Publication date
4/15/14
Volume
35
Number
8
The WatchTower
Who Commits the Sin Unto Death?--Part I
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1914/8/1914-8-1.html
(no-lIS) 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
brood 
under 
her 
wings, 
so 
God 
will 
be 
as 
a 
mother-hen 
to 
his 
people, 
and 
will 
gladly 
gather 
them 
clo~e 
to 
himself 
and 
give 
them 
the 
necessary 
protection-under 
his 
wings. 
They 
may 
fully 
trust 
that 
all 
things 
shall 
work 
together 
for 
their 
good, 
because 
they 
arc 
his, 
abiding 
"uIHler 
the 
shadow 
of 
the 
Al­ 
mighty." 
The 
Almighty 
here 
represents 
himself 
as 
a 
mother-bird. 
The 
patience 
of 
the 
mother-bird 
with 
her 
young 
is 
remarkable, 
and 
she 
would 
sacrifice 
her 
own 
life 
for 
her 
littlE: 
nestlings. 
So 
the 
Lord 
represents 
that 
he 
is 
ready 
to 
do 
anything 
for 
the 
I'rotection 
of 
his 
own, 
who 
are 
uniler 
his 
care. 
Jesus 
would 
havo 
received 
the 
Jews 
thus 
under 
his 
protecting 
care; 
but 
the 
people 
as 
a 
nation 
did 
not 
appredate 
their 
need, 
and 
hence 
Wl're 
overthrown 
in 
a 
great 
time 
of 
trouble. 
.Tesus 
said 
to 
them, 
with 
weeping, 
"How 
often 
would 
I 
have 
gathered 
thy 
children 
together, 
even 
as 
a 
hen 
gathereth 
her 
chickens 
under 
her 
wings, 
nnd 
ye 
would 
not!" 
OUR 
FATHER'S 
"WINGS" 
AND 
"FEATHERS" 
We 
might 
exercise 
a 
particularity 
of 
inspection 
of 
our 
text, 
and 
say 
that 
the 
word 
feathers 
might 
carry 
a 
little 
further 
thought 
than 
the 
word 
wings. 
"He 
shall 
cover 
thee 
with 
his 
feathers, 
and 
under 
his 
wings 
shalt 
thou 
trust." 
The 
soft, 
downy 
feathers 
undl'r 
tho 
mother-hCIl's 
wings 
serve 
to 
keep 
the 
little 
chicks 
warm 
and 
to 
shield 
and 
hide 
them 
froll1 
enemies 
that 
would 
attack 
them. 
Not 
only 
the 
strong 
sheltering 
wings, 
but 
also 
the 
feathers 
of 
the 
hen-mather's 
breast 
are 
used 
to 
protect 
her 
young. 
We 
have 
seen 
alarm 
on 
the 
part 
of 
a 
mother-hen 
at 
the 
approach 
of 
danger, 
and 
heard 
her 
cluck 
to 
her 
little 
ones. 
'Then 
they 
would 
run 
to 
her, 
nestle 
under 
1)('1' 
wings, 
and 
seem 
perfectly 
satisfied 
and 
free 
from 
fear 
in 
thei 
I' 
place 
of 
safety. 
Presently 
you 
would 
sec 
the 
little 
heads 
or 
eyes 
peeping 
out; 
hut 
the 
chicks 
felt 
perfectly 
Sl'cure. 
And 
so 
with 
us. 
Our 
heavenly 
Father's 
love 
and 
care 
and 
protection 
arc 
his 
wings 
lind 
his 
feathers, 
shielding 
us 
from 
all 
harm, 
keeping 
us 
warm 
and 
safe. 
He 
is 
able 
to 
make 
every 
experience 
in 
life 
work 
out 
for 
our 
good. 
\Ve 
are, 
however, 
to 
rem 
em 
bel' 
that 
the 
promise 
that 
God 
will 
make 
all 
things 
work 
together 
for 
our 
good 
is 
a 
promise 
to 
the 
new 
creature, 
not 
to 
the 
old 
creature. 
Oftentimes 
the 
interests 
of 
the 
new 
creature 
and 
of 
the 
old 
creature 
are 
diverse. 
God 
has 
an 
intl'rl'st 
in 
all 
that 
concerns 
us, 
but 
he 
overrules 
our 
temporal 
affairs 
for 
our 
best 
spiritual 
interests. 
If 
we 
were 
too 
prosperous, 
it 
might 
not 
be 
of 
advantage 
to 
us 
as 
new 
creatures. 
