Publication date
6/15/07
Volume
28
Number
12
The WatchTower
Admonitions for the Consecrated
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1907/12/1907-12-1.html
 
 
VOL. 
XXVIII 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
JUNE 
15, 
1907 
No. 
12 
ADMONITIONS 
FOR 
THE 
CONSECRATED 
"I 
write 
unto 
thee 
... 
that 
thou 
mayest 
know 
how 
thou 
oughtest 
to 
behave 
thyself 
in 
the 
house 
of 
God, 
which 
is 
the 
Church 
of 
the 
living 
God, 
the 
pillar 
and 
ground 
of 
the 
truth. 
"-1 
Tim. 
3: 
14, 
15. 
It 
is 
one 
thing 
to 
make 
our 
consecration 
to 
the 
Lord, 
to 
because 
it 
is 
the 
very 
foundation 
of 
'the 
faith 
once 
delivered 
be 
his 
and 
to 
serve 
him 
even 
unto 
death, 
and 
another 
thing 
to 
the 
saints-that 
Christ 
died 
for 
our 
sins 
according 
to 
the 
to 
carry 
out 
that 
service 
day 
by 
day 
in 
all 
the 
little 
details 
Scriptures 
and 
that 
he 
rose 
for 
our 
justification. 
This 
would 
of 
life. 
Our 
Lord's 
words-that 
he 
tha't 
is 
faithful 
in 
that 
imply 
a 
contention 
against 
various 
false 
claims, 
such 
as 
which 
is 
least 
would 
be 
faithful 
also 
in 
greater 
thinO's-is 
that 
our 
Lord 
was 
not 
made 
flesh 
but 
remained 
a 
spirit 
being, 
well 
illustrated 
by 
the 
fact 
that 
it 
woud 
be 
comparatively 
to 
whom 
death 
was 
quite 
impossible-that 
he 
merely 
assumed 
easy 
for 
us 
to 
finish 
our 
sacrifice 
by 
suicide, 
or 
even 
by 
for 
a 
time 
the 
human 
body, 
pretending 
that 
it 
was 
himself, 
going 
to 
the 
stake, 
and 
a 
much 
more 
difficult 
thing 
to 
day 
and 
pretending 
that 
he 
died 
when 
it 
died. 
by 
day 
hold 
our 
sacrifice 
on 
the 
altar 
in 
all 
the 
little 
affairs 
We 
must 
hold 
to 
the 
faith 
once 
delivered 
to 
the 
saints, 
of 
life-in 
self-denials, 
in 
patience, 
in 
perseverance, 
in 
that 
our 
Lord 
left 
the 
glory 
which 
he 
had 
with 
the 
Father 
brotherly 
kindness, 
in 
gentleness-to 
receive 
reviling 
and 
before 
the 
world 
was, 
that 
he 
humbled 
himself 
and 
was 
made 
revile 
not 
again, 
to 
be 
smitten 
mentally 
or 
physically 
and 
flesh, 
and 
that 
he 
did 
this 
not 
as 
an 
example, 
but 
that 
he 
not 
to 
retaliate; 
this 
endurance 
of 
a 
lingering 
crucifixion- 
by 
the 
grace 
of 
God 
"tasted 
death 
for 
every 
man 
"-that 
death 
is 
much 
more 
difficult. 
But 
we 
can 
readily 
see 
that 
the 
he 
might 
die 
the 
just 
for 
the 
unjust 
to 
bring 
us 
to 
God. 
Lord's 
plan 
is 
greatly 
to 
our 
advantage, 
in 
the 
sense 
that 
This 
means 
additionally 
that 
we 
must 
contend 
that 
his 
death 
while 
the 
consecration 
evidences 
a 
right 
spirit, 
will 
or 
inten- 
was 
a 
real 
death, 
the 
just 
for 
the 
unjust, 
else 
our 
faith 
in 
tion, 
the 
gradual 
carrying 
out 
of 
that 
consecration 
tends 
more 
him 
as 
a 
Savior 
and 
Redeemer 
would 
depart. 
