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YOLo
XXXIII
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y.,
AUGUST
15,
1912
THE
MARK
OF
CRYSTALLIZATION
OF
CHARACTER
No.
16
"Brethren.
I
taunt
not
myself
to
have
apprehended
j
but
t7Ms
one
thing
I
do,
forgetting
those
things
that
are
behind,
and
reach
ing
forth
unto
those
things
whieh
are
before,
I
press
toward
the
lcork
for
the
prize
of
the
high
calling
of
God
in
Christ
Jesus."-Phil.
3:
13,
14.
In
the
epistle
to
the
Philippians,
St.
Paul
expresses
his
full
time
of
his
consl'cration;
and
he
maintainl'd
himsrlf
at
the
appreciation
of
his
opportunity
to
gain
a
prize,
something
mark.
As
a
sacrifice
he
would
have
heen
acceptable
at
any
worthy
of
laying
hold
upon,
of
grasping
fully,
of
getting
pos-
time.
It
was
his
part
to
consecrate
his
life
and
not
to
hold
session
of.
'Vhat
was
that
for
which
the
grl'at
Apostle
was
it
back.
It
was
the
Father's
part
so
to
arrange
matters
that
striving
and
which
he
had
not
yet
attained?
He
spoke
of
this
the
Jewfl
might
not
take
our
Lord
until
the
Father's
hour
for
thing
a"
a
prj,.:e,
which
he
was
pressing
along
to
win.
him
had
come.
In
everything
that
he
did
he
suhmittrd
him-
'Ve
may
view
"the
mark
for
the
prize
of
the
high
calling"
self
to
the
Father's
will.
Our
Lortl
spokr
of
his
"cup"
as
the
from
two
stanrlpoints,
both
of
which
are
correct.
From
one
one
which
the
Father
had
preparcd
for
him.-.Tohn
IS:
11.
standpoint,
this
mark
is
that
of
heart-likeness
to
God's
dear
If
our
Lord
had
dcterminl'rl
for
himself
the
timl'
and
the
Son,
of
perfection
of
intention.
of
love
for
righteousness,
for
mannl'r
of
his
dl'ath.
then
he
wa,s
pouring
thp
pup.
If
the
Jews
God,
for
tIl('
brethren
of
Christ.
and
for
the
world,
even
our
had
determined
these
points.
then
thry
wert'
pouring
the
cup.
enemies.
This
degree
of
character-development
should
be
at-
But
neither
our
Lord
nor
the
,Jews
did
so.
for
hoth
time
and
tained
as
early
as
possible
in
our
Christian
experience,
and
manner
were
foretold
by
the
propheh.
Onr
Lord
took
the
cup
should
be
such
that,
were
we
to
die
at
any
time
after
its
attain-
and
a('ceptf'd
it
as
the
Father's
providence
for
him.
If
the
ment,
God
would
count
us
worthy
of
a
share
in
the
first
resur-
Father's
providence
had
led
to
his
death
a
year
soonl'r
or
two
rection.
years
soonl'r.
if
the
Father's
will
had
heen
l'xpn'ssNI
in
onr
From
the
other
standpoint.
this
"mark
for
the
prize
of
the
Lord's
crucifixion
at
an
earlicr
timl',
evpn
thl'n
it
would
have
high
calling"
is
that
of
crystallization
of
character
in
the
like-
bl'en
well
with
him.
But
he
"learned
obl'r!ience
by
the
things
ness
of
our
Lord.
After
having
attained
a
heart-likeness
to
which
he
sufTercd."-Heh.
Ii:
8:
2:
10.
Christ,
we
must
hold
it
fast,
and
see
that
in
an
the
testings
At
Jordan
our
Lonl
was
shown
to
be
perfcct
and
to
have
which
the
Lord
permits
to
come
upon
us.
we
are
counted
by
made
a
perfect
('onsecration.
both
by
the
descl'nt
of
the
holy
him
as
overcomers,
not
in
our
own
strength,
but
in
that
of
our
Spirit
and
by
the
voicf'
of
.Tehovah.
(Matt.
3:
16.
17)
He
had
Redeemer.
This
mark
of
crystallized
character
is
not
attained
also
a
perfect
body-though
it
waR
earthly-in
whi('h
the
new
so
early
in
our
Christian
experience
as
is
the
mark
of
character-
creature
operated.
But
his
ohedi('n('e
must
be
teRted-his
development.
But
by
fighting
the
good
fight
until
the
end
of
loyalty
even
unto
death.
Whatever
the
degree
of
testing
to
our
course,
we
crystallize
our
characters
in
love
for
the
prin-
which
our
Lord
might
have
been
suhjecterl.
it
waR
just
the
cipleR
of
righteousness,
for
God,
for
the
brethren
and
even
for
right
amount.
according
to
the
Father's
wisdom.
Our
Lord
our
enemiefl.