Our 
temporal 
affairs 
may 
he 
pprmitter1 
to 
go 
awry. 
Vve 
arc 
not 
wise 
enough 
to 
know 
what 
is 
for 
our 
own 
best 
interests 
as 
new 
creatures, 
and 
what 
wQuld 
help 
us 
the 
most 
in 
our 
fight 
against 
the 
world, 
the 
flesh 
and 
the 
devil. 
We 
are, 
therefore, 
to 
flee 
to 
the 
Lord 
and 
accept 
whatever 
experil'nces 
may 
come, 
as 
those 
which 
will 
be 
best 
for 
us; 
and 
we 
are 
to 
seek 
to 
get 
the 
designed 
lessons 
of 
faith 
and 
obedience 
from 
them. 
VOL. 
XXXV 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
April 
15, 
1914 
WHO 
COMMITS 
THE 
SIN 
UNTO 
DEATH?-PART 
I 
NO.8 
"Whosoever 
is 
begotten 
of 
God 
doth 
not 
commit 
sin, 
for 
his 
se 
ed 
remaineth 
in 
him; 
and 
he 
cannot 
sin, 
because 
he 
is 
begotten 
of 
God. 
"-1 
John 
3 
:9. 
PRIVILEGES, 
RESPONSIBILITIES 
AND 
DANGERS 
OF 
THE 
NEW 
CREATURE 
There 
is 
a 
certain 
amount 
of 
complexity 
attaching 
itself 
to 
fJuestions 
relative 
to 
the 
church's 
change 
of 
nature 
from 
human 
to 
spiritual. 
In 
order 
clearly 
to 
understand 
the 
initiatory 
process 
of 
that 
change, 
the 
begettal 
of 
the 
Spirit, 
we 
shoul(l 
have 
a 
proper 
understanding 
of 
what 
constitutes 
the 
human 
will; 
for 
it 
is 
that 
will 
which 
is 
changed. 
We 
cannot 
think 
of 
anything 
better 
as 
an 
illustration 
of 
the 
subjed 
than 
a 
legislative 
body, 
such 
as 
Congress 
or 
Parlia­ 
ment. 
In 
these 
assemblies, 
a 
large 
number 
of 
members 
sit 
in 
session; 
but 
they 
arc 
divided 
into 
groups 
known 
as 
parties. 
Some 
members 
belong 
to 
one 
party, 
others 
to 
another. 
But 
the 
dominating 
party 
is 
in 
control. 
So 
it 
is 
in 
tfle 
human 
brain. 
There 
we 
have 
numerous 
organs, 
reprrsenting 
variously 
religious 
sentiments, 
intellectual­ 
ity, 
morality, 
the 
affections, 
etc. 
Then 
there 
are 
some 
that 
represent 
energy; 
others, 
acquisitiveness; 
others, 
combativeness. 
These 
diffcrent 
faculties, 
when 
called 
to 
consider 
a 
question, 
tiivi(le 
themselves 
into 
groups, 
the 
strongest 
of 
which 
is 
very 
apt 
to 
sway 
thc 
othcrs. 
When, 
for 
instance, 
any 
matter 
involving 
the 
interests 
of 
scIf 
comps 
up 
for 
cousi,leration, 
aCfJuisitiveness 
being 
strong, 
may 
lead 
comhativeness 
to 
fight 
for 
possession 
of 
the 
thing 
tirsirc'J. 
It 
TIlay 
also 
IratI 
tiestructiveness 
to 
help 
in 
the 
fight. 
And 
it 
may 
to 
some 
extent 
,lrown 
the 
voice 
of 
justice, 
or 
con­ 
scil'nce, 
an,l 
offset 
the 
quality 
of 
love; 
for 
acquisitiveness 
may 
have 
schemes 
which 
would 
intt'rfere 
with 
the 
operation 
of 
love. 
On 
the 
\\"hole, 
the 
organs 
which 
dominate 
the 
world 
are 
the 
organs 
of 
self-protection, 
self-g'l'atification, 
etc.-all 
the 
organs 
whose 
names 
hegin 
with 
the 
word 
self. 
Even 
if 
the 
religious 
organs-veneration, 
hope, 
benevolencl', 
spirituality, 
etc.-are 
strong, 
the 
selfish 
propensities 
generally 
overpower 
them, 
so 
that 
they 
co-operate 
with 
selfishness. 
