1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
the knowledge, etc., specified by the apostle, we feel sure; andthat is the specified condition.There's a wideness in God's mercy,Like the wideness of the sea;There's a kindness in his justiceWhich is more than liberty.====================R261 : page 56PART III.----------HOW WILL CHRIST COME?TO ALL who "love his appearing" and have read with interestthe foregoing chapter, the manner in which our Lord will comebecomes a subject of great interest, and now invites yourattention.At his first advent he came in a body of flesh prepared "for thesuffering of death:" at his second advent he comes in glory(Mark 13:26) in his glorious body (Phil. 3:21), a spiritual body.--1 Cor. 15:44-49.But what is a spiritual body? What powers are theirs, and bywhat laws are they governed? We are here met by the objections--we have no right to pry into the hidden things of God --and"Eye hath not seen, ear heard, neither have entered into the heartof man the things which God hath prepared for them that lovehim." To both of these propositions we assent, but believe wecannot find out by studying God's Word what he has notrevealed; and our investigation will be confined to the Word.The above quotation of Scripture (1 Cor. 2:9) refers to thenatural or carnal man, and by reading it, in connection with thethree verses which follow, the objection vanishes; for, says theapostle, "God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit," whichwas given to us believers--the church--"that we might know thethings that are freely given to us of God." And in the last clauseof vs. 13, he gives us the rule by which we may know,--viz.,"Comparing spiritual things with spiritual." WeR261 : page 57are very apt to change this rule, and compare spiritual thingswith natural, and thus get darkness instead of light. Let us nowuse the apostle's rule.There is a spiritual body as well as a natural body; a heavenly,as well as an earthly body; a celestial as well as a terrestrial; aglory of the earthly, as well as of the heavenly. The glory of theearthly, as we have seen, was lost by the first Adam's sin, and isto be restored to the race by Jesus and his bride during the
Millennial reign. The glory of the heavenly is as yet unseen,except as revealed to the spiritual, "new creatures"--to the eyesof faith, by the Spirit, through the Word. They are distinct andseparate.--1 Cor. 15:38-48. We know what the natural, earthly,terrestrial body is, for we now have such; it is flesh, blood, andbones; for, "that which is born of the flesh is flesh," and sincethere are two kinds of bodies, we know that the spiritual is notcomposed of flesh, blood, and bones, whatever it may be; it is aheavenly, celestial, spiritual body,--"That which is born of thespirit is spirit." But of what material a spiritual body may be weknow not, for "it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but...weshall be like him"--Jesus.THE SECOND BIRTH.Jesus was raised from the dead a spiritual body; this was hissecond birth. First born of the flesh a fleshly body--for, "as thechildren are now partakers of flesh and blood, he also himselflikewise took part of the same."--Heb. 2:14. He was "Put todeath in the flesh, but quickened [made alive] by the Spirit." Hewas raised a spiritual body. He was the "first born from thedead," "the first-born among many brethren." The church arethose brethren and will have a second birth of the same kind ashis,--i.e., to spiritual bodies by the resurrection, when we shallawake in his likeness--being made "Like unto Christ's gloriousbody." But, this second birth must be preceded by a begetting ofthe spirit--at conversion--just as surely as a birth of the flesh ispreceded by a begetting of theR261 : page 58flesh. Begotten of the flesh--born of the flesh--in the likeness ofthe first Adam, the earthly; begotten of the spirit-- in theresurrection born of the spirit, into the likeness of the heavenly."As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bearthe image of the heavenly." We may, then, by examining factsrecorded of Christ, after his resurrection, and of angels, who arealso spiritual bodies, gain general information with regard tospiritual bodies, thus "comparing spiritual things with spiritual."First, then, angels can be, and frequently are, present, yetinvisible. "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about themthat are his, and delivereth them;" and "Are they not allministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall beheirs of salvation?"--Heb. 1:14. Are you begotten of the spirit,an heir of salvation? Then doubtless they have ministered toyou. Have they ministered visibly or invisibly? Undoubtedly thelatter. Elisha was surrounded by a host of Assyrians; his servantwas fearful; Elisha prayed to the Lord, and the young man's eyeswere opened, and he "saw the mountains round about Elisha fullof chariots of fire and horsemen of fire" (or like fire). Again,while to Balaam the angel was invisible, the ass's eyes beingopened saw him.