If
thus
faithful,
we
shall
win
the
prize
of
glory,
would
have
been
just
aA
mu('h
an
oveuom('r
had
he
died
at
any
honor
and
immortality.
time
after
biA
('onRe('ration.
But
if
he
had
died
flooner
than
PERFECTION,
NOT
CONSECRATION,
THE
MARK
he
did,
it
would
merely
have
proved
that
the
Father
did
not
There
is
no
reason
to
think
that
our
conflecration
is
the
require
aA
mu('h
eviden('e
of
our
Lord'A
faithfulness
and
loyalty
mark;
for
our
testing.
our
proving
comes
after
our
eonseera-
as
he
did
require.
tion,
and
not
before
it.
No
one
would
be
at
the
mark
merely
OUR
LORD
AN
OVERCOMER
AT
CONSECRATION
because
he
iR
conse('rated,
but
because
he
had
endured
the
test-
Here
some
one
may
aflk,
"lfI
it
proper
to
say
that
our
Lord
ing,
thus
proving
that
hifl
conse('ration
was
from
the
heart
and
was
an
overcomer
as
a
new
creature
at
the
time
when
he
made
that
he
waA
sincere
in
the
devotion
of
his
every
power
to
the
his
consecration?"
service
of
God.
We
cannot
suppose
that
the
mark
is
reached
Our
answer
is,
Yes.
An
overcomer
is
a
vi('tor.
The
word
the
next
moment
after
conflecration.
Some
degree
of
character-
does
not
imply
that
a
man
haR
('ompleted
the
victory.
however;
development
must
be
pORsessed;
there
must
be
some
mark
of
for
we
sometimes
say.
He
will
lead
them
from
vi
('tory
to
vic
character.
in
order
that
God
may
count
that
person
worthy
of
tory.
So
with
our
Lord.
He
continued
faithful
as
an
over
everlasting
life.
comer
down
unto
death;
but
he
waA
not
counted
aA
an
over-
God's
standard
of
character
is
perfection,
which
must
be
comer
until
death.
Between
the
Father
and
our
Lord
as
a
maintained
by
loyalty
and
obedience
under
whatever
tests
he
human
being
there
was
no
Mediator,
and
as
a
new
creature
permits
to
come
to
individuals
upon
any
plane
of
life.
No
one
there
was
neither
robe
to
cover
nor
advocate
to
r<>present
in
will
get
the
prize
of
everlasting
life
unless
he
successfully
case
of
any
deviation
from
the
will
of
God;
and
the
slightest
paRses
those
tests.
'Ve
realize
that
the
church
has
been
under
deflection
therefrom
would
have
meant
the
second
death.
trial
throughout
the
Gospel
age,
aA
to
her
worthiness
to
obtain
The
Scriptures
give
us
two
picturefl
of
om
Lord
aA
an
over
"glory,
honor
and
immortality"-joint-heirship
with
her
Lord.
comer
at
his
consecration,
where
he
gained
the
first
great
vic-
-R~~'-m8
~~7e'
ScriphIres
we
learn
that
throughout
the
Mes-
tory
over
his
flesh.
The
first
of
these
pictures
(Lev.
16:
11),
the
killing
of
the
bullock
on
the
Day
of
Atonement.
represents
sianic
age
the
world
will
be
tried
by
The
Christ,
and
that
even
the
death
of
our
Lord's
humanity
at
the
moment
when
he
('on
after
passing
that
test
they
will
not
receive
the
reward
of
ever-
secrated
himself
at
Jordan.
There
he
gained
a
victory
and
laRting
life
until
God
Rhall
have
proved
them
at
the
end
of
continued
victorious
until
the
end
of
his
('ourse.
Christ's
reign
by
loosing
Satan
for
a
"little
season."
(I
Cor.
d
lli:24;
Rev.
20:7-10)
The
fact
that
the
world
ifl
thus
to
be
The
second
picture
is
found
in
Rev.
1i:2-7.
Here
our
Lor
G
is
represented
by
a
newly
slain
lamb.
He
was
not
this
newly
tried
by
both
The
Christ
and
od
confirms
the
thought
that
slain
lamb
at
his
death
when
he
had
finished
hiR
course.
but
God
has
a
standard.
or
mark.
of
character
to
be
attained
by
at
his
conReeration.
when
he
began
his
('ourse.
The
proc1ama
all
those
who
are
loyal.and
obedient
to
him-on
any
plane
of
tion
whi('h
the
Revelator
hl'ard
was.
"'Vho
is
worthv,
to
open
the
existen('e.
book,
and
to
loose
the
seals
thereof?"
'Ve
read
that
John
wept
'Vhile
this
mark
of
character
to
be
attained
by
the
world
much.
"And
one
of
the
elders
saith
unto
me,
'Veep
not:
be-
during
Messiah's
reign
is
not
the
one
to
which
St.
