VOL.
LX. November/December 1977 No. 6 Report of Pilgrim Visit to Britain "Fashioned Like Unto His Glorious Body" Glory to God in the Highest
"For
unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, FOUR
MILLENNIUMS had passed by since that tragic day when, through the disobedience
of one, sin had entered to mar God's perfect creation. Four millenniums, which
had seen the blight of ever-increasing sin and degradation take their toll in
the sufferings of humanity. Four thousand years of woe--sickness, pain, death.
The night of weeping ever darker, -- the future ever more hopeless. A spectacle,
surely, to awaken the pity and compassion of the heavenly hosts, who from the
beginning had been observers of the sad plight of the children of Adam. What a
dreadful torrent of evil had been unloosed by that one act of selfwill, and
how oft must it have been regretted. But no way of repentance, though sought
with tears, could revoke the inexorable decree: "Dying, thou shalt
die." The downward course of man continued with increasing tempo as age
followed age, generation succeeding generation, "'born but to die,"
till any ray of hope which may have resided in the human breast must have been
well-nigh extinguished. Man himself was helpless, unable to give a ransom for
his brother, and heaven seemed not to heed. "Long Lay the World in Sin and Error Pining"But indeed, was heaven heedless? Was there no ray of sunshine to rift the clouds of darkness for the groaning creation? Ah yes, and therein lies the story, the sweetest story, which shall never grow old though oft we hear it. It is the story of divine love, the story of Jesus, the gift of God to reveal that love for the world. For God had not forsaken His creation, and His ears were open to their cry. Yes, He had in all ages revealed glimpses of His purpose for humanity, though often in dark sayings and mysterious rites. For beginning with the words spoken in Eden, the socalled Proto-evangelism which foretold the Seed, and continuing through the promises to Abraham and the succeeding patriarchs, and through Moses, David, and the prophets -- we can trace the word of hope which kindled the spark of faith to await the Promised One. And there were not wanting those who had clung to these precious rays of divine hope and who waited for the "consolation of Israel." To Israel, awaiting their restoration and future preeminent glory at Messiah's advent, this was the promise unto which, in their "instant service night and day, the twelve tribes hoped to come. To this "sure word of prophecy," they would "take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place," until the day should dawn, and the day-star arise in their hearts. And this Messianic hope gave meaning to their worship, filled them with patience in suffering, kept them separate from the nations around, and ever fixed their hearts and thoughts upon Him who was to come. And now the signs of His advent were discernible, and at any moment there might burst upon them the gladsome tidings that He had appeared. With what earnest longing, with what eagerness of gaze did they await the dawn of the long-expected day; and lo, it is at hand, and the first step in preparation for Him is about to take place. Zacharias, the Under-PriestIt
was the time of the morning sacrifice. Within the courts of the great temple
all had long been busy. Priests and Levites hastened about their duties, and as
the massive temple-gates slowly swung on their hinges, a threefold blast from
the silver trumpets of the priests seemed to awaken the Holy City in a summons
which could not leave unmoved patriot, saint, or stranger. It was scarcely
daybreak, but already the preparations for the offering of the lamb were ended.
And now it was brought forth, to once again make sure of its fitness for
sacrifice, to water it from a golden bowl, and then to lay it in mystic fashion
(as tradition described the binding of Isaac) on the north side of the altar
with its face to the west. In
the words of Edersheim: "All, priests and laity, were present as the
priest, standing on the east side of the altar, from a golden bowl sprinkled
with sacrificial blood two sides of the altar, below the red line which marked
the difference between ordinary sacrifices and those that were to be wholly
consumed. While the sacrifice was prepared for the altar, the priests whose lot
it was, had made ready all within the Holy Place, where the most solemn part of
the day's service was to take place -that of offering the incense. And now the
lot was cast to indicate him who was to be honored with this highest mediatorial-act. Only once in a lifetime might any enjoy that privilege. Henceforth
he was called 'rich,' and must leave to his brethren the hope of the
distinction which had been granted him. It was fitting that, as the custom
was, such lot should be preceded by prayer and confession of their faith [the
so-called Shema, consisting of Deut. 6:4-9; 11:13-21; Num. 15:37-41] on the
part of the assembled priests." In
the group, ranged that autumn morning around the superintending priest, was one
of "the course of Abia," on whom the snows of at least sixty winters
had fallen. But never during these many years had he been honored with the
office of incensing-and it was perhaps well he should have learned that this
distinction came directly from God. In many respects he seemed different from
those around. His home was not in the great centers but in a small town in the
uplands, south of Jerusalem. He was of the humbler class of the priesthood, but
yet possessed the twofold honor of being married to the daughter of a priest.
Zacharias and Elisabeth, his wife, were truly "righteous" in the
sense of walking, so far as man could judge, "blamelessly," alike in
those commandments which were specially binding on Israel, and in those
statutes that were of universal bearing on mankind. Elisabeth was childless.
