CHAPTER III
RELIGION
"The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord."
— Proverbs 15: 9.
THE ALMIGHTY GOD brought the first world to an end by the great deluge, which destroyed all flesh upon the earth, including the offspring of the union of the "sons of God" with the "daughters of men". The only survivors were those in the ark: "And [God] spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly." (2 Peter 2:5) Those who were destroyed were wicked and an abomination in the sight of Jehovah God. There were left on earth Noah and his three sons and four other persons of Noah's family. The "sons of God" that married human wives were 'imprisoned' by Satan, and the wicked angels that joined Satan originally in his rebellion were remanded to a degraded condition and habitation. The Devil had not been deprived of his power, and the reason will be seen as progress is made in this study.
Another world came into existence immediately following the flood, and that world persists to this day; and most persons believe that it will continue for ever; but in this they err. The world consists of heaven and earth, the
heaven being that part which is invisible to human eyes, and the earth that part of the world which is visible to human eyes. Angels were not included in the judgment executed at the time of the flood, but the then existing relationship between the visible and the invisible was destroyed by the flood. It is written: "By the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth, standing out of the water and in the water [within the water-ring or canopy round about the earth]: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished." — 2 Peter 3:5, 6.
The world that is now, that is to say, the invisible and the visible, will that abide for ever? The scripture answers that question in these words: "But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." (2 Peter 3:7) The world now in existence is designated by the Lord as "this present evil world" (Galatians 1:4), and such is the one that he has decreed shall be destroyed and pass away. "Fire" is a symbol of complete destruction, which will befall the present world, Satan the Devil is the prince or invisible ruler in control of the present wicked world, which shall pass away. (2 Corinthians 4:4) With its passing away there shall appear a new world, and concerning which the scripture says: "We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13) Following the flood the population of the earth con-
sisted of Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, and the other members of Noah's household. "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." (Genesis 9:1) "Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and unto them were sons born after the flood." (Genesis 10:1) The human race then began to multiply.
SANCTITY OF LIFE
Immediately after Noah left the ark Jehovah God made known his covenant concerning the sanctity of life. (Genesis 9:9-11) A covenant is a solemn and unbreakable declaration of God's purpose. God would have all creation to know that life is a gift from him and that no one can properly take or destroy life without the permission of God. The beasts of the field and the fowls of the air God has provided for man that he may use them for food as he may require. (Genesis 9:2-4) If any man, contrary to the law of God, kills another man, the killer is guilty of murder and must suffer death. (Genesis 9: 6) Also the wanton and needless slaying of animals is a violation of God's everlasting covenant. (Genesis 9:4,5) If a man kills beasts for his necessary food, such is lawful; but if he kills them merely to satisfy a selfish desire to slay or to gratify his desire for sport, that is a violation of the everlasting covenant concerning the sanctity of life.
The covenant having been announced, the Devil saw an opportunity to further reproach
the name of God by causing man to violate that everlasting covenant concerning the sanctity of life. This violation began to be manifested particularly in Nimrod. The man Nimrod was a descendant of Noah's son Ham. "Nimrod ... began to be a mighty [man] in the earth." The word translated "mighty" in this text (Genesis 10: 8) is the same word translated "mighty" relating to the offspring of the marriage of the spirit creatures with the daughters of men. (Genesis 6: 4) "He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord." (Genesis 10: 9) Nimrod was ambitious, warlike and bloodthirsty, and reveled in wicked deeds, and was undoubtedly induced to do so by reason of the influence of the Devil and his associate demons. Nimrod hunted and killed wild beasts merely to satisfy his wicked desires, and he armed and trained young men to follow him in the killing business, and in the eyes of the people Nimrod became one greatly admired and worshiped because of his prowess. No doubt the Devil put that into the minds of the people, that they would show their devotion to a creature rather than to the Creator. It is written of Nimrod that he was "a mighty hunter before [that is, superior to or greater than]" the Almighty God. The honor, plaudits and adoration bestowed upon Nimrod was worship, and there began the practice of religion following the flood.
Religion is a form of worship bestowed by creatures upon another, the one worshiped being regarded by such creatures as superior to them-
selves and worthy of adoration and worship. The Devil had gained control of the mind of Cush, the father of Nimrod, and had used Cush, the son of Ham, as a ringleader in turning the increasing population away from Jehovah God. Nimrod, his son, together with others, was trained to violate God's everlasting covenant and to establish creature worship, and this was for the purpose of diverting the minds of creatures away from the Almighty God. By this means Satan and his associate devils defied the Almighty God and reproached his name, and thereby set up the practice of religion in the earth. Let this be remembered and kept in mind henceforth: Religion has ever been the chief instrument employed by the Devil to reproach the name of Almighty God and turn the people away from the Most High.
Politics is the means and art of organizing and governing the people in order to control organizations of men. Religion, having been organized and put into operation to turn the people away from God and to the worship of creatures, was quickly followed by politics, that is, an organization amongst men to control and rule the people. Nimrod, the religionist, took the lead in politics, he being made the ruler or king. "And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel." (Genesis 10:10) Nimrod and his religious and political associates built cities, into which the people were gathered, and that was the beginning of trade or commerce, trafficking amongst each other. From that day to this, religion, politics and commerce have been operated
jointly by the Devil and his assistants for the purpose of controlling and ruling the nations of the earth and keeping them away from a knowledge and service of Almighty God.
Further carrying out his wicked scheme to turn the people away from God and to cause them to worship creatures, the Devil and his wicked angels injected into the minds of men that their salvation depended upon the acts and power of themselves and other creatures. "And they said, Go to, let us build us a city, and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." — Genesis 11:4.
