Publication date
4/1/12
Volume
33
Number
7
The WatchTower
"Ye Were Bought with a Price"
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1912/7/1912-7-1.html
 
 
003-107) 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN. 
N. 
Y. 
Question.-Will 
any 
of 
those 
found 
worthy 
of 
a 
place 
in 
the 
bride 
company 
wear 
Christ's 
robe 
of 
righteou~ness 
'I 
Answer.-We 
understand 
that 
all 
who 
make 
the 
consecra­ 
tion 
do 
so 
and 
are 
accepted, 
in 
one 
hope 
of 
their 
calling, 
and 
that 
that 
one 
hope 
is 
the 
hope 
of 
being 
a 
member 
of 
the 
bride 
class 
and 
joint-heir 
with 
Christ. 
The 
fact 
that 
there 
will 
be 
a 
"great 
company" 
is 
a 
special 
favor 
ordained 
of 
the 
Lord 
in 
the 
interest 
of 
those 
who 
do 
not 
prove 
sufficiently 
zealous 
to 
be 
counted 
in 
with 
Jesus 
as 
"more 
than 
conquerors." 
The 
"great 
company" 
of 
Revelation 
7:9 
is 
composed 
of 
such 
as 
fail 
to 
come 
up 
to 
the 
highest 
standard 
of 
sarrifice 
required 
of 
the 
Lord, 
hut 
who. 
nevertheless. 
will 
prove 
not 
unfaithful 
in 
their 
final 
test. 
These 
are 
said 
to 
have 
not 
kept 
their 
garments 
unspotted 
from 
the 
world; 
hence 
the 
requirement 
that 
they 
shall 
wash 
them 
in 
the 
blood 
of 
the 
Lamb-prove 
their 
loyalty 
under 
discipline 
and 
stress, 
having 
failed 
to 
prove 
it 
by 
voluntary 
obe­ 
dience 
unto 
sacrifice. 
Thus 
both 
the 
bride 
and 
her 
virgins 
who 
follow 
her 
all 
wear 
the 
Bridegroom's 
robe 
(justification) 
in 
the 
present 
life. 
And 
all 
in 
the 
future 
life 
will 
attain 
perfection 
on 
their 
own 
account. 
This 
imputed 
robe 
will 
not 
be 
needed 
by 
the 
"great 
company" 
after 
they 
shall 
have 
experienced 
their 
"change" 
to 
the 
spirit 
condition; 
for 
they, 
too, 
will 
be 
changed, 
in 
a 
moment 
and 
there­ 
after 
possess 
an 
individual 
perfection 
of 
their 
own. 
Question.-Will 
not 
the 
church 
when 
she 
shall 
have 
passed 
under 
the 
veil 
have 
all 
the 
merit 
of 
Christ 
in 
her 
hand 
to 
put 
on 
the 
mercy-seat 
1 
Answer.-No; 
the 
church 
has 
nothing 
whatever 
to 
do 
with 
atoning 
for 
sin, 
even 
as 
the 
under-priests 
had 
nothing 
whatever 
to 
do 
with 
the 
presentations 
of 
the 
Day 
of 
Atonement 
blood 
on 
the 
propitiatory. 
A 
correct 
view 
of 
the 
matter, 
we 
believe, 
is 
this: 
The 
High 
Priest, 
Jesus, 
ascended 
on 
high 
and 
made 
imputation 
of 
his 
merit 
to 
the 
churrh. 
Those 
who 
waited 
in 
the 
"upper 
room" 
for 
the 
Pentecostal 
blessing 
had 
presented 
themRelves 
before 
God. 
desiring 
to 
be 
accepted 
of 
him 
as 
sacrifices. 
They 
did 
not 
sacri­ 
fice 
themselves. 
they 
merely 
presented 
themselves 
for 
sacrifice. 
Thus 
we 
read, 
"I 
beseech 
you, 
brethren. 
that 
you 
present 
your 
bodies 
living 
Racrifices." 