For many a year this must have been the burden of Zacharias' prayer; the burden
also of reproach, which Elisabeth seemed always to carry with her. They had
waited together these many years, till in the evening of life the flower of
hope had closed its fragrant cup; and still the two sat together in the
twilight, content to wait in loneliness, till night would close around them. And now, on this day, the lot for the daily incense offering had fallen on Zacharias. In his white sacerdotal robes he entered the Holy Place that the clouds of the incense, which symbolized Israel's prayers, might herald the way for the smoke of the victim presently to be burned in their stead. And as he pours the incense on the flames, as the intercessor for his people, he too joins his supplications. We need not question what the burden of that prayer must have been with one who, like him, "waited for the consolation of Israel," and "looked for redemption." It was, doubtless, that the sins of the nation, his own sins, and the sins of his household might be forgiven; that Jehovah would accept the atonement of the lamb presently to burn on the great altar in their stead; and that the long expected Hope of Israel, the Messiah foretold by prophets, might soon appear. Zacharias' Prayer AnsweredAnd
as he prays, on the right side of the altar there appears what he could not but
recognize as an angelic form. Never, indeed, had even tradition reported such
a vision to an ordinary priest in the act of incensing. No wonder, then, that Zacharias "was troubled, and fear fell on him," as sudenly he
beheld what afterwards he knew to be the Angel Gabriel ("the might of
God"). Gabriel
had come on a mission befitting the world from which he had been sent. The hour
had arrived when the prayer which Zacharias and those like him had so long
raised, should be heard. The Messiah was about to be revealed, and the faithful
priest who had so longed for His appearing would be honored by a relationship
to Him. He had for many a year desired a son; not only would his wish be
granted at last, but the son to he horn would be the prophet, long announced,
to go before the Expected One to prepare His way. He need not fear: he who
speaks is Gabriel, the archangel, who stands in the presence of God, and as one
who always beholds the face of the great Father in heaven, lie has a tender
love to His children on earth. But
the heart is slow to receive the access of any sudden joy and to lay aside
disappointment. The thought rises in the heart of Zacharias that the glad
tidings of the birth of the Messiah may well be true; but, as to the son
promised to his wife, stricken in years as she now is, can it be possible? A
sudden dumbness, imposed at the angel's word, at once rebukes his doubt and confirms
his faith. From the Temple to Nazareth!It
seems most fitting indeed that the evangelic story should have taken its
beginning within the sanctuary, and at the time of sacrifice. But now we pass
from the forerunner to the Messiah, from the temple to Galilee, from the priest
to the humble, unlettered family of Nazareth. While Zacharias and Elisabeth
were rejoicing at their promised blessing in their quiet home in the south,
there lived in the village of Nazareth, over a hundred miles to the north of
them, a Jew of the name of Joseph, and a simple maiden named Mary who was
betrothed to him as his future wife. It was now the sixth month from the
appearance of Gabriel to Zacharias, and Mary's time of betrothal was passing
quickly away in her family home. The future herald had been pointed out, and
now the advent of the Messiah Himself was to be announced as silently and with
as little notice from men. In
the words of Edersheim: "Five months of Elisabeth's sacred retirement had
passed, when a strange messenger brought its first tidings to her kinswoman in
far-off Galilee. It was not in the solemn grandeur of the temple, between the
golden altar of incense and the seven-branched candlestick, that the Angel
Gabriel now appeared, but in the privacy of a humble home in Nazareth. The
greatest honor bestowed on man was to come amidst circumstances of deepest
human lowliness, as if the more clearly to mark the exclusively divine
character of what was to happen. And, although the awe of the Supernatural
must unconsciously have fallen upon her, it was not so much the sudden
appearance of the mysterious stranger in her retirement that startled the
maiden, as the words of his greeting, implying unthought blessing. The 'Peace
to thee' was, indeed, the well known salutation, while the words 'The Lord is
with thee' might waken the remembrance of the angelic call to great deliverance
in the past. But this designation of 'highly favored' came upon her with
bewildering surprise, perhaps not so much from its contrast to the humbleness
of her estate, as from the self-unconscious humility of her heart. And it was
intended so, for of all feelings this would now most become her. Accordingly,
it is this story of special 'favor,' or grace, which the angel traces in rapid
outline, from the conception of the virgin-mother to the distinctive, divinely-given
name, symbolic of the meaning of His coming; His absolute greatness; His
acknowledgement as the Son of God; and the fulfillment in Him of the great
Davidic hope, with its never-ceasing royalty, and its never-ending boundless
Kingdom." It
would have been no more than human weakness if doubts had risen at such an
announcement; but these the angel sets to rest, if they were springing, by
telling her that a miracle, no less wonderful than that which would happen
with herself, had already been wrought upon her relative Elisabeth. Mary's
answer is the ideal of dignified humility, and meek and reverent innocence:
"Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy
word." And presently she was alone. Blessed Mary, favored of God. If she
had but known the deeper meaning of the name Jesus, which, like an unopened
bud, enclosed the flower of His passion, that was mercifully yet the unthought
of secret of that sword which should pierce the soul of the Virgin Mother, and
which only His future history would lay open to her and to others. John the ForerunnerNow
the long-looked-for event had taken place in the home of Zacharias. A son had
been born -- the future Baptist. On the eighth day-the day of his admission
into the congregation of Israel by circumcision -- the child would receive its
name. No domestic solemnity was so important or so joyous as that in which, by
circumcision, the child had laid upon it, as it were, the yoke of the law, with
all of duty and privilege which this implied. To Zacharias and Elisabeth the
rite would have deep significance, as administered to the child of their old
age so miraculously given, and connected with such a future. It was at the
close of the rite that, in the benediction in which the child's name was
inserted, the mother had interrupted the prayer. Without explaining her reason,
she insisted that his name should not be that of his aged father, but John. Of
all this Zacharias was, though deeply interested, yet a dumb witness. But now
the father deepened the general astonishment when he wrote the same name. But
this was not the sole cause for marvel. For forthwith the tongue of the dumb
was loosed, and he who could not utter the name of the child now burst into
praise of the name of the Lord. His last words had been those of unbelief, his
first were those of praise; his last words had been a question -of doubt, his first
were a hymn of assurance. "It was all most fitting. The question of
unbelief had struck the priest dumb, for most truly unbelief cannot speak; and
the answer of faith restored to him speech, for most truly does faith loosen
the tongue. The first evidence of his dumbness had been that his tongue refused
to speak the benediction to the people; and the first evidence of his restored
power was that he spoke the benediction of God in a rapturous burst of praise
and thanksgiving. The sign of the unbelieving priest standing before the
awe-struck people, vainly essaying to make himself understood by signs, was
most fitting; most fitting also that, when 'they made signs' to him, the
believing father should burst in their hearing into a prophetic hymn." "But far and wide, as these marvelous tidings spread throughout the hill-country of Judea, fear fell on all-the fear also of a nameless hope. The silence of the long clouded day had been broken, and the light, which had suddenly riven its gloom, laid itself on their hearts in expectancy: 'What then shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord also was with Him!'" "A Thrill of Hope, the Weary World Rejoices""And
there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch
over their flock 'by night." - Luke 2:8. With
what charming simplicity does St. Luke narrate the circumstances attendant on
the greatest event in human history! An event compared with which all others
in history are insignificant, is recorded in a few words, without any attempt
at exaggeration or embellishment. And yet, simple as is the account, there is
deep fascination in the scene as it unfolded before the shepherds. The
stillness over hill and valley, broken only by the bleating of the sheep; the
unclouded brightness of the Syrian sky, with its innumerable stars; and the
associations of these mountain pastures, dear to every Jew as the scene of
David's youth -- were over and around them. The flocks were destined for
temple-sacrifices, and accordingly the shepherds were not ordinary shepherds.