Furthermore, 
and 
more 
to 
develop 
the 
character-likeness 
of 
our 
Lord 
in 
if 
we 
did 
not 
believe 
that 
he 
really 
died, 
really 
gave 
himself 
us. 
Hence 
the 
Apostle 
urges 
that 
we 
learn 
to 
rejoice 
even 
as 
a 
corresponding 
price 
for 
father 
Adam, 
thus 
purchasing 
in 
tribulations, 
knowing 
that 
they 
will 
work 
out 
in 
Uil 
him 
and 
his 
race, 
how 
could 
we 
believe 
in 
his 
resurrection 
various 
fruits 
and 
graces 
of 
the 
Lord's 
spirit, 
as 
we 
receive 
from 
the 
dead 
1 
How 
could 
anyone 
be 
resurrected 
from 
death 
them 
in 
the 
proper 
attitude 
of 
heart 
and 
seek 
to 
learn 
the 
if 
he 
had 
not 
gone 
into 
iU 
We 
must 
also 
hold 
to 
and 
lessons 
they 
teach. 
contend 
earnestly 
for 
the 
great 
fact 
that 
God's 
work 
during 
GOOD 
BEHAVIOR 
IN 
THE 
CHURCH 
this 
Gospel 
Age 
is 
the 
selection 
of 
'the 
bride 
of 
Christ-the 
Recognizing 
that 
we 
are 
all 
defective 
according 
to 
the 
church 
of 
the 
first-born-and 
that 
this 
election, 
completed 
flesh, 
that 
none 
of 
us 
come 
up 
to 
the 
divine 
standard 
of 
at 
our 
Lord's 
second 
coming, 
will 
have 
its 
consummation 
in 
perfection, 
and 
that 
our 
only 
perfection 
is 
that 
of 
the 
heart, 
the 
resurrection 
of 
the 
little 
flock 
to 
glory, 
honor 
and 
immor­ 
the 
will, 
we 
must 
not 
wonder 
if 
occasionally 
we 
have 
tality 
in 
the 
kingdom, 
as 
the 
royal 
priesthood 
under 
Christ 
trials 
and 
testings, 
aggravations, 
one 
from 
the 
other, 
though 
their 
royal 
Head 
and 
High 
Priest, 
that 
as 
the 
spiritual 
seed 
it 
must 
be 
the 
will, 
the 
desire, 
the 
intent 
of 
each 
to 
pravoke 
of 
Abraham 
they 
may 
fulfil 
the 
Abrahamic 
Covenant, 
"In 
one 
another 
to 
love 
and 
good 
works 
and 
not 
to 
anger, 
hatred 
thy 
Seed 
shall 
all 
the 
families 
of 
the 
earth 
be 
blessed." 
and 
evil 
work.s. 
(Heb.10:24.) 
For 
ourselves 
we 
must 
recog- 
For 
all 
these 
fundamentals 
of 
our 
religion, 
inCluding 
the 
nize 
the 
very 
highest 
standard 
of 
God-likeness, 
and 
as 
for 
declaration 
that 
sin 
entered 
into 
the 
world 
by 
Adam's 
others 
of 
the 
body 
we 
must 
be 
prepared 
to 
allow 
our 
love 
transgression 
and 
that 
we 
are 
all 
partakers 
of 
his 
sin 
and 
of 
for 
them 
and 
for 
the 
Lord 
to 
cover 
a 
multitude 
of 
blemishes 
its 
penalty, 
and 
all 
need 
redemption-all 
these 
first 
principles 
should 
they 
appear 
to 
us. 
And 
each 
one, 
in 
proportion 
as 
of 
the 
faith 
we 
must 
stand 
for, 
contend 
for. 
