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[R5001 : page 111]

THE MORTAL BODY THE SERVANT OF THE NEW MIND [OR WILL]

“I keep my body under, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means…I myself should be a castaway.”—1 Cor. 9:27.

ST. PAUL was a most successful soldier of the cross; and from his Epistles we gain much information as to how to fight our own weaknesses successfully. In our text [1 Cor. 9:27] the Apostle speaks particularly of himself, with the evident intention of teaching a lesson to all of the Lord’s people whom he addressed at that time or who would receive his word subsequently—including ourselves.

The thought is not that we are to keep each other under, nor that the Lord is keeping our bodies under, but that a special commission is given to us in respect to our own bodies, and that we ourselves will be held accountable for their conduct. This statement, “I keep my body under,” would be true only of one who has been begotten of the Holy Spirit, and who has become a New Creature in Christ Jesus. [1]But although the individual is reckonedly a member of the Body of Christ, adopted into God’s family, and called a son of God, he has not as yet, of course, received the spirit body promised him, but is waiting to receive it in the resurrection.

[2]GOOD INTENTIONS [ALONE] NOT SUFFICIENT

Meantime God calls upon all spirit-begotten ones to demonstrate their loyalty to righteousness and their faithfulness by practising upon their mortal bodies. When coming into Christ, they made a full consecration of themselves, of their bodies and all that is theirs, to the Lord’s service. It was on account of this Covenant of sacrifice [Psa. 50:5] that they were counted [or actually became] as members of the Body of Christ and begotten of the Holy Spirit—sons of God. It is not sufficient, however, to declare our intention; but God allows the difficulties and trials of life to prove our faithfulness to the sacrifice we have made. And while making provision for the blemishes of our mortal body, He, nevertheless, holds us responsible for our bodies, for our words and our actions. He calls us to be New Creatures; and we must develop our characters to such an extent that the New Creature will fight down, to the best of his ability, everything opposed to the new will. The first part of the text declares, “I keep my body under,” [1 Cor. 9:27] that is to say, in subordination, under restraint.

Those who deal in horses tell us that all horses must be broken; and that to break a horse is difficult of accomplishment and requires a great deal of force. The object in thus dealing with the horse is not to continue to break the animal every day, but to break him once for all, that he might be put to some service. This illustration seems to fit the Apostle’s thought.

As a New Creature the Apostle had a mortal body which was rebellious against God’s will, and thus must be dealt with in a firm manner, in order to bring it under the control of its master—the new mind [or will], whose Head is Christ. If the body be taught this lesson of submission, it may be a good, useful servant of the new master and serve unto death, just as a horse may be broken in and serve his master well. This is the thought in the Apostle’s words, “I keep my body under.” [1 Cor. 9:27] In substance the Apostle says, “I must break in this human nature, force it into harmony with the new will, and bring it into subjection, making it a servant to myself, the New Creature. This I do because this is the Divine will and the very thing to which I have been called.

As a New Creature I wish to show that I am loyal to the principles of righteousness and truth everywhere. But this old body is more or less in rebellion against God and against the principles of the Divine arrangement. [Rom. 8:7] And it is my duty to see to what extent I can carry out this proposition—the bringing of the old mind into subjection to God and to righteousness. And in proportion as I make myself a servant of righteousness, God will use me, and to that extent I shall grow and become an overcomer. By doing these things an entrance will be administered to me into the everlasting Kingdom of Jesus Christ. [2 Pet. 1:11] But if I fail to carry this out, I shall fail of the character-development which all must have who would be accounted members of the Body of Christ.”

As St. Paul says in another place, God foreordained that He would have a Church, and that all who would be of this Church should become copies of His Son, Christ Jesus. (Rom. 8:28-30.) So, if St. Paul would remain a member of this Body of Christ, he must keep his human body under, must subordinate his earthly nature, [3]not merely bringing it into subjection to things which would be for righteousness and truth, but also bringing it into subjection as regards natural things. So must all do who would come off “more than conquerors” [Rom. 8:37] in the good fight; it is necessary that we should carry out this fulness of service; that we should be faithful unto death, and that we should show this consecration, not only in our minds, but also in our mortal bodies.

When the Apostle says here that he would be in danger of being a “castaway” if he did not bring his body into subjection, and thus prove to be an overcomer, it is tantamount [or equal] to saying that he would fail to make his calling and election sure. He was called to become an heir of God and joint-heir with Jesus Christ. If, therefore, he should fail to perform his part of the contract of sacrifice, he would become a castaway in respect to this election. He would not gain the election. He would lose in the race in which he had started.

HABITS MAKE CHARACTER

It is our duty to watch ourselves that we do no harm, that our body does good service and not injury to ourselves. A man or a woman or a child who goes through the house slamming doors, and merely says, “I was in a hurry and could not help it,” is not gentle. He is not a gentleman, or she is not a gentlewoman. Whoever fails to cultivate gentleness is failing to cultivate the fruits [or fruit] of the Spirit. He is losing a glorious opportunity of practising upon himself—of keeping his body under, of getting himself into the way of doing things in a sensible, reasonable manner. The person who bangs doors and goes about noisily is one who does not think of other people and their interests. When we talk about ourselves all the time and think about ourselves all the time, it is an evidence of selfishness. In all these things the Lord expects us to keep our bodies under, and to show carefulness in keeping our bodies under, in the little things of life as well as in the great things.

If our Lord Jesus were here, none of us would expect Him to go about noisily, slamming the doors of the house, or to be wasteful. Our Lord was most economical in the two cases where He fed the four thousand and the five thousand. [Matt. 15:32-39; Matt. 14:15-21] Although there was plenty of food to feed the multitude, He told His disciples to “gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.”—John 6:12.

Thus did God’s dear Son view matters; and we desire to be copies of Him. In building character we must wilfully and intentionally do right. The person who practices in the little things will be also careful in the larger matters. Even the pins, the needles and the paper we should use carefully. Not that any should be miserly—not willing to give one a pin if he wants one—but do not think to waste even them, saying, “Oh, the pins cost only a trifle, anyway!” The Lord was always generous, but He was economical [too]. So we should all be. We should keep the body under the new mind [or transforming mind]. The new mind [or will] should be looking out for these matters and keeping the old body in service.

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Good subject.

• But although the individual is reckonedly a member of the Body of Christ – The individual is not reckonedly a member, but actually a member of the Body of Christ. Though the individual is in probation till the end of the earthly course, as long as they are faithful.
• GOOD INTENTIONS NOT SUFFICIENT – We can more aptly say GOOD INTENTIONS ALONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
• not merely bringing it into subjection to things which would be for righteousness and truth, but also bringing it into subjection as regards natural things. – In one sense, we may say that we are allowed to do that which is right alone, or in other words to do the Will of God alone.

[R5958 : page 279]

GOD FIRST—SELF LAST

ALL of the Lord’s true people, begotten of His Holy Spirit, are beautiful characters as New Creatures: As the Apostle expresses it, “Holy Brethren, partakers of the Heavenly calling.” (Hebrews 3:1.) “Every one that loveth Him that begat (the Heavenly Father) must love also that which is begotten of Him.” (1 John 5:1.) The fact that the Heavenly Father has anything to do with a human being and in any sense of the word recognizes him—especially if He recognizes him as a son—signifies that there is a nobility of character, an honesty of heart and a consecration of will, whether we be able to see these things in the outward conduct and words of the individual or not. We must assume that they are there—that God, who readeth the heart, sees them to be there. Having confidence in the Divine Wisdom, it is proper for all of the Lord’s people to accept each other as New Creatures in Christ, to whom old things are passed away and for whom all things have become new. [2 Cor. 5:17] [1]But, as the Apostle points out, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels” [2 Cor. 4:7]; these good hearts, these consecrated wills, have no perfect spirit bodies in which to operate yet. They can act and speak only through the poor, imperfect flesh, which is consecrated to death.

And oh, how the imperfect tongue and the imperfect body often misrepresent the real sentiments of the New Creature using them! Our stammering tongues fail to express our real sentiments, and we are misunderstood. Our poor brains, which the New Creature strives to exercise in favor of justice and love, often get sadly twisted. The justice we would [wish] do, we often misunderstand and do not; and the love which we wish to manifest, is twisted also and misunderstood by others and is unsatisfactory to ourselves. Early in our Christian experience, we may have failed to see our blunders, and frequently have done injury where we supposed we had done good. Later, as we began to see our imperfect works, imperfect words, imperfect thoughts and reasoning, and discerned how little we really accomplished of the much we would like to do, we were in danger of being thoroughly discouraged. We needed the very encouragements which the Lord’s Word holds out to us—the assurance that God looketh at the heart and not at the outward appearance [1 Sam. 16:7b]; and that the pure in heart will be blessed and see God [Matt. 5:8], notwithstanding the weaknesses of their flesh, against which they strive courageously.

GOD FIRST IN OUR HEARTS

Many are the rules and practices which will be assistful to the New Creature while endeavoring to prove loyal and to fight down and overcome the imperfections of his flesh. A great variety of rules might be mentioned, including the study of God’s Word, continual watchfulness and endeavor to cultivate the fruits of the Holy Spirit [Gal. 5:22], the remembrance of the Golden Rule [Matt. 7:12], etc., etc. But we now wish to call attention to one general rule which seems to have a broad application to all of our thoughts and words and actions. If this rule be followed, the entire life will thereby be regulated. This rule is—God first, self last!

This is a hard rule so far as the old creature is concerned, and he will rebel against it—especially the latter part—putting self last. But the old creature cannot really object to the rule so far as “God first” is concerned; for even natural men realize that there are proper obligations to the Creator; but the New Creature sees this obligation in a special light. It is this special light which led to the making of a full consecration to the Lord, to enlistment under the banner of Jesus to fight a good fight against sin entrenched in the flesh, and to faithfulness in this warfare even unto death. In making this consecration, the individual put God first, Jesus next, and himself as the servant of These and the principles which They represent; and his flesh as devoted, consecrated, given over to death in the service of these principles.

But it is one thing to recognize the principles, and quite another thing to apply them in the daily life and in the Church. God first in the home and the personal affairs means that all earthly interests and pleasures will be subordinated, and that the will of God, the service of God, the honor of God’s name, will have the most prominent part in all of our affairs every day—in all of our words, in all of our dealings, in our very thoughts.

Extending this principle to the Church, which is the Body of Christ, we perceive that if all the brethren had this spirit, it would imply the very highest ideals and practices in the Church. As the Apostle admonishes, nothing would be done through strife or vain glory, but merely to the glory of God—God first! [Phil. 2:3] It would mean that in all the matters of our worship, praise, and Bible study, pride or fond desire and selfishness and partiality and hypocrisy would be far away; for God would be first, and we would know that all of these traits of evil entrenched in our flesh are contrary to the will of our God.

APPLICATION OF PRINCIPLES

[2]In the election of servants in the Church, the rule of “God first” would mean that each one in voting would seek to vote according as he believed to be God’s will, entirely ignoring his own will and the wills of all others of the brethren. “God first” would also lead him to take an individual stand in that kind, loving manner which the Bible declares to be the Holy Spirit, or disposition of meekness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering, brotherly-kindness, love. Surely a blessing would follow such an endeavor to put God first, and to forget everything that might be in competition with the Lord in our affection!

As for the latter part of this resolution—”self last,” this would mean the very essence of the Apostle’s admonition, “Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory” (Philippians 2:3); and again, “in honor preferring one another.” (Romans 12:10.) We look back at the record of the Twelve Apostles, and see how they were disposed to strive amongst themselves as to which should be greatest in the Kingdom. [Luke 22:24] But this striving was before their begetting of the Holy Spirit, before Pentecost. How glad we are to see that such a spirit apparently disappeared after Pentecost, amongst those who received the spirit-begetting! “Self last” might well have been the rule among the Apostles—so loyally did they support the principles of the Lord’s Word and uphold and encourage one another in the good work. How we rejoice with them!

