the Adversary in opposing the things of God.As the Apostle says, "Behold, how great a matter alittle fire kindleth!" (James 3:5.) Behold what a greatdestruction of all the work of grace may be accomplishedspeedily by a little pride or fond desire or self-gratification!--not that the little beginnings mean the SecondDeath, but that they will surely lead on toward it unlessthe individual be recovered. St. James emphasized thisthought, saying, "When lust [desire] has conceived, itbringeth forth Sin; and Sin when it is finished [completed]bringeth forth Death."--James 1:15.THREE METHODS OF ADMONITION USED BY THE LORDMeantime, while one of the Lord's sheep would bethus straying, would the Great Shepherd be inattentiveand allow him to wander without warning? Surely not!Through some Divine providence, such as sickness or thecoming to the attention of some message from God'sWord, directly or indirectly, or through faithful testimonyand witness of the brethren, the Lord will speak to allsuch straying sheep, pointing out to them the danger ofthe path they are taking. If they heed well, they shallbe recovered fully, and ultimately attain to the higheststate as overcomers. But the Lord will not coerce.In the beginning the Lord appealed to our wills, andHe continues to do so. The Lord will not use force in theselection of the present time; for He seeketh only suchto serve Him as worship Him in spirit and in truth. Thesame will which He accepted and which brought us suchgreat blessing can reject God's favors--can receive thegrace of God in vain and gradually draw back out of fellowshipwith the Lord and with the spirit of the Covenantand toward the Second Death.If the admonitions of the Lord's providences, includingthe counsel of the brethren, etc., fail, and if there be ameasure of ignorance connected with the perverse course,the Lord may give severe chastisements to awaken thoroughlysuch a person, that the spirit may be saved in theday of the Lord Jesus, through those chastisements.(I Cor. 5:5.) Many such, the Scriptures assure us, willcome up out of great tribulation, washing their robes andmaking them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Rev. 7:14.)But while they may attain to a good position onthe spirit plane, they have lost the great, pre-eminentprize of joint-heirship with the Lord in the MessianicKingdom, unto which they were called.ALLOWANCE MADE FOR IMMATURITY OF CHARACTER