To 
be 
indif­ 
he 
or 
she 
follows 
this 
course, 
is 
pleasing 
to 
the 
Lord, 
is 
pure 
ferent 
to 
these 
and 
to 
allow 
error 
to 
creep 
in 
and 
to 
be 
in 
heart-a 
copy 
of 
God's 
dear 
son-and, 
covered 
with 
the 
promulgated, 
taught 
in 
the 
church, 
would 
be 
a 
seriou'! 
sin 
robe 
of 
the 
Redeemer's 
merit, 
is 
considered 
from 
God's 
and 
show 
unfaithfulness 
on 
the 
part 
of 
those 
who 
had 
pledged 
standpoint, 
not 
according 
to 
his 
imperfect 
flesh, 
but 
accord- 
themselves 
as 
soldiers 
of 
the 
cross 
to 
defend 
it. 
ing 
to 
his 
perfect-intentioned 
heart 
or 
will. 
To 
us, 
II 
in 
the 
But 
aside 
from 
such 
fundamentals, 
the 
Lord's 
people 
church" 
does 
not 
si~ify 
in 
a 
meeting-house, 
but 
amongst 
should 
seek 
to 
exercise 
great 
moderation 
amongst 
themselves 
the 
Lord's 
people. 
Neither 
does 
it 
mean 
merely 
when 
we 
upon 
any 
point 
of 
doctrine 
not 
clearly 
enunciated-upon 
the 
arp 
assembled 
together, 
but 
it 
includes 
all 
of 
our 
dealings 
meaning 
of 
any 
parable 
not 
explained 
in 
the 
Scripture 
itself. 
with 
them, 
every 
day 
and 
all 
the 
time. 
And 
we 
all 
should 
Neither 
should 
there 
be 
any 
dispute 
or 
division 
as 
respects 
desire 
to 
learn 
the 
lesson 
how 
we 
onght 
to 
conrluct 
ourselves 
Brother 
Russell 
or 
any 
other 
brother. 
Each 
should 
be 
allawe<1 
in 
or 
amongst 
the 
members 
of 
the 
church, 
the 
body 
of 
Christ, 
to 
exercise 
his 
own 
judgment 
in 
respect 
to 
things 
not 
the 
tabernacle 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
amongst 
men. 
specifically 
st.ated 
in 
the 
Word 
of 
God. 
Each 
should 
feel 
E\-erywllCre 
in 
the 
Bible 
the 
Lord 
sets 
before 
us 
perfect 
a 
delicacy 
or 
reserve 
about 
promulgating 
any 
doctrine 
or 
love 
as 
the 
standard, 
and 
we 
must 
therefore 
suppose 
that 
matter 
not 
specifically 
and 
clearly 
taught 
in 
the 
Scriptures, 
all 
who 
have 
passed 
the 
standard 
of 
babes 
in 
Christ, 
and 
and 
above 
all 
he 
should 
be 
sure 
never 
to 
teach 
or 
attempt 
have 
come 
to 
some 
measure 
of 
knowledge 
of 
the 
Lord 
through 
to 
teach 
speculations 
if 
he 
himself 
is 
not 
thoroughly 
con­ 
his 
Word 
and 
spirit, 
recognize 
this 
love 
standard 
and 
are 
vinced 
respecting 
the 
same. 
Each 
one 
has 
enough 
to 
contend 
seeking 
to 
conform 
to 
it. 
We 
must 
therefore 
suppose 
that 
with 
in 
the 
twists 
and 
kinks 
of 
his 
own 
imperfect 
judgment 
the 
difficulties 
which 
from 
time 
to 
time 
arise 
amongst 
such 
withou't 
having 
others 
add 
to 
his 
difficulties 
by 
the 
rehearsal 
are 
largely 
because 
of 
imperfect 
development 
of 
knowledge 
of 
matters 
which 
they 
admit 
they 
do 
not 
clearly 
understaml. 
and 
experience 
in 
applying 
the 
love 
standard, 
as 
well 
as 
There 
is 
so 
much 
in 
God's 
Word 
that 
is 
simple 
and 
plain 
because 
of 
imperfections 
of 
the 
flesh. 