Paul
refers
hold
the
Lion
of
the
tribe
of
Judah,
the
Root
of
David.
hath
in
our
text,
neverthelesR
there
is
such
a
character-mark
to
be
f
reached
bv
mankind.
Those
who
then
attain
the
mark
will
prevailed
to
open
the
book
and
to
loose
the
seven
seals
thereo
have
ewriasting
life
on
the
human
plane.
But
those
who
at-
.
.
.
.
And
he
came
and
took
the
book
out
of
the
right
hand
tain
thl'
mark
to
whidl
the
Apostle
refers
will
be
given
eternal
of
him
that
sat
upon
the
throne."
Our
Lord
alone
was
worthy
of
the
honor
of
receiving
the
divine
plan
into
his
care.
We
also
life
on
the
divine
plane.
read
that
John
looked
and
saw
the
newly
slain
Lamb
open
the
THE
MARK
OF
CHARACTER-CRYSTALLIZATION
book.-Rev.6.
The
Apostle
was
a
noble
example
of
one
who
had
reached
After
our
Lord
had
entered
upon
his
consecration
he
was
the
mark.
So
far
as
we
know,
he
was
ready
to
die
at
any
the
newly
slain
Lamb.
Then
the
Father
gave
into
his
hand
time;
hen('e
it
was
not
this
mark
of
character-development
to
the
scron
of
the
great
divine
plan
of
the
ages-the
scroll
written
whi('h
he
had
not
attained.
He
had
not
vet
attained
to
the
on
both
inside
and
outside.
The
outside
he
was
already
able
prize
itself.
anrl
could
not
do
so
until
his
change
should
come.
to
read.
But
the
inside.
which
contained
information
on
spir
He
waR
constantly
pressing
along.
trusting
that
God
would
itual
things,
remained
sealed.
give
him
all
the
things
that
are
in
reservation
for
"them
that
As
soon
as
our'Lord
came
up
out
of
the
water
after
his
love
him."
(I
Cor.
2:
9)
We
could
not
think
the
Apostle
to
baptism,
he
was
begotten
of
the
holy
Spirit
and
began
to
under
mean
that
he
would
reaeh
this
mark
of
character-development
stand
spiritual
things.
"The
heavens
[higher
things]
were
opened
just
at
the
moment
before
death.
This
would
be
an
absurdity
unto
him."
The
time
when
he
began
to
be
considered
the
slain
of
thought.
Lamb,
the
time
when
the
scroll
was
delivered
to
him,
was
the
Our
Lord
Jesus
was
at
the
mark
of
perfect
character
at
the
time
of
his
consecration.
(255-256)
[5080]
Vou. XXXII BROOKLYN, N. Y., AUGUST 15, 1912 No. 16 THE MARK OF CRYSTALLIZATION OF CHARACTER “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the work for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.’—Phil. 3:13, 14. In the epistle to the Philippians, St. Paul expresses his full appreciation of his opportunity to gain a prize, something worthy of laying hold upon, of grasping fully, of getting possession of. What was that for which the great Apostle was striving and which he had not yet attained? He spoke of this thing as a prize, which he was pressing along to win. We may view “the mark for the prize of the high calling” from two standpoints, both of which are correct. From one standpoint, this mark is that of heart-likeness to God’s dear Son, of perfection of intention, of love for righteousness, for God, for the brethren of Christ, and for the world, even our enemies. This degree of character-development should be attained as early as possible in our Christian experience, and should be such that, were we to die at any time after its attainment, God would count us worthy of a share in the first resurrection, From the other standpoint. this “mark for the prize of the high calling” is that of crystallization of character in the likeness of our Lord. After having attained a heart-likeness to Christ, we must hold it fast, and see that in all the testings which the Lord permits to come upon us, we are counted by him as overcomers, not in our own strength, but in that of our Redeemer. This mark of crystallized character is not attained so early in our Christian experience as is the mark of characterdevelopment. But by fighting the good fight until the end of our course, we crystallize our characters in love for the principles of righteousness, for God, for the brethren and even for our enemies. If thus faithful, we shall win the prize of glory, honor and immortality. PERFECTION, NOT CONSECRATION, THE MARK There is no reason to think that our consecration is the mark; for our testing, our proving comes after our consecration, and not before it. No one would be at the mark merely because he is consecrated, but because he had endured the testing, thus proving that his consecration was from the heart and that he was sincere in the devotion of his every power to the service of God. We cannot suppose that the mark is reached the next moment after consecration. Some degree of characterdevelopment must be possessed; there must be some mark of character, in order that God may count that person worthy of everlasting life. God’s standard of character is perfection, which must be maintained by loyalty and obedience under whatever tests he permits to come to individuals upon any plane of life. No one will get the prize of everlasting life unless he successfully passes those tests. We realize that the church has been under trial throughout the Gospel age, as to her worthiness to obtain “glory, honor and immortality’—joint-heirship with her Lord. —Rom. 8:17. From the Scriptures we learn that throughout the Messianic age the world will be tried by The Christ, and that even after passing that test they will not receive the reward of everlasting life until God shall have proved them at the end of Christ’s reign by loosing Satan for a “little season.” (1 Cor. 15:24; Rev. 20:7-10) The fact that the world is thus to be tried by both The Christ and God confirms the thought that God has a standard, or mark, of character to be attained by all