Publication date
8/1/16
Volume
37
Number
15
The WatchTower
How We Attain Development as New Creatures
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1916/15/1916-15-1.html
 
 
 
JULY 
15, 
1916 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(223-228) 
to 
Bee 
and 
comfort 
her 
again 
probably 
did 
much 
to 
retain 
the 
slight 
hold 
he 
had 
on 
life 
for 
some 
weeks. 
The 
opportunity 
of 
serving 
the 
brother 
has 
been 
a 
great 
blessing 
to 
all 
here, 
and 
while 
individual 
privileges 
of 
service 
were 
limited 
for 
obvious 
reasons, 
the 
privilege 
of 
serving 
his 
spiritual 
interests 
through 
prayer 
has 
greatly 
blessed 
all. 
His 
cheerful, 
patient 
endurance 
of 
his 
physical 
disability, 
his 
desire 
to 
please 
and 
his 
efforts 
to 
keep 
himself 
from 
being 
burdensome 
to 
those 
about, 
will 
prove 
a 
lasting 
lesson 
to 
all. 
Our 
loss 
has 
been 
his 
gain. 
How 
appropriate 
today's 
MANNA. 
THE 
ST. 
LOUIS 
CONVENTION 
Although 
the 
attendance 
at 
the 
St. 
Louis 
Convention­ 
June 
22-25-was 
not 
large, 
it 
was 
an 
enthusiastic 
gathering 
aad 
gave 
strong 
evidence 
of 
the 
Master's 
blessing. 
The 
Apostle's 
exhortation, 
"Be 
ye 
filled 
with 
the 
Spirit," 
seems 
to 
have 
,been 
quite 
well 
realized 
by 
those 
in 
attendance. 
The 
~x­ 
hibitions 
of 
the 
PHOTO-DRAMA 
OF 
CRI;;ATION 
in 
the 
evenmg 
were 
a 
very 
happifying 
feature 
of 
the 
convention. 
The 
pic­ 
tures 
and 
the 
lectures-the 
Bible 
story 
from 
creation 
to 
restora­ 
tion-seem 
to 
have 
a 
charm 
for 
Bible 
students 
everywhere. 
Like 
the 
charm 
of 
God's 
Word, 
they 
never 
grow 
stale. 
The 
convention 
attendance 
varied 
from 
three 
hundred 
and 
fifty 
to 
six 
hundred 
and 
fifty, 
aside 
from 
the 
public 
meet­ 
ing 
on 
the 
closing 
night. 
It 
was 
held 
in 
the 
Odeon 
Theater 
and 
was 
addressed 
by 
the 
Editor 
of 
this 
journal. 
The 
house 
was 
crowded 
to 
its 
capacity, 
twenty-three 
hundred, 
and 
at 
the 
same 
time 
an 
overflow 
meeting 
of 
Bible 
students 
was 
held 
in 
the 
Convention 
Hall 
to 
the 
number 
of 
about 
six 
hundred. 
At 
the 
close 
of 
both 
meetings, 
about 
10:30 
p. 
m., 
Brother 
Russell 
came 
into 
the 
Convention 
Theater. 
He 
was 
welcomed 
with 
the 
Chautauqua 
Salute-the 
waving 
of 
handkerchiefs, 
while 
the 
familiar 
old 
hymn 
was 
sung 
with 
zest: 
"Blest 
be 
the 
tie 
that 
binds 
Our 
hearts 
in 
Christian 
love." 
After 
a 
few 
words 
of 
greeting 
and 
reference 
to 
the 
con­ 
vention 
and 
its 
conclusion 
and 
the 
hope 
for 
blessings 
upon 
those 
present 
and 
the 
dear 
ones 
at 
the 
home 
towns 
repre­ 
sented 
by 
them, 
Brother 
Russell 
arranged 
the 
Love 
Feast, 
in 
which 
nearly 
all 
participated 
with 
many 
manifestations 
of 
earnest 
Christian 
love 
and 
zeal. 
Thus 
happily, 
joyfully, 
the 
first 
general 
convention 
of 
the 
season 
came 
to 
an 
end. 
VOL. 
XXXVII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
AUGUST 
1, 
1916 
No. 