Hence 
the 
Scriptural 
and 
well 
substantiated 
that 
we 
can 
talk 
about 
and 
think 
exhortation 
that 
we 
grow 
in 
grace 
as 
well 
as 
in 
knowledge, 
about, 
that 
we 
are 
well 
nigh 
inexcusable 
for 
far-away 
specula­ 
and 
that 
we 
be 
more 
and 
more 
filled 
with 
the 
spirit 
of 
the 
tions. 
The 
Scriptures 
declare, 
II 
The 
secret 
things 
belong 
Lord, 
the 
spirit 
of 
love, 
the 
spirit 
of 
a 
sound 
mind, 
the 
unto 
God, 
but 
the 
things 
revealed 
belong 
unto 
us.' 
,­ 
spirit 
of 
brotherly 
kindness, 
the 
spirit 
of 
meekness, 
the 
Deut. 
29:29. 
spirit 
of 
patience-the 
holy 
Spirit. 
PATIENCE 
AND 
FORBEARANCE 
COMMENDED 
ARE 
CONTENTIONS 
NECESSARY? 
If 
some 
dear 
brother 
has 
a 
peculiar 
theory 
or 
hobby 
and 
We 
reply 
that 
they 
are 
sometimes, 
but 
not 
nearly 
so 
feels 
that 
he 
cannot 
rest 
until 
he 
has 
presented 
it 
to 
the 
often 
as 
they 
occur. 
There 
is 
just 
one 
ground 
of 
contention 
church, 
there 
should 
be 
some 
opportunity 
given 
him 
to 
let 
authorized, 
and 
we 
find 
it 
in 
the 
words, 
II 
Contend 
earnestly 
off 
steam-even 
if 
it 
would 
not 
be 
advisable 
to 
hear 
him 
in 
for 
the 
faith 
once 
delivered 
to 
the 
saints." 
(Jude 
3.) 
But 
the 
most 
public 
manner 
lest 
visitors 
should 
conclude 
that 
his 
since 
the 
spirit 
of 
contention 
is 
everywhere 
in 
the 
Bible 
fancies 
represented 
the 
general 
thought 
of 
the 
church. 
But 
reprehended, 
we 
must 
understand 
the 
Apostle 
to 
mean 
that 
if 
after 
he 
has 
been 
heard 
on 
some 
occasion, 
and 
it 
be 
the 
only 
the 
important 
points 
of 
our 
faith 
are 
to 
be 
contended 
judgment 
of 
the 
church 
that 
his 
theories 
are 
unreasonable, 
for. 
We 
must 
not 
give 
place 
to 
any 
who 
deny 
the 
personality 
unscriptural, 
he 
should 
be 
content 
with 
having 
given 
his 
of 
the 
heavenly 
Father, 
and 
who 
would 
teach 
in 
the 
church 
view; 
and 
if 
he 
be 
not 
content, 
but 
desires 
to 
ride 
his 
theory 
that 
God 
is 
a 
great 
big 
nothing, 
merely 
a 
principle 
of 
good; 
continually 
as 
a 
hobby, 
to 
the 
annoyance 
of 
others 
and 
to 
and 
if 
there 
is 
anything 
good 
in 
the 
sense 
of 
nseful 
in 
the 
the 
interference 
with 
the 
general 
spirit 
of 
worship 
and 
piece 
of 
iron 
or 
wood 
or 
stone 
or 
in 
any 
other 
substance, 
progress 
in 
study, 
it 
would 
seem 
to 
be 
the 
duty 
of 
the 
elders 
there 
is 
that 
much 
of 
God 
in 
it. 