For 
example, 
benevolence 
overpowered 
by 
the 
selfish 
propensities, 
wiII 
say, 
I 
will 
give 
some 
money 
to 
this 
project, 
in 
order 
that 
it 
may 
show 
a 
large 
return; 
but 
I 
will 
not 
give 
it 
unless 
it 
show 
such 
return. 
Thus 
thp 
qnality 
of 
acquisitiveness 
and 
others 
pertaining 
to 
self 
will 
go 
into 
agreement 
with 
benevolence, 
by 
bending 
it 
to 
the 
service 
of 
self. 
It 
is 
the 
usual 
thing 
to 
see 
such 
combinations 
in 
worldly 
people 
today. 
There 
are 
generous 
men 
with 
naturally 
noble 
impulses 
which 
thcy 
like 
to 
gratify. 
But 
in 
all 
that 
they 
do, 
self 
has 
become 
the 
preponderating 
factor. 
Self 
gets 
in 
some­ 
whera-self-esteem, 
self-interest, 
etc. 
This 
eombination 
makes 
the 
selfish 
man; 
and 
though 
he 
may 
have 
considerable 
benev­ 
olence, 
veneration, 
etc., 
yet 
these 
noble 
qualities 
are 
under 
control 
of 
the 
selfish 
propensities. 
To 
this 
selfish 
man 
the 
Gospel 
comes, 
and 
offers 
a 
proposi­ 
tion 
which 
is 
unique, 
peculiar. 
It 
appeals 
to 
him 
through 
a 
new 
set 
of 
organs. 
It 
shows 
him 
that 
he 
should 
put 
God 
first, 
not 
self; 
that 
he 
should 
begin 
to 
see 
that 
the 
highest 
and 
noblest 
organs 
of 
the 
brain 
are 
those 
which 
recognize 
the 
Creator 
and 
man's 
responsibility 
as 
his 
creature. 
It 
shows 
him 
that 
he 
is 
thinking 
of 
self-aggrandisement, 
self-honor, 
self-everything! 
Such 
a 
person, 
hearing 
the 
Gospel 
proposition, 
may 
be 
in­ 
fluenced 
to 
decide 
the 
matter 
either 
one 
way 
or 
the 
other. 
IIp 
may 
say, 
I 
do 
not 
like 
that 
thought. 
Selfishness 
may 
suggest 
that 
if 
he 
accepts 
the 
Gospel 
offer 
he 
must 
stop 
his 
questionable 
business 
methods. 
Then 
he 
concludl'S 
that 
he 
docs 
not 
care 
to 
take 
such 
a 
step; 
for 
it 
would 
demand 
more 
than 
he 
is 
wiII­ 
ing 
to 
give, 
and 
he 
might 
have 
trouble 
with 
his 
conscience. 
Later 
on, 
perhaps, 
something 
in 
the 
nature 
of 
adversity 
or 
calamity 
wiII 
awaken 
him 
to 
take 
a 
different 
view 
of 
mattprs, 
and 
he 
will 
sec 
the 
subject 
in 
a 
different 
light 
and 
he 
glad 
to 
do 
God's 
will. 
Then 
he 
may 
say, 
I 
realize 
that 
my 
life 
mnst 
be 
different. 
I 
am 
God's 
creature. 
Therefore 
it 
is 
right 
that 
I 
should 
consecrate 
my 
all 
to 
him. 
But 
I 
sec 
that 
conseeration 
will 
work 
a 
great 
transformation 
in 
my 
life. 
I 
shall 
be 
obligel1 
to 
change 
my 
course. 
I 
must. 
drop 
certain 
habits. 
This 
is 
the 
first 
step 
of 
true 
conversion. 
This 
is 
a 
tnrning 
from 
sin 
toward 
righteousness. 
It 
docs 
not 
follow, 
however, 
that 
the 
person 
who 
takes 
this 
step 
will 
come 
up 
to 
the 
divine 
requirements 
of 
a 
disciple 
of 
Christ. 
The 
rich 
young 
rlller 
who 
asked 
Jesus 
what 
he 
should 
do 
to 
gain 
eternal 
life 
was 
told 
to 
keep 
God's 
commandments. 
He 
replied 
that 
he 
had 
done 
this 
all 
his 
life. 
And 
Jesus 
loved 
him! 
The 
young 
man 
was 
try­ 
ing 
to 
do 
right 
in 
every 
way. 
Was 
he 
not 
all 
right 
then? 
No! 
Jesus 
said 
to 
him: 
"One 
thing 
thou 
lackest. 