1.5 
HOW 
WE 
ATTAIN 
DEVELOPMENT 
AS 
NEW 
CREATURES 
"If 
ye 
live 
after 
the 
flesh, 
ye 
shall 
die 
j 
but 
if 
ye 
through 
the 
Spirit 
do 
mortify 
the 
deeds 
of 
the 
body, 
ye 
shall 
Uve."-Romans 
8: 
13. 
Mortification 
of 
the 
deeds 
of 
the 
body 
through 
the 
holy 
embodying 
the 
different 
features 
of 
God's 
gnat 
plan, 
showing 
Spirit 
of 
God 
is 
here 
declared 
by 
the 
Apostle 
Paul 
to 
be 
us 
what 
is 
the 
will 
of 
the 
Lord 
for 
us. 
The 
more 
We 
study 
essential 
to 
the 
attainment 
of 
everlasting 
life. 
But 
to 
some 
and 
understand 
this 
plan, 
the 
greater 
will 
be 
the 
operation 
who 
had 
become 
his 
disciples, 
the 
Lord 
said, 
"He 
that 
be- 
of 
this 
holy 
power 
of 
God 
in 
our 
hearts. 
The 
deeper 
our 
lieveth 
on 
the 
Son 
hath 
everlasting 
life." 
Again, 
"Verily, 
consecration, 
the 
more 
sympathy 
shall 
we 
have 
with 
all 
the 
verily, 
I 
say 
unto 
you, 
he 
that 
heareth 
my 
Word, 
and 
believeth 
purposes 
of 
the 
Lord 
and 
the 
more 
fervently 
shall 
we 
desire 
on 
him 
that 
sent 
me, 
hath 
everlasting 
life, 
and 
shall 
not 
come 
to 
do 
the 
divine 
good 
pleasure. 
into 
condemnation, 
but 
is 
passed 
from 
death 
unto 
life." 
(John 
God 
through 
his 
holy 
Spirit 
is 
not 
opemting 
at 
present 
3: 
36, 
5: 
24) 
The 
Apostle 
John 
in 
his 
first 
epistle 
says, 
"We 
upon 
any 
but 
this 
special 
class. 
Whatever 
there 
is 
in 
the 
know 
that 
we 
have 
passed 
from 
death 
unto 
life, 
because 
we 
world 
of 
nature 
is 
all 
the 
result 
of 
the 
operation 
of 
God's 
love 
the 
brethren"; 
and 
"He 
that 
hath 
the 
Son 
hath 
life."- 
power, 
his 
spirit, 
in 
a 
general 
way; 
but 
the 
Apostle 
in 
our 
I 
John 
3: 
14; 
5: 
12. 
text 
is 
referring 
only 
to 
the 
influence 
of 
the 
spirit 
of 
God 
We 
must 
not 
understand 
St. 
Paul 
to 
contradict 
our 
Lord 
upon 
the 
soul. 
In 
the 
New 
Testament 
writings 
the 
work 
of 
and 
the 
Apostle 
John. 
Our 
Lord 
Jesus 
and 
St. 
John 
were 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
refer,s 
only 
to 
those 
who 
have 
become 
God's 
speaking 
from 
the 
standpoint 
of 
God's 
reckoning-from 
the 
people 
under 
the 
terms 
laid 
down 
by 
our 
Lord 
.Jesus 
Christ. 
legal 
standpoint. 
Those 
who 
have 
accepted 
Christ, 
and 
have 
All 
such 
are 
under 
the 
Lord's 
special 
care. 
God 
began 
this 
received 
of 
his 
atoning 
merit, 
have 
come 
out 
from 
under 
the 
good 
work 
in 
us. 
It 
is 
not 
of 
men 
nor 
by 
men. 
Therefore 
Adamic 
death 
condemnation. 
Their 
present 
imperfections, 
as 
we 
must 
look 
to 
God 
to 
complete 
this 
work 
which 
he 
has 
be- 
well 
as 
their 
past 
sins, 
are 
covered 
by 
this 
merit. 
Through 
gun, 
and 
must 
give 
him 
our 
full 
and 
hearty 
co-operation. 
consecration 
and 
begetting 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
they 
have 
be- 
We 
are 
to 
go 
to 
God's 
Word, 
and 
are 
to 
study 
it 
prayer- 
come 
new 
creature,s 
in 
Christ. 