By religion the Devil moved the people who were dwelling in the land of Shinar to build
the tower of Babel, which means "the gate to God"; therefore a religion of the Devil was at that point brought forward to defy the Almighty God. Doubtless because of that organized movement in setting up a religion God interfered and brought about a confusion of the language of the people, and hence the Hebrew word for Babel means "confusion". From the very beginning God expressed his indignation against religion, showing that it is an abomination in his sight because formulated, brought into existence and practiced by the Devil. Nothing else has brought about so much confusion among the people as the many kinds of religions that are practiced among them. From and after the flood until now religion has been the chief means of confusing, deceiving and misleading the people and has resulted in turning them away from the knowledge of and worship of the true and almighty God. This of itself is proof conclusive that religion is the product of the Devil, employed specifically to deceive the people and to turn them away from Jehovah. Religion causes the people to be very superstitious and to yield to the influence of their religious leaders, and that opens clearly the way for politicians to gain control of and rule the people, and for the use of commerce or traffic by which the people are robbed of their just rights and earnings.
Bab-el and Babylon mean the same thing. Babylon is the name of the Devil's organization, which combines three elements, religion, polities and commerce, to control the peoples of the earth. Religion is employed for selfish
gain to the Devil's crowd, and therefore God said to the Devil: "By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee; and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth, in the sight of all them that behold thee." — Ezekiel 28:16,18.
Satan's ambitious and covetous desire to get gain for himself induced him to rebel against the Almighty God, and thereafter he has employed religion, politics and commerce to further feed his insatiable and covetous desire. In harmony with this it is written: "For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." — 1 Timothy 6:10.
"Money," as here used, means anything by which gain is measured. The evil is not in the circulating medium which is called "money", but the wrong results from loving or desiring that which enables one to reap selfish gain. Many men who have at first had faith in Jehovah God, and who began to serve him, have been led to covetousness, and that unsatisfied desire for gain has brought about their complete downfall. Such was the course of Satan and has ever
been that of those who serve him. Religion is used for that purpose, that is, that the Devil might gain the devotion of creatures to anything, particularly to himself, and thereby turn them away from God.
Following the organization of Babylon other organized nations came into existence, to wit: Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Greece, Rome, and others. All of such great world powers and all subdivisions thereof, or nations which have formed and do form any part thereof, have had and practiced and do have and practice religion. Babylon is the mother of all religions, and the Devil is the father thereof. All religions properly take the name of Babylon. The Devil is the great enemy or adversary of God, and his religion therefore is an enemy of the Almighty God. The Devil is man's worst enemy, and his religion is likewise a deadly enemy to man. The Devil's organization is symbolized by an unchaste or impure woman, which is called "Babylon". Therefore all religions are of Babylon, and particularly the leading religion known in the lands called "Christendom".
All the nations, kindreds and peoples on the earth since the flood have had and practiced, and do continue to have and practice, some form of religion, and each and every one has been made so to do by the wily influence of that wicked one, the Devil, and his associate wicked spirits. It is therefore written in the Bible of and concerning Babylon that 'she has made all the nations drunk with the wine of her fornication'. (Revelation 14:8) "And upon her fore-
head was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (Revelation 17: 5) All of which shows that religion is the instrument of the Devil employed to oppose, to defy, to mock and to reproach the Almighty God and to deceive men and turn them away from the true Almighty God, whose name is Jehovah. (For further consideration see the book Prophecy, chapter six.)
All religious organizations on the earth are formed and carried on by men who are subjected to wrongful influence and ruled by the great enemy Satan the Devil; and this is true whether any of them know it or not, because the Bible so states. What is here written or said is not an assault upon men. There would be no reason or excuse for that, and no good could be accomplished by holding up men to ridicule. The purpose is to set the facts plainly before the people that all sincere ones may see who constitutes their real enemies.
There are two great organizations in existence, to wit: the organization of the Almighty God, which is wholly righteous, pure and true, and the organization of the Devil, the mimic god, which is unholy, wicked and entirely false. The people of earth are subjected to one or the other of these two organizations. The Devil and his wicked angels and other supporters at all times fight against God to defame his name and to turn the people away from God and into destruction. That wicked organization is attempting to destroy everyone who is on the
side of Jehovah God and who therefore tries to do right. The Lord Jesus Christ and his true followers are entirely on the side of Jehovah God, even as the prophets of old were on the side of and served Jehovah God. The faithful servant of the Lord God, speaking by inspiration and authority from the Most High, points out that there is a great warfare waged by those who are on the side of the Devil against those who are devoted to Jehovah God, and employs these words, to wit: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." — Ephesians 6:12.
It is therefore seen that Satan and his wicked associates that joined him in the rebellion originally, constitute the powers, principalities and invisible rulers of this wicked world which operate in darkness as the enemies of man. Those in the organization of the Almighty God make war upon that devilish rule and power, and therefore must tell the truth concerning religion, because religionists fight against God and religion is the chief instrument by which the people are deceived. In that warfare, however, the faithful servants of God do not use weapons to injure any human creatures in their bodies. The 'weapons of their warfare' are just one, and that one is the "sword of the spirit, which is the word of God". (Ephesians 6:13,17) To those who are on the side of Jehovah, and who are serving him in this warfare, Jehovah says: 'Ye are my witnesses to tell the people about
my name and kingdom and purpose.' (Isaiah 43:10,12) Such witnesses of God are men, walking in the flesh, but using only the weapons of the truth with which Jehovah has armed them. "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds)." — 2 Corinthians 10:3,4.
