Publication date
8/15/18
Volume
39
Number
16
The WatchTower
Infilling of the Holy Spirit proportionate to spiritual capacity
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1918/16/1918-16-1.html
 
 
 
INTERESTING 
Question: 
-Was 
Adll-m 
foreordlLined 
to 
fall 
into 
sin! 
If 
SO, 
how 
could 
it 
be 
said 
that 
he 
had 
a. 
fair 
trial! 
AMWer:-Adam 
:was 
not 
compelled 
to 
sin. 
God 
did 
not 
foreordain 
that 
he 
mu.st 
disobey 
the 
divine 
command. 
That 
is 
to 
say, 
Adam 
was 
not 
limited 
in 
the 
exercise 
of 
his 
will. 
He 
could 
will 
to 
do 
right 
or 
wrong. 
The 
decision 
waa 
left 
open 
to 
himself 
alone. 
The 
fact 
that 
GOO 
knew 
in 
advance 
what 
Adam 
would 
do 
is 
an 
altogether 
different 
mat~r. 
While 
we 
rea.lize 
that 
God 
is 
so 
gf'eat 
that 
he 
haa 
power 
we 
can 
neither 
understand 
nor 
appreciate, 
yet 
the 
Bible 
clearly 
indicates 
that 
Adam 
had 
a 
free 
will. 
If 
he 
had 
not 
a 
fair, 
full 
chance, 
then 
he 
could 
not 
have 
been 
justly 
condemned. 
Therefore 
the 
Scrip­ 
tures 
clea-rly 
present 
the 
fact 
that 
he 
was 
not 
deceived 
(l 
Tim­ 
othy 
2:14) 
Not 
only 
was 
he 
crea-ted 
in 
(',.od's 
image 
and 
like­ 
ness, 
but 
he 
had 
knowledge 
and 
at 
the 
time 
of 
his 
deflection 
understood 
whwt 
the 
penalty 
for 
disobedience 
would 
be. 
How­ 
ever, 
God 
evidently 
had 
much 
sympathy 
with 
Adam 
in 
the 
fall, 
and 
did 
not 
pUJrPose 
that 
this 
fall 
should 
work 
Ada,m's 
eternal 
ruin. 
Hence 
the 
Bible 
~lls 
us 
that 
God 
,had 
arra.nged 
in 
ad­ 
vance 
that 
Christ 
should 
redeem 
Adam. 
Moreover, 
our 
merci­ 
ful 
Orea-tor 
has 
also 
provided. 
that 
Adam 
might 
have 
more 
knowledge 
before 
his 
final 
destiny 
would 
be 
fixed. 
QUESTIONS 
Question:-Do 
we 
understand 
that 
there 
is 
a 
restitution 
call 
now 
open 
to 
mankind 
7 
Aft8'Wer 
:-t:ntil 
the 
glorification 
of 
the 
church 
there 
ean 
be 
no 
individual 
or 
personal 
restitution 
work. 
There 
ie, 
how­ 
ever, 
a 
restoration 
work 
beginning 
so 
far 
as 
the 
p'repa.ring 
of 
the 
world 
is 
concerned. 
During 
the 
paat 
forty-four 
years 
a 
marvelous 
progress 
has 
been 
made, 
wonderful 
inventions 
that 
in 
so 
short 
a 
time 
have 
made 
the 
world 
rich 
and 
have 
brought 
'blessings 
of 
comfort 
and 
convenience 
never 
bdore 
dreamed 
of. 
These 
great 
improvement<! 
have 
come 
because 
we 
have 
entered 
the 
"times 
of 
restitution" 
mentioned 
in 
Acls 
3: 
19-21. 
But 
as 
far 
as 
mankind 
is 
concerned, 
we 
understand 
restitution 
to 
hu­ 
man 
perfection 
is 
ndt 
due 
to 
begin 
until 
the 
Messianic 
king­ 
dom 
shall 
have 
been 
fully 
established. 
That 
beneficent 
reign 
is 
in 
process 
of 
estaobIiBhment 
now. 