But how sad it makes us feel when some dear brethren of our day, who profess to have received the begetting of the Holy Spirit, and whose professions we do not doubt, seem not to have learned this lesson of “self last”! “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6.) [3]Occasionally, we perceive some disposed to seek office as Elders or as Deacons of the Church, disposed to feel offended if they are not elected to these offices. Oh, what a pity that they cannot take the broader and better view of the matter! We do not question their hearts; we shall suppose that as long as they abide in the Truth, the Lord’s Spirit is not taken from them. And yet how little growth in grace is implied where a spirit of self-seeking is manifested amongst brethren aspiring to leadership in the Ecclesia!

[4]“WHILE PLACE WE SEEK”

Dear Brethren, let us truly humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and take whatever His providence metes out to us with full contentment. [5]If for any reason the Class chooses us to the position of Elder or of Deacon, let us be thankful to the Class and to the Lord; and let us use our privilege as a gift, as a favor, with humility of spirit, remembering that an elder brother in the Class is a servant of the Class. Let us seek to use our opportunities and stewardship wisely, as those who must ultimately give an account. [Heb. 13:17] If on another occasion, the Class for any reason passes us by, failing to elect us to a service, let us remember that that is the Class’ privilege—yea, each one of the Class is in duty bound to vote according as his judgment shall be respecting the Divine will. Should we quarrel with the Divine will? Nay. Should we quarrel with the brethren for exercising their judgment respecting the Divine will? Nay. What should we do? Let us accept the Divine arrangement and be just as thankful of heart, and be just as energetic to serve in the proper ways according to our opportunities. Let us not seek to put stumbling-blocks in the way of those who have been chosen for the service, but rather do all in our power to cooperate with them.

Let the brother of high degree—that has a high position of favor in the Class—rejoice if he is debased and removed from the position. Let him rejoice to learn whatever lessons the Lord’s providence may have for him. Let him rejoice to learn how to serve in another position. And let a brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted. Let us receive whatever experiences come to us as being under Divine supervision, remembering that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28.) Let us be on the alert to have God first, the interests of His cause, His people, the Church—and our own interests and ourselves, last. We may be sure, dear Brethren, that whoever is thus found faithful, in harmony with the principles taught and exemplified by our Redeemer, will have some good place in the Redeemer’s Kingdom by and by; and that all the present experiences will be overruled for his preparation for that Kingdom position.

The time for our exaltation is not now. The dear brethren may have exalted us to some service in the Class for which we were not worthy, and the possession of which might have made us heady or otherwise have injured us. The proper thought is that God is at the helm, and is able to make our experiences work out blessings to us, as individuals and as Classes. It is for us to be rightly exercised by the Lord’s Word and by the Spirit of our Master, putting God first; self, last.

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Good subject.

• But, as the Apostle points out, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels” [2 Cor. 4:7] – In context of the verse, the treasure is the gospel message.
• In the election of servants in the Church, the rule of “God first” would mean that each one in voting would seek to vote according as he believed to be God’s will, entirely ignoring his own will and the wills of all others of the brethren – We now understand that voting is not in harmony with the scriptures.
• Occasionally, we perceive some disposed to seek office as Elders or as Deacons of the Church, disposed to feel offended if they are not elected to these offices. – This is the bane of following man-made systems. The scriptures do not warrant such an election or voting of Elders.
• “WHILE PLACE WE SEEK” – This text is taken from the hymn “My Lord, how full of sweet content”. Refer https://hymnary.org/text/my_lord_how_full_of_sweet_content.
• If for any reason the Class chooses us to the position of Elder or of Deacon, let us be thankful to the Class and to the Lord – The exaltation is of the Lord. Let us thank the Lord and serve the Class with fear.

[R4767: page 58]

CAN EVIL BEFALL THE NEW CREATURE?

“There shall no evil befall thee.” (Psa. 91:10.)

“Pilate took Jesus and scourged him….They crucified him and two others with him; on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.”—John 19:1,18.

SUCH combination of Scripture, apparently contradictory, is quite a stumbling-block to worldly people; and some of those who have inclinations toward the Lord, but have not much knowledge of his Word and Plan, experience all kinds of trouble in a vain attempt to reconcile them. To these God’s Word is apparently proven to be untrue. Only from the standpoint of faith can it be recognized as always true and harmonious. Yet the standpoint of faith may not always be exactly the same. We might use the word “thee” in the text [Psa. 91:10], as applying to the Lord (the New Creature) and the members of the Body (the New Creatures) and consider that the flesh is the great enemy, the great opponent, to be gotten rid of. Or we might think of the flesh as their earthly tabernacle for the time, and take the matter in a more figurative way.

We, however, prefer to consider the New Creature entirely apart from the flesh. “No evil shall befall thee.” [Psa. 91:10a] Applying this to our Lord, we see that no evil befell him as a New Creature. All the things that happened to him were necessary. Without these he could not have fulfilled the calling that was given him. Similarly, we, as New Creatures, as his followers, could never have attained to this calling except by the crucifixion of the Lord. “Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth.”—Col. 3:5.

Our Lord’s followers have to some extent lost the esteem of their friends and neighbors; they have been counted as the off scouring of the earth. [1 Cor. 1:28; 4:13] They have been tested in every possible manner. These things were necessary for them; therefore, they were not evil.

“THE CAPTAIN OF THEIR SALVATION MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERINGS” [Heb. 2:10]

Our Lord asked, “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?” (Luke 24:26.) To be fitted for the priestly office to which he was called, our Lord must be proved beyond all peradventure. His loyalty was put to the extremest test in the Garden of Gethsemane. Possibly he himself did not realize the strength of his righteous character until brought face to face with this last trial. There he was tried and proved to the uttermost, and under the trial his character—always perfect to the full measure of its testing—gained, by Divine grace, its glorious perfection of completeness.

Thus, through suffering, he learned obedience to the perfect will of God, down to the lowest depths of self-abnegation [Phil. 2:8]; and God permitted it so to be, because such proving was necessary, both for the development and the manifestation of that perfection of character which would be worthy of the high exaltation to which he was called. [Rev. 5:12; Phil. 2:9]

And so we also must suffer if we would be footstep-followers of the Lamb. [Rev. 14:4] Character cannot be developed wholly without trial. It is like a plant; at first it is very tender; it needs an abundance of the sunshine of God’s love; frequent watering with the showers of his grace; much cultivating through the applied knowledge of his character, as a foundation for faith and an inspiration to obedience. Then, when thus developed under these favorable conditions, it is ready for the pruning hand of discipline, and is also able to endure some hardness. And little by little, as strength of character is developed, the tests applied to it serve only to develop more strength, more beauty, more grace, until it is finally fixed, developed, established, perfected through suffering. [1 Pet. 5:10] Thus we learn to realize that “All things work together for good…to the called according to his purpose,” to those who are to be [and who are already] members of his Body.—Rom. 8:28.

DELIVERED OVER TO THE ADVERSARY FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FLESH [1 Cor. 5:5]

But someone may ask, “We see how these experiences of life are working out good for the New Creature; but is there no way in which experiences could work out evil things that would be bad for them?”

We are to recognize that there are two classes of spirit-begotten ones, and that our text [Psa. 91:10a] has reference to only one class of these. There is the Body of Christ, representing the priestly order, the antitypical Melchisedec—Jesus the Head and the Church his Body. [Heb. 6:20] They have kept nothing back of their love and devotion; things may happen disastrous to their fleshly interests; but they remember that they are “not in the flesh, but in the spirit,” [Rom. 8:9] and realize that no outside influence can mar their real interest as New Creatures, nor hinder them, if faithful, from attaining to the glories of the Kingdom with their Lord and Head. [A]They have entered into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, and do not withdraw; they “abide in the secret place of the Highest” [Psa. 91:1]; they will continue unto the very end. It is to this class, and to all the things that may befall them, that the assurance is given—”There shall no evil befall thee.” [Psa. 91:10a]

As for the other of the two classes—the “Great Company [Multitude]”—some evils do befall them. They will be put into great tribulation. It was an evil on their part that they neglected the Lord’s Word and the privileges of the “high calling.” [Phil. 3:14] This coolness brought them into a condition which must be made right. They loved “father or mother or houses or lands,” [Reverse of Matt. 19:29] or something else, to such an extent that they failed to keep their covenant of sacrifice, and will be accounted unworthy of a share in the Kingdom [reign], and will, instead, be subjected to the great time of trouble—“the day of wrath.” [Rom. 2:5] It will be necessary that these evils come upon them to bring destruction of the flesh. [1 Cor. 5:5][B]

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Good subject.

• They have entered into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, and do not withdraw – We enter into the holiest (most holy) only in our death (through the veil).
• At the end of the subject, as an addendum, we can also quote a ‘third’ class of spirit begotten ones, on whom the evil befalls. The class of new creatures who go to the second death.

[R5093: page 279]

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SOUND MIND

“God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”—2 Tim. 1:7.

IN THIS TEXT St. Paul is addressing the children of God—those who have left the world, who have turned their backs upon the things of sin and selfishness, who have been begotten of the Holy Spirit because of full consecration to God and to whom the Advocate has imputed His merit. They have received of His Spirit, the new [or transforming] mind, and so have the spirit of a sound mind.

In the beginning of the Gospel Age there were marked manifestations of the Holy Spirit, known as “the gifts of the Spirit” (I Cor. 12:4-11), such as knowledge, healing, miracles, tongues, etc. These gifts were bestowed at that time for two reasons: first, to witness who were God’s people; and second, to confirm the faith of the early Church. They were necessary that the Church might have a start, so to speak.

[A]The Apostle [Paul] says that these miraculous gifts were to continue only for a time, [B]but that the fruits of the spirit were to abide—meekness, patience, gentleness, brotherly kindness, faith, hope and love, the greatest of all. (I Cor. 13.) [Also Gal. 5:22-23] [C]The gifts of the Spirit died out with the death of the Apostles and of those also upon whom they had conferred the gifts. But the fruits and graces remain to this day.

Just as soon as we have been begotten of the Holy Spirit a transforming work begins with us. But in general the reception of the Spirit is at first without marked manifestation. We grow in knowledge, love and all the fruits [or rather fruit] of the Spirit, in proportion as we have received the Holy Spirit, which is given in order to develop our minds and hearts and to do a transforming work, bringing forth the fruitage of the spirit in our characters and our lives. With some of us the fruitage develops rapidly; with others, slowly.

The grape-vine gives us gifts in that it bears grapes. As fruit-bearing in nature is in one sense of the word a miracle, so also are the fruits and graces of the Spirit which show in our lives, but which are such a gradual development that they do not seem to be miraculous.

The Lord is the true Vine and His true disciples are the branches. [John 15:5] The Spirit of the Vine must permeate [ஊடுருவும்] all the branches, and the fruit of the Vine must appear on every branch. The one thing necessary to remember is that our ultimate blessing and acceptance of the Father depends upon our abiding continually in this blessed relationship of branches in the Vine and our bearing fruit. If we fail to do this, we shall not remain in this relationship. [John 15:1-2] But if we bear the fruits [or rather fruit] of the Spirit abundantly, [D]we shall someday be branches in the glorified Vine—The Christ of God.

FEAR A FORM OF SELFISHNESS

In our text the Apostle is discussing the character of this Spirit Which God has given us. It is not the spirit of fear, not the spirit of dread, not the spirit of timidity. Where the spirit of selfishness goes, there is more or less fear accompanying it. We can realize that with our first parents the spirit of fear led them to hide themselves from the Lord. We recall that Cain feared and fled. (Gen. 3:10; 4:14.) So all down through the ages, the spirit of fear has exerted a powerful influence upon mankind. If a storm comes up, many people act as if they feared that it was something sent especially after them.