those who are loyal and obedient to him—on any plane of existence. While this mark of character to be attained by the world during Messiah’s reign is not the one to which St. Paul refers in our text, nevertheless there is such a character-mark to be reached by mankind. Those who then attain the mark will have everlasting life on the human plane. But those who attain the mark to which the Apostle refers will be given eternal life on the divine plane. THE MARK OF CHARACTER-CRYSTALLIZATION The Apostle was a noble example of one who had reached the mark. So far as we know, he was ready to die at any time; hence it was not this mark of character-development to which he had not attained. He had not vet attained to the prize itself. and could not do so until his change should come. He was constantly pressing along, trusting that God would give him all the things that are in reservation for “them that love him.” (1 Cor. 2:9) We could not think the Apostle to mean that he would reach this mark of character-development just at the moment before death. This would be an absurdity of thought. Our Lord Jesus was at the mark of perfect character at the (255-256) time of his consecration; and he maintained himself at the mark. As a sacrifice he would have been acceptable at any time. It was his part to consecrate his life and not to hold it back. It was the Father’s part so to arrange matters that the Jews might not take our Lord until the Father’s hour for him had come. In everything that he did he submitted himself to the Father’s will. Our Lord spoke of his “cup” as the one which the Father had prepared for him—John 18:11. If our Lord had determined for himself the time and the manner of his death, then he was pouring the cup. If the Jews had determined these points, then they were pouring the cup. But neither our Lord nor the Jews did so, for hoth time and manner were foretold by the prophets. Our Lord took the cup and accepted it as the Father's providence for him. If the Father’s providence had led to his death a year sooner or two years sooner, if the Father’s will had been expressed in our Lord’s crucifixion at an earlicr time, even then it would have been well with him. But he “learned obedience by the things which he suffered.”—Heb. 5:8; 2:10. At Jordan our Lord was shown to he perfect and to have made a perfect consecration. both by the descent of the holy Spirit and by the voice of Jehovah. (Matt. 3:16.17) He had also a perfect body—though it was earthly—in which the new creature operated. But his obedience must be tested—his loyalty even unto death. Whatever the degree of testing to which our Lord might have been subjected, it was just the right amount, according to the Father’s wisdom. Our Lord would have been just as much an overcomer had he died at any time after his consecration. But if he had died sooner than he did, it would merely have proved that the Father did not require as much evidence of our Lord’s faithfulness and loyalty as he did require. OUR LORD AN OVERCOMER AT CONSECRATION Here some one may ask, “Is it proper to say that our Lord wag an overcomer as a new creature at the time when he made his consecration?” Our answer is, Yes. An overcomer is a victor. The word does not imply that a man has completed the victory, however ; for we sometimes say, He will lead them from victory to vietory. So with our Lord. He continued faithful ag an overcomer down unto death; but he was not counted as an overcomer until death. Between the Father and our Lord as a human being there was no Mediator, and as a new creature there was neither robe to cover nor advocate to represent in case of any deviation from the will of God; and the slightest deflection therefrom would have meant the second death. The Scriptures give us two pictures of our Lord as an overcomer at his consecration, where he gained the first great victory over his flesh. The first of these pictures (Lev. 16:11), the killing of the bullock on the Day of Atonement, represents the death of our Lord’s humanity at the moment when he consecrated himself at Jordan. There he gained a victory and continued victorious until the end of his course. The second picture is found in Rev. 5:2-7. Here our Lord is represented by a newly slain lamb. He was not this newly slain lamb at his death when he had finished his course, but at his consecration, when he began his course. The proclamation which the Revelator heard was. “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” We read that John wept much, “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof .... And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.” Our Lord alone was worthy of the honor of receiving the divine plan into his care. We also read that John looked and saw the newly slain Lamb open the book.—Rev. 6. After our Lord had entered upon his consecration he was the newly slain Lamb. Then the Father gave into his hand the scroll of the great divine plan of the ages—the scroll written on both inside and outside. The outside he was already able to read. But the inside, which contained information on spiritual things, remained sealed. As soon as our’Lord came up out of the water after his baptism, he was begotten of the holy Spirit and began to understand spiritual things, “The heavens [higher things] were opened unto him.” The time when he began to be considered the slain Lamb, the time when the scroll was delivered to him, wag the time of his consecration. [5080]
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