Kiadás dátuma
1916. 09. 01.
Kötet
37
Szám
17
Az Őrtorony
Keeping the Lord's Commandments
Az eredeti angol nyelvű Őrtorony folyóiratok
../literature/watchtower/1916/17/1916-17-2.html
SIlPTIlMB£R 
1, 
1916 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(259-260) 
ponding 
price, 
the 
great 
Redeemer 
will 
take 
over 
his 
purchased 
possession-man 
and 
his 
earthly 
home-and 
for 
a 
thousar.<l 
years 
will 
exen'ise 
his 
privilege 
of 
assisting 
all 
the 
mem\){'rs 
of 
Adam's 
family 
who 
are 
willing 
to 
rise 
up 
out 
of 
sin, 
im­ 
perfeetion 
and 
death 
eonditions 
to 
human 
perfection 
and 
ever­ 
bsting 
lif,.,. 
Those 
bl('ssings 
could 
not 
come 
under 
the 
Law 
C'ovrm,nt, 
because 
mankinll 
could 
not 
keep 
the 
Law 
Connant; 
hut 
thpy 
will 
comp 
to 
the 
willing 
and 
obedipnt 
under 
the 
gracious 
terms 
of 
the 
New 
Covpnant, 
which 
promises 
mprcy 
and 
forgin'ness, 
and 
the 
taking 
away 
of 
the 
stony 
heart 
and 
the 
giving 
instead 
the 
lll'art 
of 
f1e",h 
and 
the 
renewing 
of 
a 
right 
spirit 
in 
all 
of 
those 
who 
will 
he 
rightly 
exercised 
by 
the 
corrections 
and 
glorious 
privilpges 
of 
Messiah's 
king­ 
dom. 
CHRISTIANS 
HAVE 
THREE 
COMMANDMENTS 
Christians-disciples 
or 
followC'l'''' 
of 
J 
e~us-from 
amon~st 
the 
Gentiles 
never 
\\ere 
under 
the 
~ro~aic 
Law 
given 
at 
~lount 
Sinai. 
They 
are 
recpivpJ 
into 
(ioc!'s 
family 
as 
sons 
under 
a 
different 
covenant-thE' 
one 
whieh 
rpads: 
"Gather 
IllV 
saints 
together 
unto 
me," 
saith 
the 
Lord, 
"those 
who 
have'made 
a 
covenant 
with 
me 
by 
Raerifil·e." 
(PRalm 
50: 
[)) 
Jp~us, 
after 
kepping 
fully 
all 
tbp 
ponclitions 
and 
requirpn1('nt~ 
of 
the 
Law 
Covenant, 
under 
which 
he 
was 
born, 
was 
permitted 
to 
re­ 
spond 
to 
tlJis 
covpnllnt 
of 
Sacrifiee. 
He 
was 
first, 
the 
Chief, 
the 
Head 
of 
the 
houwhold 
of 
!Saints 
who 
entered 
into 
this 
(,ovpnant 
of 
sac'rifipe 
with 
God-agrpeing 
to 
sacrifiee 
his 
('.lTthly 
lifp 
anll 
all 
its 
rights 
in 
the 
doing 
of 
the 
Father's 
will 
evpn 
unto 
death. 
It. 
was 
his 
faithfulness 
in 
this 
that 
gained 
for 
him 
the 
bettpr 
rpsurreetion 
to 
glory, 
honor 
and 
immor­ 
talitv--tJlP 
divinp 
na 
turp. 
I)uring 
thi~ 
GospPl 
age. 
some 
saintly 
ones 
have 
rpsponded 
to 
the 
Lord's 
invitation 
to 
walk 
in 
.Jesus' 
steps. 
Through 
thl' 
mprit 
of 
his 
sacrificp, 
,Jesus 
was 
privileged 
to 
be 
the 
Advcwate 
with 
the 
Fathpr 
on 
bphalf 
of 
all 
this 
company 
called 
to 
be 
his 
bride 
elass 
and 
joint-heirs. 
He 
has 
imputed 
his 
merit 
to 
thpir 
sacrifice, 
thus 
making 
it 
complete 
and 
accepta­ 
ble 
in 
thp 
Father's 
sip;ht. 
Eac'h 
one 
of 
the 
followers 
of 
Jesus, 
pnergizpd 
hv 
his 
spirit 
of 
devotion, 
not 
only 
makes 
the 
('ovenant, 
hut 
fulftl;; 
it. 
with 
the 
assistance 
of 
his 
glorious 
Re­ 
dpp!tlpr. 