All fear, being a manifestation of one form of selfishness, is made up of the elements of self-love. People fear lest they may lose some of the things which they selfishly desire to retain. The spirit of many of the heathen as well as of many in Christian lands is a spirit of fear. They are serving God, not from a desire to be co-laborers in His work, but from fear. They have been taught that they ought to go to Church. They know not what God might do to them if they were to neglect to go. Some ministers have said, “If I believed, as you do, that there is no eternal torture, I would do all the wicked things imaginable.” They show by these words that they are not impulsed by a Holy Spirit, but by a spirit of fear, a spirit that belongs to sin. The spirit of fear does not come from God.

There is, of course, a holy fear—a fear to do anything to offend God or to offend a friend. And we ought to be afraid of offending a friend, afraid of hurting or injuring a friend or anybody. If we love our Heavenly Father, we ought to fear to do anything to displease Him.

In Hebrews 4:1 the Apostle says, “Let us fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” Let us not fear evil—but let us fear lest we fail to attain the blessings promised to the overcomers. God will give those blessings only to those who reach a certain development of character. But the fear of the world is wholly improper. If any of the Lord’s people have that fear, they have received it from some other source than the spirit of Truth.

TRANSFORMING INFLUENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Apostle proceeds to tell us what this Spirit of the Lord has brought to us. [1. Of Power] It has been a spirit of power, of strength. All who are seeking to walk after the Spirit and have a knowledge of the Lord’s love—these He will not forsake, but will deliver them from evil. These have a courageous spirit, or influence of mind proceeding from this spirit of power. It gives them such energy that they are able to do more than otherwise they could. They astonish themselves. They have the peace of God to work in them to will and to do His good pleasure.—Phil. 2:13.

Those who receive the Truth are very different from what they were before they had received its spirit; and as a rule their neighbors and friends discern the change. Where a wife comes to the knowledge of the Truth, her husband is often surprised to find how much more firmness she has for everything that is right. This firmness is not a spirit of arrogance, but a spirit of assurance that God is able and willing to work things together for good. It is the same with the husband. Many wives have seen how much the Truth has strengthened the husband. This change is due to the spirit of power which the Lord has given His people. In proportion as we get this spirit, we get this power. Of course, some characters are naturally strong, but the Truth will make them stronger. Others naturally weak are made so much stronger that they surprise their friends and neighbors.

All who have been in the School of Christ seem to make like development. They become better people than they have ever been before. They are not necessarily better looking, but the Spirit of the Lord helps them to keep their clothes tidy and neat. It helps them to be more particular as to what they say and how they say it. It influences their words, actions, conduct—everything. It makes them more patient, brotherly-kind. All these qualities are manifested increasingly.

Some who have been a little while in the Lord’s service have been remarked upon by others. They say, “These are a very intelligent people. Where did they get their vocabulary? They are not well educated, yet how much they know of affairs in the world! They seem to have a general knowledge of everything.” God’s Word gives this broad knowledge, and His Spirit gives us power to use this knowledge and to appropriate it to ourselves, for we see it to be the Word of the Lord.

[2. Of Love] We receive the spirit of love also. The Apostle says that the Spirit of God is the spirit of love, because “God is Love.” (I John 4:8.) God’s Spirit is God’s mind, God’s disposition, God’s influence. Since God is love, His Spirit must partake of all the qualities which go to make up love.

In proportion to the measure of the Holy Spirit which we have, we shall have love—first, toward God; secondly, to the children of God; thirdly, to our neighbors and friends, and lastly it will extend even to our enemies. It would lead us to be considerate of birds and beasts also. The spirit of love has a generally benevolent influence. Whatever affects the thoughts is sure to affect the words. Whoever has the spirit of love will manifest its influences and will become more loving and more lovable as that spirit increases.

DISREGARD FOR THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS A FORM OF SELFISHNESS

[3. Of Sound Mind] Finally, the Apostle brings in the spirit of a sound mind. Man was created with a well-balanced mind. Adam and Eve did not need an outward record of God’s Law. They had the sense of right and wrong so well defined in their minds that they knew right from wrong intuitively. But when they fell, they lost this balance of mind.

As we come down the centuries from their day to ours, we find that this keen sense of right and wrong has become dull. Thus in cannibal lands the inhabitants believe it right to eat each other. They think that if they feed on enemies who are strong, they will be made strong. This utter disregard for the rights of others is the spirit of selfishness. We see this spirit manifested in civilized lands also, where they do not eat up the enemy literally, but eat up his fortune, his reputation.

Our Lord said that while the Pharisees were very particular to give a full tenth of the mint, anise and cumin, yet they had omitted the weightier matters of the Law—judgment, mercy and faith. He showed that the Law which says, “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” [Matt. 22:39] is more important than the giving of tithes. He also said that the Pharisees were full of extortion and excess, and that they strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel, [E]that they devoured widows’ houses.—Matt. 23:23-25.

By this our Lord meant that when a widow was left alone, with no one to look after her interests, some of these professors of religion would get possession of her property if they could. So in our day there are people who scheme to discover how they can injure their neighbor. They do not eat the persons of their neighbors, but they eat their substance, their property. These people are cannibals in spirit.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SOUND MIND

In proportion as we get the spirit of love, we get the spirit of a sound mind. This spirit leads us to consider what is right and what is wrong, in all the affairs of life. Not only have we the spirit of the Law, but in addition we have the spirit of the Lord to instruct us. The Law says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” [Exo. 20:3] The spirit of the Law says that we shall not permit wealth or anything else to take away our minds from the Lord. We today find people worshipping bonds, stocks, giving the best of their time to the worship of Mammon. They do not know what they are doing.

[F] These people are very well illustrated by Bunyan’s picture. You remember that when the pilgrims were in the house of the Interpreter, he took them into a room where there was a man with a muck-rake in his hand, drawing to himself straws, small sticks and the dust of the floor. Above his head was one with a celestial crown in his hand. This crown he proffered to the man in exchange for the muck-rake. But the man neither looked up, nor regarded what was said.

Today we see some who use muck-rakes, gathering all the trinkets of life, not knowing what to do with them after they have been accumulated. When such people die, perhaps these things will be injurious to those to whom they are left. The pilgrims had sound minds, but the man who was raking for sticks and straws and dust had an unsound mind. More or less we see all around us the spirit of an unsound mind, overlooking the things that are really valuable and grasping at trifles.

As we develop the spirit of a sound mind we get to see what things are valuable, and we look at other things as being insignificant. More and more we desire the heavenly things. But the world thinks, “Look at this dust! Is not this fine straw?” or what not. They say, “Get some of these sticks and worm-eaten fruits that we have here.” But what they strive for is all illusion.

They say of us that we are of unsound mind because we care for the better things, the heavenly things. So they said of Jesus, “He hath a devil and is mad.” (John 10:20.) As the Apostle [Paul] said, “Whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God.” (2 Cor. 5:13.) Others think it strange that we run not to the same excess of riot. (I Peter 4:4.) And it is true today that whoever will live godly will be misunderstood, slandered. (2 Tim. 3:12.) But it is for us to show our courage, our faith and our loyalty to the Lord and to manifest His Spirit “of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7.) The manifestation of His Spirit will help those who are His to become “more than conquerors.” (Romans 8:37.) Thus, even if we are not helping the world, we build one another up in our most holy faith. —Jude 20,21.

The spirit of a sound mind is a most wonderful manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the Lord’s people. It gives them much advantage every way over the remainder of mankind. It sees in the present life opportunities for the attainment of character. It broadens and deepens the mind along all good lines. It makes one less touchy in respect to his own rights, privileges and preferences, and more considerate of the rights and feelings of others.

The spirit of a sound mind makes one’s judgment clearer, truer, more trustworthy than before, for it impels him to accept the instructions of the Word of God in respect to what he should and should not do, and to reject his own faulty judgment. The meek will He guide in judgment. [Psalm 25:9] Whatever may be the imperfection of mind and body resulting from the fall, those who receive the spirit of a sound mind are thereby made purer, kinder, gentler, less selfish and more thoughtful in regard to others. Those who are thus rightly exercised will develop the spirit of love increasingly until that which is perfect shall have come and that which is in part shall have been done away.—I Cor. 13:10.

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Excellent subject.

1. The Apostle [Paul] says that these miraculous gifts were to continue only for a time, but that the fruits of the spirit were to abide – More specifically the “fruit of the spirit”. Further after stating “prophecy” as a gift in 1 Cor. 12:10, he states to desire the greater gifts (1 Cor. 12:31) and continuing this tone he states similarly in 1 Cor. 14:1. The way in which these gifts have to be desired is through love, without love these gifts have no value (as explained in 1 Cor. 13).
2. but that the fruits of the spirit were to abide—meekness, patience, gentleness, brotherly kindness, faith, hope and love, the greatest of all. (I Cor. 13.) – We should note that the Apostle Paul compared only the last three (not all) and out of them declared that love is the greatest (1 Cor. 13:13).
3. The gifts of the Spirit died out with the death of the Apostles and of those also upon whom they had conferred the gifts – I would say some of gifts of wisdom, knowledge and prophesying are still available to us through the holy spirit.
4. we shall someday be branches in the glorified Vine—The Christ of God. – Though the thought given is commendable, as a glorified Church, we may not be part of the vine, as do not need pruning, being complete and perfect. Similarly, we do not have need for the sap of life from Christ, as we do require now, but then being glorified with immortality, we may stand separate, but united and under our Head Jesus.
5. that they devoured widows’ houses.—Matt. 23:23-25. – The reference seems to be taken from Matt. 23:14 is an added text and majority translations agree. However, the equivalent verses are available in Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
6. These people are very well illustrated by Bunyan’s picture. – Refer Part II, Section III of John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. In the 1895 edition an illustration titled “The Man with the Muckrake” is placed opposite page 230. (Picture is copyrighted to New York Public Library – https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/72adcec2-57ee-558a-e040-e00a18062a3e)

[R5246: page 163]

THE TRANSFORMING INFLUENCE OF THOUGHT

“As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7.) “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”—Proverbs 4:23.

THE HEART is one of the most important organs of our body. If it ceases to work, death is sure to follow. The blood that flows through the heart constitutes the life, the energy of the body. If the blood current is interrupted for a little while, a clot is formed. This is so much of a preparation for death. There must be a continual stream of blood circulating through our bodies to keep life there.

In view of this important function of our natural hearts, the Bible very properly uses the heart, the center of life, as a symbol of the center of our affections, including the will. Our will has to do with everything we do. Whoever of the Lord’s people wills to seek more and more to purify himself becomes more and more alive. If we are pure in heart, we resolve to live righteously and thoughtfully in the present life. Whoever appreciates the principle that right is right, and wrong is wrong will desire to live right—whether Jew or Gentile or the Church of God.

The Church, having accepted God’s terms, have made a consecration of their lives to Him. They have engaged to fight a good fight against the world, the flesh and the Devil. They are under special obligations as New Creatures. Their hopes and ambitions are separate from those of the world. They are therefore doubly responsible in respect to their hearts, which represent their inmost sentiments.

According to a man’s innermost sentiment, so is he. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is his real character. What is your real will? What are your real sentiments? Not, what words do you use? not, what are your actions? but, what is the motiveunderlying all these?

The New Creature is to be God-like, spiritual, eventually of the spirit nature in glory—perfect. But before it attains that perfection, the heart of the New Creature is required to prove its loyalty. Some will be overcoming in a higher sense than others, but none will be overcomers except those who are true, loyal, pure. If, therefore, we have made a consecration to God, it would be our endeavor that our hearts, our desires, our motives be perfect. The only proper attitude is to confess our imperfections, if we are wrong. God expects us to be loyal of heart. And that loyalty of heart should reach out and control the whole life.

