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Chosen no: R-520 c, from: 1883 Year. |
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Question Column
Ques. If our debt is paid, Why is it
said in Scripture that we are forgiven our trespasses?
Ans.
It would be useless for a sinner to approach God asking to be forgiven, because
he also forgives trespassers against him. This would be no ground for forgiveness and is never held
out thus in Scripture. The prayer referred to--"Forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us" --is not for sinners. Jesus
said, "After this manner pray YE. Ye who recognize in Jesus, "the
Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world"--ye who were once
aliens, but are now made nigh by the blood of Christ--Ye may say to Jehovah, "Our
Father who art in heaven." And having made a covenant of self-sacrifice,
if ye, through temptation, sometimes fail of perfectly keeping it, ye may pray
to your Father forgive; and "whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my
name, he will give it you (John 16:23). The world may not
call God Father, but we "have received the spirit of adoption whereby we
cry Abba, Father" (Rom. 8:15.) "He that abideth in
the doctrine of Christ hath [R521 : page 8] the
Father" (2 John 9).
Ques. Can a man who has made full
consecration to the Lord remain a member of a secret society?
Ans. We cannot speak from personal
experience, never having been a member of any such society. But if we should
even take for granted that they are in no way opposed to the doctrines of
Christ, and that they cultivate morality (which is at least questionable),
still we should feel that we were out of place in them. We believe that neither
consecrated time, money, nor influence could be thus devoted without
interference with the saints' consecration vow to use all their time, all their
money, all their influence, not only not against the Lord but in his service. Since
this Journal addresses specially the consecrated class, we feel it unnecessary
to do more than point out this confliction with the consecration vow. The same
argument holds true exactly against every sectarian society called churches. Consecrated
time, money and influence, cannot be thus wasted without injury to the cause,
and violence to the vow, in our opinion. The wide scope of our consecration
should, to the thoughtful saint, settle all the minor details of its
fulfilment.
Ques. Again, can such consecrated ones
consistently insure either life or property?
Ans. It is certainly a teaching of
Scripture that we should "do good unto all men," and that, if even an
enemy hunger, we should feed him. Insurance of life or property, like
poor-houses and hospitals, is merely the putting of the teachings of Christ
into a business form. It is the creating of a general fund by a large number,
for the assistance of any one of their company in an extremity.
We see nothing in this out of harmony with the Master's teachings. Life
Insurance is equivalent to the laying aside in a savings bank of a small sum,
regularly, for the benefit of some dependent ones. We believe that such a
provision by a father for a dependent family is not contrary to the spirit of
Jesus' words, when he said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon
earth." A treasure is that upon which the heart is set, and many people
make treasures of things of less use and value than money quite
frequently--reputation, dress, pleasure, relics, etc.
To the truly consecrated no earthly thing should be treasured, all must
be counted as dross in comparison with the heavenly things promised. All must
be lightly esteemed, so that, at a moment's notice, we shall be ready and
willing to sacrifice them to the will of the Lord or, heavenly interests. Some
statements by Paul should be understood to be in harmony with our Lord's words.
He exhorts the Church to lay up money every week for the Lord's family--the
Church (1 Cor. 16:2); and if right to lay up for this, would
it be wrong to use reasonable precaution in laying aside whatever might be
reasonably spared from the demands of the present for the future necessities or
emergencies of an earthly family entrusted to your care by the same Lord?
But while remembering the words, that "He who provideth not for his
own household, hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel" (1 Tim. 5:8), let us also beware of the much more common error,
of grasping miserliness which hoards, denying the necessities of the present in
their families, and robbing them of the privilege of sharing in the furtherance
of the Lord's work-- one of the greatest privileges we can deprive ourselves
of.
Ques. If those who die in infancy are to
be restored to perfection on the human plane, please explain Jesus' words:
"Of such is the kingdom of heaven"?
Ans. The import of this text evidently
is: Of such like is the kingdom. This will be better seen by reading the next
verse (Mark 10:15): "Verily, I say unto you, whosoever
shall not receive the kingdom of God AS a little child, HE shall not enter
therein." See also Matthew's account of this, ch. 18:1-6.
This shows that Jesus is representing the gentle, teachable, guileless,
humble disciple by a little child. How beautiful the thought--"children of
God!" "Howbeit, in malice be ye children, (having none) but in
understanding be men." (1 Cor. 14:20).
Ques. Please explain Heb.
12:8?