Thus 
pvpnhw 
lly 
thpy 
will 
come 
off 
through 
him 
"!l1ore 
than 
c·onquprors." 
amI 
be 
joint-heirs 
in 
the 
kingdom. 
To 
these 
thl' 
Apostle 
writps. 
"Ye 
arc 
not 
under 
the 
law, 
but 
undpr 
gracp." 
'fhpse 
are 
not 
under 
the 
Law 
CJvenant, 
rpquiring 
of 
tIll'm 
absolute 
and 
perfec·t 
ohedience 
to 
every 
item 
of 
the 
.Tpwish 
law. 
Thpy 
are 
under 
grace. 
or 
divine 
favor, 
whi,·h 
dol'S 
not 
require 
thp 
fulfil!l1{'nt 
of 
the 
whole 
of 
the 
law 
by 
thplIl-a, 
requirPlIlent 
whi('h 
thpy 
eould 
not 
fulfil. 
111­ 
stpad, 
as 
the 
Apo;;tle 
tells 
us. 
"th!' 
righteousness 
of 
the 
law 
[its 
real 
requirpIIlcnt, 
the 
sririt 
of 
its 
rpquirement] 
is 
fulfilled 
in 
us 
who 
walk 
not 
aftpr 
the 
flesh. 
hut 
after 
the 
Spirit." 
(Romans 
8:4) 
Thus, 
although 
not 
under 
the 
Law 
Covenant, 
the 
will 
of 
God, 
whic'h 
was 
the 
spirit 
of 
the 
Jewish 
law. 
is 
binding 
upon 
pwry 
Christian 
in 
proportion 
to 
his 
knowledge 
of 
it. 
THE 
CHRISTIAN'S 
FIRST 
AND 
SECOND 
COMMANDS 
Sppaking 
of 
thp 
spirit 
of 
thf' 
law. 
applicable 
to 
angels, 
to 
the 
worlcl 
of 
mankind 
nnd 
to 
Christians 
.. 
Jpsus 
dpclan,rl 
it 
to 
bl' 
hripfly 
cOlIlprehpndf'11 
in 
two 
cOIIlJllan(lments. 
The 
first 
of 
these 
is, 
"Thou 
shalt 
love 
thp 
Lord 
thy 
God 
with 
all 
thy 
heart, 
mind. 
being 
and 
strpngth." 
The 
seNmd 
is, 
"Thou 
shalt 
love 
thy 
nf'ighbor 
as 
thysplf." 
Enry 
Christian 
and 
evpry 
angPI 
rel'ogni:7:Ps 
that 
law 
and 
fppls 
a 
rpsponsibility 
to 
it 
to 
the 
px­ 
tpnt 
of 
his 
ability; 
but 
neithlT 
angpls 
nor 
Christian;; 
arE' 
under 
the 
Law 
Covenant-that 
covenant 
was 
made 
only 
with 
the 
nation 
of 
IRrRpl. 
Every 
follower 
of 
Jpsus 
should 
realize 
that 
if 
he 
has 
('Il­ 
listed 
under 
the 
banneJ 
of 
divine 
righteousness 
and 
truth 
he 
has 
plpdged 
his 
wry 
life 
in 
this 
service 
as 
a 
soldier 
of 
the 
eross. 
How 
then 
('QuId 
he 
do 
less 
than 
his 
vpry 
best 
in 
loving 
and 
serving 
his 
hpavenly 
Fathf'r 
with 
all 
his 
mind, 
being 
and 
strength? 
How 
eould 
11(' 
lleclinp 
tll(' 
divinp 
requirpment 
to 
love 
his 
npighhor 
as 
himsplf--to 
he 
kind. 
g'l'nerous, 
not 
selfi~h? 
Truc, 
the 
nl'W 
creature 
may 
finll 
ditriculty 
in 
devoting 
all 
of 
his 
mind 
and 
strength 
t{) 
the 
Lonl 
anll 
in 
dpaling 
in 
pnfe('t 
fairness 
with 
all 
his 
fellow-creatures. 
But 
this 
is 
the 
npw 
c'rp~'lture's 
dpRirp 
and 
intention, 
and 
to 
acc'omplish 
whic·h 
hp 
must 
striVl' 
daily, 
and 
war 
a 
good 
warfare 
against 
the 
natural 
inherited 
wpaknpsRps 
of 
his 
old 
naturp-his 
flesh. 
