1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
"partakers of the divine nature," the "bride," and "joint heirs,"with his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (anointed).With her Lord, the wife becomes a part of the Christ--theanointed "body." She now fills up the measure of the afflictionsof Christ, which are behind.--Col. 1:24. With him, she bears thecross here and when every member of that body is made "aliving sacrifice," has crucified the fleshly human nature, then theATONEMENT sacrifice will be finished, and the bride,R252 : page 14being complete, will enter with her Lord into the glory whichfollows, and share with him in the "joy that was set before him,"and which he set before her--of blessing all the families of theearth, thus completing the AT-ONE-MENT between God andthe redeemed race. And, "as in the first Adam (and Eve--theybeing counted as one--Gen. 5:2) all die, so in Christ (Jesus andhis bride made one--Eph. 2:15) shall all be made alive." 1 Cor.15:22. Jesus, the head, atoned for his body, his bride, and hisrighteousness is imputed to her. Being thus justified, andconsidered holy in God's sight, she is permitted to havefellowship with him in his sufferings that she may also sharewith him in his glory. [See Tract No. 7, Work of Atonement--Tabernacle Types.]Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us(believers), that we should be called the children of God, and ifchildren, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with JESUSCHRIST, our Lord, if so be that we suffer with him."-- Rom.8:17.B.--It is very clear to my mind, that a false idea of substitutionhas obtained among Christian people, from a supposition that itrepresented God as a vindictive, vengeful tyrant, angry becauseman had sinned; refusing to show mercy until blood had beenshed, and caring not whether it was the blood of the innocent orthe guilty, so long as it was blood. I doubt not many Christianshave been led to look upon substitution as a God-dishonoringdoctrine, even though there are many scriptures which are founddifficult to otherwise make use of, as, "He tasted death for everyman;" "My flesh I will give for the life of the world;" "Withoutthe shedding of blood (life) there is no remissionR253 : page 14of sins;" "Redemption through his blood;" "While we were yetsinners, Christ died for us;" "We were reconciled to God by thedeath of his son;" and many other texts to the same effect. It wasnot by his leaving the glory which he had, nor by his keeping thelaw, nor by his being rejected of the Jews, a man of sorrows andacquainted with grief, nor by his resurrection,R253 : page 15
nor by work he has since accomplished, but, "by his DEATHthat we are reconciled to God."I now see him as mankind's substitute, suffering death, thepenalty which the justice of God had inflicted upon us. I can see"the exceeding sinfulness of sin" in God's sight, the perfection ofhis justice, and his great wisdom in so arranging it all, that man'sextremity was made the occasion for the manifestation of "thegreat love wherewith he loved us" when "he gave his onlybegotten Son," and "laid upon him the iniquity of us all," as wellas the love of Christ, who gave himself for us, that he mightredeem us from all iniquity, (buy back to us all we had lost byiniquity). I feel to exclaim with Paul, "O! the depth of the richesboth of the knowledge and wisdom of God."C.--Do you understand the Scriptures to teach that all mankindwill reach and maintain the perfection of life which Adam lost--which you called "everlasting life?"A.--It would seem as though such love, when seen, would begetlove and obedience; but we are assured there is a second death,and while those who become subject to it, will not compare innumbers with the saved, yet, there will be some, who will notreach perfection, even at the end of the thousand years, whobeing incorrigible will be cast into the lake of fire (the seconddeath.)God made provision before our creation for the recovery fromthe first death, (the present Adamic death,) but, if afterexperience with evil and a knowledge of good, they do notappreciate good, they will die for their own sin (not Adam's).There is no recovery from the second death--Christ will not diefor them again. Justice and love can do nothing more for them.C.--Do you not understand that some are condemned to thesecond death during the Gospel Age?A.--Yes, in 1 John 5:16, and in Heb. 6:4-6, we are informed thatsome commit this sin now, but from the conditions mentioned,they are evidently few. Only those who have been brought to aknowledge of God and his good word and haveR253 : page 16received the Holy Ghost--in a word, Saints are the only oneswho could commit it--those who have already received all thebenefits of ransom from sin, etc., and who know it. If these,being washed, like the sow, willingly go back to the wallowingin the mire of sin, they commit the sin unto death.I do not mean simply backsliding, but open apostasy andrejection of Jesus' work of ransom and purchase as explained bythe Apostle.And now there is another thought I would like you to notice:Jesus not only ransomed his bride from death, but as her head
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nor by work he has since accomplished, but, "by his DEATHthat we are reconciled to God."I now see him as mankind's substitute, suffering death, thepenalty which the justice of God had inflicted upon us. I can see"the exceeding sinfulness of sin" in God's sight, the perfection ofhis justice, and his great wisdom in so arranging it all, that man'sextremity was made the occasion for the manifestation of "thegreat love wherewith he loved us" when "he gave his onlybegotten Son," and "laid upon him the iniquity of us all," as wellas the love of Christ, who gave himself for us, that he mightredeem us from all iniquity, (buy back to us all we had lost byiniquity). I feel to exclaim with Paul, "O! the depth of the richesboth of the knowledge and wisdom of God."C.--Do you understand the Scriptures to teach that all mankindwill reach and maintain the perfection of life which Adam lost--which you called "everlasting life?"A.--It would seem as though such love, when seen, would begetlove and obedience; but we are assured there is a second death,and while those who become subject to it, will not compare innumbers with the saved, yet, there will be some, who will notreach perfection, even at the end of the thousand years, whobeing incorrigible will be cast into the lake of fire (the seconddeath.)God made provision before our creation for the recovery fromthe first death, (the present Adamic death,) but, if afterexperience with evil and a knowledge of good, they do notappreciate good, they will die for their own sin (not Adam's).There is no recovery from the second death--Christ will not diefor them again. Justice and love can do nothing more for them.C.--Do you not understand that some are condemned to thesecond death during the Gospel Age?A.--Yes, in 1 John 5:16, and in Heb. 6:4-6, we are informed thatsome commit this sin now, but from the conditions mentioned,they are evidently few. Only those who have been brought to aknowledge of God and his good word and haveR253 : page 16received the Holy Ghost--in a word, Saints are the only oneswho could commit it--those who have already received all thebenefits of ransom from sin, etc., and who know it. If these,being washed, like the sow, willingly go back to the wallowingin the mire of sin, they commit the sin unto death.I do not mean simply backsliding, but open apostasy andrejection of Jesus' work of ransom and purchase as explained bythe Apostle.And now there is another thought I would like you to notice:Jesus not only ransomed his bride from death, but as her head
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