To have received such surpassing honor from above, they must have been
members, though poor and humble, of that true Israel, which included Simeon and
Anna. "Of
a sudden came the long-delayed, unthought of announcement. Heaven and earth
seemed to mingle, as suddenly an angel stood before their dazzled eyes, while
the outstreaming glory of the Lord seemed to enwrap them as in a mantle of
light. Surprise, awe, fear were hushed into calm and expectancy as from the
angel they heard that what they saw boded not judgment, but ushered in to
waiting Israel the great joy of those good tidings which he brought: that the
long-promised Savior, Messiah, Lord, was born in the City of David, and that
they themselves might go and see, and recognize Him by the humbleness of the
circumstances surrounding His nativity." "Fall on Your Knees, O Hear the Angels' Voices"But
though His birth was mean on earth below, it was celebrated with hallelujahs by
the heavenly host in the air above. "And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace among men of good will." "O Night Divine, O Night when Christ was Born"The
hymn had ceased; the light faded out of the sky; and the shepherds were alone.
But the angelic message remained with them, and in amazed joy they hastened
unto Bethlehem to "see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord
hath made known unto us." And
with this thought we leave our meditation on the divine circumstances incident
to our Savior's birth. To us, in a far deeper sense, hath the Lord made know
"this thing which is come to pass." To us who can see in that Holy
Night the birth of Him who is the Hope of the world and who shall soon be revealed
in a mightier manifestation with great glory, when heaven and earth shall
together sing His praises; to us the first Christmas anthem still ever rings
with its message of "glad tidings of great joy which shall be unto all
people." - W. J. Siekman The Spiritual Beehive
"Go to the ant, thou
sluggard; consider her ways and be wise: (Our readers will be
interested to know that Brother John T. Read has observed his 100th Birthday
Anniversary October 11, 1977, and also 75 years of walking in the Christian
Way. He was honored by a special all-day gathering of upwards of 250 friends at
the church of the Cicero, Illinois, Ecclesia, on September 25, at which time he
gave a short discourse and sang several solos. Needless to say, it was a
blessed day of rejoicing and fellowship with those to whom he has so-endeared
himself by his example of true Christian discipleship.) IN
the following discussion we shall follow somewhat the injunction of the above
verse, except that we shall substitute the bee for the ant. The
hive of the honey bee presents a most interesting phenomenon and quite a
marked analogy to the household of saints of this Gospel Age. Maeterlinck, in
his "Life of the Bee," says, "They display an intelligence that,
in many respects, is superior to any other creature outside of man, with the
possible exception of the ant. Many
men have devoted their lives to the study of bees and their habits, so
consequently a great deal is known about them, but in some respects they are
still an enigma. For want of a better name, Maeterlinck speaks of the instinct
or intelligence that seems to motivate bees in all they do, as being "the
spirit of the hive," and back of that, of course, he says, is the law of
the God that made them so. The
life of the hive centers about the queen, not as an individual but as an
office. A normal hive consists of a queen, 7 or 8 princesses, several hundred
drones, 9,000 eggs, 18,000 larvae, 36,000 nymphs, and 70,000 to 90,000
unfertile females, or workers. The life of the hive is very well systematized
and ordered. Every worker knows just what is expected of it, and performs that
duty day in and day out faithfully. Just how it is, decided what each
individual bee is to do has never been definitely discovered. There is a
competent police force, but there does not seem to be any head to the organization,
for the queen is as mercilessly subject to the so-called spirit of the hive as
is each and every bee in it. The
family life of the hive is centered in the queen; she is the mother of all, for
she lays all the eggs. The drones, or males, do no work: they have no sting and
are produced and tolerated solely that the queen or princesses may have a group
from which to choose the unfortunate one with whom they mate, for he has but a
short time to live following that event. The
unfertile females, or workers, are divided into many groups, each having its own
particular duties to perform. There are the queen's bodyguard and helpers, who
see that she is properly cared for and fed; there are the nurse-maids, who look
after the eggs; and another group that feed the larvae and the nymphs; there
are the honeycomb and cell workers; there are the housekeepers, who sweep and
remove every particle of dirt; there are the guards, or police force, who watch
to see that no alien bees or other foes intrude or harm the hive; and there are
the honey-gatherers and honey-storers, whose duty it is to gather and store the
honey for future use. One
very unusual and interesting feature about bees is their positive control over
the development and future destiny of each egg. All the eggs are the same when
laid but can be developed as unfertile females or drones or princesses,
depending upon the way they are treated and fed. Another
characteristic well worthy of notice here is their utter self-sacrifice. In the
spring of the year when the new generation has developed sufficiently to care
for itself and when the hive would thus become too crowded, the old bees leave
the hive in a swarm to seek a new home, where they will begin again to provide
for those that will come after them. All the intricate construction of a well
ordered beehive and all the honey they have worked so hard to store up is left
to the young bees. To all appearances they do this joyfully; ordinarily, bees
will sting on the slightest provocation, but on this, their one national
holiday, they can be handled and picked up with bare hands. All
of this presents a very fitting analogy to the New Creation, for the Holy
Spirit, the power or force or intelligence that directs the efforts of the New
Creation, is also invisible; nevertheless, this is what begets and quickens and
energizes us and causes us to grow in Christ-likeness when we really function
as new creatures. Our invisible Head operates through this spirit, and we are
admonished to call no man (or organization) master. It is the Lord, through
His Holy Spirit in the Word of truth, that enlightens us and begets us through
the promises of that Word to the hope of a heavenly inheritance. There is
nothing in connection with our experiences as new creatures that does not
result from the Holy Spirit, and consequently from God, whose spirit it is.