Let it be clearly understood, therefore, that the true servants of the Almighty God and followers of Christ Jesus have no fight to wage against any human creature, be that person Jew, Gentile, Catholic, Protestant or infidel. They have no disposition to do injury to any man, but to tell the truth for the good of those who want to know the right way. Men of all nations have fallen under the wily influence and power of Satan and his wicked angelic associates, but such men are the objects of compassion. It is the privilege and duty of Jehovah's witnesses to tell them the truth as God has commanded, in order that those who are among them and who are of good will toward God may find the only place of security and safety from their enemies. The truth of God's Word is therefore a warning given that those of good will may heed the warning and flee to the place of safety.
JEHOVAH GOD'S WITNESSES
Abel, Enoch and Noah were faithful and true to Jehovah and maintained their integrity toward God. They were witnesses to the name of the Almighty. It was 350 years after the flood
dried up that Noah died (Genesis 9: 28, 29), and during that time the descendants of Noah increased rapidly. Almost all the people had by that time fallen under the influence and control of Satan and the other devils. Two years after the death of Noah Abraham was born. Abraham was then residing in the land of Ur of the Chaldees. He loved and served the Almighty God. When he was seventy-five years old, at the command of Almighty God he moved into Canaan: "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will Mess them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran." — Genesis 12:1-4.
He went there to be a witness for Jehovah. Since the rebellion at Eden God has had some faithful witnesses on the earth, although very few in number, compared to earth's population. God began to make known that no man would have his blessing unless that man had faith in God and obeyed his commandments, and so He began to preach or proclaim the gospel unto Abraham. "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, say-
ing, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." — Galatians 3: 8,9.
Abraham was a preacher of the truth, and hence a witness for Jehovah God. In due time there was born to Abraham and his wife Sarah a son named Isaac. With Abraham and Isaac God began to reveal by means of prophetic pictures his purpose to send to the earth his own beloved Son Jesus, who is the real heir of promise and he who would prove to be the faithful and true witness of Jehovah, and who would be offered up as a sacrifice to provide the price of redemption for man, to the end that those who would have faith in God and Christ Jesus might escape the wiles of the Devil and find everlasting life. (Genesis 22:1-18) God has developed and carried out his purpose according to his sovereign will, and his purpose is certain to be accomplished even as he has declared it. (Isaiah 46:11) It will be observed from this point forward that at every stage of man's history religion has been used to oppose God, and particularly to deceive mankind.
The nation of Egypt was, in the days of Abraham, a powerful nation. That nation practiced the Devil religion the same as did the peoples of Babylon. Egypt was a great, commercial and military nation and was ruled by a king the title of whom was Pharaoh, meaning "Great House".
Jacob was a grandson of Abraham, a true servant of God, one of the faithful patriarchs, and under the command and direction of the Almighty God he moved with his descendants
into Egypt and resided there for some years. God changed the name of Jacob to Israel, and thereafter the descendants of Jacob were known as Israelites or Hebrews. (Genesis 32:28; 40:15) The Egyptians, who practiced the Devil religion, in time, under the rule of a harsh Pharaoh, made the Hebrews their slaves and greatly oppressed them. (Exodus 1:11-14) Pharaoh, the ruler and official representative of the Devil on earth, ordered all the male children of the Hebrews to be killed. Moses was born, and his parents hid him, and the babe was found by the daughter of Pharaoh and was reared in the royal house. —Exodus 2: 6-10; Hebrews 11: 23-28; Acts 7: 22.
Because of his zeal for Jehovah and his people, Moses, when he grew to manhood's estate, was compelled to flee from Egypt in order to remain faithful to God, and he went and dwelt in the land of Midian. While in that land God selected Moses and sent him into Egypt as the deliverer of his people. The Hebrews had refused to yield to the Devil religion practiced in Egypt, and held to the promise made to their father Abraham, and therefore the Egyptians, under the direction of the Devil and his angels, continued to increase_ the burden and oppression upon the Israelites. Their burdens grew in severity, and God heard their cries, and he sent Moses down to Egypt to act as their leader and deliverer from the hand of the oppressor. It was while in Midian, and when Moses was selected, that God revealed himself to Moses as the "I AM", that is, the self-existing One, not the one who was or will be, but the One
who is, I AM, without beginning and without end. He revealed himself to Moses by His name JEHOVAH, which means his purpose toward those who love and serve him. — Exodus 6: 3.
When Moses appeared before Pharaoh he told him that Jehovah God had commanded that Pharaoh should let the Hebrews leave Egypt, and Pharaoh replied: "Who is [Jehovah], that I should obey his voice?" (Exodus 5:2) This is cited as a further proof that Pharaoh was the official representative of the Devil and the enemy of Jehovah God. Then followed the afflictions upon Egypt, which God sent in the way of plagues, that the Egyptians might be fully warned of his power and his purpose; and time and again, because of these plagues, Pharaoh agreed to let the people go, but refused when the time came for them to go. Then God sent the last plague, that is, the plague of the slaying of the firstborn of Egypt. When the firstborn died, then Pharaoh permitted the Israelites to leave Egypt. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and by God's grace took them dry-shod over the Bed sea, and when Pharaoh's army attempted to follow and to destroy the Hebrews they were drowned in the sea. (Exodus 14: 21-31) Thus Jehovah God there made a prophetic picture foretelling his purpose in his own due time to completely overthrow the Devil and all of his forces. These historical truths are here recited in order that we may get a proper view of the operation of the enemy against the people.