If our thoughts are not according to our ideals, we should endeavor to make them so. We should put away anger, malice, hatred, strife, and all such works of the flesh and the Devil. With some people, in some conditions, these thoughts go very deep. It is not the transitory thoughts of the mind—the passing thoughts—that are meant in our text [Prov. 23:7a]. Even people of very bad character may at times have deep emotions. The eyes of some persons will be suffused with tears over some trivial matter. This makes them appear to be very tender-hearted, and yet their lives may show that they would as easily be moved to some vicious deed as to sympathy. We see this fact illustrated in the conduct of mobs. The people who hailed Jesus as King were five days later crying, “Crucify Him!” [Luke 23:21] Those who shortly before had seemed to be so appreciative of Him appeared to lose that appreciation.

IMPORTANCE OF RIGHT THINKING

In reality a man is not always what on the surface he seems to be. His real character is deep down below—the purpose of his life. These are not the mere transitory thoughts, but the deep fissures of thought, if we may so designate those which involve the whole life. The Scriptures bring to our attention the fact that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds—by having them made over.—Rom. 12:2.

The Apostle, speaking of some very vicious traits of character, says, “And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:11.) This cleansing, this sanctifying, comes not merely through the reading of the Truth, or the mental application of the Truth, but through the heart—thinking on the Truth. This heart-thinking, these deep resolutions, are ours as Christians, and are to be guided by certain principles. These have to do with the real man whom God is considering—not the old creature, more or less blemished, according to the degree of depravity. God looks at the New Creature.

These deep heart convictions and purposes constitute a transformation of character. This is the man’s real condition, and so is he. If he has some transitory emotion of anger or of malice, it would not be his real thought, his real intention. Therefore, it would not be he, but his old nature, temporarily asserting itself. As a New Creature, he is to watch his words, his thoughts, his actions. If a transitory, wrong thought should pass through his mind, it would not be the thought of his heart. And he as a New Creature, should stop it, put it away, so that it may not take root in his heart, and choke out better sentiments.

This right thinking of the heart has very much to do with the whole life. The Apostle says that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, to know what is the perfect will of God. This is the Christian’s standpoint. How glad we are that our Heavenly Father is judging us from this standpoint! How glad we are that He is able to read the heart, that He knows our hearts, that He knows our inmost thoughts!

At one time we might have thought that we were doing God service when we were not. We show our loyalty to God by giving attention to His Word, that we may know what is His will. The more we study God’s Word, the more we receive the spirit of the Truth, and the more we appreciate it. And in proportion as we understand God’s regulations and desire to be guided by them, our hearts will become purified. Then the more care shall we take of our hands, what they shall do; and of our tongues, what they shall say. Thus we shall keep our hearts—submit our wills to the will of God.

The will is a part of our heart, just as the rudder is a part of the ship. The new will is the rudder to steer us this way or that way. The more we understand the Word of the Lord, the better we understand how to guide our lives. Therefore, we are to keep our hearts and purify them by the knowledge of God’s Truth, the study of God’s Truth. To do this, the will must ever be on the alert, watching with prayer and thanksgiving.

THE CHURCH ON TRIAL FOR LIFE

Someone may ask, why should we do all this? In a general way we might answer, that we may do right—because right is right. But that reason is not sufficient for us. While all appreciate the superiority of right over wrong, yet in our fallen condition we need to have some inducements to action. So the Lord puts certain inducements before us. He says, “If your heart is right, I desire to give you everlasting life. If your heart is wrong, then you will not be of the kind to whom I will grant this boon. You will die the Second Death.”

Six thousand years ago there was a trial. Our first father, Adam, was tried, and failed. Consequently, we have no right to life. But God has arranged through our Lord Jesus that every member of Adam’s race may have another trial. The Father is willing to give life everlasting to all who love righteousness.

So we thankfully accept this provision, and say, “Heavenly Father, wilt Thou indeed give us another opportunity for gaining everlasting life? We would love to have that life! We are very thankful for the opportunity! We love righteousness! If we are loyal to the principles of righteousness, shall we get everlasting life? It is our desire that Thy will be done in us—even that we love righteousness and hate iniquity.” “Very well, then,” the Heavenly Father says, “I will put you into the School of Christ, where you will learn righteousness.”

Day by day we are learning in the School of Christ. Our different experiences are a part of the general instructions for those who love righteousness and who desire to be taught of the Lord. The issue of our trial will be life or death. The world is not now on trial. There is no possibility for the world to gain life as yet. During this Gospel Age the Church are the only ones who are under this Covenant of Sacrifice—who are on trial, therefore, for everlasting life or everlasting death. In the next Age, the world will have their opportunity for learning obedience. Then the issue for them will be life or death.

God says, “I have set before you life and death, blessing or cursing.” [Deu. 30:19] There is a curse for everyone who loves unrighteousness; there is a blessing for everyone who loves righteousness. So during the thousand years of Christ’s Reign the world will be on trial for everlasting life or everlasting death. All who are obedient will get everlasting life. But all who have the spirit of Satan will be destroyed in the Second Death.

Only those who are more than mere overcomers will be of the Royal Priesthood. There is no excuse for our getting into the Great Company. Let us keep our hearts with all diligence. Let us watch our hearts. If they are in full harmony with God’s will, we shall have little trouble with our tongues. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”—Math. 12:34. [Matt. 12:34]

Our heart is the most wonderful organ of our body. The tongue is the subtlest of all our members. The Lord takes our words as an index of our heart condition. But since we are imperfect, it is not possible for us to be faultless in word and deed. Yet we are diligently and faithfully to seek to attain the perfect mastery of our words. We should be especially on guard in respect to evil speaking. Every tendency toward slander is to be checked. Whoever of us is reviled is not to revile again. These tendencies belong to the old nature. To be pleasing to the Master, we are to keep our hearts free from every form of evil. If this be done, the heart is rightly instructed of the Lord. Then we will know that we must make good whatever is wrong. We are bound, thoroughly bound, to make it good to the best of our ability. Our heart must keep itself right.

DEFICIENCY IN MODERN EDUCATION

This same principle is applicable to the whole world, though not on a scale so far reaching. Mankind are influenced by thought, by experience. So vicious children may be trained up under favorable environments to become useful citizens. We have seen where, even with people of the world, good resolutions to live honestly, justly, soberly, have had a blessed influence on the life, making noble men and women, although these may not be Christians.

We have also seen the reverse of this—those who were criminals, but not so of necessity. Some of them were born under good conditions; but have read bad books and meditated upon sinful things. Thus the thoughts of their hearts have been evil instead of good. Thus they have become inclined toward evil. As they allow their minds to run in a certain direction, and allow these thoughts to become deeply rooted in their hearts, some of them become very vicious.

We were deeply impressed with this fact in noticing the photographs of the four gunmen recently [around June 1913] convicted of murder in New York. Had we seen their pictures before knowing who they were, we should have said, “Those are strong characters.” Their hearts had gone wrong, doubtless because of wrong education and a failure to appreciate the principles of righteousness. This seems to be largely the case at the present time. Very few see the principles of righteousness at all. The majority are swayed by superstition, by fear and by hopes which are more or less momentary, more or less deceptive.

So we see that the general education of our day is lacking in a very important respect. Although the schools have taken away to some extent the veil of ignorance and superstition, yet they are not giving instead the full, proper view of righteousness. This is because in a general way the Divine character and the Divine laws are being ignored. There is an attempt to teach mortality entirely aside from the Divine Law. But this course seems to be undermining faith—separating the pupils from faith in a Supreme Creator. Thus we see that while the world is making wonderful progress in education, yet it is not reaching its own ideals. The human mind in its fallen and perverted condition, is unable to see the subject of morality from a standpoint which educators would put before it.

The human mind needs the influence of its higher organs to assist the lower organs. Hence, although these educational influences are beneficial in many respects, yet they are very injurious in others. They do not inculcate veneration for God and for the Divine will. Therefore, people are unable to grasp the best principles. The only persons who are in the right attitude are those who are seeking to have new thoughts, to have thoughts conformed to the Divine arrangement, taking the mind of Christ instead of their own imaginations and judgment, and thus growing up into Him in all things. This is our happy position.

INFLUENCE OF THOUGHT UPON HEALTH

There is another view of the text—”As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” [Pro. 23:7a] —given by Christian Scientist; namely, that according to our minds, so be it unto us. They get some good out of this view. They say that if one thinks about kind, noble things, he will be influenced thus. We think our Christian Scientist friends are partly right and partly wrong. They hold that if one thinks himself to be well, he will be well; that if one thinks himself to be sick, he will be sick. There is a measure of truth in this view.

One-half the people in the world are sick because they think they are so. If they thought, not about their aches and pains, but about more helpful things, they would no doubt be better and stronger in every way. The mind has something to do with our condition. Whoever mopes about a headache will undoubtedly make it worse. Whoever tries to put the thought of his condition away and to give attention to other things will undoubtedly help himself.

The less we think about our aches and pains the better for us. If we talk about them, we aggravate them. It is also bad to exercise too much sympathy with each other. Of course, there are times when it would be cruel not to show sympathy. But it is not wise to encourage those who are weak to complain about their condition. We become stronger in proportion as we try to avoid thinking of our ailments.

The mistake made by our Christian Scientist friends is that they carry this principle too far. Thinking ourselves sound will not make us so. And it would not be right to lie about the matter, and to say that we have no aches and pains when we have them. The middle line is the one which the Bible encourages—not to say that we have neither aches nor pains, not to say that death is “mortal error,” and that there is no death. But we can help the dying process along, or we can seek to cultivate the more helpful thoughts, and thus exercise a helpful influence upon ourselves and others.

One notices this principle in action in a sick room. Some people will go into the sick room, express a great deal of sympathy, and leave the sick person under the impression that he is in a much worse condition than he really is; whereas they should have helped the person by encouraging remarks. It is not necessary to say to the sick, “You are looking extremely bad!” But we might say, “Are you feeling better this morning? Have you had a good rest?” Many people do not know how much they do rest, and do not feel thankful enough. So we might suggest, “I hope you are feeling thankful to the Lord, and that you are glad because of this beautiful day. See how the sun shines into your room! Hear the birds sing!” The condition of some people when they are sick is that of “groaning’s which cannot be uttered.” Sick people need someone to bring sunshine into the room.

So, then, dear friends, let us resolve that since we have covenanted with the Lord to become dead to the old life, to the old ambitions, to the things of the past, these are to be all given over. We will wish to think as the Lord would have us think, to view all the affairs of life as He would have us view them, and to be influenced by the ambitions which He sets before us in His Word. Thus doing, we shall as New Creatures grow into the character-likeness of the Lord.

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Good subject.

1. The will is a part of our heart, just as the rudder is a part of the ship. – Here heart is not the physical body part “heart” but here it denotes the sentiments of the person.
2. God says, “I have set before you life and death, blessing or cursing.” [Deu. 30:19] – In context of the verse, these words are spoken by Moses to the Israelites, though as a representative of God.
3. We were deeply impressed with this fact in noticing the photographs of the four gunmen recently [around June 1913] convicted of murder in New York. – https://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/blog/four-gunmen-given-the-electric-chair-in-new-york-today

[R5114: page 320] 

THE DEVELOPMENT OF FAITH THROUGH FIERY TRIALS.

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”–1 Pet. 1:7.

FAITH MAY BE said to have in it the two elements of intellectual assurance and heart-reliance. Both the head and the heart --the intellect and the affections-- are necessary to the faith without which it is impossible to please God. [Heb. 11:6a] With some, faith is all emotion; with others, it is all intellectuality. But neither of these elements alone can withstand the fiery tests to which faith is subjected. Both must be present and remain, if our faith be that which will endure to the end and be found unto praise, honor and glory at the appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [1 Pet. 1:7b]

The trial of our faith to which our Lord and the Apostles refer is a trial, not only of our intellectual knowledge of Divine Truth, but also of our heart-reliance upon God. In both respects, the true child of God will find himself severely tried. Let him see to it that he has a “Thus saith the Lord” [Jer. 2:5a] for every item of his belief. Let him study the doctrine and get a clear understanding of every element of the Truth. Let him become rooted, grounded, settled and established in the doctrines of God, and give earnest heed lest at any time he let them slip. —Heb. 2:1.

When he has his faith well-grounded in the fundamental principles of Divine Truth, let every consecrated child of God see to it that he also continues to cultivate heart-reliance in the “great and precious promises.” [2 Pet. 1:4] St. Peter tells us that a faith which has stood the tests of fiery ordeal and has come off victorious is very precious in the sight of the Heavenly Father. Whenever we pass through a fiery trial and still retain, not only our faith in the doctrines, but also our confidence in God, our reliance in His promises, our integrity of heart and purpose, and our zeal for Truth and righteousness, then our characters have grown more Christ-like and hence more pleasing to God, who subjects us to discipline for this very purpose.

St. Peter intimates in our text that the faith of those called throughout the Gospel Age will receive a severe testing. He says, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” [1 Pet. 1:7] In the presenttime, when gold is comparatively a rare metal, it has a special value. Therefore, the Apostle compares it to the faith of the Little Flock, to whom alone, of all humanity, will be given the glory, honor and immortality promised to those who overcome.

Hence the trial of the faith of this class is very important. None will be admitted to membership in the Body of Christ, who has not been tested and proved by the Lord. But let us remember that our testing is not to see whether we are perfect according to the flesh. On the contrary, God knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.–Psa. 103:14.

What God is seeking in us is the development and perfection of faith. We are tested to see whether we believe in Him as a faithful, wise, loving and true God; and in His Son as our Redeemer, who purchased us with His own precious blood, and as our Advocate, who now covers our blemishes, past, present and future, with the Robe of His Imputed Righteousness. These are the elements of faith which He will test thoroughly and which must grow stronger as time goes by. Without strong, well-tested faith in God and His promises, we cannot please Him and become members of the Elect class which He is now selecting.

THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH FAITH IS TRIED

The trial of our faith is not left to chance. It is supervised by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who is represented by the Prophet Malachi as a refiner and purifier of gold and of silver, that He may purify the antitypical House of Levi, and separate the dross from the precious metal. (Mal. 3:3.) In one sense of the word, He came as that refiner at the First Advent. During the entire Gospel Age, He has been doing the refining work in His people, that the offering to the Father might be an acceptable one.

First of all, our Lord laid down His life in fulfilment of the types of the Law, thus demonstrating His absolute trust, loyalty, and faith in God. The Church of Christ must be similarly tested and proved in respect to their obedience, trust, loyalty to the Father. They must be willing, not only to trust God when things are favorable, but to trust in His providences when they cannot see the outcome. To attain this degree of faith, they must pass through manifold trials and testings, that they may demonstrate their faith and loyalty.

During the Gospel Age a peculiar, special and called-out class is being dealt with. We can see that God is not dealing with the world, but allows it to “lie in the Wicked One.” (I John 5:19, Diaglott.) St. Paul tells us that during those times when the people were in ignorance, God paid no particular attention to their conduct, except when it went to an extreme. (Acts 17:30.) But during the next Age, whoever does not repent when he hears the Gospel will make no advancement; but will, in concurrence with the Divine Plan, have punishments, stripes, for anything that he knowingly does that is wrong. This Gospel Age, however, is for the development of a specially called-out class–a people for a purpose–the Church of Christ.

The question naturally arises, why should God test faith rather than works? The answer is that all kinds of works are dependent upon the ability of the worker, and that the whole race of Adam has become unable to do perfect works, on account of the fall of their first parents. None can be perfectly just, perfectly wise, perfectly loving; to be so in our present imperfect condition is impossible.

Therefore, in His Wisdom and Love, God avoids making His test along those lines in which we are absolutely incompetent, and makes it along the line of faith — in His Wisdom, His Love and His promises. To doubt any of these would be to weaken the basis of our hope. We realize that we are in a fallen condition, that we are dying like the remainder of the race. We have heard through the Word of God that He has provided a Savior, but we see that things continue much as they were, despite all that God and Christ have done. Our faith, however, assures us that God, who knows the end from the beginning, is working all things according to the counsel of His own will and that in due time He will establish righteousness in the earth.–Eph. 1:11 [In Tamil Eph. 1:12]; Psa. 72:1-7.

The language of one without faith would be, “I cannot see that God or Christ is accomplishing anything for the world. Man now learns to control himself better than did his ancestors and so he does not fight as did the savages of old, but uses more modern weapons. He builds hospitals and insane asylums; in this way he gets the sick and the insane off his hands and so has more time to devote to business.” Present conditions have a strong influence upon the world. Very much depends upon how we look at a matter.

TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS INTEGRAL PARTS OF CHARACTER

From the standpoint of faith, we see that Christ has come into the world and during the Gospel Age has been carrying on the work of selecting the Church, which is His Body, and that from these a light has shone out into the surrounding darkness, which has been more or less dispelled by it. The light of the Holy Spirit, shed abroad by the example of many Christian lives, exerts an influence today, and many have a coating of politeness which may be mistaken for the fruits of the Spirit of God. But the outward conduct alone is not evidence of acceptable heart condition. God desires that truth and righteousness shall become integral parts of our characters and that the principle of Love shall dominate in everything. This development of character we do not find among all who profess the name of Christ.

Our faith, looking out into the world, asks of the Lord, “When will the promised time come in which Thy will shall be done on earth as in heaven?” The Scriptures reply that the glorious time for the blessing of the world will not come until the Church shall have passed into glory; that Messiah will then reign for a thousand years in order to put down sin and opposition to Divine arrangements and to uplift those who desire to come into harmony with God; and that in order to accomplish this work He will establish a government based upon the principles of righteousness. By faith we accept this answer, and await God’s due time for the blessing of all mankind.

Meantime, we will not permit ourselves to drift into unbelief while we delude ourselves with the thought that we or others are accomplishing something through “social uplift.” We are glad to see efforts put forth to help the unfortunate; but we perceive that there is a force at work in the world that prevents success along this line. Present methods will not eradicate selfishness from the human heart; and until this is accomplished, God’s will cannot be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

To bring about this desired result, the Kingdom of Heaven is soon to be established, according to the Word of God. If, while waiting for His due time to arrive, we participate in worldly ambitions and endeavors, our faith will become vague and perhaps die. Although the good [according to God’s Will] that we may do will be in conflict with the darkness around us, nevertheless, it should always be shining forth in our words and in our conduct as the result of the glorious hopes that inspire our lives.

Faith is a quality possessed by all whom God is calling to membership in the Body of Christ, and the appeal of the Scriptures is only to those who have some faith and who are determined to increase it. When we begin our course as Christians, we have comparatively little faith, and it must be developed; our Christian experience is for the purpose of faith development. As St. Peter suggests, our faith, which is on trial, is much more precious than gold, although the gold be tried by fire. The exercise of faith tends to its development, and so our Father gives us numerous trials to test its strength.

THE FAITH OF THE ANGELS SEVERELY TESTED

God purposely permits us to be subject to manifold temptations for the testing of our faith, which is necessary because of the outcome of the trial. We may suppose that prior to the existence of man the angels had no such trials of faith and patience as the Church has had, for the angels saw God and knew of His works. Nevertheless, God has been pleased to give them a test of faith, which has continued during all of man’s experience.

The primary cause of Satan’s deflection, which resulted in his rebellion, was that he lost his faith in God. He formed the idea that he could manage the Universe better than could the Almighty, and thought to secure to himself a little corner where he could show how affairs should be carried on. He succeeded in getting control of our first parents, only to find that, instead of bringing a blessing, he had brought upon the human family the curse of death–the penalty of sin–and all the misery and crime now on the pages of history.

Satan’s career became a very important test to the angels. Believing that God had all power, they did not understand why He would permit Satan to pursue so evil a course. They would have restrained the Adversary altogether. So when they saw evil going on unrestrained for centuries, some of them also evidently lost their faith. Thus came about the conditions mentioned in the sixth chapter of Genesis, when some of the angels preferred to materialize and live in human conditions. This was in violation of the Divine arrangement, and was the result of their loss of faith in God’s Wisdom and Power. They had seen what Satan had done, although he had not succeeded in doing anything great; and their sentiment was, “Apparently God does not control affairs so completely as we have thought.” —Gen. 6:1-4; 2 Pet. 2:4,5; Jude 6,7.

Thus we see that God tested the faith of the holy angels, especially when we understand that the evil conditions prevailing before the flood have continued to some extent. The holy angels had occasion to doubt, to fear respecting God’s Wisdom, Love and Power. Thus they were all thoroughly tested—more so than humanity; for they saw all that there was to be seen. We admit that there are a great many things that we do not know and cannot see, but the angels have apparently a much wider scope of knowledge. Thus the test of their faith was much greater than is ours.

God tested the faith of the angels because He wished to know which of them had that absolute confidence which would enable them to trust Him, whether it seemed that He had or had not the power to control affairs. The lesson of the exceeding sinfulness of sin was both wise and necessary. Had the fall of man resulted in the everlasting torture of even a small proportion of the human family, we could not think that God was either wise or just in permitting this test to come upon His creatures.

For more than four thousand years God permitted mankind to go down into death. Then came a manifestation of His Love when He provided for their redemption; and a still further manifestation of His Power will be given in the next Age, when they will be raised from the dead. Furthermore, in the Bride class He is making a special illustration, both to angels and to men, of His Love for those who manifest heart-loyalty to Him, and of His willingness to lift those faithful few far above the angels and even to make them “partakers of the Divine nature.” [2 Pet. 1:4] We see, then, that in God’s dealings [கையாள] with the angels He had respect to their faith.

FAITH PROPORTIONATE TO KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S CHARACTER

The Scriptures say that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Heb. 11:6.) If one loses his faith, there is no telling whither he may wander. The Apostle Peter’s argument [in our text 1 Pet. 1:7] is that this special class who are being selected for exaltation to the Divine nature, must expect to have their faith tested, and that this testing is most important from the Divine point of view. If they have faith, it will control all of their affairs. –Compare Heb. 11:1,6.

Our faith will be in proportion to our knowledge of the character of God. We shall find, upon observation, that in proportion to our faith we can endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Since our test is for so brief a time–a few years–it must of necessity be a very severe, a crucial one. God is subjecting our faith to a great heat in order to separate the dross. If we had not the faith, we might fear to take the steps which would bring us into this crucial position. Fear would lead us to decline to take the course that God indicates to be His will. Without faith we would shrink from the fiery trials, the heated furnace. If we have not the faith to stand the trials, then we are not of the kind for whom God is at the present time looking.

If we appreciate this matter, we shall see that “without faith it is impossible to please God” [Heb. 11:6a]; and that confidence in Him will lead us to weigh His words of precious promise. These promises will make clear to us the reason why these testings are upon us, and will enable us to appreciate our testings as marks of His love for us. The Lord would have us be “a peculiar people,” tried and tested, “zealous of good works,” a people for a purpose [Titus 2:14]; and so He develops us through suffering.

When the world is on trial during the Millennial Age, knowledge will have come in, and there will be less opportunity for the exercise of faith. Mankind will be in much the same condition as that in which the angels now are. For a thousand years, the world will be assisted upward, and at the same time they will have opportunities of cultivating faith–heart-reliance–in God. What we now see by faith, they will actually know–that the permission of sin has been working out a great Divine test for both men and angels. Thus gradually, throughout the thousand years, their faith will be established in practically the same way that the faith of the angels is now being established. They will see and will walk by sight, while we believe the promises and so walk by faith.