We 
must 
contend 
earnestly 
to 
call 
his 
attention 
to 
the 
fact, 
and 
to 
remind 
him 
that 
he 
against 
such 
vain 
philosophies, 
as 
being 
not 
only 
foreign 
has 
been 
heard, 
and 
therefore 
his 
urging 
the 
matter 
is 
in 
to 
the 
faith 
once 
delivered 
to 
the 
saints, 
but 
antagonistic 
the 
nature 
of 
a 
contention, 
not 
for 
a 
fundamental 
of 
the 
to 
it 
to 
the 
last 
degree. 
We 
must 
contend 
also 
for 
the 
ransom, 
truth, 
but 
for 
a 
theory, 
and 
that 
such 
contention 
is 
reproved 
(179-180) 
[40081 
Vou. XXVIII ALLEGHENY, PA., JUNE 15, 1907 No. 12 ADMONITIONS FOR THE CONSECRATED ‘*‘T write unto thee . . . that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth,’’—1 Tim. 3:14, 15, It is one thing to make our consecration to the Lord, to be his and to serve him even unto death, and another thing to carry out that service day by day in all the little details of life. Our Lord’s words—that he that is faithful in that which is least would be faithful also in greater things—is well illustrated by the fact that it woud be comparatively easy for us to finish our sacrifice by suicide, or even by going to the stake, and a much more difficult thing to day by day hold our sacrifice on the altar in all the little affairs of life—in self-denials, in patience, in perseverance, in brotherly kindness, in gentleness—to receive reviling and revile not again, to be smitten mentally or physically and not to retaliate; this endurance of a lingering ecrucifixiondeath is much more difficult. But we can readily see that the Lord’s plan is greatly to our advantage, in the sense that while the consecration evidences a right spirit, will or intention, the gradual carrying out of that consecration tends more and more to develop the eharacter-likeness of our Lord in us. Hence the Apostle urges that we learn to rejoice even in tribulations, knowing that they will work out in us various fruits and graces of the Lord’s spirit, as we receive them in the proper attitude of heart and seek to learn the lessons they teach. GOOD BEHAVIOR IN THE CHURCH Recognizing that we are all defective according to the flesh, that none of us come up to the divine standard of perfection, and that our only perfection is that of the heart, the will, we must not wonder if occasionally we have trials and testings, aggravations, one from the other, though it must be the will, the desire, the intent of each to provoke one another to love and good works and not to anger, hatred and evil works. (Heb, 10:24.) For ourselves we must recognize the very highest standard of God-likeness, and as for others of the body we must be prepared to allow our love for them and for the Lord to cover a multitude of blemishes should they appear to us. And each one, in proportion as he or she follows this course, is pleasing to the Lord, is pure in heart—a copy of God’s dear son—and, covered with the robe of the Redeemer’s merit, is considered from God’s standpoint, not according to his imperfect flesh, but according to his perfect-intentioned heart or will, To us, ‘‘in the church’’ does not signify in a meeting-house, but amongst the Lord’s people. Neither does it mean merely when we are assembled together, but it includes all of our dealings with them, every day and all the time. And we all should desire to learn the lesson how we ought to conduct ourselves in or amongst the members of the church, the body of Christ, the tabernacle of the holy Spirit amongst men. Everywhere in the Bible the Lord sets before us perfect love as the standard, and we must therefore suppose that ali who have passed the standard of babes in Christ, and have come to some measure of knowledge of the Lord through his Word and spirit, recognize this love standard and are secking to conform to it. We must therefore suppose that the difficulties which from time to time arise amongst such are largely because of imperfect development of knowledge and experience in applying the love standard, as well as because of imperfections of the flesh. Hence the Scriptural exhortation that we grow in grace as well as in knowledge, and that we be more and more filled with the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of love, the spirit of a sound mind, the spirit of brotherly kindness, the spirit of meekness, the spirit of patience—the holy Spirit. ARE CONTENTIONS NECESSARY? We reply that they are sometimes, but not nearly so often as they occur. There is just one ground of contention authorized, and we find it in the words, ‘‘Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.’’