The 
presentation 
matter 
is 
ours, 
not 
the 
Lord's; 
the 
acceptance 
of 
the 
offering 
aR 
a 
sacrifice 
is 
wholly 
the 
Lord's-thl' 
High 
Priest's 
work. 
With 
the 
acceptance 
of 
our 
flesh 
as 
a 
sacrifice 
we 
cease 
to 
be 
as 
men 
and 
thenceforth 
in 
the 
sight 
of 
God 
and 
of 
each 
other 
we 
are 
living 
members 
of 
the 
Anointed 
One-the 
High 
Priest. 
The 
High 
Priest 
accepted 
the 
church 
as 
a 
whole 
through 
its 
presentation 
at 
Pentecost. 
And 
in 
harmony 
with 
the 
Scriptures 
we 
come 
into 
this 
favor 
or 
grace, 
which 
remains 
open 
until 
the 
last 
member 
of 
the 
body 
of 
Christ 
shall 
be 
perfected 
and 
pass 
beyond 
the 
veil. 
The 
work 
beyond 
the 
veil 
will 
not 
be 
ours 
as 
under-priests. 
It 
will 
be 
the 
work 
of 
the 
High 
Priest 
to 
sprin­ 
kle 
the 
blood 
of 
the 
Lord's 
goat 
RS 
he 
sprinkled 
the 
blood 
of 
the 
~ullock. 
The 
figure 
of 
the 
"bride" 
is 
to 
be 
distinctly 
eliminated 
In 
any 
thought 
of 
sacrifice, 
Rnd 
is 
to 
be 
merely 
associated 
with 
the 
Redeemer 
and 
Bridegroom. 
as 
joint-heir 
in 
his 
kingdom. 
The 
figure 
of 
the 
under-priests 
is 
the 
one 
which 
applies 
to 
the 
church 
in 
respect 
to 
all 
sacrificial 
matters. 
Question.-Would 
it 
be 
correct 
to 
say 
that 
the 
merit 
of 
Christ 
cannot 
be 
compared 
to 
a 
garment 
or 
robe 
until 
after 
con­ 
secration? 
Answer.-A 
robe 
is 
a 
covering. 
The 
wedding 
robe 
of 
the 
parable 
represents 
our 
Lord's 
merit 
imputed 
to 
his 
people 
as 
a 
covering 
for 
their 
blemishes 
or 
imperfections 
of 
the 
flesh. 
This 
robe 
takes 
cognizance 
of 
the 
church 
aR 
the 
proRpective 
bride 
who 
acknowledges 
the 
headship 
of 
Jesus 
her 
Lord. 
Another 
figure 
represents 
the 
members 
of 
the 
church 
as 
wearing 
white 
robes 
and 
hoods 
or 
bonnets, 
the 
illustration 
of 
the 
under-priesthood. 
In 
this 
figure 
the 
priests 
represent 
thp 
brethren 
or 
body 
mem­ 
bers 
and 
indicate 
that 
they 
are 
not 
independent, 
but 
under 
and 
subject 
to 
the 
headship 
of 
Jesus. 
The 
robe 
of 
Christ's 
righteousness 
imputed 
to 
the 
church 
as 
a 
covering 
for 
her 
blemishes 
and 
to 
make 
her 
acceptable 
gives 
place 
or 
becomes 
tramdormed 
into 
a 
robe 
of 
her 
own 
righteous­ 
ness. 
in 
the 
resurrection. 
As 
our 
Lord 
Jesus 
is 
represented 
aR 
robed 
in 
white 
linen, 
so 
the 
bride 
is 
pictured 
as 
arrayed 
in 
fine 
linen, 
"the 
righteousness 
of 
the 
saintR." 
The 
imputed 
robe 
merely 
covers 
our 
fleshly 
blemishes 
and 
imperfections 
in 
the 
present 
time. 
The 
new 
body 
which 
God 
will 
give 
us 
in 
the 
resurrection 
will 
be 
perfect 
of 
itself 
and 
need 
no 
imputation 
of 
the 
merit 
of 
JesuR. 