Hence 
the 
everlasting 
life 
fully, 
using 
all 
the 
helps 
which 
his 
providence 
has 
furnished 
provided 
for 
such 
is 
already 
considered 
as 
theirs, 
while 
they 
thereto, 
seeking 
thus 
to 
learn 
the 
meaning 
of 
that 
Word. 
abide 
under 
the 
robe 
of 
Christ's 
righteousness. 
They 
are 
now 
seeking 
to 
put 
it 
into 
expression 
in 
our 
lives. 
Just 
as 
it 
is 
··saved 
by 
hope." 
necessary 
to 
partake 
of 
natural 
food 
that 
we 
may 
have 
our 
The 
Apostle 
Paul 
is 
here 
speaking 
of 
the 
matter 
from 
the 
bodies 
strengthened 
and 
sustained, 
so 
God 
has 
given 
us 
standpoint 
of 
its 
full 
accomplishment, 
when 
the 
church 
shall 
spiritual 
food, 
that 
we 
may 
get 
spiritual 
sustenance 
and 
have 
obtained 
their 
spiritual 
body 
and 
are 
absolutely 
perfect, 
strength 
and 
may 
understand 
his 
will. 
This 
operation 
of 
God 
and 
have 
received 
the 
actual 
fulness 
of 
unending 
life. 
This 
upon 
us 
and 
in 
us 
through 
his 
holy 
Spirit 
is 
a 
gradual 
work; 
will 
be 
attained 
only 
in 
our 
resurrection. 
No 
life 
can 
be 
that 
is, 
after 
we 
have 
been 
begotten. 
Many 
of 
ue 
have 
been 
everlasting, 
in 
the 
strict 
sense, 
unless 
it 
is 
to 
last 
forever; 
and 
so 
beclouded 
with 
the 
errors 
of 
our 
former 
beliefs 
that 
we 
are 
this 
is 
not 
determined 
until 
we 
have 
made 
our 
calling 
and 
unable 
to 
see 
the 
deep 
things 
of 
God 
at 
the 
first 
glance. 
There- 
plection 
sure. 
But 
it 
is 
reckoned 
to 
us 
so 
long 
as 
we 
are 
fore 
we 
need 
to 
study, 
and 
to 
meet 
together 
with 
those 
of 
faI,nfully 
meeting 
God's 
terms 
and 
conditions. 
Life 
could 
like 
precious 
faith. 
If 
this 
is 
not 
possible 
for 
some, 
because 
not 
last 
forever 
under 
present 
earthly 
conditions, 
even 
though 
of 
isolation, 
they 
can 
at 
least 
meet 
with 
the 
brethren 
by 
the 
penalty 
of 
death 
were 
entirely 
removed; 
for 
these 
condi- 
means 
of 
the 
printed 
page. 
tions 
are 
not 
favorable 
thereto. 
Conditions 
and 
environments 
THE 
SIGNIFIOANOE 
OF 
OONSEORATION 
must 
.be 
ra~k~l1y 
changed 
before 
life 
could 
last 
eternally 
and 
As 
we 
come 
to 
understand 
more 
clearly 
all 
that 
full 
con- 
be 
enJoyed 
III 
Its 
f~lness. 
. 
secration 
to 
God 
signifies, 
our 
thought 
on 
the 
subject 
gradually 
. 
The 
embryo 
of 
lIfe 
~hat 
we 
have 
recelve~ 
from 
our 
beget- 
changes. 
When 
first 
we 
came 
to 
God, 
many 
of 
us 
had 
the 
tIng 
. 
as 
new 
crea~ures 
IS 
perfect 
so 
far 
as 
It 
has 
progressed; 
thought 
that 
God's 
will 
for 
us 
was 
to 
accept 
Christ 
as 
our 
hut. 
It 
must 
contInue 
to 
grow 
and 
develop, 
to 
make 
progre~s, 
Savior, 
and 
then 
to 
live 
a 
good, 
decent, 
moral 
life, 
to 
enjoy 
untIl 
we 
are 
final!y 
bo~~ 
perfect, 
complete, 
new 
creatures 
m 
ourselves 
in 
any 
legitimate 
ways, 
to 
take 
good 
care 
of 
our 
the 
fi:st 
resurrectIon.. 
Blessed 
an~ 
holy 
are 
they 
that 
have 
bodies, 
and 
to 
attend 
church 
on 
Sunday, 
and 
perhaps 
other 
part 
III 
the 
first 
[c~!ef] 
resurrectIon. 