THE BIBLE
How may it be known for a certainty that what is cited in the foregoing is true and wholly trustworthy? The answer is, because those facts are recorded in the Bible, which is the Word of God, and which is the truth. Did the people who lived on the earth prior to the time of Moses have the Bible? No; because Moses himself wrote the first five books of the Bible at the dictation of Jehovah God. Prior to that time God had communicated with his faithful men on earth by and through his angels. (Genesis 18:1-33; 19:1,15) God spoke to Moses and gave him instruction what he should do when he went into Egypt. God made a covenant with the Hebrews just before they left Egypt, and he used Moses as spokesman and mediator for that purpose. When the Hebrews or Israelites reached Mount Sinai after leaving Egypt, God there confirmed his covenant with them, giving to them his fundamental law. (Exodus 19:1-20) He also delivered to them through Moses his divers statutes. God commanded Moses what to write, and he wrote as he was commanded, and thus came into existence the first five books of the Bible.
The record of Jehovah shows that God created man in his own image and likeness and that he made the earth for the habitation of man (Isaiah 45:12,18) and that he instructed the first man what he should do in order to maintain his integrity and proper standing before the Lord. The Devil rebelled, together with a horde of wicked angels, which crowd of wicked ones as-
saulted mankind to turn them away from God and to destroy them. It is only reasonable that God would give to the obedient men who had withstood the Devil his own word, that they might be guided in the right way. This he did by his angels or messengers for a time, and then in his own due time he caused his faithful servants to make and record his message to mankind, which is called the Bible, and which God has preserved since for the benefit of those who desire to know what is right. Moses was wholly devoted to the Lord God, and God chose him to write the books of the Bible that first appear. Thereafter other faithful servants of the Lord wrote portions of the Bible as God commanded them and dictated to them. One of those faithful servants wrote: "The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue." (2 Samuel 23:2) Further testimony upon this point is: "Holy men of God [men devoted to God] spoke as they were moved by the holy spirit.' (2 Peter 1:21) (For a more detailed consideration of how we got and have the Bible, see Creation, chapter 5.)
Some men say: "I do not believe there is an Almighty God, and hence do not believe the Bible." Such men cannot see and understand the truth and are wholly ignorant of man's relationship to the Creator. The Devil has made men mentally blind, and this he has done lest the truth should shine into their minds. (2 Corinthians 4:4) A sane and reasonable man, by merely looking about him and observing the things that exist, must know that there is a
great Creator, who made all things that are visible, and that great Creator is revealed as the Almighty God. One who does not believe God could never understand the truth, but must remain in darkness. It is written: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11: 6) The man who says there is no Creator is a fool. (Psalm 14:1) If a man puts himself in the fool class, that shows he is completely under the control of the Devil, who is his worst enemy.
God does not force man to believe the truth. He puts the truth before man and permits man to exercise his own desire and to accept it or not. God is light, and he it is who 'covers himself with light'. (Psalm 104:2) His light of truth is not given to those who serve the Devil, and that is shown by the fact that the wicked angels are restrained in darkness, as stated hereinbefore. "Light is sown for the righteous." (Psalm 97:11) The man who delights himself in the law of God and strives to walk righteously is a man who walks in the light and is blessed. — Psalm 1:1,2.
The Bible was not written for fools, nor is this book published for the benefit of fools. The Bible was written and given to man for his aid and guidance, that such man of good will and purpose might be fully advised as to the right way to go and that he might stay on the side of God and refuse to serve the Devil. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is prof-
itable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16,17) This publication attempts to put the Bible in a simple way before the people who want to know the truth. It is not expected it will be appreciated or used by others. The Scriptures contain the Word of God, and the same is true and is the proper guide for the man who wants to know and to do what is right. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Thy word is true from the beginning; and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. I hate and abhor lying; but thy law do I love." — Psalm 119:105,160,162,163.
Jesus, the perfect One, testified concerning God's Word as written in the Bible, and said: "Thy word is truth." (John 17:17) Let no man conclude, however, that the mere possession of the Bible or an occasional reading over texts thereof is sufficient to enable him to be wise. Many persons say: "I have the Bible and know what it teaches"; and yet they are entirely ignorant of what it contains, and of the meaning thereof. The Bible is the greatest storehouse of knowledge and wisdom. A man who desires to know the truth must study the Bible and thus study to show himself approved of God, and not be ashamed to acknowledge to all that all good things proceed from the Almighty God. (2 Timothy 2:15) A meek person is one who has an honest desire to learn; and if such a
man applies himself in God's appointed way he is certain to learn, as it is written: "The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies." — Psalm 25: 9, 10.
Many religious clergymen deny the Bible. And why? Because they are not men of God, but are on the Devil's side. All higher critics are in this class. Such men are wise in their own conceits and desire to shine in the eyes of other men and have the honor and praise which properly belongs to the Almighty God, and thus show themselves in the Devil's company. They possess worldly wisdom, as it is written: "For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." — 1 Corinthians 1:19, 20,25.
The opinion of a man is of no value whatsoever if that opinion expressed is contrary to the Word of God. If you follow the teachings of men you are certain to remain in darkness. All men are by nature imperfect, and men grow in knowledge and wisdom only when they seek to know and to do the will of God; and for that reason the man who denies the Bible as the inspired Word of God is a foolish person, whether that man be a clergyman or a hodcarrier. To (rust in the opinion of man is folly and leads
to certain destruction. "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." (Psalm 146: 3) But to learn of and trust in and follow God's direction leads to life and happiness. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3: 5, 6) "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3) If a man desires to know the truth, then he must prove all things by the Word of God, which is true, and must hold fast that which is in harmony with the Word of God. All things else are on the side of man's enemy. — 1 Thessalonians 5: 21.