Therefore, .we are admonished to "be filled with the spirit,"
otherwise we will not have proper direction and will lean to our own
understanding and desires. To be filled with the spirit, we must maintain our connection
with the fountain of life so that, as our capacity grows, we may be filled by
having the sluices and ducts of our lives open to the fountain. There
is no lack or limit to God's spirit; the measure of that spirit which we
possess is determined by our capacity to receive and by the way we keep the
channels open for its free flow. Jesus declared (Luke 11:13) that the Father is
more ready and willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than is an
earthly parent to give good gifts unto his children. The Father is willing to
give, and the spirit is there in abundance: what, then, limits the amount of
the spirit we possess? or what keeps us from being filled to overflowing?
Merely our own capacity and readiness to receive. More
than likely, in voicing this admonition to be filled with the spirit, the
apostle also had in mind the fact that we are leaky vessels and must go to the
fountain-head daily in order to keep filled. The One MotherWe
often cite the fact that we have but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one
God and Father over all; but we seldom mention the fact that we also have but
one mother common to each and all of the New Creation. Insofar as we know, we
who have been nurtured in present truth are the only ones who realize that we
have a mother. Who or what is our mother? In
Isaiah 51:1, 2 we read:
"Hearken unto Me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the
Lord: look unto the Rock, ["whence" not in the original text] ye are
hewn, and to the hole of the pit, ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father,
and unto Sarah that bare you." Now,
how may we identify the class to whom these words are spoken? Fortunately, it
is not necessary for us to identify it, as the Apostle Paul has done so for us. In Galatians 3:26, 27, 29 (Weymouth) we read "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then are you indeed true descendants of Abraham, and are heirs in fulfillment of the promise. Here
Paul tells us that the Church are not only the sons of God through coming into
Christ by faith, but that also, by the same act of faith, they have become the
seed of Abraham in fulfillment of the promise God made him. Now note what he
says further, in Galatians 4:16-28: "It is written that Abraham had two
sons; one by the slave-girl and one by the free woman. But we see that the
child of the slave-girl was born in the
common course of nature; whereas
the child of the free woman was born in
fulfillment of the promise. All this is allegorical; for these women represent
two covenants. One has its origin on Mount Sinai, and bears children destined
for slavery. This is Hagar; for the name Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in
Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, which is in bondage together
with her children. But the Jerusalem which is above is free, and she is our
mother. . . . And you, brethren, like Isaac, are children born in fulfillment of a promise." -
Weymouth. So
then, our mother is the original Abrahamic covenant, pictured by Sarah; she
represents the free covenant, or promise, that God made to Abraham, for her
child, Isaac, representative of the true Church, as well as of Christ (Gal.
3:29), was born in fulfillment of the promise: "Look unto Abraham your
father, and unto Sarah that bare you." Here,
then, we have the analogy between the beehive and the New Creation in that each
has but one mother. As the queen is the mother of all the bees in the hive, so
we, including our Lord and Head, are all children of the original covenant,
Sarah, which for a time was barren but eventually brought forth children
through faith (Heb. 11:11) in fulfillment of the promise. The queen is the
mother of the hive, not the ruler: she simply represents the promise of seed,
of children. Likewise, the Abrahamic covenant is not our head, or ruler, but
simply represents the womb of promise through which the Holy Spirit begets us
as new creatures in Christ when, in answer to the call, we present ourselves in
whole-hearted consecration to do the Father's will. The promise which God gave
to Abraham was unconditional; but to become inheritors of that promise, we
must follow in Jesus' footsteps and dedicate ourselves wholly to the will and
service of God. Manifestly, the members of the Church are the ones referred to
when God, through the prophet, says, "Gather My saints together unto Me,
those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice." This is the step
which each one must take to place himself in line as an inheritor of God's
promise to Abraham. It
is not the intention here to try to fit every peculiarity and custom of the
bees into an analogy of some feature in the life and development of the New
Creation, but only a few of their traits that stand out as good object-lessons. Predestined CharacteristicsThere
is never any uncertainty as to the kind of duties each bee is to perform. Just
why or how they know what to do has never been fully determined; possibly the
answer is found in predestination, in the preparation, care, and kind of food
each larva and nymph receives in the various stages of its development; for, as
Maeterlinck points out, the variations of sex and rank are determined, not by
the kind of an egg the queen lays, but by its placement in the hive under the
nursemaids, who watch over the cells, eggs, larvae, and nymphs to minister
proper care and food for the desired end. God,
in predetermining the characteristics which each one of this class will have to
develop, arranges through His Holy Spirit his environment, experiences, and
other providential leadings (the nurse-maids, so to speak) so as to work out in
him the pleasure of His will. He does not coerce the will or compel us to prove
worthy; no, there must be whole-hearted cooperation and sincere desire on our
part. The
apostle's statement that "God hath set the members in the body as it hath
pleased Him" indicates that God retains control over matters pertaining
to His New Creation. This does not mean however, that every ruling and every
appointment made by the various class or church groups is necessarily the
Lord's will, for past experience shows that at times God overrules the voice of
such and makes His own appointments. When the early apostles sought to replace
Judas, even going so far as to do it by lot that, as they thought, God's will
might be expressed thereby, God simply ignored their choice and, in His own due
time and way, appointed the Apostle Paul. - Then time and again in the past two
thousand years the Lord's true saints have been forced to repudiate leaders and
organizations which had gone astray from the truth and spirit of the Lord. If
all church appointments are to be considered as appointments of the Lord, then
we should never repudiate a leader or take a stand against a majority; and if
that were the case, we should still be members of the Society or the Catholic
Church. We should always endeavor to be directed by the Lord's spirit in
appointing our leaders, but if we make a mistake, the Lord can overrule it for
our good. With
bees, as already mentioned, there is first the egg, then the larva, then the
nymph, and finally the fully developed bee. You cannot tell by looking at the
egg or the larva what the result will be, but by the time the development has
reached the nymph stage, there are definite indications. The
egg would illustrate the stage of our begettal, when hope is born in us of
eventually attaining to joint-heirship with our Lord in the queenly station.