Go 
and 
sell 
all 
that 
thou 
hast 
and 
distribute 
unto 
the 
poor, 
and 
then 
thou 
shalt 
have 
treasure 
in 
heaven; 
and 
come, 
follow 
me." 
The 
young 
ruler 
thought 
this 
stran~e 
advice; 
for 
he 
had 
~ll 
along 
been 
living 
a 
most 
exemplary 
hfe. 
He. 
was 
.correct 
~n 
his 
estimate 
of 
himself; 
hut 
he 
was 
merely 
domg 
hIS 
duty 
III 
so 
living. 
Noone 
has 
a 
right 
to 
live 
a 
bad 
l~fe; 
n? 
one 
has 
a 
right 
to 
do 
wrong. 
That 
he 
was 
merely 
domg 
hIS 
duty-no 
more-was 
practically 
what 
Jesus 
told 
the 
young 
man. 
Continuing, 
the 
Master 
said: 
I 
have 
only 
one 
offer 
to 
make, 
but 
it 
is 
a 
very 
high 
one-joint-heirship 
with 
Me 
in 
the 
Mes­ 
sianic 
kingdom. 
The 
life 
into 
which 
you 
may 
enter 
by 
becom­ 
ing 
my 
diseiple 
is 
a 
life 
of 
glory, 
honor 
and 
immortality-the 
divine 
nature. 
If 
you 
desire 
this 
high 
position, 
you 
must 
do 
more 
than 
merely 
avoid 
sin. 
God 
is 
now 
calling 
for 
sacrificers. 
If 
you 
do 
not 
sacrifice 
yourself, 
you 
cannot 
become 
my 
disciple; 
for 
those 
only 
who 
thqs 
sacrifice 
are 
received 
of 
the 
Father 
and 
begotten 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit, 
and 
can 
share 
my 
glory. 
Those 
only 
will 
be 
granted 
a 
part 
in 
the 
first 
resurrection. 
And 
the 
young 
ruler 
"went 
away 
sorrowful, 
for 
he 
had 
great 
posses- 
sions." 
Alas; 
how 
many 
are 
likeminded! 
[5438] 
(110-118) brood under her wings, 30 God will be as a mother-hen to his people, and will gladly gather them close to himself and give them the neccessary protection—under his wings. They may fully trust that all things shall work together for their good, because they are his, abiding ‘‘under the shadow of the Almighty.’?’ The Almighty here represents himself as a mother-bird. The patience of the mother-bird with her young is remarkable, and she would sacrifice her own lite for her little nestlings. So the Lord represents that he is ready to do anything for the protection of his own, who are under his eare. Jesus would have received the Jews thus under his protecting care; but the people as a nation did not appreciate their need, and hence were overthrown in a great time of trouble. Jesus said to them, with weeping, ‘‘How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!’ OUR FATHER’S ‘‘WINGS’’ AND ‘‘FEATHERS’’ We might exercise a particularity of inspection of our text, and say that the word feathers might carry a little further thought than the word wings. ‘‘IHe shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust.’’? The soft, downy feathers under the mother-hen’s wings serve to keep the little chicks warm and to shield and hide them from enemies that would attack them. Not only the strong sheltering wings, Ww THE WATCH TOWER BROOKLYN, N. Y., April 15, 1914 HO COMMITS THE SIN UNTO DEATH?—PART I Brooxtyn, N. Y. but also the feathers of the hen-mother’s breast are used to protect her young. We have seen alarm on the part of a mother-hen at the approach of danger, and heard her cluck to her little ones. Then they would run to her, nestle under her wings, and seem perfectly satisfied and free from fear in their place of safety. Presently you would see the little heads or eyes peeping out; but the chicks felt perfectly secure. And so with us. Our heavenly Father’s love and care and protection are his wings and his feathers, shielding us from all harm, keeping us warm and safe. He is able to make every experience in life work out for our good. We are, however, to remember that the promise that God will make all things work together for our good is a promise to the new creature, not to the old creature. Oftentimes the interests of the new creature and of the old creature are diverse. God has an interest in all that concerns us, but he overrules our temporal affairs for our best spiritual interests. If we were too prosperous, it might not be of advantage to us as new creatures. Our temporal affairs may he permitted to go awry. We are not wise enough to know what is for our own best interests as new creatures, and what waquld help us the most in our fight against the world, the flesh and the devil. We are, therefore, to flee to the Lord and accept whatever expericnees may come, as those which will be best for us; and we are to seek to get the designed lessons of faith and obedience from them. ‘Whosoever is begotten of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.’’