But 
not 
until 
the 
last 
of 
,the 
feet 
mem:bere 
of 
the 
'body 
of 
Christ 
shall 
hav~ 
passed 
be­ 
yond 
-the 
vail 
will 
the 
work 
of 
restoring 
humanity 
under 
the 
New 
Covenant 
.begin; 
for 
that 
cownant 
cannot 
be 
sealed 
with 
the 
blood 
of 
Christ 
until 
the 
church 
has 
pa.Bsed 
int<! 
death 
and 
the 
merit 
released 
for 
application 
to 
the 
world. 
Then 
the 
~ve­ 
nam 
will 
begin 
to 
opera~ 
for 
the 
'benefit 
of 
all 
the 
flLuulies 
of 
the 
e&rth. 
YOLo 
XXXIX 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
AUGUST 
15, 
1918 
No. 
Hi 
INFILLING 
OF 
THE 
HOLY 
SPIRIT 
PROPORTIONATE 
TO 
SPIRITUAL 
CAPACITY 
"If 
afl1l 
man 
1wJve 
not 
the 
Spirit 
of 
OMist, 
he 
1.8 
none 
of 
MS." 
In 
the 
use 
of 
the 
word 
spirit, 
it 
is 
very 
necessary 
that 
we 
have 
in 
mind 
the 
wide 
range 
of 
meanings 
which 
this 
word 
pos· 
sesses. 
For 
~n8tance, 
God 
is 
a 
spirit, 
and 
the 
angels 
are 
spirits; 
that 
is, 
they 
are 
spirit 
beings. 
This 
signifies 
that 
whatever 
kind 
of 
organism 
they 
have, 
it 
is 
so 
different 
from 
the 
hwnan 
organism 
that 
mankind 
cannot 
see 
them. 
Angels 
might 
be 
present 
with 
us 
and 
yet 
be 
invisible, 
UJlJlcss 
a 
special 
miracle 
Wlll8 
performed 
by 
which 
they 
might 
take 
on 
a 
body 
of 
fiesh. 
Another 
thought 
connected 
with 
the 
word 
spirit 
is 
much 
in 
line 
with 
our 
general 
usage 
of 
the 
term--that 
whieh 
is 
ethereal. 
For 
instance, 
we 
speak 
·of 
the 
mind, 
the 
spirit, 
the 
disp<)sition 
of 
a 
person. 
Indeed, 
in 
our 
Common 
Version 
of 
the 
Bible 
these 
words 
are 
used 
synonymously. 
"If 
any 
man 
have 
not 
the 
Spirit 
[mind, 
di&positiQn] 
of 
Ohrist, 
he 
is 
none 
of 
his." 
(Romans 
8:9; 
Philippians 
2:5; 
I 
Corinthians 
2:16) 
We 
also 
use 
the 
word 
spirit 
to 
mean 
the 
life 
prindple, 
the 
energizing 
power 
which 
all 
living 
creatures 
possess. 
The 
power 
is 
something 
which 
cannot 
be 
touched 
or 
handled. 
Still 
another 
use 
of 
the 
word 
spirH 
is 
in 
connection 
with 
Hquors. 
In 
this 
sense 
it 
has 
the 
thought 
of 
that 
which 
will 
lightly 
pass 
away 
as 
a 
gas, 
that 
which 
will 
become 
invisible, 
whiclJ. 
will 
evaporate. 
In 
our 
text, 
however, 
the 
word 
8pirit 
is 
used 
in 
its 
own 
peculiar 
way-to 
signify 
the 
new 
mind, 
new 
will. 
new 
purpose, 
begotten 
in 
the 
consecrated 
children 
of 
God 
through 
his 
exceedin/2,' 
great 
and 
preciou" 
promises, 
writ~n 
in 
his 
\Vord. 
Originally 
man 
was 
in 
the 
image 
and 
likeness 
of 
God. 
Then 
he 
had 
a 
8pirit, 
or 
dispo;;itiop, 
very 
much 
in 
accord 
with 
that 
of 
his 
Creator. 