Then comes the quickening into life and activity of the embryo new creature,
when food and exercise begin to play an important part. This stage would
correspond to the larva, but there are as yet no very distinguishing marks or
characteristics; but by the time the larva has developed into a nymph, the
distinguishing marks of its future are quite evident. This would illustrate the
transformed state in our development as embryo new creatures, the development
that has been attained by the transforming or renewing of our minds. Those who
reach this stage are able to partake of strong meat instead of being fed simply
on the milk of the Word. These have attained to quite a degree of knowledge of
God, whom to know is life eternal. The
Christian's development has been compared to a race-course having a
starting-point, quarter marks, and a finishing 'goal. The nymph stage would compare
to the third quarter-mark, which, in this comparison, would represent an
advanced stage in Christ-like development. It is the "spirit of the
hive" that causes the bee nurse-maids to work out the proper development
of egg, larva, and nymph; likewise, it is God's Holy Spirit working in us and
through the various agencies that minister to us, that brings about our
development. "As many as are led by the spirit of God, these are the sons
of God." "But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory
of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord." "We
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the
first-born among many brethren." The
last quarter of the course brings crucial tests of fitness and endurance. It
may seem to those closely associated with us that our development gives
evidence of all the elements of Godlikeness; but until the goal is reached,
there is possibility of failure. It is he that endures unto the end that will
be saved and gain the crown of life. "In your patience [patient endurance]
possess ye your souls." Paul
knew when he had reached the goal. Previous to that time he says,
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I
do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those
things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus." The time came, however, when he could
say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept
the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day." The
unique characteristic of bees in their ability to control sex and development
through care and quality of food was used by our Pastor to illustrate how it
is possible to be begotten of the spirit in one hope of our calling and then
end up in widely differing classes. Any egg laid by the queen bee may become a
princess if the right food and conditions are maintained; or under other conditions
it may become an unfertile female, or a drone. Drones
play rather an ignominious part in the life the hive: they are lazy; they feed
only themselves; they are greedy and careless and dirty and indifferent to the
welfare of the hive. And as soon as the new queen is chosen and has mated, the
workers round up the drones and destroy them. In
our study of the Lord's Word we learn that there are also three possibilities
for every one begotten of the spirit, depending upon development and growth in
Christ-likeness. If we give diligence to make our calling and election sure,
adding in our faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness,
brotherly-affection, and love, we shall not fail, "for so an entrance
shall be ministered unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." But if we do not study to show ourselves
approved unto God, if we are not diligent in partaking of the food designated
by the Holy Spirit as being essential to those who will become the
queen-bride, the potential mother of restored mankind, then we may be of the
great company class, the unfertile nurse-maids, so to speak, servants before
the throne, but without the functions of the bride. And failing this, there
would remain only the fate of the drones, "total destruction from the
presence of the Lord and the glory of His power." - 2 Thess. 1:9. Wisdom and SacrificeMaeterlinck's
statement that bees display an unusual intelligence, "more than any other
creature outside of man with the possible exception of the ant," is also
of interest in this analogy, for as their habits are observed, it becomes
evident that this wisdom is not for self-preservation but is with the view to
the future, particularly of those that shall follow them. They lay by in store
for the long winter months and for the new generation that will occupy the hive
when they leave because of overcrowding. This means a lot of self-sacrifice on
their part in behalf of the new generation and in obedience to the "spirit
of the hive." Likewise,
according to the Scriptures, the class that obey the leading of the Holy Spirit
and follow in the Lord's footsteps of self-sacrifice, also display a wisdom
that is far in excess of the wisdom of all other classes in this world. All
classes do not display the same amount of wisdom. There are those who think
only of their immediate need or lust or desire; such will steal or murder or
take any advantage they can in order to satisfy their desires. This course
displays a very low standard of wisdom even for fallen man. Closely allied to
this group is the class whose whole aim is to accumulate worldly riches by any
means they can, so long as they can escape the hands of the law. Then there are
those whose aim it is to get glory and honor; and again those whose desire it is
to rule. And so on until advancing in the scale of earthly wisdom, we come to
the classes who seek wisdom in one form or another. Some of these spend their
lives delving into the secrets of nature or science or astronomy; such men
display considerable wisdom and are of much benefit to the race. And then,
there is a class, very unselfish, who devote their lives to social uplift and
to physical, mental, and moral betterment of their fellow man; such show
considerable wisdom and much self-sacrifice and will no doubt receive honor of
the Lord and be suitably rewarded. But
those who seek to follow in Jesus' footsteps, follow a course of wisdom that is
much higher than any of these: theirs is the wisdom from above, which is
"first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." In
the display of this heavenly wisdom, the illustrious leader of this
class-seeing with vision afar off, a restored, righteous, and happy world,
capable of fulfilling their intended destiny to the glory of God -- willingly
gave up the glory He had with the Father, came to earth as a man, suffered and
died in order that He might bring about the realization of this vision. So
God-like was He in this course that it is declared of Him in the eighth chapter
of Proverbs that He is the personification of wisdom: "I am
understanding." Those
who follow in His footsteps display this same heavenly wisdom, and through
self-sacrifice and self-denial seek to fit themselves to assist in the great
work of restoring mankind. They, like the bees, look to the future, to the
blessing of all mankind, and are willing to undergo all manner of suffering and
depredation that they may have a share in bringing about the blessings of life
and happiness. This seems utter foolishness to the world, but on the other
hand, the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God, whereas He approves of
those who follow His Son. So when we are admonished that "wisdom is the
principle thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get
understanding," this is the kind of wisdom that is meant. HoneyThe
Bible contains a number of references to honey, and the inference is that bees,
in storing up honey, are of much benefit to mankind. When Jacob sent his sons
into Egypt to buy corn, he sent honey with them as a special gift to the king.
