1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
1881. But how, when, and why did the "house of servants"stumble over Christ? If we can ascertain this it should give us aclue to how, when, and why, the Gospel house stumbles,especially in view of the fact that in so many particulars theclosing work of that age is the exact pattern of this.We suggest that the fleshly house could not stumble over Christuntil he had come and was present among them. They stumbledbecause of the manner of Christ's coming. They had expectedHim to manifest himself in such a manner as would beconvincing to their natural eye and senses, and not require theexercise of faith. He came in such an obscure and humblemanner as to appeal only to the eye of faith, and taught in such amanner that only those who had the hearing of faith received hiswitness. "Who hath ears to hear let him hear." Matt. 13:9.The object of his so appealing to the eye and ear of faith was,that none but such as had these should receive Him, and that theothers "who sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works ofthe law," (professedly Israelites, but not Israelites indeed) shouldstumble, not recognize him as the Son of God, but fulfill whathad been prophesied of them, and crucify him. We thus see how,when and why the fleshly house stumbled. (Rom. 9:32-33.)R176 : page 1Now, let us look with even deeper interest to the stumbling ofthe nominal Gospel house--spiritual Israel. We suggest that asthe fleshly house could not stumble over Him until he came atthe first advent, so the spiritual house cannot stumble overChrist until His second advent. The causes of stumbling too arethe same; those of the Gospel church who expect the secondcoming of Christ and establishment of his kingdom areexpecting (just as the fleshly house did) an outward display,which will appeal to the natural eye, ear, and human sensesgenerally.Some know not, and others who ought to know experimentally,seem to forget, that if we are in Christ Jesus we are newcreatures. "Ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit (condition) ifso be that the spirit of Christ dwell in you." (Rom. 8:9.) All ofthis class of persons have given up--reckoned dead, (and aredaily dying to) the fleshly human nature, and are daily partakingmore and more of the spiritual or divine nature, into theperfection of which we are expecting soon to be changed, whenthe separating of "the harvest" is complete. These should allremember the rule which we apply to other things. viz. "Welook not at the things which are seen (of the natural eye), but atthe things which are not seen, for the things which are seen aretemporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Cor.4:18.) Which of the things which we as new creatures prize sohighly are visible to the natural eye? None; it was by the eye offaith that we realized our heavenly Father's smile, saw Jesus as
our Leader, saw the "crown of life," and "prize of our highcalling." Our spiritual eye of faith has seen, and our circumcisedears heard of the glorious things "God hath in reservation forthem that love Him," which the natural man cannot see and hear,because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor. 2:14.) We seeand hear, because led by the Spirit (through the word.) "Wewalk by faith, and not by [natural] sight."Would that all could realize that this class described [dead to thenatural, but alive spiritually] are the only ones who willconstitute the body or bride of Christ. These have fulfilled theircovenant by sacrificing the human nature. "They shall bemine...in that day when I make up my jewels." [Mal. 3:17.] It isto this class only that Jesus comes as Head and Bridegroom, andonly they are toR176 : page 2recognize His presence during the harvest of this age, as onlythose with the eye and ear of faith recognized Jesus in theharvest of the fleshly house. [True, there will be in due timeoutward manifestations of "Power and great glory," which willconvince all mankind of the reality of the new kingdom; but thiscomes after the bride has recognized his presence, beenseparated from the tares, and "made like unto Christ's gloriousbody," for "when he shall appear [to the world] we also shallappear with him in glory." We will not be revealed in flesh, butin glory. "We shall be revealed [made known] in flaming fire,"[judgments] inflicting righteous punishment upon wrong doers,and lifting up the poor and oppressed.We believe that Christ is now present, in the sense of havingcommenced the work of taking to himself His great power andreigning. The work begins with the separating of tares fromwheat in the living church and the association of the wheat of allages with Himself in the authority of His kingdom. "To him thatovercometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne," and "tohim will I give power over the nations," to continue until allthings are subdued under Him. It seems proper, too, that thework should begin thus, by taking his bride and the twainbecoming one.It must be painfully evident to all true Christians that thenominal church which calls herself the spouse of Christ, is farfrom being the "little flock" who walk the narrow way--"the waytheir Leader trod." Many are Christians in name and form only,"having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof," byliving contrary to their professions. Many are moralists only,who recognize and use the church only as a social and moralclub. Many are hypocrites, who use the church as a steppingstoneto wealth and social standing. Some are true children ofGod and feel that the church is too empty and formal andworldly, yet are carried on with the others by the thought that
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- Page 3: hundred years, up to the time when
- Page 7 and 8: We trust, then, that all readers ma
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- Page 29 and 30: privilege to be. As God's children,
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- Page 41 and 42: Do I hear you say that the prize fo
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- Page 49 and 50: Isa. 1:4. Let His hands now make th
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our Leader, saw the "crown of life," and "prize of our highcalling." Our spiritual eye of faith has seen, and our circumcisedears heard of the glorious things "God hath in reservation forthem that love Him," which the natural man cannot see and hear,because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor. 2:14.) We seeand hear, because led by the Spirit (through the word.) "Wewalk by faith, and not by [natural] sight."Would that all could realize that this class described [dead to thenatural, but alive spiritually] are the only ones who willconstitute the body or bride of Christ. These have fulfilled theircovenant by sacrificing the human nature. "They shall bemine...in that day when I make up my jewels." [Mal. 3:17.] It isto this class only that Jesus comes as Head and Bridegroom, andonly they are toR176 : page 2recognize His presence during the harvest of this age, as onlythose with the eye and ear of faith recognized Jesus in theharvest of the fleshly house. [True, there will be in due timeoutward manifestations of "Power and great glory," which willconvince all mankind of the reality of the new kingdom; but thiscomes after the bride has recognized his presence, beenseparated from the tares, and "made like unto Christ's gloriousbody," for "when he shall appear [to the world] we also shallappear with him in glory." We will not be revealed in flesh, butin glory. "We shall be revealed [made known] in flaming fire,"[judgments] inflicting righteous punishment upon wrong doers,and lifting up the poor and oppressed.We believe that Christ is now present, in the sense of havingcommenced the work of taking to himself His great power andreigning. The work begins with the separating of tares fromwheat in the living church and the association of the wheat of allages with Himself in the authority of His kingdom. "To him thatovercometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne," and "tohim will I give power over the nations," to continue until allthings are subdued under Him. It seems proper, too, that thework should begin thus, by taking his bride and the twainbecoming one.It must be painfully evident to all true Christians that thenominal church which calls herself the spouse of Christ, is farfrom being the "little flock" who walk the narrow way--"the waytheir Leader trod." Many are Christians in name and form only,"having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof," byliving contrary to their professions. Many are moralists only,who recognize and use the church only as a social and moralclub. Many are hypocrites, who use the church as a steppingstoneto wealth and social standing. Some are true children ofGod and feel that the church is too empty and formal andworldly, yet are carried on with the others by the thought that
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