On 
them 
the 
second 
meetings. 
We 
thought 
that 
all 
who 
did 
not 
do 
this 
would 
be 
death 
hath 
no 
power. 
lost, 
that 
there 
would 
be 
no 
future 
hope 
for 
them. 
But 
this 
OPERATION 
OF 
THE 
HOLY 
SPIRIT 
IN 
US 
is 
not 
God's 
plan 
at 
all. 
We 
have 
learned 
better 
now. 
God 
The 
many 
exhortations 
addressed 
to 
this 
class 
of 
spirit- 
has 
shown 
us 
that 
the 
only 
way 
by 
which 
the 
church 
of 
Christ 
begotten 
ones 
would 
not 
be 
at 
all 
applicable 
to 
the 
world 
in 
can 
ever 
attain 
to 
the 
heavenly 
inheritance 
is 
by 
the 
destruc- 
general. 
The 
Apostle 
Paul 
is 
telling 
us 
as 
God's 
spiritually 
tion 
of 
the 
human 
nature 
and 
its 
interests, 
by 
the 
relinquish. 
begotten 
sons 
how 
we 
are 
to 
make 
ourselves 
ready 
for 
our 
ing 
of 
all 
earthly 
hopes 
and 
ambitions. 
birth 
in 
due 
time. 
He 
says 
that 
we 
~ 
re 
to 
accomplish 
this 
At 
flrst 
this 
is 
a 
new 
thought 
to 
us, 
and 
the 
question 
pre- 
great 
preparatory 
work 
through 
the 
~piJ-it, 
through 
the 
power 
sents 
itself, 
"Does 
God 
wish 
me 
really 
to 
mortify, 
kill, 
mv 
of 
God. 
The 
spirit, 
or 
power 
of 
God, 
operates 
in 
various 
human 
nature? 
Am 
I 
not 
to 
seek 
to 
cultivate 
all 
my 
natural 
ways. 
For 
instance, 
God's 
messlRge 
of 
truth 
is 
given 
to 
us, 
talents 
and 
make 
the 
most 
(}f 
them? 
Am 
I 
not 
to 
live 
a 
[5931] 
Jury 15, 1916 to see and comfort her again probably did much to retain the slight hold he had on life for some weeks. The opportunity of serving the brother has been a great blessing to all here, and while individual privileges of service were limited for obvious reasons, the privilege of serving his THE WATCH TOWER (223-228) spiritual interests through prayer has greatly blessed all. His cheerful, patient endurance of his physical disability, his desire to please and his efforts to keep himself from being burdensome to those about, will prove @ lasting lesson to all. Our loss has been his gain. How appropriate today’s MANNA. THE ST. LOUIS CONVENTION Although the attendance at the St. Louis Convention— June 22-25—was not large, it was an enthusiastic gathering aod gave strong evidence of the Master’s blessing. The Apostle’s exhortation, “Be ye filled with the Spirit,’ seems to have been quite well realized by those in attendance. The exhibitions of the PHoro-DRAMA OF CREATION in the evening were a very happifying feature of the convention. The pictures and the lectures—the Bible story from creation to restoration—seem to have a charm for Bible students everywhere. Like the charm of God’s Word, they never grow stale. The convention attendance varied from three hundred and fifty to six hundred and fifty, aside from the public meeting on the closing night. It was held in the Odeon Theater and was addressed by the Editor of this journal. The house was crowded to its capacity, twenty-three hundred, and at the same time an overflow meeting of Bible students was held in the Convention Hall to the number of about six hundred. At the close of both meetings, about 10:30 p. m., Brother Russell came into the Convention Theater. He was welcomed with the Chautauqua Salute—the waving of handkerchiefs, while the familiar old hymn was sung with zest: “Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love.” After a few words of greeting and reference to the convention and its conclusion and the hope for blessings upon those present and the dear ones at the home towns represented by them, Brother Russell arranged the Love Feast, in which nearly all participated with many manifestations of earnest Christian love and zeal. Thus happily, joyfully, the first general convention of the season came to an end. Vou. XXXVIT BROOKLYN, N. Y., AUGUST 1, 1916 No. 15 HOW WE ATTAIN DEVELOPMENT AS NEW CREATURES “If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”—Romans 8:13. Mortification of the deeds of the body through the holy Spirit of God is here declared by the Apostle Paul to be essential to the attainment of everlasting life. But to some who had become his disciples, the Lord said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” Again, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my Word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.” (John 3:36, 5:24) The Apostle John in his first epistle says, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren’; and “He that hath the Son hath life.”