Publication date
3/15/12
Volume
33
Number
6
The WatchTower
"The Resurrection of the Just and of the Unjust"
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1912/6/1912-6-1.html
 
 
MARCH 
1, 
1912 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(87-92) 
never 
have 
sinned 
against 
the 
light; 
and 
therefore, 
their 
ain 
was 
greater 
in 
proportion 
to 
the 
greater 
blessing. 
So 
it 
is 
today. 
If 
you 
had 
never 
had 
your 
eyes 
opened, 
if 
you 
had 
never 
heard 
more 
than 
the 
heathen, 
then 
you 
would 
not 
have 
any 
more 
sin 
than 
other 
heathen 
people 
whose 
eyes 
have 
never 
been 
opened. 
But 
when 
you 
sin 
with 
a 
measure 
of 
wilfulness 
against 
the 
light 
and 
knowledge, 
your 
sin 
will 
be 
the 
greater. 
Your 
responsibility 
is 
in 
proportion 
to 
the 
light. 
This 
seems 
to 
be 
the 
reasonable 
view 
of 
the 
matter. 
DIFFERENCE 
BETWEEN 
FRUITS 
AND 
GRACES 
OF 
SPIRIT 
Question.-What 
is 
the 
difference 
between 
"the 
fruits 
of 
the 
Spirit" 
and 
"the 
graces 
of 
the 
Spirit?" 
.A.nswer.-The 
expression 
"fruits 
of 
the 
Spirit" 
has 
very 
much 
the 
same 
significance 
as 
"graces 
of 
the 
Spirit." 
One 
term 
might 
be 
proper 
to 
use 
at 
one 
time 
and 
the 
other 
at 
another 
time, 
according 
to 
the 
figure 
of 
speech 
which 
would 
be 
appro­ 
priate. 
If 
we 
were 
speaking 
of 
a 
<J.uality 
which 
was 
being 
de­ 
veloped, 
it 
would 
be 
proper 
to 
thmk 
of 
the 
fruitage 
of 
tl\e 
Spirit-those 
beautiful 
qualities 
worked 
out 
in 
our 
lives 
through 
the 
indwelling 
of 
the 
Spirit 
of 
God. 
If 
we 
were 
speak­ 
ing 
more 
particularly 
of 
the 
individual 
and 
his 
conduct, 
we 
might 
more 
appropriately 
say 
that 
the 
graces 
which 
he 
mani­ 
fested 
and 
which 
he 
had 
developed 
were 
brought 
out 
through 
his 
possession 
of 
the 
holy 
spirit, 
through 
his 
possession 
of 
the 
spirit 
of 
love. 
VOL. 
XXXIII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
MARCH 
15, 
1912 
No.6 
UNJUST" 
THE 
OF 
AND 
THE 
GENERAL 
RESURRECTION 
TO 
BE 
GRADUAL 
"Those 
who 
have 
done 
evil" 
will 
come 
forth 
to 
the 
resurrec­ 
tion 
of 
"damnation" 
(Greek, 
krisis). 
resurrection 
of 
trial, 
res­ 
urrection 
of 
testing. 
What 
kind 
will 
it 
be? 
The 
Scriptures 
show 
us 
that 
it 
will 
be 
a 
gradual 
resurrection. 
During 
the 
thousand 
years 
of 
Christ's 
reign 
the 
people 
will 
be 
awakening 
from 
the 
sleep 
in 
the 
tomb. 
This 
awakening 
will 
be 
a 
preparatory 
work. 
not 
the 
full 
resurrection, 
which 
will 
require 
the 
entire 
thousand 
years. 
But 
the 
divine 
provision 
is 
that 
the 
account 
will 
have 
been 
settled 
for 
the 
whole 
world, 
so 
that 
when 
they 
shall 
come 
forth 
from 
the 
tomb 
in 
the 
future 
they 
will 
be 
in 
the 
hands 
of 
the 
Redeemer, 
whose 
kingdom 
will 
be 
world-wide. 
They 
will 
have 
the 
opportunity 
of 
being 
raised 
again 
to 
that 
which 
was 
lost. 
Human 
perfection 
was 
lost, 
which 
includes 
not 
only 
perfect 
physical 
health, 
but 
perfect 
mental 
power; 
for 
mental 
power 
depends 
upon 
the 
brain, 
iR 
affected 
by 
the 
brain, 
as 
well 
as 
by 
the 
body, 
so 
that 
men 
are 
now 
in 
a 
dying 
condition, 
mentally, 
morally 
and 
physically. 