There is a difference between intellectual belief and heart-reliance. The person who knows God best will trust Him most. Our Lord Jesus in His glorified position trusts the Father most perfectly at all times. But with us, whose trust is imperfect, it is different. Not until the First Resurrection shall we have perfect trust. The greater the knowledge of God’s character, the greater will be the heart-reliance upon Him.

During the Millennium, as intellectual belief gives place to knowledge, the heart-reliance of those who are loyal to the principles of righteousness will increase proportionately. It will always be in order to trust in God. The Great Creator is the Great Upholder of the Universe; and all of His creatures will ever be recipients of His bounty. If we understand the Scriptures, the only ones who will have deathlessness will be the Lord Jesus and the Church, which is His Body [the Creator being an exception, who is already in this state]. (I Cor. 15:53.) All others will have dependent lives, and so will be objects of Divine care. In order to have everlasting life, they will need to have a heart-reliance upon their Creator. The more they learn of the unchangeableness of the Divine promises and character, the greater will be their trust.

The faith of the Church will be of a higher character than is that of the angels or than will be that of the world restored. The faith of the Church will have been wrought out amidst the darkness and obscurity of this Age, which are being permitted for the very purpose of developing that faith; for the Church is called to occupy a place much higher than that of angels or men–called to be partakers of the Divine nature.–2 Pet. 1:3,4.

When, during the Millennial Age, the world shall have learned their lessons along the lines of knowledge, God does not purpose to receive them everlastingly without a thorough test of their heart-reliance. In Rev. 20:3,7-10, we read that at the close of the thousand years, Satan shall be loosed for a little season. Mankind will then know what is right and what is wrong, for the principles of righteousness will have been implanted in their hearts. The experience with Satan will be a test of heart-reliance, of loyalty, in that God will apparently [or rather seemingly] not be in control.

Then all those not in the fullest sympathy with God and His Divine Plan will be misled by this test of faith. Thus they will demonstrate their true character. Those who prove disobedient will be destroyed in the Second Death. God tells us that in the consummation every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to the glory of His Name, and that every creature in Heaven and in earth shall give honor and praise to the Son.–Rev. 5:13.

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Good subject.

1. None will be admitted to membership in the Body of Christ, who has not been tested and proved by the Lord. – We should note that we have come into the Body of Christ by our begotten status. However, our admission into the body of Christ glorified needs to be proved by way of testing.
2. who now covers our blemishes, past, present and future, with the Robe of His Imputed Righteousness – This statement is correct and directly contradicts CTR’s view on Sin offering elsewhere.
3. Nevertheless, God has been pleased to give them a test of faith, which has continued during all of man’s experience. – We could say that God gave them (angels) a test of loyalty & obedience rather than test of faith.
4. The primary cause of Satan’s deflection, which resulted in his rebellion, was that he lost his faith in God. – No scriptural support. The scriptures say that his rebellion was due to his spirit to exalt himself as the Most High.
5. He formed the idea that he could manage the Universe better than could the Almighty, and thought to secure to himself a little corner where he could show how affairs should be carried on. – There is no scriptural support for this statement. the scriptures rather say that Satan’s intention was to exalt himself up as equal to the Most high.
6. He succeeded in getting control of our first parents, only to find that, instead of bringing a blessing, he had brought upon the human family the curse of death–the penalty of sin–and all the misery and crime now on the pages of history. – This statement paints a picture that Satan himself was unaware of the consequences of his action and was probably deceived himself. But the scripture paints a different view altogether. Read John 8:44. They point out that Satan was a liar and murderer from the beginning, which means he was well aware of the consequences of this action.
7. So when they saw evil going on unrestrained for centuries, some of them also evidently lost their faith. – No scriptural support. When Satan acted against God, he was banished from Eden. In addition, once God’s commandment was disobeyed by humans, they began to decay and die. All the angels were aware of these consequences that happened on the earth. Thus, we cannot term that the angels lost faith in God because evil was permitted unrestrained. Evil was indeed permitted, but not unrestrained. Also, the flood during the time of Noah is a momentous fact to this.
8. Thus came about the conditions mentioned in the sixth chapter of Genesis, when some of the angels preferred to materialize and live in human conditions. This was in violation of the Divine arrangement, and was the result of their loss of faith in God’s Wisdom and Power. They had seen what Satan had done, although he had not succeeded in doing anything great; and their sentiment was, “Apparently God does not control affairs so completely as we have thought.” – The inference or sentiment expressed does not harmonize with the scriptures. The scriptures clearly states that the angels saw the beauty of the women on earth and sinned. This is not due to lack of faith, but rather due to failure to overcome temptation. Further, God permitted the angels to take human form, as we read that the first world was given under the ministration of angels. Angels taking human form was not due to lack of faith in God.
9. Thus we see that God tested the faith of the holy angels, especially when we understand that the evil conditions prevailing before the flood have continued to some extent. – God did not test the faith of the angels. Angels saw and knew the wisdom and power of God and thus their faith was not under test. But what was under the test was their loyalty & obedience to Jehovah and some angels failed in this test.
10. The holy angels had occasion to doubt, to fear respecting God’s Wisdom, Love and Power. – Not in harmony with the scriptures. Read Mark 1:23-24; Jas. 2:19 indicate that the demons / evil spirits (or the fallen angels) fear God and his son Jesus.
11. Thus they were all thoroughly tested–more so than humanity; for they saw all that there was to be seen. We admit that there are a great many things that we do not know and cannot see, but the angels have apparently a much wider scope of knowledge. Thus, the test of their faith was much greater than is ours. – The inference is not correct. The test of faith for the Church is much greater than anyone else’s faith test and thus accordingly the reward given to the church is greater. If their (angels’) test of faith was much greater than ours, then God would be doing injustice in granting us (the Church class) much greater reward to those who come as victors and at the same time giving punishments to them (the angels) who failed in the test. (Br. Ragland:) Further since our tests are greater and rewards higher, we are permitted to rule the angels in the future.
12. God tested the faith of the angels because He wished to know which of them had that absolute confidence which would enable them to trust Him, whether it seemed that He had or had not the power to control affairs. – The angels had absolute confidence in God and knew God in person. There was no need for a faith test here.
13. We see, then, that in God’s dealings with the angels He had respect to their faith. – Again, no scriptural support.
14. Thus gradually, throughout the thousand years, their faith will be established in practically the same way that the faith of the angels is now being established – The faith of the angels was already established.

[R5688: page 151]

DEVELOPMENT AS NEW CREATURES IN CHRIST

“Strong meat belongeth to them who are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”—Hebrews 5:14. [In Tamil JW better]

THE Apostle here seems to have in mind some who are babes in Christ [1 Cor. 3:1b], some who have immature conceptions of God and His Plan, who lack spiritual development, contrasting them with others who are more developed, who have become men in Christ Jesus—who are “of full age,” as St. Paul expresses it, mature in Christian attainment. “Strong meat” belongs to these. The Apostle has given a reproof to some who, considering the length of time they have been in Christ, should have been strong in the faith, in doctrine, in spiritual life, and should be qualified to teach others. Yet still they were children, needing others to teach them again the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, needing still to be fed on milk, even yet not able to assimilate “strong meat.” [Heb. 5:12,13]

Beginners who have not long known Christ, who are new in respect to the truths of God’s Plan, are not to be choked with strong meat. These may be fed upon the simpler truths, which they can assimilate. They need “the sincere milk of the Word, that they may grow thereby.” [1 Pet. 2:2; Tamil 1 Pet. 2:3] Some of the Lord’s people, who have been longer in the way, in talking with the newly consecrated unwisely begin to tell them the truths regarding immortality, trinity, etc., before they are able to digest them. These are giving strong meat to babes, and are liable to drive them away from the table of the Lord, giving them spiritual dyspepsia [ajeeranam], so that they are unable longer to eat even of the simpler food furnished by the Lord.

For those who are only beginners in the good way, there is plenty of food in God’s Word of the more easily digestible sort; food which should be helpful to New Creatures in Christ who are just beginning to walk in the narrow path. We are not to understand, however, that they are to continue for quite a period of time to live exclusively on milk. As they begin to grow and develop on a milk diet, they may be given somewhat stronger food, until after a time they will be able to digest the strongest features of the Truth, and to draw nourishment from them. Some develop and are able to digest the strong meat much more rapidly than others. Those who have not been falsely taught regarding Scriptural doctrines, who have not been steeped for many years in the errors brought into the Church during the Dark Ages, are often much more ready and able to grasp the truth on these subjects than are those who have been long under the blinding influence of error along these lines.

SYSTEMATIC STUDY NECESSARY

Those who are of humble, teachable mind, seeking a “thus saith the Lord” [Isa. 48:17] for all they accept, not trying to uphold any theories of their own, but to follow only the Lord, can generally, by taking the STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES and their Bible, and taking up the Plan step by step, in a systematic, orderly manner, as it is presented, proving every statement by the sure Word of God, see the truth regarding these fundamental doctrines with little difficulty. In this way they gain a comprehensive view of the whole Plan of God, and can see how its various features fit and dovetail [slot-in] into one another; this would be impossible if they heard first only a portion of the Plan, disassociated from the rest.

For this reason, it is well to urge the newly interested one to read and prove for himself, and not endeavor to explain too much through conversation. Much harm is often done thus by well-meaning friends, in their zeal to have the beginner grasp it all at once, which is impossible; and often their efforts result in confusing the mind of the one seeking the Truth.

SPIRITUAL EYESIGHT A MATTER OF GROWTH

As we look at a little babe, we see that it can crow, can kick a little, can cry somewhat, and to a certain extent can see objects. It has a certain amount of appreciation of things beautiful, of things terrorizing, of things happifying. But it does not see things very clearly nor comprehend them. If we pass our hand before its eyes, it apparently has not a focus. As with young kittens, which cannot tell what is near and what is far off, so with beginners, babes, in spiritual matters. The younger ones in their attempt to study God’s Word, are apt to go tripping along through it, and think they see this or that. They cannot be entrusted with important truths at first; for they would be pretty certain to be stumbled.

But as these grow older, they can “rightly divide” the Truth [2 Tim. 2:15], they can distinguish Truth from error, they can tell what would be hurtful and what would be helpful. Even a child that burns itself at the fire learns to look out for that which will burn, and learns to approach the fire very carefully, very judiciously. As all this is true as relates to temporal matters, and as the sense of appreciation and comprehension develops in the babe, so in babes in Christ, there is a development of the sense of appreciation and ability to comprehend the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of God’s Wisdom and Love, and the fullness and grandeur of His Great Plan with all its varied features.

NECESSARY FOOD ALWAYS IN “DUE SEASON”

To gain this appreciation, it is necessary, not only to read the Truth, but to think upon it, to make it our own, to strive earnestly to conform our lives to it. [2 Cor. 3:2] It is better, of course, for one to merely read so many pages or chapters of the Bible than to read some worthless thing; but to simply read a certain amount in the Bible without understanding accomplishes little. The Bible needs to be studied; and the Lord has never left His people without teachers of His own choosing, who were able to lead the dear sheep of the great Shepherd’s Fold into the green pastures where they could obtain whatever food was needed at that time. As the gradual unfolding of Truth in its times and seasons has added to the quantity and variety of food required by the flock of God for their proper nourishment, it has been supplied by Him through instrumentalities which he has raised up for the purpose in due season.