— 1 John 3:14; 5:12. We must not understand St. Paul to contradict our Lord and the Apostle John. Our Lord Jesus and St. John were speaking from the standpoint of God’s reckoning—from the legal standpoint. Those who have accepted Christ, and have received of his atoning merit, have come out from under the Adamic death condemnation. Their present imperfections, as well as their past sins, are covered by this merit. Through consecration and begetting of the holy Spirit they have become new creatures in Christ. Hence the everlasting life provided for such is already considered as theirs, while they abide under the robe of Christ’s righteousness. They are now “saved by hope.” The Apostle Paul is here speaking of the matter from the standpoint of its full accomplishment, when the church shall have obtained their spiritual body and are absolutely perfect, and have received the actual] fulness of unending life. This will be attained only in our resurrection. No life can he everlasting, in the strict sense, unless it is to last forever; and this is not determined until we have made our calling and election sure. But it is reckoned to us so long as we are fainfully meeting God’s terms and conditions, Life could not last forever under present earthly conditions, even though the penalty of death were entirely removed; for these conditions are not favorable thereto. Conditions and environments must be radically changed before life could last eternally and be enjoyed in its fulness. The embryo of life that we have received from our begetting as new creatures is perfect so far as it has progressed; but it must continue to grow and develop, to make progress, until we are finally born perfect, complete, new creatures in the first resurrection, “Blessed and holy are they that have part in the first [chief] resurrection. On them the second death hath no power.” OPERATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US The many exhortations addressed to this class of spiritbegotten ones would not be at all applicable to the world in general. The Apostle Paul is telling us as God’s spiritually begotten sons how we are to make ourselves ready for our birth in due time. He says that we *re to accomplish this great preparatory work through the spirit, through the power of God. The spirit, or power of God, operates in various ways. For instance, God’s message of truth is given to us, embodying the different features of God’s great plan, showing us what is the will of the Lord for us. The more we study and understand this plan, the greater will be the operation of this holy power of God in our hearts. The deeper our consecration, the more sympathy shall we have with all the purposes of the Lord and the more fervently shall we desire to do the divine good pleasure. God through his holy Spirit is not operating at present upon any but this special class. Whatever there is in the world of nature is all the result of the operation of God’s power, his spirit, in a general way; but the Apostle in our text is referring only to the influence of the spirit of God upon the soul. In the New Testament writings the work of the holy Spirit refers only to those who have become God’s people under the terms laid down by our Lord Jesus Christ. All such are under the Lord’s special care. God began this good work in us. It is not of men nor by men. Therefore we must look to God to complete this work which he has begun, and must give him our full and hearty co-operation. We are to go to God’s Word, and are to study it prayerfully, using all the helps which his providence has furnished thereto, seeking thus to learn the meaning of that Word, seeking to put it into expression in our lives. Just as it is necessary to partake of natural food that we may have our bodies strengthened and sustained, so God has given us spiritual food, that we may get spiritual sustenance and strength and may understand his will. This operation of God upon us and in us through his holy Spirit is a gradual work; that is, after we have been begotten. Many of us have been so beclouded with the errors of our former beliefs that we are unable to see the deep things of God at the first glance. There. fore we need to study, and to meet together with those of like precious faith. If this is not possible for some, because of isolation, they can at least meet with the brethren by means of the printed page. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CONSECRATION As we come to understand more clearly all that full consecration to God signifies, our thought on the subject gradually changes. When first we came to God, many of us had the thought that God’s will for us was to accept Christ as our Savior, and then to live a good, decent, moral life, to enjoy ourselves in any legitimate ways, to take good care of our bodies, and to attend church on Sunday, and perhaps other meetings. We thought that all who did not do this would be lost, that theré would be no future hope for them. But this is not God’s plan at all. We have learned better now. God has shown us that the only way by which the church of Christ can ever attain to the heavenly inheritance is by the destruction of the human nature and its interests, by the relinquishing of all earthly hopes and ambitions. At first this is a new thought to us, and the question presents itself, “Does God wish me really to mortify, kill, my human nature? Am I not to seek to cultivate all my natural talents and make the most of them? Am I not to live a [5931]

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