The 
spirit 
body 
of 
those 
who 
will 
attain 
to 
the 
"first 
resurrec­ 
tion" 
will 
be 
absolute, 
complete. 
perfect, 
as 
was 
the 
resurrec­ 
tion 
body 
of 
Jesus. 
The 
robe 
of 
Christ's 
righteousness, 
imputed 
to 
cover 
our 
fleshly 
imperfections, 
we 
will 
need 
no 
more, 
be­ 
cause 
we 
will 
no 
longer 
have 
the 
fleshly 
imperfections. 
The 
new 
robe 
is 
said 
to 
be 
embroidered. 
And 
this 
figure 
c:u· 
ries 
with 
it 
our 
endeavors 
at 
the 
present 
time 
to 
develop 
the 
character-likeness 
of 
Jesus-to 
perfection, 
in 
the 
spirit. 
As 
we 
read, 
''It 
[the 
new 
creature, 
the 
soul] 
is 
sown 
in 
weakness, 
it 
is 
raised 
in 
power; 
it 
is 
sown 
in 
dishonor, 
raised 
in 
glory; 
it 
is 
sown 
an 
animal 
body 
[needing 
the 
imputation 
of 
Jesus' 
merit] 
; 
it 
is 
raised 
a 
spirit 
body" 
(in 
full 
possession 
of 
its 
own 
merit.) 
VOL. 
XXXIII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
APRIL 
1, 
1912 
No.7 
"YE 
WERE 
BOUGHT 
WITH 
A 
PRICE" 
(1 
CORINTHIANS 
6: 
20 
) 
It 
will 
be 
noticed 
that 
the 
Apostle 
refers, 
not 
to 
the 
world, 
tail 
with 
each 
other 
and 
with 
the 
facts! 
We 
have 
peace; 
the 
but 
to 
the 
church 
in 
the 
statement, 
"Ye 
were 
bought 
with 
a 
world 
has 
no 
peace. 
God 
is 
our 
Fath('r; 
the 
world 
is 
under 
price, 
even 
the 
precious 
blood 
of 
Christ." 
Other 
Scriptures 
condemnation, 
and 
are. 
"children 
of 
wrath,:' 
under 
sentenc~ 
of 
tell 
us 
that 
".Jesus 
Christ 
by 
the 
graee 
of 
God, 
tasted 
death 
death, 
and 
not 
recogmzed 
by 
the 
Creator 
m 
the 
present 
time, 
for 
every 
man"-that 
he 
'redeemed 
the 
world. 
We 
are 
to 
re- 
although 
the 
Scriptures 
show 
us 
that 
he 
has 
very 
gracious 
memb('r, 
however, 
that 
this 
work 
of 
redemption 
covers 
cen- 
plans 
and 
arrangements 
for 
mankind 
in 
general 
by 
and 
by­ 
turies. 
Promises 
respecting 
it 
were 
made 
long 
eenturies 
be- 
during 
the 
Messianic 
reign 
of 
.Jesus 
and 
the 
church, 
his 
bride. 
fore 
.Jesus 
came. 
He 
aecomplished 
a 
certain 
portion 
of 
the 
Then, 
in 
this 
class, 
the 
Seed 
of 
Abraham 
(Gal. 
3:29), 
all 
the 
work-the 
all-important 
part 
of 
giving 
himself 
a 
ransom 
price 
families 
of 
the 
earth 
will 
be 
blessed. 
for 
all-laying 
down 
his 
life. 
THE 
WORLD 
IS 
NOT 
YET 
BOUGHT 
But 
while 
his 
life 
was 
thus 
laid 
down, 
to 
be 
the 
price 
of 
Would 
it 
be 
right, 
some 
one 
inquires, 
to 
say 
that 
the 
the 
sins 
of 
the 
world, 
it 
has 
not 
yet 
been 
applied 
for 
the 
world 
is 
"bought 
with 
a 
price'" 
We 
answer 
that 
it 
would 
not 
world's 
sins. 