But 
aftcr 
sin 
had 
operated 
for 
a. 
short 
time, 
selfiJshness 
and 
depravity 
\Wre 
developed; 
and 
in 
time 
these 
evil 
propensities 
vitiated 
his 
spirit, 
or 
disposition. 
Thereafter 
instead 
of 
having 
a 
spirit 
of 
holiness, 
man 
had 
a 
spirit 
of 
unholiness, 
of 
sin; 
and 
all 
of 
Adam's 
posterity 
have 
been 
born 
with 
these 
evil 
tendencies 
ma.rkpd 
in 
their 
brains. 
Naturally 
we 
are 
inclined 
to 
d" 
the 
wrong 
thing 
rather 
than 
the 
right, 
because 
of 
Our 
having 
inherited 
these 
weaknesses 
and 
blemishes 
from 
father 
Adani. 
THE 
BEGETTING 
OF 
THE 
HOLY 
SPIRIT 
God 
has 
purposed 
that 
during 
the 
GOSopel 
age 
and 
through 
t.he 
Gospel 
message, 
those 
desirous 
of 
being 
in 
harmony 
with 
him 
may 
get 
back 
his 
spirit. 
Very 
few 
care 
to 
do 
this, 
how­ 
evcr; 
and 
the 
few 
who 
do 
are 
said 
to 
be 
holy. 
This 
class 
give 
up 
their 
own 
spirit, 
mind, 
disposition, 
will. 
and 
adopt 
ins~ad 
the 
divine 
standards. 
the 
divine 
will. 
What 
these 
divine 
standards 
are 
they 
must 
learn 
from 
the 
Scriptures. 
From 
the 
time 
of 
his 
consecration 
and 
his 
acceptance 
by 
the 
Father 
through 
the 
Advocate 
(1 
John 
2: 
1 
), 
the 
Christian 
is 
said 
to 
be 
,beiotten 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit. 
That 
is 
to 
say, 
a 
new 
mind. 
a 
new 
disposition. 
a 
new 
personality. 
hlld 
its 
start. 
its 
beginning, 
when 
God 
acct'pted 
him. 
Just 
what 
this 
spark 
of 
the 
new 
nature 
'is, 
we 
may 
not 
surely 
know. 
But 
we 
recog­ 
nize 
l:ihe 
experiences 
whieh 
result 
from 
its 
JXlssession. 
This 
begetting 
of 
the 
Spirit 
of 
God 
starts 
a 
new 
life. 
The 
start 
of 
this 
new 
life 
is 
not. 
however, 
the 
end 
of 
the 
matter. 
He 
is 
to 
fltrive 
to 
be 
"filled 
with 
the 
Spirit." 
"Be 
filled 
with 
the 
Spirit."-Romans 
8:9; 
Epllesians 
5:18. 
Tllere 
is 
a 
necessity 
for 
this 
infilling, 
refilling, 
continuous 
filling 
of 
the 
Sp.irit 
of 
God. 
By 
nature 
\W 
have 
the 
disposi­ 
tion 
common 
to 
the 
fallen 
race 
to 
which 
we 
be:long. 
'l'his 
hereditary 
disposition 
is 
more 
or 
less 
infiuenced 
by 
environ­ 
ment, 
training, 
etc.; 
and 
the 
new 
mind 
has 
difficulty 
in 
getting 
fully 
in 
tune 
with 
the 
In1lnite. 
Additiona.lly, 
our 
memories 
are 
poor, 
and 
our 
natural 
tendencies 
are 
in 
the 
direction 
opposi~ 
to 
our 
spirit 
of 
consecration, 
the 
Spirit 
of 
the 
Lord. 
H 
is 
therefore 
necessary 
for 
the 
child 
of 
God 
to 
r;ro 
frequently 
to 
the 
throne 
of 
heavenly 
grace 
in 
order 
to 
be 
filled 
more 
and 
more 
with 
the 
Spirit 
of 
the 
heavenly 
Father, 
the 
Spirit 
().f 
our 
Lord 
Jesus. 