- Page 271 and 272: heads, "standards" and "authorities
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- Page 277 and 278: occur in 1880 and 1881. But though
- Page 279 and 280: page iFOODFORTHINKING CHRISTIANS.--
- Page 281 and 282: among the good? Could he not have p
- Page 283 and 284: B.--But did not God implant in his
- Page 285 and 286: should disobey God, death would hav
- Page 287 and 288: in the forfeit of the sinner's life
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- Page 291 and 292: nor by work he has since accomplish
- Page 293 and 294: C.--Now, another point: Are all our
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- Page 297 and 298: word of God true and Satan's statem
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- Page 301 and 302: These evidently overlook the fact t
- Page 303 and 304: he were dealing by a rule of chance
- Page 305 and 306: SEPARATE AGES.The Patriarchal, last
- Page 307 and 308: complete, then the plan of God for
- Page 309 and 310: Again he says, Acts 4:12, "There is
- Page 311 and 312: Another is: "There is one God, and
- Page 313 and 314: accomplished.--Vs. 28 to 33. The pr
- Page 315 and 316: THEIR FORMER ESTATE,"--restitution.
- Page 317 and 318: ighteousness to such a degree that
- Page 319 and 320: for the same reasons. But when God'
- Page 321: now they die for their own willful
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- Page 329 and 330: the glory that shall be revealed (1
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- Page 355 and 356: illion four hundred million) could
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- Page 359 and 360: PART VI.----------THE PLAN OF THE A
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- Page 363 and 364: But Paul, surely God would not acce
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- Page 371 and 372: in his due time become his Bride an
Millennial reign. The glory of the heavenly is as yet unseen,except as revealed to the spiritual, "new creatures"--to the eyesof faith, by the Spirit, through the Word. They are distinct andseparate.--1 Cor. 15:38-48. We know what the natural, earthly,terrestrial body is, for we now have such; it is flesh, blood, andbones; for, "that which is born of the flesh is flesh," and sincethere are two kinds of bodies, we know that the spiritual is notcomposed of flesh, blood, and bones, whatever it may be; it is aheavenly, celestial, spiritual body,--"That which is born of thespirit is spirit." But of what material a spiritual body may be weknow not, for "it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but...weshall be like him"--Jesus.THE SECOND BIRTH.Jesus was raised from the dead a spiritual body; this was hissecond birth. First born of the flesh a fleshly body--for, "as thechildren are now partakers of flesh and blood, he also himselflikewise took part of the same."--Heb. 2:14. He was "Put todeath in the flesh, but quickened [made alive] by the Spirit." Hewas raised a spiritual body. He was the "first born from thedead," "the first-born among many brethren." The church arethose brethren and will have a second birth of the same kind ashis,--i.e., to spiritual bodies by the resurrection, when we shallawake in his likeness--being made "Like unto Christ's gloriousbody." But, this second birth must be preceded by a begetting ofthe spirit--at conversion--just as surely as a birth of the flesh ispreceded by a begetting of theR261 : page 58flesh. Begotten of the flesh--born of the flesh--in the likeness ofthe first Adam, the earthly; begotten of the spirit-- in theresurrection born of the spirit, into the likeness of the heavenly."As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bearthe image of the heavenly." We may, then, by examining factsrecorded of Christ, after his resurrection, and of angels, who arealso spiritual bodies, gain general information with regard tospiritual bodies, thus "comparing spiritual things with spiritual."First, then, angels can be, and frequently are, present, yetinvisible. "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about themthat are his, and delivereth them;" and "Are they not allministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall beheirs of salvation?"--Heb. 1:14. Are you begotten of the spirit,an heir of salvation? Then doubtless they have ministered toyou. Have they ministered visibly or invisibly? Undoubtedly thelatter. Elisha was surrounded by a host of Assyrians; his servantwas fearful; Elisha prayed to the Lord, and the young man's eyeswere opened, and he "saw the mountains round about Elisha fullof chariots of fire and horsemen of fire" (or like fire). Again,while to Balaam the angel was invisible, the ass's eyes beingopened saw him.
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