This of itself would seem to indicate that honey was greatly prized. Then, too,
one of the great inducements held out to the Jews to encourage them to press on
to Canaan was that it was a land flowing with milk and honey, two perfect foods
supplied by nature without destruction of life. Then again, when the Lord
desired a superlative comparison that He might convey to men's minds the value
and desirability of His Word and His judgments, He said, "More to be
desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey
and the honeycomb." "How sweet are Thy words to my taste! yea,
sweeter than honey to my mouth !" - Psa. 19:10. Bees
gather honey by searching out the nectar from myriads of blossoms of fruit and
flower, and so carry the pollen from flower to flower that thereby we may have
fruit. Without the bees our fruit crops would be very small. Perhaps
the analogy is not as well marked here as in some of the other points we have
noted, but it is manifest that if we work in obedience to the dictates of the
spirit, we-will store up sweetness from the flowers (usually spoken of as
trials and tribulations) along our way even though they be covered with thorns.
Furthermore, were it not for the pollenization of experience with experience
in our trials, we would bear but little fruit. As workers together with God, we
are interested in laying up the nectar, or essence, that comes from the fruit
and graces of the spirit, that sweetness which, considered as one fragrant and
life enriching whole, is summed up in the word love. "Love is the
fulfilling of the law"; "love is the end of the commandment."
Love, tested and approved, is the goal for which we strive. - J. T. Read Reigning Grace
"They which receive
abundance of grace and of the gift WE
OFTEN hear the remark made that in such and such a book of the Bible
"there is a text ... " Now, the Bible is not simply a compilation or
string of so-called texts; the Scriptures, given by inspiration of God, are
living messages, and should be read and studied as such. One quite familiar
with music knows that in all good musical compositions there is one theme which
is carried throughout the whole of the opus, but that there are subordinate
themes weaving in and out, all advancing the main theme. So it is with the
Scriptures; and thus it is with the Epistle to the Romans from which our topic
is taken. There
is internal evidence that no apostle had ever been to Rome to give authentic
teaching prior to Paul's visit to the Christians of that city; -- at least not
prior to the writing of his letter; for, in chapter one, verse 11 (Rom. 1:11),
we read, "I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual
gift, to the end ye may be established"; and in chapter fifteen, verse 20
(Rom. 15:20), "So have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ
was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation."
Recognizing this, we can easily grasp the reason for the wide sweep of this
Roman Epistle. It was manifestly written to set forth "the gospel of Jesus
Christ as the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth"
(Rom. 1:16). But in developing this Gospel, many subordinate truths were woven
into the main theme in order to advance the subject matter itself. The Apostle
treats of the condemnation; the corruptness of the fallen nature; the impossibility
of salvation by works; the just government of God in dealing with the sinful
race; justification by faith; the strength of the sinful nature and the more
powerful new nature received by grace; the quickening spirit; the security of
the called and sanctified; the place of Israel in the plan of God; of election;
the Christian's attitude toward the civil authorities; the relationship of
believers toward fellow believers; exhortation to holiness because of this
relationship, etc; all of which are elements of the one doctrine of Christ. Having
developed his theme through chapter four and having shown that righteousness
with God can be obtained by imputation to faith, the Apostle continues with an
enumeration of some of the joyous accompaniments of justifying faith: "We
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access
by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God." (Rom. 5:1, 2). Then, when we come to Rom. 5:12, the
"wherefore" must hark back to an area of his discussion where he had
digressed to enlarge upon a point that needed clarification. By carefully
reading and following his flow of thought, we find that the Apostle is resuming
the theme he had left at Rom. 3:19-23 which reads in part, "For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Now, at chapter five, verse
12 (Rom. 5:12), he resumes: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned." This is followed by a parenthetical statement introduced by
"For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there
is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that
had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression." Adam's death
was the result of a broken commandment; but from Adam to Moses, to the giving
of the law at Sinai, there was no God-given commandment the violation of which
would bring the penalty of death. Therefore, the Apostle reasons, inasmuch as
all die, death being common to all, it must be the consequence of one man's
disobedience. Death reigns because of sin. TWO CONTRASTED "REIGNS"It
is in the 14th verse of chapter five (Rom. 5:14) that the Apostle, in advancing
his Gospel message, introduces a theme which is characterized by the thought of
a reign: "death reigned from Adam to Moses." We note how this thought
is carried through the rest of chapter five, and on through chapter six:
"They which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness
shall reign in life by one"; and, "that as sin hath reigned unto
death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by
Jesus Christ, our Lord." And, again, "Death hath no more dominion
[reign] over him [Christ]"; "Let not sin therefore reign in your
mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lust thereof." "Sin shall
not have dominion [reign] over you"; "Being made free from [the reign
of] sin"; "For when you were the servants [under the reign] of
sin"; "For the wages [the end result of the reign] of sin is
death." Looking
back to verse 17 of chapter five (Rom. 5:17), we read, "they which receive
abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one,
Jesus Christ," and comparing this with Romans 6:23, we discover that the
"gift of righteousness" is eternal life, the gift of God; they are
one and the same thing. The gift of righteousness is the impartation of a new
spirit of life which must necessarily be the accompaniment of the imputation of
righteousness; both are by grace through faith, and can be considered from
God's standpoint as one and the same; for a faith that is lifeless is no faith
at all;-faith that does not operate is dead. - James 2:26. To
correctly get the lesson and the spiritual encouragement from the sixth chapter
of Romans we must see that the whole passage is in answer to the question
propounded in verse one, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may
abound?" The query is suggested to the
mind of the Apostle because he realizes that he has left himself open to the
accusation that he is teaching just such a doctrine by his previous statement
that "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." The thought
being that if it is true that the more one has been under the dominion of sin,
the more grace God shows in redeeming from sin. Supposing some might say,
"Why not continue in sin and so give God an opportunity to show even more
grace?" This would make God the sinner's debtor! No wonder, then, that
the Apostle immediately disclaims any such interpretation or construction being
put on his words. "God forbid," he cries, "know you not, that
so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk
in newness of life." FULL IMPLICATION OF BAPTISMWhenever the subject of
baptism is considered in the New Testament it is not restricted to dying, or
being dead, apart from being raised to newness of life. For instance: in