If 
it 
were, 
then 
the 
world 
would 
no 
longer 
be 
be 
strictly 
right 
to 
say, 
but 
we 
need 
not 
quarrel 
with 
those 
und('r 
divine 
condemnation, 
"children 
of 
wrath," 
but 
would 
in 
who 
fail 
to 
state 
the 
matter 
in 
exactly 
the 
proper 
language. 
some 
sense 
of 
the 
word 
be 
back 
in 
fellowship 
with 
God. 
The 
Rather, 
we 
might 
surmise 
that 
they 
are 
speaking 
of 
things 
that 
price 
laid 
down 
by 
the 
Redeemer 
at 
Calvary 
is 
eventually 
to 
are 
not 
yet 
accomplished 
as 
though 
they 
were 
already 
finished. 
he 
made 
applicable 
to 
the 
sins 
of 
the 
whole 
world, 
but 
not 
yet. 
God 
assures 
us 
that 
in 
due 
time 
the 
price 
which 
our 
Lord 
laid 
It 
will 
not 
be 
made 
applicable 
to 
the 
whole 
world 
until 
after 
down 
at 
Calvary 
will 
be 
made 
applicable 
to 
the 
world 
under 
the 
the 
gathering 
out 
of 
the 
world-of 
all 
nations, 
classes-the 
gracious 
terms 
of 
the 
New 
Covenant 
which 
he 
will 
make 
first 
bride 
of 
Christ, 
the 
"elect." 
with 
Israel. 
Nevertheless, 
the 
point 
stands 
out 
clearly 
and 
In 
harmony 
with 
this 
we 
read 
that 
our 
Lord 
.Jesus 
after 
distinctly 
that 
thus 
far 
the 
ransom-price 
has 
not 
yet 
been 
his 
resurrection 
ascended 
up 
on 
high, 
there 
to 
appear 
in 
the 
applied 
to 
any 
members 
of 
Adam's 
race 
except 
the 
household 
presence 
of 
God 
for 
us-for 
the 
household 
of 
faith-not 
for 
of 
faith-believers. 
All 
things 
belong 
to 
these. 
Nothing 
be­ 
the 
world. 
Hence 
any 
blessing, 
and 
reconciliation 
with 
God, 
longs 
to 
the 
world 
as 
yet. 
any 
arrangement 
of 
divine 
favor 
and 
everlasting 
life, 
is 
not 
The 
privilege 
grant~d 
to 
t~e 
ch~r~h 
through 
her 
great 
open 
to 
the 
world, 
hut 
merely 
to 
believers, 
the 
"household 
of 
Redee'ller 
and. 
Adv?ca~e 
lB. 
that 
h.IS 
merIt 
Imputed 
to 
her 
permIts 
faith": 
"To 
us 
who 
believe 
he 
is 
preeious"; 
"We 
have 
an 
Ad- 
her 
to 
shar~ 
,!,Ith 
~lll1 
I~ 
hIS 
.sac:lfic~ 
of 
th~ 
earthly 
nature, 
and 
vocate 
with 
the 
Father 
Jesus 
Christ 
the 
Righteous." 
Unbe- 
to 
become 
Jomt-he.Irs 
WIth 
.hlm 
In 
hIS 
g~O:IOUS 
arrangements 
of 
. 
' 
. 
' 
glory, 
honor 
and 
ImmortalIty 
on 
the 
dIVIne 
plane. 
lIevers 
have 
no 
advocate 
WIth 
the 
Father, 
and 
consequently 
W· 
h 
k 
f 
th 
h 
h 
f 
th 
fi 
t 
b 
t 
. 
. 
.. 
. 
. 
en 
we 
spea 
0 
e 
e 
urc 
0 
e 
rs 
- 
orn 
we 
are 
0 
have 
no 
forgIveness. 
of 
SInS, 
no 
r~~oncIlIatIon, 
but 
are 
stIll 
remember 
that 
the 
words 
carry 
us 
back 
to 
the 
typical 
first- 
under 
the 
condemnatIon 
of 
death. 