? (Jude 3.) But since the spirit of contention is everywhere in the Bible reprehended, we must understand the Apostle to mean that only the important points of our faith are to be contended for. We must not give place to any who deny the personality of the heavenly Father, and who would teach in the church that God is a great big nothing, merely a principle of good; and if there is anything good in the sense of useful in the piece of iron or wood or stone or in any other substance, there is that much of God in it. We must contend earnestly against such vain philosophies, as being not only foreign to the faith once delivered to the saints, but antagonistic to it to the last degree. We must contend also for the ransom, (179-180) because it is the very foundation of the faith once delivered to the saints—that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he rose for our justification. This would imply a contention against various false claims, such as that our Lord was not made flesh but remained a spirit being, to whom death was quite impossible—that he merely assumed for a time the human body, pretending that it was himself, and pretending that he died when it died. We must hold to the faith once delivered to the saints, that our Lord left the glory which he had with the Father before the world was, that he humbled himself and was made flesh, and that he did this not as an example, but that he by the grace of God ‘‘tasted death for every man’’—that he might die the just for the unjust to bring us to God. This means additionally that we must contend that his death was a real death, the just for the unjust, else our faith in him as a Savior and Redeemer would depart. Furthermore, if we did not believe that he really died, really gave himself as a corresponding price for father Adam, thus purchasing him and his race, how could we believe in his resurrection from the dead? How could anyone be resurrected from death if he had not gone into it? We must also hold to and contend earnestly for the great fact that God’s work during this Gospel Age is the selection of the bride of Christ—the church of the first-born—and that this election, completed at our Lord’s second coming, will have its consummation in the resurrection of the little flock to glory, honor and immortality in the kingdom, as the royal priesthood under Christ their royal Head and High Priest, that as the spiritual seed of Abraham they may fulfil the Abrahamic Covenant, ‘‘In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’’ For all these fundamentals of our religion, including the declaration that sin entered into the world by Adam’s transgression and that we are all partakers of his sin and of its penalty, and all need redemption—all these first principles of the faith we must stand for, contend for. To be indifferent to these and to allow error to creep in and to be promulgated, taught in the church, would be a serious sin and show unfaithfulness on the part of those who had pledged themselves as soldiers of the cross to defend it. But aside from such fundamentals, the Lord’s people should seek to exercise great moderation amongst themselves upon any point of doctrine not clearly enunciated—upon the meaning of any parable not explained in the Scripture itself. Neither should there be any dispute or division as respects Brother Russell or any other brother. Each should be allowed to exercise his own judgment in respect to things not specifically stated in the Word of God. Each should feel a delicacy or reserve about promulgating any doctrine or matter not specifically and clearly taught in the Scriptures, and above all he should be sure never to teach or attempt to teach speculations if he himself is not thoroughly convineed respecting the same. Each one has enough to contend with in the twists and kinks of his own imperfect judgment without having others add to his difficulties by the rehearsal of matters which they admit they do not clearly understand. There is so much in God’s Word that is simple and plain and well substantiated that we can talk about and think about, that we are well nigh inexcusable for far-away speculations. The Seriptures declare, ‘‘The secret things belong unto God, but the things revealed belong unto us.’’— Deut. 29:29. PATIENCE AND FORBEARANCE COMMENDED If some dear brother has a peculiar theory or hobby and feels that he cannot rest until he has presented it to the church, there should be some opportunity given him to let off steam—even if it would not be advisable to hear him in the most public manner lest visitors should conclude that his faneies represented the general thought of the church. But if after he has been heard on some occasion, and it be the judgment of the church that his theories are unreasonable, unseriptural, he should be content with having given his yiew; and if he be not content, but desires to ride his theory continually as a hobby, to the annoyance of others and to the interference with the general spirit of worship and progress in study, it would seem to be the duty of the elders to call his attention to the fact, and to remind him that he has been heard, and therefore his urging the matter is in the nature of a contention, not for a fundamental of the truth, but for a theory, and that such contention is reproved [4008]

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