—1 John 3:9. PRIVILEGES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DANGERS OF THE NEW CREATURE There is a certain amount of complexity attaching itself to questions relative to the church’s change of nature from human to spiritual. In order elearly to understand the initiatory process of that change, the begettal of the Spirit, we should have a proper understanding of what constitutes the human will; for it is that will which is changed. We cannot think of anything better as an illustration of the subject than a legislative body, such as Congress or Parliament. In these assemblies, a large number of members sit in session; but they are divided into groups known as parties. Some members belong to one party, others to another. But the dominating party is in control. So it is in the human brain. There we have numerous organs, representing variously religious sentiments, intellectuality, morality, the affections, cte. Then there are some that represent energy; others, acquisitiveness; others, combativeness. These different faculties, when called to consider a question, divide themselves into groups, the strongest of which is very apt to sway the others, When, for instanee, any matter involving the interests of self comes up for cousideration, acquisitiveness being strong, may lead combativeness to fight for possession of the thing desired. It may also lead destructiveness to help in the fight. And it may to some oxtent drown the voice of justice, or conscience, and offset the quality of love; for acquisitiveness may have schemes which would interfere with the operation of love. On the whole, the organs which dominate the world are the organs of self-protection, self-gratification, ete.—all the organs whose names begin with the word self. Even if the religious organs—veneration, hope, benevolence, spirituality, ete.—are strong, the selfish propensities gencrally overpower them, so that they co-operate with selfishness. For example, benevolence overpowered by the selfish propensitics, will say, I will give some money to this project, in order that it may show a large return; but I will not give it unless it show such return. Thus the quality of acquisitiveness and others pertaining to self will go into agreement with benevolence, by bending it to the service of self. It is the usual thing to see such combinations in worldly people today. There are generous men with naturally noble impulses which they like to gratify. But in all that they do, self has become the preponderating factor. Self gets in somewhere—self-esteem, self-interest, ete. This combination makes the selfish man; and though he may have considerable benevolence, veneration, ete., yet these noble qualities are under control of the selfish propensities. To this selfish man the Gospel comes, and offers a proposition which is unique, peculiar. It appeals to him through a new set of organs. It shows him that he should put God first, not self; that he should begin to see that the highest and noblest organs of the brain are those which recognize the Creator and man’s responsibility as his creature. It shows him that he is thinking of self-aggrandisement, self-honor, self-everything! Such a person, hearing the Gospel proposition, may be influenced to decide the matter cither one wav or the other. He may say, I do not like that thought. Selfishness may suggest that if he accepts the Gospel offer he must stop his questionable business methods. Then he concludes that he does not care to take such a step; for it would demand more than he is willing to give, and he might have trouble with his conscience. Later on, perhaps, something in the nature of adversity or calamity will awaken him to take a different view of matters, and he will see the subject in a different light and be glad to do God’s will. Then he may say, I realize that my life must be different. I am God’s creature. Therefore it is right that I should consecrate my all to him. But I see that consecration will work a great transformation in my life. I shall be obliged to change my course. I must drop certain habits. This is the first step of true conversion. This is a turning from sin toward righteousness. It does not follow, however, that the person who takes this step will come up to the divine requirements of a disciple of Christ. The rich young ruler who asked Jesus what he should do to gain eternal life was told to keep God’s commandments. He replied that he had done this all his life. And Jesus loved him! The young man was trying to do right in every way. Was he not all right then? No! Jesus said to him: ‘‘One thing thou lackest. Go and scll all that thou hast and distribute unto the poor, and then thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’’ The young ruler thought this strange advice; for he had all along been living a most exemplary life. He was correct in his estimate of himself; but he was merely doing his duty in so living. No one has a right to live a bad life; no one has a right to do wrong. That he was merely doing his duty—no more—was practically what Jesus told the young man. Continuing, the Master said: I have only one offer to make, but it is a very high one—joint-heirship with Me in the Messianic kingdom. The life into which you may enter by becoming my disciple is a life of glory, honor and immortality—the divine nature. If you desire this high position, you must do more than merely avoid sin. God is now calling for sacrificers. Tf you do not sacrifice yourself, you cannot become my disciple; for those only who thus sacrifice are received of the Father and begotten of the holy Spirit, and can share my glory. Those only will be granted a part in the first resurrection. And the young ruler ‘‘went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.’’ Alas; how many are likeminded! [5438]

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