We 
have 
escaped 
the 
con- 
borns 
who 
were 
delivered 
from 
death 
on 
the 
occasion 
of 
the 
demnation 
that 
is 
on 
the 
world." 
first 
typical 
Passover. 
There 
the 
first-borns 
of 
Israel 
were 
How 
fully 
these 
different 
texts 
of 
the 
divine 
Word 
dove- 
passed 
over 
or 
spared 
when 
other 
first-bornR 
~n~;~hed. 
Sub- 
[4998] 
(103-107) Question.—Will any of those found worthy of a place in the bride company wear Christ’s robe of righteousness? Answer.— We understand that all who make the consecration do so and are accepted, in one hope of their calling, and that that one hope is the hope of being a member of the bride class and joint-heir with Christ. The fact that there will be a “great company” is a special favor ordained of the Lord in the interest of those who do not prove sufficiently zealous to be counted in with Jesus as “more than conquerors.” The “great company” of Revelation 7:9 is composed of such as fail to come up to the highest standard of sacrifice required of the Lord, but who, nevertheless, will prove not unfaithful in their final test. These are said to have not kept their garments unspotted from the world; hence the requirement that they shall wash them in the blood of the Lamb—prove their loyalty under discipline and stress, having failed to prove it by voluntary obedience unto sacrifice. Thus both the bride and her virgins who follow her all wear the Bridegroom’s robe (justification) in the present life. And all in the future life will attain perfection on their own account, This imputed robe will not be needed by the “great company” after they shall have experienced their “change” to the spirit condition; for they, too, will be changed, in a moment and thereafter possess an individual perfection of their own. Question.—Will not the church when she shall have passed under the veil have all the merit of Christ in her hand to put on the mercy-seat? Answer.—No; the church has nothing whatever to do with atoning for sin, even as the under-priests had nothing whatever to do with the presentations of the Day of Atonement blood on the propitiatory. A correct view of the matter, we believe, is this: The High Priest, Jesus, ascended on high and made imputation of his merit to the church. Those who waited in the “upper room” for the Pentecostal blessing had presented themselves before God, desiring to be accepted of him as sacrifices, They did not sacrifice themselves. they merely presented themselves for sacrifice. Thus we read, “I beseech you, brethren, that you present your bodies living sacrifices.” ‘The presentation matter is ours, not the Lord’s; the acceptance of the offering as a sacrifice is wholly the Lord’s—the High Priest’s work. With the acceptance of our flesh as a sacrifice we cease to be as men and thenceforth in the sight of God and of each other we are living members of the Anointed One—the High Priest. The High Priest accepted the church as a whole through its presentation at Pentecost. And in harmony with the Scriptures THE WATCH TOWER Brooxiyn, N. Y. we come into this favor or grace, which remains open until the last member of the body of Christ shall be perfected and pass beyond the veil. The work beyond the veil will not be ours as under-priests. It will be the work of the High Priest to sprinkle the blood of the Lord’s goat as he sprinkled the blood of the bullock. The figure of the “bride” is to be distinctly eliminated in any thought of sacrifice, and is to be merely associated with the Redeemer and Bridegroom, as joint-heir in his kingdom. The figure of the under-priests is the one which applies to the church in respect to all sacrificial matters. Question—Would it be correct to say that the merit of Christ cannot be compared to a garment or robe until after consecration? Answer.—A robe is a covering. The wedding robe of the parable represents our Lord’s merit imputed to his people as a covering for their blemishes or imperfections of the flesh. This robe takes cognizance of the church as the prospective bride who acknowledges the headship of Jesus her Lord. Another figure represents the members of the church as wearing white robes and hoods or bonnets, the illustration of the under-priesthood. In this figure the priests represent the brethren or body members and indicate that they are not independent, but under and subject to the headship of Jesus. The robe of Christ’s righteousness imputed to the church as a covering for her blemishes and to make her acceptable gives place or becomes transformed into a robe of her own righteousness, in the resurrection. As our Lord Jesus is represented ag robed in white linen, so the bride is pictured as arrayed in fine linen, “the righteousness of the saints.” The imputed robe merely covers our fleshly blemishes and imperfections in the present time. The new body which God will give us in the