In 
propor­ 
tion 
to 
his 
love 
for 
the 
Lord 
will 
be 
his 
zpal 
in 
this 
warfare; 
and 
proportionate 
also 
will 
he 
the 
rpward 
that 
will 
be 
given 
him 
in 
the 
pnd 
by 
the 
heavenly 
Father. 
But 
what 
an 
unseen 
warfare 
is 
being 
waged 
amongst 
the 
followers 
of 
the 
Lonl 
wherpver 
they 
are! 
The 
world 
Sf'e8 
not 
and 
knows 
not 
of 
this 
conflict; 
but 
it 
is 
very 
real, 
and 
the 
Lord 
takes 
note 
of 
the 
loyalty 
and 
faithfulness 
of 
these 
covenanters-these 
who 
have 
made 
a 
covenant 
with 
the 
Lord 
by 
sacrifice--consecrating 
their 
little 
all 
of 
time, 
talent, 
in­ 
fluence, 
prospects. 
Having 
eonsel'rated, 
they 
are 
to 
maintain 
this 
attitudo 
of 
consecration 
daily, 
hourly-presenting 
thpir 
bodies 
"living 
sacrifices, 
holy, 
acceptablp 
to 
God, 
and 
their 
reasonable 
service.-Rom. 
12: 
1. 
If 
weak 
or 
fallen 
according 
to 
the 
flesh, 
these 
are 
to 
re­ 
member 
that 
they 
are 
no 
longer 
fleshly 
or 
11\1man 
beings, 
and 
that 
the 
weaknesses 
are 
not 
theirs; 
for 
tlH'y 
are 
now 
new 
creatures 
in 
Christ 
Jesus, 
to 
whom 
old 
things 
have 
passpd 
away 
and 
all 
things 
have 
hpC'ome 
new. 
They 
have 
new 
ambi­ 
tions, 
new 
ideals, 
and 
new 
relationship 
with 
God. 
They 
do 
not 
love 
sin, 
but 
love 
righteousness. 
They 
hate 
sin. 
Thpy 
have 
enlisted 
to 
death 
to 
war 
a 
warfare 
against 
sin, 
especially 
in 
thpjr 
own 
flesh. 
They 
have 
the 
satisfac·tion 
of 
knowing 
that 
while 
fellowmen 
might 
not 
see 
their 
hattlings, 
might 
not 
know 
of 
the 
courageous 
effort 
they 
put 
forth 
in 
opposition 
to 
sin, 
yet 
the 
Lord 
looketh 
not 
at 
the 
outward 
man, 
but 
at 
tile 
heart, 
and 
his 
judgment 
is 
not 
according 
to 
the 
f1p"h, 
hut 
according 
to 
the 
spirit-the 
mind, 
the 
intention, 
the 
endeavor. 
Thus 
thpre 
are 
some 
great, 
valiant 
soldiers 
of 
the 
eross, 
whom 
the 
world 
knows 
not; 
but 
all 
of 
these 
will 
enntually 
bl' 
crowned 
and 
have 
a 
share 
with 
,Jesus 
in 
his 
kingdom. 
THE 
CHRISTIAN'S 
THIRD 
COMMANDMENT 
At 
first 
it 
would 
apppar 
that 
these 
two 
l'ornmandn\(,llts 
itemized 
bv 
Jesus 
would 
include 
everything 
that 
could 
be 
r"­ 
quired 
by 
"justice; 
and 
so 
they 
do. 
J 
usti('p 
J'('ljuirps 
nothing 
more 
than 
what 
these 
two 
commands 
inc·lude. 
\Vhy 
then 
did 
Jesus 
give 
another 
command-a 
third 
onl'-a 
I)('-W 
onc, 
over 
and 
above 
anything 
that 
the 
divine 
law 
required? 
We 
rpply 
that 
this 
third 
commandment 
is 
not 
applicable 
to 
any 
pxcept 
those 
who 
become 
the 
disciplrs 
of 
,Jesus; 
he 
voluntar­ 
ily 
put 
this 
regulation 
upon 
himself. 
and 
laid 
down 
his 
lifr 
saerificially-a 
thing 
which 
no 
law 
could 
justly 
demand. 