Ans. The Diaglott renders this passage
thus: "But if you are without discipline, of which all have become
partakers, then truly you are spurious and not sons." The apostle shows
that during the present time those who are called of God to the new nature,
must anticipate trials and temptations and oppositions, such things being
necessary to their preparation for the grand and glorious future work for which
God designs them; the overcoming of evil being a proper test of all who are
designed to be sharers of God's kingdom power.
Paul in the context shows, that to be a follower of Jesus, is not to be
carried to glory on flowery beds of ease; not to reign, but to seek to win a
right to the kingdom; not to put on the dress of a racer merely, but to so run
as to obtain the prize, which implies weariness, difficulties and obstacles to
be encountered. He points out that thus it was with the first runner of this
course--Jesus, our leader, captain and forerunner--who opened up this
"narrow way" to us by giving himself a ransom for us. Paul argues
that we should look to Jesus as a pattern: if his was a race of trial,
discouragement and conflicts with evil, we should expect the same, and not be
surprised at fiery trials. Was his name cast out as evil--was he hated without
cause--did his brethren disown him-- was he cast out of the synagogue because
he told the truth--and were all these things grievous rather than joyous
--discipline rather than pleasure? If so it was with the example and pattern,
so it will be with every true follower. Instead, then, of regarding such
sufferings of the present time as evidences of disownment by the Lord, we
should look for and receive them as evidences that we are accepted as sons, and
in training for the promised royal honors. To be without such evidences would
indicate that we had never been "begotten by the word of truth." (James 1:18.)
Though they might have been begotten to some other hope by the word of
traditions of men, promising a kingdom, etc., on other conditions--such would
be spurious and not real heirs of the kingdom.
Ques. What will become of those who hear
the Gospel and reject it?
Ans. We would say first, that many are
supposed to hear the Gospel who really never do hear it. Jesus said, "Him
that hath an ear let him hear." But the God of this world (Satan) has
stopped many ears and blinded many eyes, so that they cannot recognize the
joyful message we bear. We have the promise, however, that in due time all
these deaf ears shall be unstopped, and the blind eyes shall be opened, and
then this Gospel in its fulness shall be "testified to all."
If you do not refer to this class (which includes the great mass of the
world), but to a class who have actually heard and received the fundamental
truth of the Gospel, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
and who were actually justified by faith, but who never consecrated themselves
as living sacrifices to God, and thus rejected the good news of high calling,
we would say of these that they lose their privilege of joint-heirship and
reign with Christ.
But if you refer to still another class, viz., those who having heard
the Gospel, and having been justified by faith in it, have also covenanted to
become living sacrifices, and who afterwards reject the Gospel and become the
enemies of the cross of Christ, counting the blood of the covenant wherewith
they were sanctified a common thing; for such the Scripture says there
remaineth no more a sacrifice for sin. Such are, indeed, in a sad condition. In
their justification, such had received by faith the benefits from Jesus' death
which the world in general will actually receive soon; then they gave up that
justified human hope for a hope of sharing the divine nature. Now if they cast
aside the only anchor, and "count the blood of the covenant wherewith they
were sanctified, an unholy [common, ordinary] thing;" such having had the
full benefits of the ransom, and having then cast it aside, for such there
remaineth no more an interest in that sacrifice, and, since Christ dieth no
more, they are without hope. For such, death will be the second death, i.e.,
not the one on account of Adam's sin, but for their own.
Q. Please explain Matt. 23:33.
A. This expression was addressed to the Pharisees as a
class, and to the scribes or theologians among them, who zealously promulgated
the traditions of the elders. They were looking for a future life as a reward
for keeping the Law-- or rather the traditions of the elders. Jesus, denouncing
their hypocrisy, points out their real character, and, expressing his just
indignation, exclaims: "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye
escape the damnation (judgment) of hell (Gehenna). That is, how can ye escape
the judgment to destruction. Gehenna was a place, outside the city of
Jerusalem, for the burning or destruction of offal and the bodies of criminals.
Jesus here uses it as a symbol of destruction, to which they were justly
condemned.
Think not, however, that they were the poor degraded outcasts of
society. I tell you, nay. They were the most strict religionists and the most
popular and refined theologians of their day-- having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof. But, though they shall not have a resurrection to
life as a reward, as they expected it, and though they were justly condemned to
destruction, with all the rest of mankind, they shall have a resurrection,
because he whom they rejected and slew bought them with his own precious blood.
W.T. R-0520c- : page 8 - 1883r