INOREASE 
OF 
SPIRITUAL 
OAPAOITY 
In 
the 
case 
of 
the 
Master, 
it 
is 
written 
that 
the 
Father 
ga'Ve 
not 
the 
Spirit 
'by 
mea.sure 
unto 
him. 
(,Tohn 
3: 
34) 
This 
sta~ment 
implies 
that 
God 
gives 
the 
Spirit 
by 
meas1!re 
~(l 
aN 
of 
the 
members 
of 
the 
church. 
The 
reason 
for 
thiS 
dif­ 
ference 
is 
that 
our 
Lord 
had 
a 
perfect 
organism. 
Recausl' 
he 
had 
left 
the 
heavenly 
glory, 
because 
his 
life 
principle 
had 
'been 
transferred 
from 
the 
.heavenly 
plane 
to 
the 
earthly, 
h(' 
was 
therefore 
without 
any 
taint 
of 
Adamic 
imperfection 
of 
being. 
Being 
thus 
perfect, 
he 
could 
receive 
readily 
and 
could 
comprehend 
without 
limitation. 
He 
could 
absorb 
fully 
and 
completely 
of 
the 
Spir.it 
of 
God; 
for 
he 
wa,g 
born 
in 
thl' 
1ma~ 
Qf 
God. 
With 
the 
church 
it 
is 
different. 
In 
our 
case 
we 
receive 
only 
,by 
measure-not 
that 
God 
has 
limited 
us 
to 
a 
measure, 
but 
that 
we 
are 
not 
able 
to 
absorb. 
to 
receive. 
a 
full 
measure. 
Some 
may 
receive 
more 
and 
others 
less, 
according 
to 
the 
natural 
condition 
of 
our 
bodv. 
the 
condition 
in 
which 
we 
were 
born, 
our 
environment, 
etc. 
'In 
proportion 
as 
our 
l.ite 
-is 
~ven 
up 
to 
the 
Lord 
and 
in 
proportion 
as 
we 
mak~ 
strail!'ht 
]laths 
for 
our 
feet, 
we 
will 
choose 
II, 
pathway 
in 
life 
that 
will 
be 
most 
helpful 
to 
us 
and 
will 
most 
assist 
us 
in 
overcoming 
the 
weaknesses 
of 
our 
flesh. 
Thus 
we 
sllall 
'become 
.the 
better 
pnahled, 
and 
the 
more 
quickly, 
to 
be 
filled 
with 
the 
H~ly 
Spirit 
and 
to 
receive 
a 
larger 
measure 
of 
it 
as 
time 
goes 
h~·. 
The 
Lord's 
people 
are 
privileged 
to 
be 
filled 
with 
,his 
Spirit 
and 
to 
enlarge 
their 
capacity 
for 
greater 
infilling. 
Our 
knowledge 
enlarges, 
our 
appreciation 
enlarges, 
and 
our 
needs 
enlarge. 
Thus 
we 
/!'Tow 
in 
grace 
and 
are 
enabled 
to 
rE'<'eive 
more 
and 
more 
of 
th~ 
Spirit 
of 
God. 
For 
tIlis 
re&son 
a 
Ohristian 
who 
has 
had 
years 
of 
opportunity 
for 
development 
ought 
to 
be 
more 
a.ble 
to 
abiOrh 
readily. 
ought 
to 
have 
a 
much 
larger 
spiritual 
capacity, 
than 
when 
he 
first 
entered 
the 
Lord's 
family. 
He 
!!hould 
be 
filled 
with 
the 
Spirit 
of 
God 
and 
of 
Christ. 
This 
should 
give 
him 
more 
and 
more 
of 
the 
spirit 
of 
a 
sound 
mind, 
should 
make 
him 
more 
God-like. 
This 
Spirit 
of 
the 
Lord, 
manifested 
in 
the 
liws 
of 
his 
pPOple, 
is 
a 
.spirit 
of 
meekness. 