The 
Father 
did 
not 
require 
that 
Jesus 
should 
do 
this 
in 
the 
se·nsp 
of 
commanding 
him 
to 
do 
it; 
but 
he 
did 
require 
it 
in 
thp 
sense 
that 
he 
promised 
glory, 
honor, 
immortalit~,. 
the 
divine 
nature 
and 
the 
Messianic 
kingdom 
to 
the 
saintly 
One 
who 
would 
enter 
the 
covenant 
of 
sacrifice. 
,Jpsus, 
therefore, 
in 
entering 
this 
cOYenant 
of 
,.,acrifice, 
did 
more 
than 
what 
thc 
law 
given 
to 
1;;rael 
required. 
TllPreforp, 
when 
pointing 
out 
to 
his 
disciples 
the 
conditions 
upon 
which 
he 
would 
be 
their 
Al!voC'a 
tp, 
and 
the 
conditions 
uJlon 
which 
h,' 
waul 
11 
guarantee 
to 
thcm 
a 
share 
with 
hirnsplf 
in 
the 
hpavpnly 
things, 
he 
specified 
the 
importanpe 
of 
thi~ 
third 
commandnH'nt. 
"A 
new 
commandment 
I 
give 
unt.o 
you-that 
:Vl' 
love 
one 
an­ 
other 
as 
I 
have 
loved 
you." 
( 
John 
13: 
34) 
St. 
Paul 
points 
out 
that 
Christ 
loved 
us 
to 
the 
l'xtent 
of 
dying 
for 
us, 
and 
that 
all 
of 
the 
true 
followers 
of 
Je~us, 
posspssecl 
of 
his 
spirit. 
should 
likewise 
count 
it 
a 
joy 
to 
be 
permitted 
to 
lay 
down 
their 
li\'ps 
in 
the 
service 
of 
the 
brdhrpn. 
"We 
ought 
to 
lay 
down 
our 
lives 
for 
the 
brethren." 
Gradually 
the 
eyes 
of 
our 
unclprstanding 
have 
he 
en 
oppn­ 
ing 
wider 
and 
wider 
to 
spe 
the 
lengths 
and 
breadths 
an,1 
hpights 
and 
depths 
of 
the 
love 
of 
(iod; 
and 
as 
a 
result 
we 
have 
been 
striving 
more 
and 
more 
to 
love 
and 
to 
serve 
our 
God 
with 
all 
our 
heart, 
mind, 
being, 
strength. 
More 
and 
more. 
also, 
we 
have 
learned 
to 
appreciate 
the 
necessity 
for 
dealing 
justly 
and 
kindly 
with 
the 
mpmhprs 
of 
our 
families, 
with 
our 
neighbors, 
with 
all 
mankind-loving 
our 
neighbors 
as 
ourselves. 
We 
may 
have 
congratlllatpd 
ourselves 
on 
the 
progress 
we 
have 
bepn 
n 
1 
aking, 
and 
surely 
we 
all 
need 
some 
encouragements 
while 
battling 
with 
the 
old 
nature! 
THE 
SOURCE 
OF 
OUR 
SEVEREST 
TRIALS 
But 
now, 
behold 
the 
new 
commandment, 
requiring 
a 
st.ill 
greater 
devotion 
to 
the 
will 
of 
our 
Father 
and 
to 
the 
leader­ 
ship 
of 
our 
Savior! 
The 
rule 
of 
righteousness 
is 
to 
be 
oh­ 
served 
toward 
our 
hf'avpnlv 
Father 
aIllI 
toward 
all 
our 
nl 
igh­ 
bors; 
but 
toward 
the 
brethrpn 
of 
the 
household 
of 
faith 
wp 
are 
to 
do 
more 
than 
the 
right-we 
are 
to 
suITer, 
we 
are 
to 
sacrifice 
on 
thpir 
behalf, 
in 
their 
interests. 
"\\-e 
ought 
also 
to 
lay 
down 
our 
lives 
for 
the 
brethn·n." 
Oh, 
what 
a 
sparch­ 
ing 
proposition 
this 
eovenant 
of 
sae.rillee 
i~! 
How 
strange 
that 
it 
should 
be 
on 
behalf 
of 
the 
bn,thrpn 
that 
we 
should 
be 
('xppetpd 
to 
saerifice, 
to 
lay 
down 
our 
lins! 
At 
first 
some 
01)(1 
might 
say, 
"To 
sacrifiee 
will 
be 
a 
very 
easy 
mattl'r 
when 
it 
is 
done 
in 
the 
intPrests 
of 
the 
brethren, 
more 
RO 
than 
if 
done 
for 
the 
WOrlll." 
Howpvpr, 
expprience 
shows 
that 
many 
of 
God's 
dear 
people, 
striving 
to 
keep 
the 
first 
two 
eommandments, 
find 
it 
more 
easy 
to 
sacrifice 
time, 
influpnce 
and 
strength 
in 
the 
service 
of 
the 
world 
than 
in 
the 
service 
of 
the 
brethren. 
flomehow 
we 
are 
inclined 
to 
expect 
more 
from 
the 
brethren 
than 
from 
othprs, 
and 
inelined 
to 
make 
less 
allowance 
for 
weaknesses 
in 
the 
brpthren 
than 
in 
others. 
There 
seems 
to 
be 
no 
condition 
in 
whieh 
God's 
people 
are 
more 
tried 
as 
re~pects 
thpir 
Rpiritual 
graces 
than 
by 
onp 
[5947] 
SEPTEMBER 1, 1916 ponding price, the great Redeemer will take over his purchased possession—man and his earthly home—and for a thousand years will exercise his privilege of assisting all the members of Adam’s family who are willing to rise up out of sin, imperfection and death conditions to human perfection and everlasting life. Those blessings could not come under the Law Covenant, because mankind could not keep the Law Covenant; but they will come to the willing and obedient under the gracious terms of the New Covenant, which promises mercy and forgiveness, and the taking away of the stony heart and the giving instead the heart of flesh and the renewing of a right spirit in all of those who will be rightly exercised the corrections and glorious privileges of Messiah’s kingom. CHRISTIANS HAVE THREE COMMANDMENTS Christians—disciples or followers of Jesus—from amongst the Gentiles never were under the Mosaic Law given at Mount Sinai. They are received into God’s family as sons under a different covenant—the one which reads: “Gather my saints together unto me,” saith the Lord, “those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” (Psalm 50:5) Jesus, after keeping fully all the conditions and requirements of the Law Covenant, under which he was born, was permitted to respond to this covenant of Sacrifice. He was first, the Chief, the Head of the household of saints who entered into this covenant of sacrifice with God—agreeing to saerifice his earthly life and all its rights in the doing of the Father’s will even unto death. It was his faithfulness in this that gained for him the better resurrection to glory, honor and immortality—-the divine nature. During this Gospel age. some saintly ones have responded to the Lord’s invitation to walk in Jesus’ steps. Through the merit of his sacrifice, Jesus was privileged to be the Advocate with the Father on behalf of all this company called to be his bride class and joint-heirs. He has imputed his merit to their sacrifice, thus making it complete and acceptable in the Father’s sight. Fach one of the followers of Jesus, energized by his spirit of devotion, not only makes the covenant, hut fulfils it, with the assistance of his glorious Redeemer. Thus eventually they will come off through him “more than conquerors.” and be joint-heirs in the kingdom. To these the Apostle writes. “Ye are not under the law, hut under grace.” These are not under the Law Covenant, requiring of them absolute and perfect obedience to every item of the Jewish law. ‘They are under grace, or divine favor, which does not require the fulfilment of the whole of the law by them—a requirement which they could not fulfil, Instead, as the Apostle tells us. “the righteousness of the law fits real requirement, the sririt of its requirement] is fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:4) Thus, although not under the Law Covenant, the will of God, which was the spirit of the Jewish law. is binding upon every Christian in proportion to his knowledge of it. THE CHRISTIAN’S FIRST AND SECOND COMMANDS Speaking of the spirit of the law. applicable to angels, to the world of mankind and to Christians. Jesus declared it to he briefly comprehended in two commandments, The first of these is, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, being and strength.” The second is, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ Every Christian and every angel recognizes that law and feels a responsibility to it to the extent of his ability; but neither angels nor Christians are under the Law Covenant—that covenant was made only with the nation of Israel. Every follower of Jesus should realize that if he has enlisted under the banner of divine righteoushess and truth he has pledged his very life in this service as a soldier of the cross. How then could he do less than his very best in loving and serving his heavenly Father with all his mind, being and strength? Tow could he decline the divine requirement to love his neighbor as himself—-to be kind, generous, not selfish? True, the new creature may find difficulty in devoting all of his mind and strength to the Lord and in dealing in perfect fairness with all his fellow-creatures. But this is the new ereature’s desire and intention, and to accomplish which he must strive daily, and war a good warfare against the natural inherited weaknesses of his old nature—his flesh. In proportion to his love for the Lord will be his zeal in this warfare; and proportionate also will he the reward that will be given him in the end by the heavenly Father. But what an unseen warfare is being waged amongst the followers of the Lord wherever they are! The world sees not and knows not of this conflict; but it is very real, and the Lord takes note of the loyalty and faithfulness of these covenanters—these who have made a covenant with the Lord THE WATCH TOWER (259-260) by sacrifice—consecrating their little all of time, talent, influence, prospects. Having consecrated, they are to maintain this attitude of consecration daily, hourly—presenting their bodies “living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God, and their reasonable service.