Colossians 2:12, 13 we read, "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also you
are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised
him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins ... bath he quickened together
with him. .. " And in 1 Peter 3:2 1, "The like figure whereunto even
baptism does also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh,
but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ." Baptism into death is not the end, but it is a necessary accompaniment
to walking in a new life in Christ. And this is what is confessed in baptism,
as the Apostle Paul continues, "knowing this, that our old man is
crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we
should not serve sin." - Romans 6:6. Now
this statement, "the body of sin might be destroyed," has been interpreted
as meaning that the whole accumulated mass of sins is being put away by our
being dead with Christ as part of a sin-offering; but that this is not so is
palpably plain when we carefully consider what is written; for we read not that
our justified life is reckoned dead, or crucified with Christ, but rather that
our "old man," the nature derived from Adam, "is crucified with
him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not
serve sin." Reading from other translations may make this more evident.
Weymouth's translation reads, "Our old self was nailed to the cross with
Him, in order that our sinful nature might be neutralized, so that we should no
longer be slaves of sin; for he who has died is absolved from his sin."
Williams renders it, "For we know that our former self was crucified with
Him, to make our body, that is liable to sin, inactive, so that we might not a
moment longer continue to be slaves to sin." Moffatt reads, "Knowing
as we do that our old self has been crucified with him in order to crush the
sinful body and free us from any further slavery to sin." Diaglott:
"Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, so that the body
of sin may be rendered powerless; that we may no longer be enslaved to
sin." Rotherham: "Of this taking note -- That our old man was
crucified together with him, in order that the sinful body might be made powerless,
that we no longer be in servitude to sin." These are but a few available
translations, none of which give the thought otherwise than that the judgment
of sin has been met for us by Jesus' death on the cross; and that in baptism
we identify ourselves with that judgment, and rise with him in the power of a
new life. Both of these aspects are seen in the 6th chapter of Romans. It is
first necessary before a new spirit of life can be given that the old sinful
nature, "our old man," should meet the judgment of God, as we read
also in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "He was made sin for us, who knew no sin; that
we might be made the righteousness of God in him." How well the author of the
Hebrew Epistle (Heb. 9:13, 14) brings this to the minds of his readers:
"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer
sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh [that is,
made the Israelite ceremonially clean], how much more shall the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God,
purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" It is the
settling of the claims of Divine holiness satisfactorily to the conscience
that enables us in faith to take a position before God as raised with Christ in
newness of life. GRACE TRIUMPHANT OVER SINWhen the Apostle writes in
Romans 3:23, "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,"
we understand this to mean come short of the perfection of life which reflects
the Divine likeness and is manifested by perfect obedience to the Divine will.
None measure up to this; sin has marred the god-likeness of the created Adam
and all his posterity. In whatever respect we fail to reflect the likeness of
the Creator, that is sin. One of the purposes of the Mosaic Law was to convict
of this, and thus of the need of someone to redeem them from the just penalty
of the broken law, and the resultant sinful condition. God in grace does just
that by giving power to walk in a new life in Christ. Accordingly, in expanding
the thought introduced in Romans 5:21, the Apostle continues in Romans 6:12,
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it
in the lusts thereof." This "let not" implies that now there is a choice; that whereas we were once in bondage to sin
and unrighteousness, we no longer need be; a definite decision has been made;
we have identified ourselves with the sin-bearing Jesus, both in death and
resurrection; we have been delivered from the power of darkness, and have been
translated into the dominion of God's dear Son" (Col. 1:13). Or, as Paul writes in another
epistle, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have
passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Cor. 5:17. In
times past "the motions of sin," the sinful propensities of the
Adamic nature, were not only uncontrolled, they were not even considered as
sinful. But once the conscience was aroused to an awareness of the degrading
tendencies of the fleshly nature as it sets itself in opposition to the known
will of God, and of the slavery to the demands of this nature, a deliverance
was sought; -- a deliverance which is found by accepting the "redemption
which is in Christ Jesus." Struggle as we might, make vows as we will,
these only accentuate the slavery, until we are led to exclaim with the
Apostle, "Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of
death?" [marginal reading]. The answer is the same for us as it was for
Paul, "I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord." So the Apostle
follows up his "let not sin reign" of Romans 6:12, with "yield
yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead ... for sin shall
not have dominion [reign] over you: for you are not under the law but under
grace." In view of the foregoing, how do the words of Romans
8:1-11 thrill our hearts even as they have stimulated saints all the years
since they were first written! "There is therefore now no condemnation to
them which are in Christ Jesus ... For the law of the spirit of life in Christ
Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death [has made me free from the
reign of sin working death] ... God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh, by a sacrifice for sin [margin], condemned sin in the flesh: that the
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh
[no longer subject to its reign], but after the spirit" But if the spirit
of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up
Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that
dwelleth in you." And further, "For as many as are led by the spirit
of God, they are the sons of God." Brethren,
how is it with us? Whether we be young in the faith, or of those who have
followed the way of truth for many years, are we experiencing the reign of
grace as a living reality -- this abundant grace; this unlimited power and
favor of God apprehended by faith? What a wealth of encouragement, of instruction,
of exhortation and comfort are in these 5th to 8th chapters of the Roman
Epistle! To know the steadying and strengthening influence of these chapters
as again and again they are read and pondered and assimilated is to be
sanctified. Are there any of our readers who, hearing the call to follow Christ,
are yet hesitating because of a doubt of their ability to accomplish the will
of God for them? To all such we present again the words of the Apostle,
"they shall receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, and
shall reign in life through union with and by Jesus Christ." - F. A. Essler Report of Pilgrim Visit to BritainIT
IS not often that one has the same joyous privilege in the Lord's service for
the third time. However, such was the case as Sister Webster and I winged our
way over the broad Atlantic. We were to have one more visit and a renewal of
Christian fellowship with the Lord's dear ones in Britain. A
smooth and uneventful flight in the Jet 747 brought us to Heathrow Airport at
an early hour in the morning of June 6, 1977. We were met by dear Bro.