The Devil is the prince of darkness, and he puts forth his best endeavors to keep the people in ignorance of the truth and therefore to hold them in darkness. Why do religious leaders, the clergymen, try to keep the people from studying and understanding the Bible? Why have they instructed the people of their congregations to refuse to read anything that explains the Bible? Why do they tell the people to destroy books, such as this one, that presents only the Bible view? The answer is, because they are the agents of and representatives of the Devil, whether they are aware of that fact or not, because he who is not for the Lord is against him. (Matthew 12:30) For selfish reasons they desire to keep the people in ignorance so that the clergy may hold the people in subjection to themselves, receive the honor and
plaudits of the people, and also the financial support that comes by reason of the influence they have over the people.
WHY THE DEVIL LIVES
In that long period of time from Eden to Mount Sinai, when the Israelites gathered there at God's command, the Devil and his angels opposed God and oppressed and afflicted all men who had tried to do right and serve God, and the Devil had succeeded in turning most of the human race away from God. Even Moses and Aaron found themselves in a jam because of the influence exercised over the people by Satan and his angels. The Devil had inflicted great punishment upon the Israelites when in Egypt, and now God had delivered them and they stood at the foot of Mount Sinai to receive the law from God's hand, that they might be shielded from the Devil's attack. While Moses was in the mountain receiving the law at the hands of God, the Devil overreached the Israelites and caused them to turn to idolatry or religious worship. Many have asked, and still ask, Why did not God kill the Devil then or before that time and spare men from his oppressive hand and his wicked deception? The Devil and his wicked angels continue to operate even to this very day, filling the earth with violence, and the people with dread. Why does the just and loving God permit the Devil to remain alive and carry on his wickedness?
The answer is given in brief at this point, and then the proof will follow, to wit: Because
the Devil declared his ability to turn all men away from God, and he challenged God to put a man on the earth who would remain true and faithful to Jehovah when put to the test by the Devil. That challenge put at issue the righteous name and word of the Almighty God. The effect of the challenge was to declare that Jehovah God is not supreme, he is not all-powerful. God could have killed the Devil immediately. But suppose he had killed him and his wicked angels at the time of the rebellion or at the time of the flood, and before the Devil had been given a chance to oppress the Israelites, what would have been the result? It could have been easily said then that the Devil had not been given the opportunity to prove who is supreme. The question of supremacy would not have been settled in the minds of other creatures. If one creature could defeat God, then the foundation for faith and obedience in God would be for ever shaken. The Lord God would give the Devil a full opportunity to prove his challenge before settling the question for ever.
Pharaoh was the Devil's representative in Egypt and had defied Jehovah by raising the question: "Who is [Jehovah], that I should obey his voice?" The Devil himself had openly defied Jehovah. Then God caused Moses to write down in His sacred Book the reason why Jehovah God permitted the Devil and his angels to carry on their wickedness and why he has not yet destroyed them; and that declaration, which is an answer to the foregoing question, is this: "But for this cause have I allowed thee to remain,
in order to show thee my power; and in order that they may proclaim my name throughout all the earth." (Exodus 9:16, Leeser) The declaration applied to the Devil specifically and to his then representative on the earth, Pharaoh, the ruler of the chief world power.
Stated in common phrase, the Almighty God declared he would permit Satan and his associated devils to have all the rope possible and a free hand to put forth their very strenuous efforts against Him; that in his own due time he would show his adversaries his supreme power by destroying them and all their supporters, and their works of wickedness; that before destroying them he would cause his own name and his supremacy to be declared throughout the earth, to the end that the enemies might have full warning and notice of their coming destruction, and that the people of good will toward God might be warned and flee from Satan, and take their stand on the side of Jehovah God, and find protection and security. That question at issue must be fully and completely determined for ever in favor of Jehovah God in order that his name and word be vindicated. Such is the reason why God permitted the wicked ones to continue in the earth, and he gives his sure word that in due time he will completely destroy all of them. Now the time has come for his name to be declared throughout all the earth, and for that reason these great truths are now being brought to the attention of the people, by the Lord's grace.
But why has God permitted the Devil to oppress and afflict those persons on earth who have agreed to serve Him? Why has he not safeguarded these faithful ones from all assaults of the Devil? The answer is that if God should do so, then the Devil would not have a free hand in his effort to prove his wicked challenge; and, furthermore, those who have agreed to serve God could prove their integrity and faithfulness to God only by resisting the assaults of the Devil, and under all conditions of persecution continuing to maintain their integrity toward God. For that reason God has repeatedly stated to those who serve him his promise to preserve them and give them everlasting life and that he will destroy all the wicked: "The Lord preserveth all them that love him; but all the wicked will he destroy." (Psalm 145: 20) "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life."-Revelation 2:10, A.R.V.
JOB AN ENSAMPLE
The Scriptures specifically name some men who were faithful and true to Jehovah and who withstood the Devil. These men named include Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Job and Moses. God has used faithful men in times of old as ensamples or types of greater things to come to pass. Among those who were so used was Job. The place of habitation of the Devil and his angels was and is, according to the Scriptures, in "the land of Magog". (Ezekiel 38:2) In the days of Job Satan had not been barred from heaven but had the privilege of appearing
from time to time before the Almighty God. It appears that from time to time the faithful sons of God presented themselves before Jehovah: "Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord." — Job 2:1.