None 
will 
be 
fully 
raised, 
from 
imperfection 
to 
perfection, 
until 
the 
end 
of 
the 
thousand 
years. 
All 
who 
will 
respond 
to 
the 
beneficent 
arrangements 
wili 
secure 
that 
which 
Father 
Adam 
enjoyed 
at 
first-perfect 
manhood. 
Those 
who 
will 
not 
be 
obe­ 
dient 
to 
the 
requirements 
of 
Christ's 
kingdom 
will 
be 
cut 
off 
in 
the 
second 
death. 
They 
will 
be 
destroyed 
as 
brute 
beasts, 
hav­ 
ing 
had 
the 
full 
meallure 
of 
divine 
favor.-2 
Pet. 
2: 
12. 
"And 
the 
rest 
of 
the 
dead 
lived 
not 
again 
until 
the 
thousand 
years 
were 
finished." 
(Rev. 
20:5) 
Wllen 
the 
sentence 
came 
upon 
Father 
Adam 
he 
was 
thrust 
out 
of 
Eden. 
All 
of 
his 
chil­ 
dren 
have 
been 
born 
dying, 
and 
are 
still 
in 
a 
dying 
condition. 
Therefore, 
the 
raising 
of 
man 
out 
of 
sin 
and 
death 
will 
be 
the 
bringing 
of 
him 
to 
full 
perfection-perfect 
life. 
This 
will 
be 
a 
gradual 
process. 
They 
will 
be 
made 
more 
alive 
and 
more 
alive, 
and 
less 
dead 
and 
less 
dead, 
as 
the 
thousand 
years 
progress, 
and 
none 
will 
get 
the 
resurrection 
life 
until 
they 
are 
raised 
to 
the 
condition 
of 
perfection-perfect 
life 
in 
the 
image 
of 
God, 
which 
was 
lost 
by 
Adam. 
THE 
RESURRECTION 
OF 
THE 
WORLD 
But 
all 
will 
have 
a 
resurrection. 
How 
will 
the 
resurrection 
of 
the 
world 
differ 
from 
that 
apportioned 
to 
the 
church? 
The 
world 
has 
not 
had 
the 
divine 
approval; 
the 
heathen 
have 
not 
had 
the 
divine 
approval. 
The 
Apostle 
says, 
"How 
shall 
they 
believe 
in 
Him 
of 
whom 
they 
have 
not 
heard 
1" 
(Rom. 
10: 
14) 
They 
are 
not 
fit 
for 
heaven. 
They 
are 
not 
fit 
to 
be 
with 
the 
angels 
or 
with 
the 
saints, 
no 
matter 
how 
they 
came 
to 
be 
in 
this 
condition. 
They 
came 
into 
this 
condition 
because 
of 
heredity, 
as 
children 
of 
Adam. 
But 
they 
could 
not 
have 
the 
same 
kind 
of 
resurrection 
that 
those 
will 
receive 
who 
have 
God's 
approval 
now, 
at 
the 
time 
of 
their 
death: 
"Be 
thou 
faithful 
unto 
death 
and 
I 
will 
give 
thee 
a 
crown 
of 
life." 
So 
with 
the 
majority 
of 
those 
in 
Christian 
lands. 
They 
could 
not 
be 
thought 
to 
be 
fit 
for 
heaven 
or 
to 
have 
God's 
ap­ 
proval 
in 
any 
sense 
of 
the 
word. 
And 
they 
know 
it. 
They 
con­ 
fess 
it 
themselves. 
Nobody 
could 
deny 
that 
nine 
hundred 
and 
ninety-nine 
out 
of 
every 
thousand 
are 
living 
"after 
the 
flesh." 
They 
are 
not 
saints, 
but 
have 
the 
divine 
disapproval, 
some 
hav­ 
ing 
heard 
more 
of 
the 
WOrd 
of 
God, 
and 
some 
having 
heard 
less. 
JUST 
24: 
15. 
BURNING 
OF 
THE 
WORLD 
SYMBOLICAL 
The 
Scriptures 
declare 
that 
"the 
earth 
abideth 
forever" 
and 
that 
"God 
formed 
it 
not 
in 
vain; 
he 
made 
it 
to 
be 
inhabited." 
(Sce 
Eccl. 
I: 
4; 
Isa. 
45: 
18) 
It 
has 
not 
yet 
reached 
the 
blessed 
condition 
when 
it 
will 
blossom 
as 
a 
rose, 
although 
it 
is 
in 
process 
of 
completion. 
At 
the 
end 
of 
the 
thousand 
years 
of 
Christ's 
reign, 
the 
whole 
earth 
shall 
have 
bepn 
brought 
to 
perfection. 