—Rom. 12:1. If weak or fallen according to the flesh, these are to remember that they are no longer fleshly or human beings, and that the weaknesses are not theirs; for they are now new creatures in Christ Jesus, to whom old things have passed away and all things have become new. They have new ambitions, new ideals, and new relationship with God. They do not love sin, but love righteousness. They hate sin. They have enlisted to death to war a warfare against sin, especially in their own flesh. They have the satisfaction of knowing that while fellowmen might not see their battlings, might not know of the courageous effort they put forth in opposition to sin, yet the Lord looketh not at the outward man, but at the heart, and his judgment is not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit—the mind, the intention, the endeavor. Thus there are some great, valiant soldiers of the cross, whom the world knows not; but all of these will eventually be crowned and have a share with Jesus in his kingdom. THE CHRISTIAN’S THIRD COMMANDMENT At first it would appear that these two commandments itemized by Jesus would include everything that could be required by justice; and so they do. Justice requires nothing more than what these two commands include. Why then did Jesus give another command—a third one—a_ new one, over and above anything that the divine law required? We reply that this third commandment is not applicable to any except those who become the disciples of Jesus; he voluntarily put this regulation upon himself, and laid down his life sacrificially—a thing which no law could justly demand. ‘The Father did not require that Jesus should do this in the sense of commanding him to do it; but he did require it in the sense that he promised glory, honor, immortality. the divine nature and the Messianic kingdom to the saintly One who would enter the covenant of sacrifice. Jesus, therefore, in entering this covenant of sacrifice, did more than what the law given to Israel required. Therefore, when pointing out to his disciples the conditions upon which he would be their Advocate, and the conditions upon which he would guarantee to them a share with himself in the heavenly things, he specified the importance of this third commandment. “A new commandment I give unto you—that ve love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34) St. Paul points out that Christ loved us to the extent of dying for us, and that all of the true followers of Jesus, possessed of his spirit. should likewise count it a joy to be permitted to lay down their lives in the service of the brethren. “We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” Gradually the eyes of our understanding have been opening wider and wider to see the lengths and breadths and heights and depths of the love of God; and as a result we have been striving more and more to love and to serve our God with all our heart, mind, being, strength. More and more, also, we have learned to appreciate the necessity for dealing justly and kindly with the members of our families, with our neighbors, with all mankind—loving our neighbors as ourselves. We may have congratulated ourselves on the progress we have been making, and surely we all need some encouragements while battling with the old nature! THE SOURCE OF OUR SEVEREST TRIALS But now, behold the new commandment, requiring a still greater devotion to the will of our Father and to the leadership of our Savior! The rule of righteousness is to be observed toward our heavenly Father and toward all our ncighbors; but toward the brethren of the household of faith we are to do more than the right—we are to suffer, we are to sacrifice on their behalf, in their interests. “We ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren.” Oh, what a searching proposition this covenant of sacrifice is! How strange that it should be on behalf of the brethren that we should be expected to sacrifice, to lay down our lives! At first some one might say, “To sacrifice will be a very easy matter when it is done in the interests of the brethren, more so than if done for the world.” Wowever, experience shows that many of God’s dear people, striving to keep the first two commandments, find it more easy to sacrifice time, influence and strength in the service of the world than in the service of the brethren. Somehow we are inclined to expect more from the brethren than from others, and inclined to make less allowance for weaknesses in the brethren than in others. There seems to be no condition in which God’s people are more tried as respects their spiritual graces than by one [5947]

Ez a honlap cookie-kat használ a honlap és a felhasználói élmény fejlesztésére. A honlap további használatával hozzájárulsz a cookie-k használatához. Ha további információt szeretnél, vagy ha nem szeretnél hozzájárulni a cookie-k használatához, kérünk, látogass el az Adatvédelmi irányelvek    Használati feltételek    oldalra.