\Vhoever 
poss('ss~s 
this 
spirit 
will 
not 
be 
proud 
nor 
boastful; 
for 
he 
will 
sP() 
that 
God 
is 
not 
pleased 
with 
the 
proud. 
Therefore 
he 
will 
humble 
him­ 
self, 
in 
order 
to 
be 
lowly 
in 
mind 
and 
in 
heart, 
as 
waa 
the 
Master. 
If 
he 
makes 
a 
mistake 
in 
judgment, 
he 
will 
be 
the 
first 
to 
recognize 
and 
correct 
the 
error. 
Gentleness 
all!O 
is 
an 
element 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit. 
Some 
people 
are 
naturally 
( 
239-243) 
[8308] 
INTERESTING QUESTIONS Question:—Was Adam foreordained to fall into ain? If so, how could it be said that he had a fair trial? Answer:—Adam was not compelled to sin. God did not foreordain that he must disobey the divine command. That is to say, Adam was not limited in the exercise of his will. He could will io do right or wrong. The decision was left open to himself alone. The fact that God knew in advance what Adam would do is an altogether different matter. While we realize that God is so great that he has power we can neither understand nor appreciate, yet the Bible clearly indicates that Adam had a free will. If he had not a fair, full chance, then he could not have been justly condemned. Therefore the Scriptures clearly present the fact that he was not deceived (1 Timothy 2:14) Not only was he created in God’s image and likeness, but he had knowledge and at the time of his deflection understood what the penalty for disobedience would be. However, God evidently had much sympathy with Adam in the fall, and did not purpose that this fall should work Adam’s eternal tuin. Hence the Bible tells us that God had arranged in advance that Christ should redeem Adam. Moreover, our merciful Creator has also provided that Adam might have more knowledge before his final destiny would be fixed. Question:—Do we understand that there is a restitution call now open to mankind? Answer :—Until the glorification of the church there can be no individual or personal reatitution work. There is, however, a restoration work beginning so far as the preparing of the world is concerned. During the past forty-four years a marvelous progress has been made, wonderful] inventions that in so short a time have made the world rich and have brought blessings of comfort and convenience never before dreamed of. These great improvements have come because we have entered the “times of restitution” mentioned in Acts 3:19-21. But as far as mankind is concerned, we understand restitution to human perfection is not due to begin until the Messianic kingdom shall have been fully established. That beneficent reign is in process of establishment now. But not until the last of the feet members of the body of Christ shail have passed beyond the vail will the work of restoring humanity under the New Covenant begin; for that covenant cannot be sealed with the blood of Christ until the church has passed into death and the merit released for application to the world. Then the covenant will begin to operate for the benefit of all the families of the earth. Vor. NXXIX BROOKLYN, N. Y., AUGUST 15, 1918 No. 16 INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT PROPORTIONATE TO SPIRITUAL CAPACITY “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of Ris.’ “Be filled with the Spirit.’—Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18. In the use of the word spirit, it is very necessary that we have in mind the wide range of meanings which this word possesses. For instance, God is a spirit, and the angela are spirits; that is, they are spirit beings. This signifies that whatever kind of organism they have, it is so different from the human organism that mankind cannot see them. Angels might be present with us and yet be invisible, unless a special mmiracie was performed by which they might take on » body of flesh. Another thought connected with the word spirit ia much in line with our general usage of the term-—that which is ethereal. For instance, we speak of the mind, the spirit, the disposition of a person. Indeed, in our Common Version of the Bible these words are used synonymously. “If any man have not the Spirit [mind, disposition] of Christ, je ig none of his.” (Romans 8:9; Philippians 2:5; 1 Corinthians 2:16) We also use the word spirit to mean the life principle, the energizing power which all living creatures possess. The power is something which cannot be touched or handled, Still another use of the word spirit is in connection with liquors. In this sense it has the thought of that which will lightly pass away as a gas, that which will become invisible, which will evaporate. In our text, however, the word spirit is used in its own peculiar way—to signify the new mind, new will, new purpose, begotten in the consecrated children of God through his exceeding great and precious promises, written in his Word. Originally man was in the image and likeness of God. Then he had a apirit, or dispositiop, very much in accord with that of his Creator. But after sin had operated for a short time, selfishness and