1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
unto death because of lack of light and ability, and just asevident that any one through the acceptance of the ransom fullyrecovered out of the degradation and imperfections resultingfrom Adam's transgression and brought to a full, realizing senseof his relationship to God, etc., COULD commit the sin untodeath--the second death, by willful sin against light and ability,or by a willful rejection of the ransom-sacrifice, through faith inwhich, they had once been released from Adamic guilt andpenalty.In view of the foregoing the question arises, could anyonecommit the willful sin and come under the penalty of the seconddeath until they had first been entirely freed from every result ofthe Adamic death? Could such willful sin against fullknowledge, ability and light be committed in the Gospel age--must it not belong exclusively to the Millennial age?It would seem so, at first thought. But the Scriptures point out asmall--very small class, which could commit this sin now. Thatit is a very small class in the church, is evident from the apostlesdescription of the advantages and knowledge they must firsthave enjoyed, as recorded in Heb. 6:4-6. Those whoR724 : page 5have been once enlightened [whose eyes have been opened];who have tasted of the heavenly gift [realized and enjoyedforgiveness of sins through the redemption in Jesus, whom Godgave to be a propitiation for our sins]; who have been madepartakers of the holy spirit [and thus come to appreciate God'sholy will and have full fellowship and communion with him asAdam had before the fall]; who have tasted the good word ofGod [appreciating the richness and sweetness of its promises--which but few yet do]; who have tasted also the powers of theage to come [come to realize the powers which will in the nextage hold sway and restore and bless the dead race--both in andout of the tomb]; If such shall fall away, it is impossible to renewthem again unto repentance.They have fully enjoyed all the blessings and privileges securedto any by the ransom, and have made no use of them. Suchwould really be making the redemption provided through Jesussacrifice of no value to themselves by failure to make use of theprivileges and blessings offered. Thus in act they put Christ toan open shame, as though they said: You died and redeemed usbut we spurn and reject the privileges and opportunity thusafforded. Such do wilfully what the Roman soldiers didignorantly viz., reject and crucify him who laid down his life ontheir behalf.Is it asked, How could these described by the apostle be said tohave enjoyed fully all the blessings resultant from Jesus ransom,during this age? We reply that here comes in the province offaith. By faith they grasped the heavenly gift and realized that
they were redeemed by his precious blood. By faith they tastedand appreciated the goodness of the promises of God's Word,realized the powers of the coming age and partook of the mind orspirit of God. All the imperfections resultant from the Adamicfall were reckoned covered, with the perfection of theirRedeemer who gave himself for all; and every good endeavor,ever so imperfect in itself was reckoned as a perfect work whenpresented covered with the righteousness of the Redeemer. Hisrighteousness imputed to our sanctified efforts makes themacceptable as perfect before our heavenly Father. Without hismerit attached our efforts and sacrifices would be unacceptableas shown in the argument of the same apostle, Heb. 10:26,29.He here shows another class liable to the second-death. Headdresses still the saints and speaks specially of those who havefully received by faith the privileges accruing through theransom. He assures them that any who reject the blood of Christ--the price of their redemption --counting the blood of thecovenant wherewith they had been sanctified common andordinary and not specially sacred and precious, attempting tostand in their own righteousness ignoring Christ's ransom, haveno longer any interest in the sacrifice for sins. If the rejection ofthe typical mediator, Moses, was worthy of death, of how muchsorer [greater] punishment will such as despise the sacrificeoffered by the great antitypical Mediator be thought worthy? isthe apostles query.The despisers of Moses' arrangements [see Lev. 10:1-3] whoattempted to present themselves before the Lord withunauthorized incense of their own instead of that authorized,which represented Christ's righteousness, perished-- died. Butthis was merely a hastening to completion of the Adamic deathpenalty already in force against them, hence not so serious as thematter which it typified--the rejection of the real incense or meritof the better sacrifice and its penalty the second-death fromwhich there is no hope of a resurrection.In view of this argument which he presents, no wonder theApostle concludes that, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the handsof the living God." (v. 31.) God has expressed to us hisabhorrence of sin and his intention to utterly root it out, at thesame time providing a ransom, a way of escape by which wemay be freely justified: but, if we after coming to a fullknowledge and appreciation of His gracious provision wilfullyignore and reject the sin-offering which God provided for us, wedishonor God and the Lamb and go out from the protectionprovided, into the fiery indignation which devours [destroys]God's adversaries.Nor can the reasonableness of this, God's plan, be questioned.Such as are once fully enlightened, as described Heb. 6:4-6, andthen wilfully reject God's favors whether by open sin or by adenial of the value of the "blood of the covenant," could not
- Page 48 and 49: "my Father is greater thanall" (Joh
- Page 50 and 51: no interest except as matters of je
- Page 52 and 53: the rule in interpreting types and
- Page 55 and 56: so formed as to have naturally both
- Page 57 and 58: consummation--to the great jubilee
- Page 59 and 60: shows the blessedness of that resto
- Page 61 and 62: every one for his gain. Isaiah 56:1
- Page 63 and 64: R718 : page 7Seminary, and be adjud
- Page 65 and 66: We further add to this the testimon
- Page 67 and 68: ...and have need of nothing" (i.e.,
- Page 69 and 70: the world per year, which would, we
- Page 71 and 72: harmony with the sense of thepassag
- Page 73 and 74: gave for the life of the world. If
- Page 75 and 76: true, it simply proves that the pub
- Page 77 and 78: "A WISE man ought to hope for thebe
- Page 79 and 80: postage stamps, as we can make no u
- Page 81 and 82: their present Prince has ever provi
- Page 83 and 84: page 2(and the ones and twos) that
- Page 85 and 86: Tower," "Food for Thinking Christia
- Page 87 and 88: understood him to teach that hencef
- Page 89 and 90: R721 : page 3Our Friend, our Brothe
- Page 91 and 92: entirely unaware of it (Prov. 5:21)
- Page 93 and 94: "shall shine as the brightness of t
- Page 95 and 96: If this be true, the sacrifice of J
- Page 97: which God considers necessary to a
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- Page 103 and 104: Secondly, Satan so far as we are in
- Page 105 and 106: Paul says that God--In the ages to
- Page 107 and 108: The reference in this text is to Ch
- Page 109 and 110: "Further than this, let me frankly
- Page 111 and 112: the New Testament repeatedly. Hence
- Page 113 and 114: But is not deadness to sin, or a ce
- Page 115 and 116: to-day think of it--as "the angel G
- Page 117 and 118: ecome joint-heirs with Him. Like Je
- Page 119 and 120: R730 : page 1page 1VOL. VI.PITTSBUR
- Page 121 and 122: their numbers were far less, but th
- Page 123 and 124: ook. Every one will be called a Chr
- Page 125 and 126: that I tried to shake it off, but i
- Page 127 and 128: Taunton, Mass.DEAR BROTHER:--Please
- Page 129 and 130: the responsibilities of our maturer
- Page 131 and 132: their office, of their being finall
- Page 133 and 134: passed away because the necessity f
- Page 135 and 136: These thoughts were suggested by tw
- Page 137 and 138: Hence without attempting to teach i
- Page 139 and 140: us a copy of such paper with the ar
- Page 141 and 142: can bring against it. Since then, t
- Page 143 and 144: for existence though every proof-te
- Page 145 and 146: Here the lecturer wanders still fur
- Page 147 and 148: scientific knowledge, and thereby p
they were redeemed by his precious blood. By faith they tastedand appreciated the goodness of the promises of God's Word,realized the powers of the coming age and partook of the mind orspirit of God. All the imperfections resultant from the Adamicfall were reckoned covered, with the perfection of theirRedeemer who gave himself for all; and every good endeavor,ever so imperfect in itself was reckoned as a perfect work whenpresented covered with the righteousness of the Redeemer. Hisrighteousness imputed to our sanctified efforts makes themacceptable as perfect before our heavenly Father. Without hismerit attached our efforts and sacrifices would be unacceptableas shown in the argument of the same apostle, Heb. 10:26,29.He here shows another class liable to the second-death. Headdresses still the saints and speaks specially of those who havefully received by faith the privileges accruing through theransom. He assures them that any who reject the blood of Christ--the price of their redemption --counting the blood of thecovenant wherewith they had been sanctified common andordinary and not specially sacred and precious, attempting tostand in their own righteousness ignoring Christ's ransom, haveno longer any interest in the sacrifice for sins. If the rejection ofthe typical mediator, Moses, was worthy of death, of how muchsorer [greater] punishment will such as despise the sacrificeoffered by the great antitypical Mediator be thought worthy? isthe apostles query.The despisers of Moses' arrangements [see Lev. 10:1-3] whoattempted to present themselves before the Lord withunauthorized incense of their own instead of that authorized,which represented Christ's righteousness, perished-- died. Butthis was merely a hastening to completion of the Adamic deathpenalty already in force against them, hence not so serious as thematter which it typified--the rejection of the real incense or meritof the better sacrifice and its penalty the second-death fromwhich there is no hope of a resurrection.In view of this argument which he presents, no wonder theApostle concludes that, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the handsof the living God." (v. 31.) God has expressed to us hisabhorrence of sin and his intention to utterly root it out, at thesame time providing a ransom, a way of escape by which wemay be freely justified: but, if we after coming to a fullknowledge and appreciation of His gracious provision wilfullyignore and reject the sin-offering which God provided for us, wedishonor God and the Lamb and go out from the protectionprovided, into the fiery indignation which devours [destroys]God's adversaries.Nor can the reasonableness of this, God's plan, be questioned.Such as are once fully enlightened, as described Heb. 6:4-6, andthen wilfully reject God's favors whether by open sin or by adenial of the value of the "blood of the covenant," could not
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