1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

away the filth (sins) of the flesh." Nor is a spirit of meekness,gentleness, benevolence and morality, always a result ofconsecration to God. These qualities belong to a perfect naturalman--(the image of God), and occasionally partially survive thewreck of the "Fall." But such people when in the nominal church,not unfrequently pass for the cream of Christianity.Nor yet, when we see believers practicing self-denial in some goodwork of political or moral reform, is that an evidence ofconsecration to God, though it is an evidence of consecration to aWORK. Consecration to God says, any work, any where; Lo, "Idelight to do THY will, O, God"--THY will in THY way be done.CONSECRATION TO GOD, THEN, WILL INSURE ASEARCHING OF HIS REVEALED PLAN IN HIS WORD, thatwepage 11may be able to spend and be spent, for Him and in His serviceaccording to His arranged plan.Marvel not, then, that so few have ever seen the glorious beautieswithin the Tabernacle; only Priests can see them. The Levites mayknow of them only as they hear them described. They have neverseen the hidden light and beauty; never eaten of the "bread ofpresence;" never offered the acceptable incense at the Golden Altar.No; for these, they must pass the Vail--in entire consecration toGod in sacrifice during the Atonement Day.THE GOLDEN ALTAR seems also to represent the entire(consecrated) church in the present sacrificing condition. From thisaltar ascends the sweet incense, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.Here is offered to God the willing services of the Priests; theirpraises, their willing obedience; all things whatsoever they do, tothe glory of God. Those who thus offer incense acceptable to Godby Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 2:5), come very close to their Father--closeup to the Vail; and if they have requests to make they may bepresented with the incense "much Incense with the prayer ofsaints." (Rev. 8:3.) The prayers of such Priests of God are effectual.Jesus kept the incense continually burning and could say, "I knewthat thou hearest me always." (John 11:42.) So we will be heardalways, if we continually offer the incense of obedience to God:and none should expect to have requests recognized who do notthus keep their covenant--"If ye abide in me and my words[teachings] abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall bedone unto you."* John 15:7.We have learned through types previously considered, something ofthe glory of the "Most Holy" (the perfect, divine condition) whichno man can approach unto (1 Tim. 6:16), but to which the "NEWcreatures" in Christ Jesus-- partakers of the Divine nature, willfinally come, when the incense offering on the part of the BODY isfinished and the cloud of perfume goes before us to Jehovah's