In 
[4989] 
THE 
OF 
RESURRECTION 
"THE 
ACTS 
The 
resurrection 
of 
the 
just 
could 
not 
mean 
a 
resurrection 
of 
those 
who 
had 
been 
perfect, 
for 
there 
are 
none 
perfect, 
none 
just, 
"no, 
not 
one." 
"The 
resurrection 
of 
the 
just," 
then, 
must 
mean 
the 
resurrection 
of 
those 
who 
have 
been 
justified; 
and 
the 
justified 
are 
those 
referred 
to 
in 
the 
Scriptures 
of 
whom 
Abra­ 
ham 
was 
an 
example. 
Abraham 
believed 
God, 
and 
was 
justified 
by 
faith. 
It 
was 
the 
faith 
that 
justified, 
and 
the 
works 
corrob­ 
orated 
the 
faith. 
So 
with 
the 
church 
of 
this 
age. 
The 
Apostle 
says, 
"Being 
justified 
by 
faith, 
we 
have 
peace 
with 
God 
through 
our 
Lord 
Jesus 
Christ, 
by 
whom, 
also, 
we 
have 
access 
by 
faith 
into 
this 
grace 
wherein, 
we 
stand. 
and 
rejoice 
in 
hope 
of 
the 
glory 
of 
God." 
(Rom. 
5: 
1, 
2) 
We 
are 
not 
only 
justified 
out 
of 
sin, 
but 
are 
also 
brought 
by 
operation 
of 
our 
faith 
into 
the 
glorious 
standing 
of 
members 
of 
Christ; 
and 
we 
may 
hope 
to 
participate 
with 
Christ 
in 
the 
glories 
of 
his 
kingdom 
in 
the 
future. 
It 
is 
0!le 
thing 
to 
be 
freed 
from 
guilt, 
and 
another 
thing 
to 
be 
raised 
to 
the 
position 
of 
sons 
of 
God, 
heirs 
of 
God 
and 
joint-heirs 
with 
Christ, 
our 
Lord. 
The 
resurrection 
of 
the 
dead 
is 
similarly 
spoken 
of 
in 
John 
5: 
28, 
29, 
where 
we 
read, 
"Marvel 
not 
at 
this, 
for 
the 
hour 
is 
coming 
in 
the 
which 
all 
that 
are 
in 
the 
graves 
shall 
hear 
his 
voice, 
and 
shall 
come 
forth." 
The 
Lord 
does 
not 
mean 
merely 
all 
the 
good, 
for 
he 
also 
includes 
in 
this 
all 
that 
are 
in 
their 
graves. 
"Ve 
read 
in 
the 
context 
that 
they 
that 
have 
done 
good 
shall 
come 
forth 
"unto 
the 
resurrection 
of 
life": 
those 
who 
have 
done 
evil 
shall 
come 
forth 
to 
"damnation." 
The 
word 
damna­ 
tion, 
in 
the 
Greek, 
signifies 
a 
crisis, 
a 
turning-point, 
a 
decision. 
THE 
RESURRECTION 
OF 
THE 
CHURCH 
Those 
whose 
faith 
enables 
them 
to 
stand 
through 
evil 
report 
and 
through 
good 
report, 
and 
who 
thus 
fulfil 
the 
Divine 
require­ 
ment, 
are 
character-likenesse~ 
of 
Jesus. 
These 
now 
pass 
from 
under 
the 
condemnation 
condition 
to 
the 
life 
condition. 
As 
the 
Apostle 
says, 
"'Ve 
know 
that 
we 
have 
passed 
from 
death 
unto 
life, 
because 
we 
love 
the 
brethren." 
(I 
John 
3:14) 
This 
pass­ 
ing 
from 
death 
unto 
life 
is 
not 
in 
the 
full 
sense 
in 
the 
present 
time. 
By 
faith 
we 
are 
reckoned 
dead 
with 
Christ, 
counted 
mem­ 
bers 
of 
his 
body. 
That 
future 
life 
is 
reckoned 
to 
us. 
We 
are 
counted 
as 
having 
it; 
and 
this 
is 
our 
condition 
because 
we 
have 
the 
divine 
approval. 
Since 
there 
is 
none 
good, 
the 
only 
sense 
in 
which 
one 
could 
"do 
good" 
would 
be 
hy 
coming 
into 
accord 
with 
God 
by 
obedi­ 
ence, 
as 
under 
the 
covenant 
which 
prevailed 
with 
Abraham, 
Isaac 
and 
Jacob, 
or 
under 
the 
still 
higher 
covenant 
that 
prevails 
with 
the 
church 
in 
this 
Gospel 
age. 