The real saints of God have never been left without all needed supplies in every age. In our own day more Truth has unfolded than at any previous period of the Church’s history. More and richer food is now necessary, to strengthen the Church for the peculiar conditions and testing of this day; and more has been supplied. But as we have stated, and as the Apostle in our text [Heb. 5:14] shows, there are various degrees of development in the Church of Christ; and some have been accepted from the world in these latter days to take the places of some who have through unfaithfulness lost their crowns. Hence the wisdom that cometh from above is required to feed and nourish these weaker ones properly. [Jas. 3:17]

FIRST LESSONS IN SCHOOL

In a school there are lessons arranged according to the ability and comprehension of the pupils. When the primary lessons in spelling are given, the teacher begins with small, simple words, instead of long words. Such words as c-o-w, cow; c-a-t, cat, are given first. A teacher who is wise and understands her business would not think of starting little children out with such a word as “prognostication,” or “hippopotamus.” The pupil would first be given more simple and easily comprehensible words. Object lessons, by pictures, etc., are also used at first to attract the eye, and thus to assist the child mind.

And so with religious matters. Those who would give proper instructions to others must be qualified to teach. The Lord has placed the various members in the Body of Christ “as it hath pleased Him.” [1 Cor. 12:18] To some He has given Apostles and workers of miracles; to others evangelists and teachers and pastors. [1 Cor. 12:28; Eph 4:11; Tamil Eph. 4:13] In the early history of the Church, in its infantile condition, miracles—object lessons and proofs to the eye, to the ear, the outward physical senses—were necessary, and hence were supplied. As the Church became established, these outward evidences in connection with the Truth passed away.

The Apostle Paul says, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I thought as a child, I understood as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things.” (1 Corinthians 13:11). And so with every true follower of Christ. As he grows and develops, step by step, as his senses become exercised to discern good and evil—what is true, what is right, what is profitable, what is comprehended in the glorious High Calling of the Church, what is included in full consecration to Christ—he more and more puts away his childish views, his immature conceptions, and becomes educated and advanced in the things of God—the deep things. [1 Cor. 2:10] A beginner, who had not learned to study the Word of God, could take it and get out of it things that would be really harmful to him. One must learn to take Bible truths in their setting—to see what they mean, how they apply, to whom they apply, etc.—or all will be confusion and contradiction. One can bring sweet music from an instrument only when he learns how to manipulate the keys, how to combine the various chords; otherwise only discord is the result.

RESPONSIBILITY OF THOSE LONG IN THE WAY

There are certain principles laid down in the Bible. We need to get a grasp on these principles and apply them in our daily lives. There is the principle of Justice—a foundation principle. This principle must be recognized and practiced before we are in a proper condition to build upon this foundation the principles of Love, Mercy, Gentleness, etc., all of which must be incorporated into our lives, our characters, as children of God. We need to learn what justice means, what true love means. The standards of the world along these lines have become much perverted, and we need to be properly taught from the only authoritative source—the Word of God. We must learn how to apply these principles.

Those who have been for some time drinking from the Fountain of Truth, and feeding at the table of the Lord, where the food is pure, unadulterated, nourishing, should be fully established in the first principles of the doctrine of Christ. Much of the superstructure of “gold, silver and precious stones” [1 Cor. 3:12] should be already erected, and the good work of character-building should be progressing steadily day by day. We should be firmly rooted and grounded in Christ, so that nothing can move us. We should be able to discern clearly between truth and error on every important point. We should be so loyal to the Lord and His Word that we shall rejoice in the glorious privilege of proclaiming it at every suitable opportunity. We should know what we believe and why we believe it, and be courageous and uncompromising in declaring the Truth which has so blessed our own hearts and lives.

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Good subject.

1. Some of the Lord’s people, who have been longer in the way, in talking with the newly consecrated unwisely begin to tell them the truths regarding immortality, trinity, etc., before they are able to digest them. – Now since the harvest is more than 150 years, these truths have become basic and higher truths may include predestination, eldership and so on.

SM349

AN APPALLING [thikaika] LACK IN EVERYDAY LIFE

“Awake to righteousness and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.”—1 Cor. 15:34.

[1]This exhortation is not addressed to the world of sinners, but to Christians, as are all of the Apostolic writings. [2]If we were to translate the text a little differently, it might better give the Apostle’s thought. For instance, “Awake to a proper appreciation of justice. Do not sin against justice in your lives; for some have not a knowledge of God respecting justice, the principles of righteousness. And this is to your shame.”

We who are in the School of Christ recognize that the Lord is teaching us and is preparing us for a great work in the future. The work of the Church during the incoming Age is, according to the Bible, to be kings, priests and judges, to be God’s representatives in the Messianic Kingdom. [Rev. 5:10] As kings, they will be sharers with our Lord Jesus in the ruling of the world. As priests, they share in the work of healing, instructing and sympathizing with the world. As judges, they will administer justice, will give stripes or rewards to mankind, during the thousand years of Messiah’s Reign. [1 Cor. 6:2] Manifestly, therefore, it is proper that whoever hopes to be of these kings, priests and judges should now attain the qualifications of heart and mind which will make him competent for the work; for we may be very sure that God will not appoint any who are not properly qualified.

It is for this reason that God has been calling His Church out from the world during the last nineteen hundred [now nearly 2000] years, and has been giving us the glorious instructions of our Lord Jesus and the Apostles and of the Law and the Prophets. All these things have been for our upbuilding in those qualities of heart and mind which will fit us for the great service to which God has called us.

But God is not testing His children according to their imperfect bodies; for He knows that we cannot do the things which we would. [Gal. 5:17b] He is dealing with our spirits, our minds. Through the transforming influence of His Word, He is giving us a new mind [new will or transforming mind]; and it is this new mind [new will or transforming mind] which He receives into His family. This becomes the New Creature. (Rom. 12:1,2; 2 Cor. 5:17.) We accept a new will, the will of God, instead of our own wills, and the Divine arrangements instead of our own plans and purposes. Thus God is dealing with us as His children, according to this new relationship into which we have come by faith and obedience; and through Christ our Lord we are reckoned perfect in God’s sight.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S WILL

But how can we be perfect in will when our bodies are imperfect? We answer, as did the Apostle, “To will is present with me, but how to perform I find not.” (Rom. 7:18.) He did not always succeed in carrying out his will for righteousness. So it is with every one who seeks to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We all know how to will right, but how to do right is the problem.

Gradually we learn that God will not judge us according to the imperfections of our flesh; for so long as we remain faithful, these blemishes are covered with the robe of Christ’s imputed righteousness. Therefore we do our best to show our Heavenly Father that we are trying hard to do right in every act, word and thought. And since He expects every member of His family to have a perfect will, it becomes a personal question as to what is the will of God for us. So we seek diligently to prove “what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”–Rom. 12:1,2.

To prove what is God’s will means to come to a knowledge of His will, to demonstrate it for ourselves. If we are faithful, we are progressing in this more and more as the days go by. At first we had a little knowledge, and this we put into practise. As we grew in grace and in knowledge, we became better acquainted with the will of God; and it was for us to put this increased knowledge into practise also. This knowledge of the will of God we obtained, not in any supernatural way, but through the study of the Bible.–2 Tim. 2:15.

Whoever has come into the family of God has given up his own will and accepted, instead, God’s will. Whoever has not given up his own will to the Lord is not His child. As the Apostle declares, “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” (Rom. 8:9.) The spirit of Christ was the spirit of full surrender to the Father’s will; and as we come to this same condition, we give up our own wills and take instead the Divine will. This we do because it is the proper course for all who desire to follow in our Redeemer’s steps, and because our own wills have proved to be unsatisfactory to ourselves. Our minds and our bodies are so imperfect that we have frequently gotten into difficulty through doing our own will. Therefore we are glad to know and to do the will of God, especially since we see that it is so gracious a will.

JUSTICE FIRST, THEN LOVE

During the present time it is the will of God that His children shall have trials, difficulties and polishings, in order that these experiences may develop in us a God-likeness of character, a crystallization of character, that will render us fit to be used of God in the great work which He has appointed to the Lord Jesus, that we might thus become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord in that Heavenly Kingdom which is designed of the Father for the blessing of all the families of the earth.

Sometimes Christian people see the doctrine of love in the Bible, and forget that there is a lesson which precedes love. This primary lesson is the one to which we draw your attention today. It is the lesson of justice–righteousness. [3]Our text really signifies, “Awake to justice!” We must all learn to distinguish right from wrong and to practise what is just, right. Justice is righteousness.

The Law of God was given to the Israelites at Mount Sinai to show what justice means. They were not asked to do anything more than justice. “Thou shalt not kill,” said the Law; for to take another’s life is wrong, except when God’s own Law demands it. “Thou shalt not steal.” To do so is wrong, unjust. “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” To do so would be an injustice.–Exod. 20:2-17.

Thus we see that the Law of God given to the children of Israel amounted to this: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength; and thy neighbor as thyself.” [Luke 10:27] To do justice to your neighbor as you wish that neighbor to do justice to you is the essence of the Law of God given to the Jews for their treatment of others.–Matt. 7:12.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF JUSTICE

Did God give this same Law to the Church? Yes, so far as the spirit of the Law is concerned. God’s Law is over all of His creatures. But during the Law Dispensation there was a special Law Covenant which God had made with Natural Israel. No others have ever been under that Law Covenant. The Jew who could keep that Law perfectly could live forever; [4]and, having everlasting life at his command, he might have the opportunity of becoming a part of that great antitypical Spiritual Israel which was to bless all the families of the earth. This our Lord Jesus did. [5]Moreover, in His statement of the Divine Law to Spiritual Israel, He “has magnified the Law and made it honorable,” [Isa. 42:21] by showing how far-reaching and comprehensive are its requirements.

No intelligent person will question the propriety of dealing justly with every one in the world. This subject has many ramifications in all the affairs of our daily life. The principle of justice enters into every transaction, even the most trivial. It applies not only to our dealings with the world at large, but with every member of our own family. The principle of justice must be recognized with our own as well as with others. If all might get this thought of the Golden Rule [Matt. 7:12] firmly fixed in the mind, if each one could awake to righteousness, to justice, the whole world would be revolutionized.

If this principle of justice were recognized and followed, men would not be shooting one another today over in Europe [and other nations]. On the contrary, they would be doing something better, something good one toward another, just as they would wish others to do toward them. But men are not living up to this standard of righteousness, of justice. It is entirely ignored by governments and by individuals. The general excuse for violating the Golden Rule is, “It would never do for us to grant to others what we would expect for ourselves; for others would take advantage of us; they would not do their part; they would not reciprocate.” Say the British, “It would not do for us to practise the Golden Rule toward the Germans; for we do not know what they would do to us.” The Germans advance the same kind of argument.

This course of conduct is not the fear of God, but the fear of man; it ignores the fear of God. God says that if Christians are afraid of men and of nations and of what these may do, we are carnal, are living according to the flesh, are like the unbelieving world. How shall we who have come into relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, we who have given our lives to Him, do under such circumstances? Shall we say that we fear to trust this principle of justice in our lives, that we do not dare to carry it out in every word, thought and act? Are we afraid to trust God and to obey Him?

God did not say that we were to observe the Golden Rule whenever others observed it toward us, and to ignore it whenever others failed to observe it toward us. On the contrary, we are to practise it on every occasion, regardless of what others do. Then we shall know that all things shall work together for good toward us, [Rom. 8:28] because we shall be in line with God and His arrangements. He has power to overrule [rathuseiyum athigaram] in all of life’s affairs. The very least that we must do is to give justice to one another; and to do so will mean a great blessing to our own characters.