depravity were developed; and in time these evil propensities vitiated his spirit, or disposition, Thereafter instead of having a spirit of holiness, man had a spirit of unholiness, of sin; and all of Adam’s posterity have been born with these evil tendencies marked in their brains. Naturally we are inclined to do the wrong thing rather than the right, because of our having inherited these weaknesses and blemishes from father Adam. THE BEGETTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT God has purposed that during the Gospel age and through the Gospel message, those desirous of being in harmony with him may get back his spirit. Very few care to do this, however; and the few who do are said to be holy. This class give up their own spirit, mind, disposition, will, and adopt instead the divine standards, the divine will. What these divine standards are they must learn from the Scriptures. From the time of his consecration and his acceptance by the Father through the Advocate (1 John 2:1}, the Christian is said to be begotten of the holy Spirit. That is to say, a new mind, a new disposition, a new personality, had its start, its beginning, when God accepted him. Just what this spark of the new nature is, we may not surely know. But we recognize the expertences which result from its possession. This begetting of the Spirit of God starts a new life. The start of this new life is not. however, the end of the matter. He is to strive to be “filled with the Spirit.” (239-243) There is a necessity for this infilling, refilling, continuous filling of the Spirit of God. By nature we have the disposition common to the fallen race to which we belong. ‘This hereditary disposition is more or less influenced by environment, training, ete.; and the new mind has difficulty in getting fully in tune with the Infinite. Additionally, our memories are poor, and our natural tendencies are in the direction opposite to our spirit of consecration, the Spirit of the Lord. It is therefore necessary for the child of God to go frequently to the throne of heavenly grace in order to be filled more and more with the Spirit of the heavenly Father, the Spirit of our Lord Jesus, INOREASE OF SPIRITUAL CAPACITY In the case of the Master, it is written that the Father gave not the Spirit by measure unto him. (John 3:34) This statement intplies that God gives the Spirit by measure to all of the members of the church. The reason for this difference is that our Lord had a perfect organism. Because he had Jeft the heavenly glory, because his life principle had been transferred from the heavenly plane to the earthly, he was therefore without any taint of Adamic imperfection of being. Being thus perfect, he could receive readily and could comprehend without limitation. He could absorb fully and completely of the Spirit of God; for he was born in the image of God. With the church it is different. In our case we receive only by measure—not that God has limited us to a measure, but that we are not able to absorb. to receive. a full measure. Some may receive more and others less, according to the natural condition of our body, the condition in which we were born, our environment, ete. In proportion as our life is given up to the Lord and in proportion as we make straight paths for our feet, we will choose a pathway in life that will be most helpful to us and will most assist us in overcoming the weaknesses of our flesh. Thus we shal? become the better enabled, and the more quickly, to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to receive a larger measure of it as time goea by. The Lord’s people are privileged to be filled with his Spirit and to enlarge their capacity for greater infilling. Our knowledge enlarges, our appreciation enlarges, and our needs enlarge. Thus we grow in grace and are enabled to receive more and more of the Spirit of God. For this reason » Christian who has had years of opportunity for development ought to be more able to absorb readily, ought to have a much larger spiritual capacity, than when he first entered the Lord’s family. He should be filled with the Spirit of God and of Christ. This should give him more and more of the spirit of a sound mind, should make him more God-like. This Spirit of the Lord, manifested in the lives of his people, is a spirit of meekness. Whoever possesses this spirit will not be proud nor boastful; for he will see that God is not pleased with the proud. Therefore he will humble himself, in order to be lowly in mind and in heart, as was the Master. If he makes a mistake in judgment, he will be the first to recognize and correct the error. Gentleness also is an element of the holy Spirit. Some people are naturally [6306]

This website uses cookies to improve the website and your experience. By continuing to browse this website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. If you require further information or do not wish to accept cookies when using this website, please visit our Global Policy on Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies .