1889 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

instructed saints tends to the preservation of everything that isgood; and their counsel and sympathy will assist and encourageevery earnest seeker after righteousness. And if their own livesand affairs are continually governed by the high principles oftrue Christianity, they are living epistles known and read of allmen.As intelligent creatures of God, we stand related in some senseto the entire family of God in heaven, and in earth. Our veryexistence has brought us into these relationships, with all theircorresponding privileges and obligations, and as intelligentbeings it should be our desire and effort to learn the exactmeasure of privilege and obligation which these variedrelationships involve.To our great Creator, we originally stood related as children, andto all his intelligent creatures as brethren--brethren of the familyof God, though not as great as our brethren the angels, who areof higher nature (Eph. 3:15): and to earthly creatures lower thanhuman nature, we stood as rulers. When we became sinners,these privileges, blessings and relationships were canceled byour Heavenly Father's decree. As unworthy of life and itsblessings, we were condemned to death. Thenceforth we wereno longer recognized as children of God, or brethren of hisfamily, but were regarded and treated as aliens and enemies untilthe death sentence should be fully executed upon us--untilexistence should terminate.After our redemption by his grace, through the precious blood ofChrist, and our acceptance of the same by faith, the formernatural relationships are again recognized, though all theirprivileges are not enjoyed, nor all their obligations insistedupon, until the effects of the fall are fully overcome--until weare actually restored to perfection. Though again recognized byour Heavenly Father as sons and heirs through Christ, yet untilactually perfect all communication with him must be through thename and merit of our Mediator, Christ, who represents us andour interests before the Father. All judgment is therefore nowcommitted unto the Son of God who purchased us by his blood.(John 5:22.) Believers now, therefore, stand in a newrelationship to Christ, who becomes Lord and life-giver (afather) to those whom he purchased and proposes to restore outof condemnation and death to fellowship and life. Hence he iscalled the Everlasting Father. (Isa. 9:6.) And when the age of hisreign is over, the restored ones will again recognize Jehovah asthe great Father of all, and Christ as their Lord and Redeemer.Thus far, no reference is made to the peculiar relationships ofthe church as new creatures in Christ. We wish first to considerthe human relationships and their privileges and obligations, andthen to inquireR1116 : page 6