Whoever is violating the principle of Justice, the Golden Rule, in his home or in the Church of Christ or in business or social relations should, if he is a Christian, examine the matter earnestly and prayerfully, and “awake to righteousness (justice), and sin not.” [1 Cor. 15:34a] Thus to do violence to justice is sin; and so far as our knowledge goes, it is a sin that prevails everywhere. Many have not a proper appreciation of this fact. They do not see that justice is the very foundation of all character, of all right living. It is the foundation of the Throne of God. (Psa. 89:14.) In vain does any one practise love to his fellow creatures or even toward God while he is at the same time violating the principle of justice toward that one. Only after we have rendered justice are we at liberty to practise love toward another. Then we may do as much as we are able along the line of love. Justice first, love afterwards, should be the rule governing all of our dealings with others.

RESPONSIBILITY OF GOD’S PEOPLE

Those who are children of God are expecting shortly to be made the judges of the world. As the Apostle says, “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?” (1 Cor. 6:2,3.) Moreover, God is seeking now to develop in our hearts and lives, in our characters, those principles which He desires. Therefore, unless we are just in our very hearts, unless we appreciate this principle of justice and rejoice to practise it, we shall not be fit for the Kingdom. We should not be unjust even to an animal. Every creature has its rights; and we should give each creature the rights which belong to it. The results are with God. Thus doing, shall we not be preparing our minds, our hearts, for the glorious condition which the Lord has in store for His faithful children?

We are not to think that the Kingdom of God is to be given on the basis of mercy [irakkam] or favor. [6]There will be neither mercy nor favor in connection with the bestowal of the Heavenly reward. God shows mercy in connection with our sins and the weaknesses against which we are striving; but He will not allow in that Kingdom one individual whose character is not suitable. Those whom He approves for joint-heirs and rulers with our Lord Jesus must represent the principles of righteousness and must know how to apply those principles now. Whoever is not disposed to justice to such an extent as to be willing to suffer loss rather than do an injustice will not have a share in the Kingdom. [1 Cor. 6:7]

The Bible everywhere pictures God as the great Representative of Justice. If we receive a place in the Kingdom, it will be apportioned us on the basis of works [after being justified by faith], on the basis of our growth in grace, in knowledge, in character-likeness to our Lord Jesus. If we have been justified by faith in Jesus’ blood, if we then have made a covenant with God and have been begotten of His Holy Spirit, He wishes to see us go on to perfection [in mind and as much as possible in the body we have] as New Creatures. We are not to think that our Heavenly Father is uninterested in us, and that He will coldly and indifferently judge us. On the contrary, we are to remember our Lord’s assurance, “The Father Himself loveth you.” [John 16:27]

In conclusion, let us remember that if we are true, loyal children of God, all our blemishes are covered by the robe of Christ’s righteousness; and if we are doing with our might what our hands find to do in this great matter of justice, dealing with all, along the lines of the Golden Rule, we are showing the Father that we appreciate this principle as the foundation of His Government. Upon this sure foundation we shall build a superstructure of love. Thus shall we be made ready for the Kingdom.

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Good subject.

1. This exhortation is not addressed to the world of sinners, but to Christians, as are all of the Apostolic writings. – More specifically this text applies to the Church class.
2. If we were to translate the text a little differently, it might better give the Apostle’s thought. For instance, “Awake to a proper appreciation of justice. Do not sin against justice in your lives; for some have not a knowledge of God respecting justice, the principles of righteousness. And this is to your shame.” – In the context of verse 1 Cor. 15:34 by Apostle Paul, it is against the sinning or living unrighteously that the Apostle refers and not with respect to practising justice. However, CTR uses this text to emphasize the importance of Justice (a foundational character of God).
3. Our text really signifies, “Awake to justice!” – Here again CTR uses the reference text to emphasize the importance of Justice, while the context of the verse applies more specifically to not sinning.
4. and, having everlasting life at his command, he might have the opportunity of becoming a part of that great antitypical Spiritual Israel which was to bless all the families of the earth. – If “he” is predestined to be called for the Church class, then he might have the opportunity of becoming part of spiritual Israel.
5. Moreover, in His statement of the Divine Law to Spiritual Israel – The Divine Law (Law covenant) was given to spiritual Israel in spirit and not in letter. CTR affirms this himself in the statement “Did God give this same Law to the Church? Yes, so far as the spirit of the Law is concerned.”
6. There will be neither mercy nor favor in connection with the bestowal of the Heavenly reward. – Initially, we could say that the heavenly call is a favour and the free grace of forgiveness of our sins in Christ was mercy. But nonetheless, the final heavenly reward is based on our performance and overcoming by faith.

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THE MORTAL BODY THE SERVANT OF THE NEW MIND [OR WILL]

“I keep my body under, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means…I myself should be a castaway.”—1 Cor. 9:27.

ST. PAUL was a most successful soldier of the cross; and from his Epistles we gain much information as to how to fight our own weaknesses successfully. In our text [1 Cor. 9:27] the Apostle speaks particularly of himself, with the evident intention of teaching a lesson to all of the Lord’s people whom he addressed at that time or who would receive his word subsequently—including ourselves.

The thought is not that we are to keep each other under, nor that the Lord is keeping our bodies under, but that a special commission is given to us in respect to our own bodies, and that we ourselves will be held accountable for their conduct. This statement, “I keep my body under,” would be true only of one who has been begotten of the Holy Spirit, and who has become a New Creature in Christ Jesus. [1]But although the individual is reckonedly a member of the Body of Christ, adopted into God’s family, and called a son of God, he has not as yet, of course, received the spirit body promised him, but is waiting to receive it in the resurrection.

[2]GOOD INTENTIONS [ALONE] NOT SUFFICIENT

Meantime God calls upon all spirit-begotten ones to demonstrate their loyalty to righteousness and their faithfulness by practising upon their mortal bodies. When coming into Christ, they made a full consecration of themselves, of their bodies and all that is theirs, to the Lord’s service. It was on account of this Covenant of sacrifice [Psa. 50:5] that they were counted as members of the Body of Christ and begotten of the Holy Spirit—sons of God. It is not sufficient, however, to declare our intention; but God allows the difficulties and trials of life to prove our faithfulness to the sacrifice we have made. And while making provision for the blemishes of our mortal body, He, nevertheless, holds us responsible for our bodies, for our words and our actions. He calls us to be New Creatures; and we must develop our characters to such an extent that the New Creature will fight down, to the best of his ability, everything opposed to the new will. The first part of the text declares, “I keep my body under,” [1 Cor. 9:27] that is to say, in subordination, under restraint.

Those who deal in horses tell us that all horses must be broken; and that to break a horse is difficult of accomplishment and requires a great deal of force. The object in thus dealing with the horse is not to continue to break the animal every day, but to break him once for all, that he might be put to some service. This illustration seems to fit the Apostle’s thought.

As a New Creature the Apostle had a mortal body which was rebellious against God’s will, and thus must be dealt with in a firm manner, in order to bring it under the control of its master—the new mind [or will], whose Head is Christ. If the body be taught this lesson of submission, it may be a good, useful servant of the new master and serve unto death, just as a horse may be broken in and serve his master well. This is the thought in the Apostle’s words, “I keep my body under.” [1 Cor. 9:27] In substance the Apostle says, “I must break in this human nature, force it into harmony with the new will, and bring it into subjection, making it a servant to myself, the New Creature. This I do because this is the Divine will and the very thing to which I have been called.

As a New Creature I wish to show that I am loyal to the principles of righteousness and truth everywhere. But this old body is more or less in rebellion against God and against the principles of the Divine arrangement. And it is my duty to see to what extent I can carry out this proposition—the bringing of the old mind into subjection to God and to righteousness. And in proportion as I make myself a servant of righteousness, God will use me, and to that extent I shall grow and become an overcomer. By doing these things an entrance will be administered to me into the everlasting Kingdom of Jesus Christ. But if I fail to carry this out, I shall fail of the character-development which all must have who would be accounted members of the Body of Christ.”

As St. Paul says in another place, God foreordained that He would have a Church, and that all who would be of this Church should become copies of His Son, Christ Jesus. (Rom. 8:28-30.) So, if St. Paul would remain a member of this Body of Christ, he must keep his human body under, must subordinate his earthly nature, [3]not merely bringing it into subjection to things which would be for righteousness and truth, but also bringing it into subjection as regards natural things. So must all do who would come off “more than conquerors” [Rom. 8:37] in the good fight; it is necessary that we should carry out this fulness of service; that we should be faithful unto death, and that we should show this consecration, not only in our minds, but also in our mortal bodies.

When the Apostle says here that he would be in danger of being a “castaway” if he did not bring his body into subjection, and thus prove to be an overcomer, it is tantamount [or equal] to saying that he would fail to make his calling and election sure. He was called to become an heir of God and joint-heir with Jesus Christ. If, therefore, he should fail to perform his part of the contract of sacrifice, he would become a castaway in respect to this election. He would not gain the election. He would lose in the race in which he had started.

HABITS MAKE CHARACTER

It is our duty to watch ourselves that we do no harm, that our body does good service and not injury to ourselves. A man or a woman or a child who goes through the house slamming doors, and merely says, “I was in a hurry and could not help it,” is not gentle. He is not a gentleman, or she is not a gentlewoman. Whoever fails to cultivate gentleness is failing to cultivate the fruits [or fruit] of the Spirit. He is losing a glorious opportunity of practising upon himself—of keeping his body under, of getting himself into the way of doing things in a sensible, reasonable manner. The person who bangs doors and goes about noisily is one who does not think of other people and their interests. When we talk about ourselves all the time and think about ourselves all the time, it is an evidence of selfishness. In all these things the Lord expects us to keep our bodies under, and to show carefulness in keeping our bodies under, in the little things of life as well as in the great things.

If our Lord Jesus were here, none of us would expect Him to go about noisily, slamming the doors of the house, or to be wasteful. Our Lord was most economical in the two cases where He fed the four thousand and the five thousand. [Matt. 15:32-39; Matt. 14:15-21] Although there was plenty of food to feed the multitude, He told His disciples to “gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.”—John 6:12.

Thus did God’s dear Son view matters; and we desire to be copies of Him. In building character we must wilfully and intentionally do right. The person who practices in the little things will be also careful in the larger matters. Even the pins, the needles and the paper we should use carefully. Not that any should be miserly—not willing to give one a pin if he wants one—but do not think to waste even them, saying, “Oh, the pins cost only a trifle, anyway!” The Lord was always generous, but He was economical [too]. So we should all be. We should keep the body under the new mind [or transforming mind]. The new mind [or will] should be looking out for these matters and keeping the old body in service.

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Good subject.

1. But although the individual is reckonedly a member of the Body of Christ – The individual is not reckonedly a member, but actually a member of the Body of Christ. Though the individual is in probation till the end of the earthly course, as long as they are faithful.
2. GOOD INTENTIONS NOT SUFFICIENT – We can more aptly say GOOD INTENTIONS ALONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
3. not merely bringing it into subjection to things which would be for righteousness and truth, but also bringing it into subjection as regards natural things. – In one sense, we may say that we are allowed to do that which is right alone, or in other words to do the Will of God alone.

Building a House

“Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” Proverbs 24:3-4

Steps to Build the House
1) Counting the cost (budgeting)- “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.” Luke 14:28-30. This represents our information gathering towards making our decision for full consecration to God.

2) Correct Foundation – “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” Matt. 7:24-25. This represents our understanding of the doctrines of Christ (anointing, body) before our consecration

3) Building Materials – “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.” 1 Cor. 3:12-14. Gold, silver, precious stones – doctrines and the character developed

4) Last but not least. This should be from the Lord – “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Psa. 127:1. This represents that without receiving the call, without the assistance by the Lord, the house building cannot be successful.

If we do all the above steps correctly, then God will use us in building His eternal glorious spiritual temple.

• As a church on the rock – “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:18.
• “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Eph. 2:19-22
• “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Pet. 2:4-5

(This subject was shared during Br. Easter’s house-warming function)