To be sure, Jehovah knew from whence Satan came, but he held communication with Satan manifestly for the purpose of making a picture foretelling how faithful men are tried and tested by the Devil: "And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin; yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils, from the sole of his foot unto his crown." — Job 2:2-7.
Doubtless Satan taunted Jehovah by calling his attention to the fact that only a few men since the time of the flood had stood by Jeho-
vah, that most of them had gone with the Devil, and that if the Devil had a chance he could make them all forsake God. That was a defiant challenge to Jehovah God, and he accepted the challenge. Job was rich in earthly goods and surrounded by a happy family and enjoyed good health, peace and quietness. The Devil declared that if those things were taken away from him he would curse God to his face. In answer to that challenge Jehovah said: "Behold, he is in thy hand"; that is, 'you are at liberty to make him curse me if you can.' Thereafter Satan the Devil afflicted Job with a loathsome disease, from which he suffered so terribly that his own wife said to him: "Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die." (Job 2:9) But Job stood firm amidst all this test and maintained his integrity toward God. Then the Devil further afflicted Job by causing certain pious-faced religionists to torment him, and through it all Job maintained his integrity, remained firm and true to the Most High.
That which is recorded concerning the experiences of Job is an ensample of those who endure suffering for righteousness' sake and who in the face of all manner of persecution and punishment maintain their integrity toward God. Just why God would permit the Devil to proceed with a free hand in opposition to Him and in persecution of those who serve God was not revealed at the time to anyone, not even to the angels. That God had a fixed time in which to make known the reason is certain, however, and exactly on time God will bring the entire issue
to a climax to his own glory. What followed shows that he has permitted the Devil to tempt men for centuries, and particularly through the operation of religion, using it as an instrument to carry out his wicked challenge. The day of reckoning is at hand, when the issue must be settled, and therefore it is God's due time to make known the reason to all those who are diligent to have a proper understanding,
ISRAEL ORGANIZED
The descendants of Jacob, now called Israel, were organized into a nation and put under the leadership of Moses. It was after the Israelites had been miraculously delivered from Egypt, and while they were encamped at the base of Mount Sinai, that God gave to that people his fundamental law and his statutes. Ten is a symbolic number denoting completeness, and what is generally called "the ten commandments" really means all or the complete statement of God's fundamental law to man. His statutes specifically define man's duty to be performed in harmony with the fundamental law. The nation of Israel was in direct contrast to all other nations and peoples because Israel was the people chosen by the Lord God for himself, and by and through which people he would and did make prophetic pictures foreshadowing greater things to come to pass in the future. — 1 Corinthians 10:11.
Note here how God gave to that people the fundamental law, which fundamental law ap-
plies to all people who undertake to do the will of God: "In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And Moses came, and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord." — Exodus 19:1-8.
Jehovah God communicated to Moses his law, which was written upon tables of stone: "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." (Exodus 31:18) The unlimited power of the Almighty God enables him to
write upon stone as well as upon the sand. Every person who believes that the Almighty God exists and that he is the rewarder of them that serve him, can readily see how God made provision for the Bible to be written and kept securely through all the centuries. No one has ever been able to destroy the Bible, although repeated attempts have been made to do so. It is certain that the Devil has made every possible effort to destroy the Bible, and in modern times particularly he has used religionists, who are called "higher critics", to discredit the Bible and cause the people to refuse to believe it.
REASON FOR THE LAW
If every creature were perfect and obedient to Jehovah God there would be no need for a written law prescribing what is right and commanding the people to refrain from what is wrong. Perfect creatures are moved by unselfishness to do that which is right. The human race was imperfect from the time of the expulsion of Adam from Eden, and by the time the Israelites were delivered from Egypt mankind was much depraved because of his fall and the continued influence exercised upon man by Satan. Laws are necessary for imperfect men to have as a sure guide, that they may go the right way. The laws are made for just such; as it is written: "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers
of fathers and murderers of mothers, for man-slayers." —1 Timothy 1:9.
Love, which is the perfect expression of unselfishness, is the complete fulfillment of the law, therefore making the enforcement of law unnecessary. (Romans 13:10) The very essence of the law is written in the heart of every creature that is in full harmony with God and delights to do his will. At the time the Israelites were assembled at Mount Sinai the Devil had almost all of the people on earth in his service, and therefore all were in the way of destruction. The Israelites God would safeguard from that destructive influence. The law which God gave to the Israelites was not for God's benefit, but entirely for the benefit of man. If a man walks with the Devil he is certain to die, but if he maintains his integrity toward God he will live. Therefore God gave his law through Moses to the Israelites and which applies to all who want to do right, and the first in order and first in importance of his commandments or fundamental law is this, to wit:
"And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the chil-
dren unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." — Exodus 20:1-6.
The law of God never changes, because God never changes. (Malachi 3:6) His law points out the way to everlasting life. No creature will ever be given life everlasting who willfully, that is, intentionally, violates God's law. If man chooses another for his god, Jehovah will not grant to that man life. For a man to violate the fundamental law of God means that that man puts himself on the side of the Devil, who therefore leads him to destruction. For the benefit of man, then, God provided in his law that man should have no other god before Him, because God alone is the source of life.
Within a short time after the giving of the law to Israel, and while Moses was in the mountain, the Israelites in violation of God's law made a golden calf as an image for worship, and in punishment for their sin God caused 3,000 of the Israelites to be killed in one day. 'And God plagued the people, because they made the golden calf.' (Exodus 32:28-35) The worshiping of the Israelites before the golden calf was the practice of religion, and they were therefore yielding to the influence of the Devil. For God to permit the people, whom he had set aside for himself, to indulge in religion, which is of the Devil, would, to be sure, mean that he would permit them to align themselves with his enemy the Devil. The making of an image of anything in heaven, such as an image of the Lord himself,
and bowing down or worshiping before that image, is a violation of God's fundamental law. To safeguard them from the Devil men are commanded to worship the Lord God and refrain from worshiping before images. The use of any kind of image in connection with worshiping the Lord is a sin, as will be more fully considered hereinafter.