We 
have 
this 
testimony, 
that 
we 
are 
pleasing 
to 
God, 
who 
indicates 
his 
pleasure 
by 
be­ 
getting 
us 
of 
the 
holy 
Rpirit. 
In 
contradistinction, 
the 
world 
are 
aliens, 
foreigners. 
(Eph. 
2: 
19) 
By 
this 
holy 
Spirit, 
this 
"unction 
from 
the 
Holy 
One," 
therefore, 
we 
have 
the 
evidence 
of 
acceptance 
with 
the 
Father. 
The 
outcome 
will 
be, 
that 
those 
having 
this 
approval 
of 
God, 
having 
passed 
the 
trials 
and 
testings 
which 
they 
have 
received 
-for 
he 
receiveth 
no 
son 
whom 
he 
does 
not 
scourge 
(Heb. 
12: 
6) 
-and 
having 
proved 
faithful 
to 
the 
end, 
will 
be 
raised 
by 
the 
Lord 
to 
the 
very 
highest 
place-glory. 
honor 
and 
immortality. 
This 
is 
the 
crown, 
or 
very 
highest 
pinnacle 
of 
life 
that 
could 
be 
imagined. 
So, 
then, 
those 
who 
will 
have 
part 
in 
this 
first 
res­ 
urrection 
will 
reign 
with 
Christ 
a 
thousand 
years. 
This 
is 
the 
first 
class 
mentioned 
by 
the 
Apostle. 
They 
are 
approved; 
they 
shall 
come 
forth 
to 
"life 
resurrection." 
What 
is 
the 
significance 
of 
"life 
resurrection"? 
We 
answer 
that 
these 
shall 
come 
forth 
to 
perfect 
life 
instantly. 
As 
St. 
Paul 
says, 
"It 
is 
sown 
in 
dishonor, 
it 
is 
raised 
in 
glory; 
it 
is 
sown 
in 
weakness, 
it 
is 
raised 
in 
power; 
it 
is 
sown 
a 
natural 
body, 
it 
is 
raised 
a 
spirit 
body." 
Thus 
instantaneously 
these 
blessings 
come 
to 
them. 
They 
have 
their 
trial 
in 
the 
present 
time 
and, 
therefore, 
theirs 
will 
be 
the 
chief 
resurrection. 
VI-17 
Marcu 1, 1912 never have sinned against the light; and therefore, their ain wag greater in proportion to the greater blessing. So it is today. If you had never had your eyes opened, if you had never heard more than the heathen, then you would not have any more sin than other heathen people whose eyes have never been opened. But when you sin with a measure of wilfulness against the light and knowledge, your sin will be the greater. Your responsibility is in proportion to the light. This seems to be the reasonable view of the matter. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FRUITS AND GRACES OF SPIRIT Question.—What is the difference between “the fruits of the Spirit” and “the graces of the Spirit?” THE WATCH TOWER (87-92) Answer.—The expression “fruits of the Spirit” has very much the same significance as “graces of the Spirit.” One term might be proper to use at one time and the other at another time, according to the figure of speech which would be appropriate. If we were speaking of a quality which was being developed, it would be proper to think of the fruitage of the Spirit—those beautiful qualities worked out in our lives through the indwelling of the Spirit of God. If we were speaking more particularly of the individual and his conduct, we might more appropriately say that the graces which he manifested and which he had developed were brought out through his possession of the holy spirit, through his possession of the spirit of love. VoL. XXXIII BROOKLYN, N. Y., MARCH 15, 1912 No. 6 “THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND OF THE UNJUST” Acts The resurrection of the just could not mean a resurrection of those who had been perfect, for there are none perfect, none just, “no, not one.” “The resurrection of the just,’ then, must mean the resurrection of those who have been justified; and the justified are those referred to in the Scriptures of whom Abraham was an example. Abraham believed God, and was justified by faith. It was the faith that justified, and the works corroborated the faith. So with the church of this age. The Apostle says, “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom, also, we have access by faith into this grace wherein, we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Rom. 5:1, 2) We are not only justified out of sin, but are also brought by operation of our faith into the glorious standing of members of Christ; and we may hope to participate with Christ in the glories of his kingdom in the future. It is one thing to he freed from guilt, and another thing to be raised to the position of sons of God, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, our Lord. The resurrection of the dead is similarly spoken of in John 5:28, 29, where we read, “Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.” The Lord does not mean merely all the good, for he also includes in this all that are in their graves. We read in the context that they that have done good shall come forth “unto the resurrection of life’: those who have done evil shall come forth to “damnation.” The word damnation, in the Greek, signifies a crisis, a turning-point, a decision. THE RESURRECTION OF THE CHURCH Those whose faith enables them to stand through evil report and through good report, and who thus fulfil the Divine requirement, are character-likenesses of Jesus. These now pass from under the condemnation condition to the life condition. As the Apostle says, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” (1 John 3:14) This passing from death unto life is not in the full sense in the present time. By faith we are reckoned dead with Christ, counted members of his body. That future life is reckoned to us. We are counted as having it; and this is our