1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

12.07.2015 Views

"name above every name"--Lord ofall. Phil. 2:5-11.This fact, that Jesus' right, and power,and control of men as their Master andLord, was gained by his sacrifice as aMAN, hence not as claimed above, isclearly stated by the apostle, thus: "Forto this end, Christ both died, and revived,and rose, THAT HE MIGHT BELORD both of the dead and living."Rom. 14:9.The statement above concerning oneMERE human sacrifice, is not a quotationfrom the columns of the TOWER. Ourcontemporary does not thus favor us.The expression, "MERE man," wouldconvey to many minds the idea of animperfect man; hence we would not useit. When Jesus "WAS MADE FLESH"it was neither on "the lowest round ofthe ladder," nor on any other than thevery highest, a glorious perfect image ofGod, in the flesh. Had he been onewhit less perfect than the first perfectman, he could not have been the Redeemerof what Adam lost for himselfand his race. Had he been one whithigher than PERFECT MAN, he couldnot have given himself as "a correspondingprice." See YOUNG'S GREEKHEBREW and ENGLISH CONCORDANCEfor definition, under head of Ransom,1 Tim. 2:6--antilutron "a correspondingprice."By reason of the "fall" of its representative,Adam, the whole race is nowdepraved, imperfect, ungodlike, and allcondemned to death; HENCE all beingunder the same condemnation, "Nonecan by any means REDEEM his brother,nor give to God a ransom for him."(Psa. 49:7.)This text is most too much for theviews presented in the right-hand column.If it means anything, it provesthat God's law did demand a RANSOM,that he would not excuse sin in the way

that can be "accepted" by our contemporary"as an expression of love andgrace." No, he will by no means clear[excuse] the guilty." (Exod. 34:7.)But when the guilty had proved the futilityof their own efforts to redeem andcleanse themselves, God in great mercyand love ransomed us by giving His Sonto be a propitiation [covering] for oursins--"In this [way] was manifested thelove of God." (1 John 4:9-10.)At the time of his consecration, atbaptism, Jesus offered up himself--a manto redeem men--and there he receivedspecial power from on high, by whichhe was enabled not only to carry out hisconsecration by a life of self-sacrifice evenunto death--even the death of the cross,but by which also, as a foretaste of hisfuture power [as a partaker of the DIVINEnature, by which he could restore allthings, and have all power] he was ennobledto do the "many wonderfulworks" with which those three and ahalf years abounded.Farther on in the same article, afterthe query--"Does not 'redeem' 'ransom'or 'price' imply substitution?"--it answers that question thus:--"Theterms are commercial in common usage,but have also another use not uncommon.The means NECESSARY to secureany end are commonly and properlyspoken of as the cost, or price of the objectthus gained. The pioneer labors tosecure a cleared farm; the cost is great,but he will be well repaid. The soncosts his mother labor and pain, but histrue manhood is her joyous reward. Themeans are the price and are adapted tosecure the desired end."Very good! But cannot all see thatthe cost of each item had to be substitutedor given up for each result specified,before it could be had? The same principleis involved whether you pay a dime

that can be "accepted" by our contemporary"as an expression of love andgrace." No, he will by no means clear[excuse] the guilty." (Exod. 34:7.)But when the guilty had proved the futilityof their own efforts to redeem andcleanse themselves, God in great mercyand love ransomed us by giving His Sonto be a propitiation [covering] for oursins--"In this [way] was manifested thelove of God." (1 John 4:9-10.)At the time of his consecration, atbaptism, Jesus offered up himself--a manto redeem men--and there he receivedspecial power from on high, by whichhe was enabled not only to carry out hisconsecration by a life of self-sacrifice evenunto death--even the death of the cross,but by which also, as a foretaste of hisfuture power [as a partaker of the DIVINEnature, by which he could restore allthings, and have all power] he was ennobledto do the "many wonderfulworks" with which those three and ahalf years abounded.Farther on in the same article, afterthe query--"Does not 'redeem' 'ransom'or 'price' imply substitution?"--it answers that question thus:--"Theterms are commercial in common usage,but have also another use not uncommon.The means NECESSARY to secureany end are commonly and properlyspoken of as the cost, or price of the objectthus gained. The pioneer labors tosecure a cleared farm; the cost is great,but he will be well repaid. The soncosts his mother labor and pain, but histrue manhood is her joyous reward. Themeans are the price and are adapted tosecure the desired end."Very good! But cannot all see thatthe cost of each item had to be substitutedor given up for each result specified,before it could be had? The same principleis involved whether you pay a dime

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