and Sis. Charlton, who very kindly took us to their home for a bit of
relaxation prior to our going to a hotel in London for a temporary stay, that
we might have fellowship with some in that immediate area who, because of ill
health, we would not see otherwise. We
were in the British Isles some five weeks and experienced joyous fellowship
with brethren known to us before and some we had not previously met. These dear
brethren recognize their Lord as Master supreme in their lives, a joy to us
long to be remembered. Some
of the ecclesias we visited were mentioned in the May-June Herald. Visits to
others not mentioned had not been finalized before the Herald went to press.
Evident everywhere was keen anticipation of the coming Kingdom and the prospect
of sharing with Christ in the great work of rehabilitation of the whole world. The
Conventions at Chesham and Manchester were well attended and spiritually
uplifting. The same warm spirit was sustained in the various classes (about 18)
throughout our pilgrimage. Addicted to hospitality and ministry to' the saints
well describes the attitude of the brethren throughout the entire trip-a heart
warming evidence of Christ-like love abounding on every hand. Our
own message was designed to stir up their pure minds by way of remembrance in
the things that bear upon the development of THE CHRIST. This met with encouraging
response, indicating 'a deep appreciation for the things of the spirit,-the
things which magnify the love of Christ with its wonderful power for drawing
His people into unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace. The
problem of getting back to Heathrow Airport in order to get our plane was
solved for us by Bro. & Sis. Charlton. After
bidding a fond farewell to our dear friends we boarded the plane and, settling
into our seats, reflected over and over again upon the blessings we had
enjoyed, for which we raised thankful hearts to our Heavenly Father and our
Lord Jesus, whose we are and whom we serve. - James B. Webster "Fashioned Like Unto His Glorious Body"
"For our conversation
is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious
body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things
unto himself." - Philippians 3:20, 21. THIS
passage has been generally misunderstood to teach that our human bodies are
vile things, but that, in the Lord's due time they are to undergo a miraculous
change, becoming like the glorified body of Christ. It
is true that we, the Church, if faithful, are to be made like our Lord (1 John
3:2), but that thought is not under discussion in Philippians 3:20, 21. Here,
as in all true Scripture study, we must first satisfy ourselves that we have a
correct translation, and then study it in the light of its context. A preferred
translation is given in the American Revised Version: "For
our citizenship [margin: commonwealth] is in heaven; whence also we wait for a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall fashion anew the body of our
humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to
the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself." In
studying this text in relation to its context two points are at once apparent:
(1) The word "body" is in the singular, not the plural, and (2) the
Apostle is contrasting, not the body of one member of the Church on earth with
the body that member will have in heaven, but the status of Christ's Body (the Church)
on earth with its status when the Lord returns for her. St.
Paul's general line of argument seems clear: In the company of professing
Christ followers there are two main groups-the true and the false. They are
easily distinguished, not by slight differences of viewpoint on some "hard
to be understood" points of doctrine on which even inspired Apostles
differed (2 Pet. 3:16), but by the general tenor of their lives. The false are
described as of earthly mind-who live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
(Phil. 3:18, 19.) The true are not to be content with merely adding to their
store of knowledge, but, as Moffatt's choice translation puts it, "We must
let our steps be guided by such truth as we have attained." (Phil. 3:16.)
This must be true both of the mature and the immature. (Phil. 3:15.) It is
mandatory in the Christian experience that each fresh item of truth understood
be promptly put into practice. At once it is to have its place in "guiding
the steps." This principle was so elementary with Paul that he could, in
all humility, consistently urge upon the brethren not merely that they pay
attention to his teaching, but that they copy him-and even were to take note of
those who lived by the example he set. - Phil. 3:17, 18, Moffatt. Then
comes the great contrast, which we may well believe was ever present to his
mind-the state of humiliation in which the true Church, the Body of Christ, was
to complete its course, and the state of glory to which she would be changed.
"When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear
with him in glory." (Col. 3:4). "Then," as Brother Russell has
so well expressed it (Reprints, p. R1102), "the Church shall in
reality be a glorious body, a body suitable in every way for the high position
she shall fill as the Bride of Christ-the companion of the Son of God for all
eternity, his joint-heir in all things, and his efficient and thoroughly
capable coworker in the great mission to which Jehovah bath appointed the
Christ -- Head and Body -- Bridegroom and Bride. Together they shall
constitute the great Prophet, Priest, and King. whom Jehovah hath anointed; and
their glory shall appear to all intelligent creatures in heaven and
earth." - P. L Read Courage
- Celia Thaxter Entered into Rest
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