God gave his law to the people, therefore, to safeguard them from the influence and power of the Devil, who, operating chiefly through religion, endeavors to turn all people away from Almighty God. It is written in the Scriptures that Jehovah God gave his word of promise to Abraham that He would raise up a seed and in that seed the opportunity for blessings should come to all the peoples of the earth. Abraham pictured God himself, and his son or natural seed, Isaac, pictured Christ Jesus, the beloved Son of God. God's law looked forward to the coming of that promised seed, Christ Jesus, the Redeemer of mankind, and He gave the law because of sin, to safeguard his chosen people, the Israelites, that they might be in a proper condition to receive his promised seed Jesus when he did come.
The situation was this: Adam had sinned, and by inheritance all mankind came under the effect of that sin and condemnation, and in due time all men must perish by reason thereof unless saved by and through God's provision for them: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." (Romans 5:12,18) "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." — Romans 6: 23.
Jehovah God is the Giver of life, and his provision is to give life through his beloved Son, Christ Jesus. God's gift of life is to those who have and exercise faith in God and in Christ Jesus, the promised Seed, and who therefore faithfully resist the Devil. God had selected the Israelites from amongst all the peoples of earth and would now give them an opportunity to maintain their integrity toward him by showing their faith in him and obedience to his law; and in order to safeguard them he put his law about them as a hedge or fence to keep them from serving the Devil. With the coming of Christ Jesus those who had then maintained their integrity toward God by obeying his law to the best of their ability, and who had and exercised faith in Christ Jesus, would be in line to be saved and receive the gift of life. Therefore it is written that the transgression of God's law is sin. "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4) It is further written: "It [that is, the law] was added because of transgressions, till the seed [Christ] should come to whom the promise was made; . . . Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster
to bring us [God's chosen people] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:19,24) Thus it clearly appears from the testimony that God commanded the Israelites to serve him as the only God and that it was solely for their benefit, that they might be safeguarded from the assaults of the enemy, Satan the Devil.
The Israelites were about to begin a forty years' journey through the wilderness land. They would come in contact with other nations and peoples, that practiced the Devil religion. They must be safeguarded from that Devil religion and must remain faithful and true to the Almighty God and thereby maintain their integrity toward him. All who thus did would be permitted to enter the land of promise, and the violators of that law would die and not be permitted in the land of promise. The Israelites, under the Lord's direction, would thereafter be making living pictures of God's purpose toward all who would faithfully serve him, and hence the experiences through which Israel passed foreshadowed greater things to come at the end of the world. Moses then led the Israelites on that long journey, during which time he wrote the five books of the Bible, which God dictated to him, that is, the books from Genesis to Deuteronomy inclusive; and thereafter other servants of God wrote down the things that came to pass upon the Israelites and which God caused them to write, not merely as historical facts, but to foreshadow or foretell far greater things to come to pass thereafter. — 1 Corinthians 10:11; Hebrews 10:1.
"BESETTING SIN"
Behold now an army of more than 600,000 men, from twenty years of age upward, besides women and children, marching through the desert on their way to the land of promise, taking with them their food and their animals, a people (and their beasts of burden) which God had separated from other peoples of earth. They were marching in obedience to God's commandment. How many of those men would maintain their integrity toward God and reach the land of promise? What was the great sin that beset them so easily, and that was about them from the very time they began their journey? The answer clearly shown by all their experiences, and by what is recorded in the Scriptures, is this: Religion and formalism, invented by the Devil, and which the people were induced to practice to turn them away from the Almighty God. Religion has ever been the Devil's chief instrument by which he has beguiled the people and blinded them to the truth. Religion was the besetting sin of Israel, which sin has been the besetting sin of those who have professed to follow in the footsteps of Christ Jesus.
Long years after that journey in the wilderness began the apostle Paul, of the Hebrew stock, wrote the epistle to the Hebrews, and therein he lists a number of faithful men from Abel to John the Baptist who had maintained their integrity toward God, and wherein he shows that it was their shunning religion and their unswerving devotion and faithfulness to the commandments of Almighty God that had
gained for them God's approval. Then it is written as an admonition to all of those who have agreed to do the will of God and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus that they should have in mind these faithful witnesses who went before and should follow a similar course. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." — Hebrews 12:1.
Man's besetting sin, from the time of Eden till now, has been and is religion. It has been the means by which Satan has deceived man, and he has kept it around man and turned him away from God. It was the instrument that the Devil used to cause, the Israelites to fall away from God. It is so easy to fall under the seductive influence of religion and thereby, to violate God's law, and the Devil has seen to it that religion has ever been kept before man to cause him to fall.
The making of images, of beads, crosses, and other things of that kind, and using them in what is supposed to be worship of God, is a direct violation of God's law and shows that those who thus practice are unwittingly falling to the Devil. The saluting of flags or men or other like objects, or bowing down to them, is attributing protection and salvation to creatures or things, and that is a religious formalism and in open violation of God's law. No creature can divide his affections or devotion between God and anything. Jehovah God is his only protector
and is the Life-giver, and he is therefore a "jealous God", or zealous for righteousness, and will not permit his name or his Word to be sullied by any part of the Devil's operations or schemes, and therefore He will not give life to those who indulge in things invented and used by the Devil to defame Jehovah's name. The law of God which provides that men shall have no other god before Him and shall make no image of anything in heaven or in earth and bow down to it is solely for the purpose of safeguarding man from the Devil's wickedness, "the sin which doth so easily beset" all creatures.