condition because we have the divine approval. Since there is none good, the only sense in which one could “do good” would be by coming into accord with God by obedience, as under the covenant which prevailed with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or under the still higher covenant that prevails with the church in this Gospel age. We have this testimony, that we are pleasing to God, who indicates his pleasure by begetting us of the holy Spirit. In contradistinction, the world are aliens, foreigners. (Eph. 2:19) By this holy Spirit, this “unction from the Holy One,” therefore, we have the evidence of acceptance with the Father. The outcome will be, that those having this approval of God, having passed the trials and testings which they have received —for he receiveth no son whom he does not scourge (Heb. 12:6) —and having proved faithful to the end, will be raised by the Lord to the very highest place—glory, honor and immortality. This is the crown, or very highest pinnacle of life that could be imagined. So, then, those who will have part in this first resurrection wil] reign with Christ a thousand years. This is the first class mentioned by the Apostle. They are approved; they shall come forth to “life resurrection.” What is the significance of “life resurrection”? We answer that these shall come forth to perfect life instantly. As St. Paul says, “It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spirit body.” Thus instantaneously these blessings come to them. They have their trial in the present time and, therefore, theirs will be the chief resurrection, VI—-17 24:15, THE RESURRECTION OF THE WORLD But all will have a resurrection, How will the resurrection of the world differ from that apportioned to the church? The world has not had the divine approval; the heathen have not had the divine approval. The Apostle says, “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” (Rom. 10:14) They are not fit for heaven. They are not fit to be with the angels or with the saints, no matter how they came to be in this condition. They came into this condition because of heredity, as children of Adam. But they could not have the same kind of resurrection that those will receive who have God’s approval now, at the time of their death: “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.” So with the majority of those in Christian lands. They could not be thought to be fit for heaven or to have God’s approval in any sense of the word. And they know it. They confesa it themselves. Nobody could deny that nine hundred and ninety-nine out of every thousand are living “after the flesh.” They are not saints, but have the divine disapproval, some having heard more of the Word of God, and some having heard less. THE GENERAL RESURRECTION TO BE GRADUAL “Those who have done evil” will come forth to the resurrection of “damnation” (Greek, krisis), resurrection of trial, resurrection of testing. What kind will it be? The Scriptures show ug that it will be a gradual resurrection. During the thousand years of Christ’s reign the people will be awakening from the sleep in the tomb. This awakening will be a preparatory work. not the full resurrection, which will require the entire thousand ears. y But the divine provision is that the account will have been settled for the whole world, so that when they shall come forth from the tomb in the future they will be in the hands of the Redeemer, whose kingdom will be world-wide. They will have the opportunity of being raised again to that which was lost. Human perfection was lost, which includes not only perfect physical health, but perfect mental power; for mental power depends upon the brain, is affected by the brain, as well as by the body, so that men are now in a dying condition, mentally, morally and physically. . None will be fully raised, from imperfection to perfection, until the end of the thousand years. All who will respond to the beneficent arrangements wil] secure that which Father Adam enjoyed at first—perfect manhood. Those who will not be obedient to the requirements of Christ’s kingdom will be cut off in the second death. ‘They will be destroyed as brute beasts, having had the full measure of divine favor.—2 Pet. 2:12. “And the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” (Rev. 20:5) When the sentence came upon Father Adam he was thrust out of Eden. All of his children have been born dying, and are still in a dying condition. Therefore, the raising of man out of sin and death will be the bringing of him to full perfection—perfect life. This will be a gradual process. They will be made more alive and more alive, and less dead and less dead, as the thousand years progress, and none will get the resurrection life until they are raised to the condition of perfection—perfect life in the image of God, which was lost by Adam. BURNING OF THE WORLD SYMBOLICAL The Scriptures declare that “the earth abideth forever” and that “God formed it not in vain; he made it to be inhabited.” (See Eecl. 1:4; Isa. 45:18) It has not yet reached the blessed condition when it will blossom as a rose, although it is in process of completion. At the end of the thousand years of Christ’s reign, the whole earth shall have been brought to perfection. In [4989]

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