1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
R217 : page 1THE GOSPEL TO ABRAHAM.The word gospel signifies good news. There are parts orelements to the good news however; there are first principles ofthe gospel of Christ (Heb. 6:1.) and there are more advanceddoctrines also. For instance, when you became aware that youwere a sinner, and learned that Jesus had become you ransom,and that as a result you might now, approach God as a perfectman and not as a sinner, and that by and by in God's due time(the Millennial Age) all marks of sin would be removed and youwould then be actually perfect (still a man), that was good newsto you; it was the basis of your harmony and friendship withGod. It was the same thing which centuries ago was good newsto Abraham. Paul tells us: "Abraham believed God and it wascounted unto him for righteousness." Rom. 4:3. What good newsdid God communicate which he believed? "The gospel...saying:In thee shall all nations be blessed." The process by which allnations were to be blessed was not understood by Abrahamexcept that it should be through his offspring, but he believedthe fact without knowing how. We are made acquainted with themanner in which the blessing comes, viz: that Jesus was(through Mary) the seed of Abraham, and as such gave his life aransom for all men; that as a consequence, in due time all menwill be justified, and released from all the ills which comethrough sin.Yes, the restitution from Adam's sin--the justification ofhumanity by Christ's sacrifice, was the good news to Abraham,to us of the gospel age, and is to be good news to the wholeworld in the Millennial Age, for it is "to be testified in duetime." 1 Tim. 2:6. It is this message that is called "theeverlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earthand to every nation and kindred and tongue and people," (duringthe coming age). Rev. 14:6.But there is another phase of the good news (gospel) whichbelongs exclusively to this Gospel Age. Something "which inother ages was not made known unto the Sons of men, as it isnow (during this Gospel Age) revealed unto his saints (n.t.) andprophets (public expounders,) by the Spirit." Eph. 3:5.This special good news is, that since Jesus' sacrifice, God iscalling out from the world of humanity, some to become "theBride, the Lamb's wife" --to "become partakers of the divinenature," (2 Pet. 1:4) to cease to be men and become "newcreatures in Christ Jesus," (2 Cor. 5:17.) and as such to be "Heirsof God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord." This is "our highcalling" of God, which we are to make sure of, by crucifyingand sacrificing the human nature. This is the prize for which weseek--"Glory, Honor and Immortality."
But these prizes were not offered to Abraham; he was not toldabout the joint-heirship, nor about sitting in the throne, norabout Immortality. No, these were not made known in past ages."Jesus Christ...brought Life and Immortality to light through thegospel." 2 Tim. 1:10. Nor will this high calling be made duringthe future ages, for the "body of Christ" will be completed inthis age. The Bride will be developed, and the marriage of theLamb will come when "his wife hath made herself ready." Rev.19:7.So we see that we get all that Abraham got, viz: justification byfaith from all Adamic sin, and in addition are invited to becomea part of "The Seed which is Christ." Gal. 3:29. Abraham wasthe father of this Seed in a certain sense, but certainly not a partof his own Seed. But more on this again.Jesus was anointed of the Spirit-- "the Lord's anointed"--and thiswe have seen is the meaning of his title, Christ; and all whobecome members of the Christ, must be made partakers of theHoly Ghost--anointed. Now we want to show that none wereever thus anointed before Jesus, and if this be the case none everwere members of his body before this age.David is called the Lord's anointed, but he was anointed ofSamuel with the anointing oil to the office of King; but bothDavid and the oil were types: The oil a type of the Holy Spirit,and David a type of Christ in his office of King. Aaron was theLord's anointed also, but he too was anointed only with thetypical oil and was himself a type of Christ in his office ofPriest. The Spirit of God [Holy Spirit] came upon the Prophetsduring the Jewish age, but in a different way entirely and for adifferent purpose than its operation on the church during thisage. Then, it was simply a power, which took possession of theProphet; over which he had little or no control, which simplyused him as a machine. (See Num. 22:38.) Never before Jesus,did the Holy Spirit act as "a comforter" and guide into anunderstanding of truth, and this is the special work of the Spiritnow. It is given to the new creature as a seal or evidence of hisbeing begotten to the divine nature and as an earnest of his finaldeliverance, or birth into the Spiritual form.The Spirit had written the mysteries through the Prophets, buthad not revealed them. These mysteries were written for thechurch; (Jesus and hisR218 : page 1body) and no one else could know them, nor will any one elseunderstand them until the church is complete and "the mysteryof God... finished."Many of the Prophets were good men who loved God and whomGod loved; yet, Daniel called the "greatly beloved" prayed forweeks, to God, desiring an understanding of some of the
- Page 109 and 110: faith? It is because God has a plan
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- Page 113 and 114: R202 : page 7AN OPEN LETTER.Dear Br
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- Page 121 and 122: soul (being existence.") Matt. 16:2
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R217 : page 1THE GOSPEL TO ABRAHAM.The word gospel signifies good news. There are parts orelements to the good news however; there are first principles ofthe gospel of Christ (Heb. 6:1.) and there are more advanceddoctrines also. For instance, when you became aware that youwere a sinner, and learned that Jesus had become you ransom,and that as a result you might now, approach God as a perfectman and not as a sinner, and that by and by in God's due time(the Millennial Age) all marks of sin would be removed and youwould then be actually perfect (still a man), that was good newsto you; it was the basis of your harmony and friendship withGod. It was the same thing which centuries ago was good newsto Abraham. Paul tells us: "Abraham believed God and it wascounted unto him for righteousness." Rom. 4:3. What good newsdid God communicate which he believed? "The gospel...saying:In thee shall all nations be blessed." The process by which allnations were to be blessed was not understood by Abrahamexcept that it should be through his offspring, but he believedthe fact without knowing how. We are made acquainted with themanner in which the blessing comes, viz: that Jesus was(through Mary) the seed of Abraham, and as such gave his life aransom for all men; that as a consequence, in due time all menwill be justified, and released from all the ills which comethrough sin.Yes, the restitution from Adam's sin--the justification ofhumanity by Christ's sacrifice, was the good news to Abraham,to us of the gospel age, and is to be good news to the wholeworld in the Millennial Age, for it is "to be testified in duetime." 1 Tim. 2:6. It is this message that is called "theeverlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earthand to every nation and kindred and tongue and people," (duringthe coming age). Rev. 14:6.But there is another phase of the good news (gospel) whichbelongs exclusively to this Gospel Age. Something "which inother ages was not made known unto the Sons of men, as it isnow (during this Gospel Age) revealed unto his saints (n.t.) andprophets (public expounders,) by the Spirit." Eph. 3:5.This special good news is, that since Jesus' sacrifice, God iscalling out from the world of humanity, some to become "theBride, the Lamb's wife" --to "become partakers of the divinenature," (2 Pet. 1:4) to cease to be men and become "newcreatures in Christ Jesus," (2 Cor. 5:17.) and as such to be "Heirsof God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord." This is "our highcalling" of God, which we are to make sure of, by crucifyingand sacrificing the human nature. This is the prize for which weseek--"Glory, Honor and Immortality."
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