resurrection will be perfect of itself and need no imputation of the merit of Jesus. The spirit body of those who will attain to the “first resurrection” will be absolute, complete, perfect, as was the resurrection body of Jesus. The robe of Christ’s righteousness, imputed to cover our fleshly imperfections, we will need no more, because we will no longer have the fleshly imperfections. The new robe is said to be embroidered. And this figure carries with it our endeavors at the present time to develop the character-likeness of Jesus—to perfection, in the spirit. As we read, “It [the new creature, the soul] is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown in dishonor, raised in glory; it is sown an animal body [needing the imputation of Jesus’ merit} ; it is raised a spirit body” (in full possession of its own merit.) Vou. XXXITI BROOKLYN, N. Y., APRIL 1, 1912 No. 7 “YE WERE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE” (1 CornrnrHians 6:20) It will be noticed that the Apostle refers, not to the world, but to the church in the statement, “Ye were bought with a price, even the precious blood of Christ.” Other Scriptures tell us that “Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man’—that he redeemed the world. We are to remember, however, that this work of redemption covers centuries. Promises respecting it were made long centuries before Jesus came. He accomplished a certain portion of the work—the all-important part of giving himself a ransom price for all—laying down his life. But while his life was thus laid down, to be the price of the sins of the world, it has not yet been applied for the world’s sins. If it were, then the world would no longer be under divine condemnation, “children of wrath,” but would in some sense of the word be back in fellowship with God. The price laid down by the Redeemer at Calvary is eventually to be made applicable to the sins of the whole world, but not yet. It will not be made applicable to the whole world until after the gathering out of the world—of all nations, classes—the bride of Christ, the “elect.” In harmony with this we read that our Lord Jesus after his resurrection ascended up on high, there to appear in the presence of God for us—for the household of faith—not for the world. Hence any blessing, and reconciliation with God, any arrangement of divine favor and everlasting life, is not open to the world, but merely to believers, the “household of faith”: “To us who believe he is precious”; ‘““We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Righteous.” Unbelievers have no advocate with the Father, and consequently have no forgiveness of sins, no reconciliation, but are still under the condemnation of death. ‘We have escaped the condemnation that is on the world.” How fully these different texts of the divine Word dove tail with each other and with the facts! We have peace; the world has no peace. God is our Father; the world is under condemnation, and are “children of wrath,” under sentence of death, and not recognized by the Creator in the present time, although the Scriptures show us that he has very gracious plans and arrangements for mankind in general by and by— during the Messianic reign of Jesus and the church, his bride. Then, in this class, the Seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:29), all the families of the earth will be blessed. THE WORLD IS NOT YET BOUGHT Would it be right, some one inquires, to say that the world is “bought with a price?” We answer that it would not be strictly right to say, but we need not quarrel with those who fail to state the matter in exactly the proper language. Rather, we might surmise that they are speaking of things that are not yet accomplished as though they were already finished. God assures us that in due time the price which our Lord laid down at Calvary will be made applicable to the world under the gracious terms of the New Covenant which he will make first with Israel. Nevertheless, the point stands out clearly and distinctly that thus far the ransom-price has not yet been applied to any members of Adam’s race except the household of faith—believers. All things belong to these. Nothing belongs to the world as yet. The privilege granted to the church through her great Redeemer and Advocate is that his merit imputed to her permits her to share with him in his sacrifice of the earthly nature, and to become joint-heirs with him in his glorious arrangements of glory, honor and immortality on the divine plane. When we speak of the church of the first-born we are to remember that the words carry us back to the typical firstborns, who were delivered from death on the occasion of the first typical Passover. There the first-borns of Israel were passed over or spared when other first-borns ~*rished. Sub [4998]

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