Referring again to the apostle's words, "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us," which words are addressed to God's covenant people, it is clearly to be seen that no person can faithfully and truly serve God and permit anything to divide his affections between God and any creature of creation; that he cannot practice religion, and at the same time serve God faithfully; that he must lay aside these weights, and do as the apostle Paul did and said: "This one thing I do" (Philippians 3:13), and that is, to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and obey God's commandments. Religion is clearly in opposition to the commandments of Almighty God.
God's law is plain, and stubbornness on the part of anyone in obeying that law is idolatry. (1 Samuel 15:23) Every religious practice under the sun means that the practitioners are indulging in idolatry. The use of images in worshiping is idolatry, and all idolatry is abominable in the
sight of God. As God permitted Job to be subjected to great trials, so he permitted the Devil to tempt the Israelites, and to tempt his covenant people since, that they might prove their choice between God and the Devil. Knowing that the Israelites would come in contact with those who practiced the Devil religion, God therefore gave them this specific commandment: "Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God." (Leviticus 19:4) "Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the Lord your God." "And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you." (Leviticus 26:1,30) "All the gods of the people are idols." (1 Chronicles 16:26) Religion, therefore, clearly appears to be one of man's great enemies, which the chief enemy, the Devil, has invented to lead men into destruction.
What followed after the giving of the law shows the great necessity for that law. The record of the Israelites during their journey is replete with instances of turning to idols or Devil religion. Coming in contact with the Moabites they found that people practicing a religion called "Baal-peor", and many of the Israelites indulged in that religion in violation of God's law and thus exposed themselves to God's wrath, and many of them were destroyed: "And they [the Moabites] called the people unto the sac-
rifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor; and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel. And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor." — Numbers 25:2-5.
Time and again the Israelites violated God's law by turning to Devil religion, and the result was that only a very few of those who left Egypt lived to see the land of promise. When Moses was delivering to the Israelites his last exhortation, he said to them, as commanded by the Lord God: "(For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; and ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; and it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: the Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses
that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven. . . .
"Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: for they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book." — Deuteronomy 29:16-27.
God, having accepted Satan's challenge, was permitting him to put men to the test and was safeguarding them by his law so that the covenant people of God had the privilege of exercising their will or choice to serve God and live, or serve the Devil and die. This is God's fixed and unchangeable rule.
When the Israelites, led by the faithful Joshua, reached the land of promise, they served God for a time. (Judges 2:6-13) They were God's chosen people, and were made the objects and were the objects of continual assaults by the subtle enemy. Yielding to those temptations, the Israelites time and again fell away to the Devil religion. During that period of time there were some men who led the Israelites faithfully to serve God, while others took exactly the opposite course. It was during the
reign of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel that almost all the people were turned away to Devil religion. God sent his faithful prophet Elijah to deliver his message of warning and to tell Ahab that his practice of religion was causing the Israelites all the trouble that they were experiencing: "And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim [the Devil religion]." —1 Kings 18:17,18.
God raised up Jehu, a faithful servant and who slew Ahab and his household because of the idolatrous practice of religion in which they indulged. "So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining." (2 Kings 10:11) All the practitioners of Baalism, the Devil religion, in Israel were slain by Jehu, and he brought forth the images out of the house of Baal and burned them, and "thus Jehu destroyed Baal [worship] out of Israel". (2 Kings 10:25-29) These instances here are cited as further proof that religion is directly in opposition to God's commandments, is devilish, and is therefore one of man's great enemies, and an abomination.
BACKSLIDERS
Time and again the Israelites acknowledged their wrong and asked for forgiveness, and the Lord forgave them. Straightway they would go
again and indulge in the Devil religion and fall under that wicked influence. The Lord therefore called them '"backsliding Israel". (Jeremiah 3: 6-14) God had put his name on the Israelites as his own people and was giving them every opportunity to prove their integrity before him, that they might have part in proving Satan a liar and that they might remain faithful to God and have his favor; and for his name's sake, therefore, he was safeguarding Israel, forgiving them and restoring them from time to time, giving them further opportunity to prove their integrity; therefore it is written concerning Israel: "Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth." (Ezekiel 20:21,22) The nation as a whole was unfaithful to God, but there were always a few Israelites that remained faithful and true to Jehovah, maintaining their integrity toward him.
Then God sent his faithful men, his prophets, who repeatedly prophesied before the Israelites concerning the coming of the Messiah, God's anointed One, that is, Christ, the Seed of promise according to the promise which God had made to Abraham. (Genesis 22:17,18) He
warned the Israelites through his prophets that if they continued their unfaithfulness to him in the practice of Devil religion he would destroy them, and in harmony with his warning he did destroy them because of their unfaithfulness. Exactly at God's fixed time he sent Jesus, his beloved Son, whom he sent to deliver his message of truth. The priests of the Israelites were obligated, by God's commandment, to teach the people concerning his law and the prophecies which referred to the coming of the great Messiah, the promised Seed; therefore they should have known about the coming of Jesus, and the priests in particular should have been ready to receive him.
When Jesus was born, not one of the priests or clergymen or other practitioners of religion was permitted to be witness to the fact, and manifestly that was because they were practicing the Devil religion. God chose as his witnesses to the birth of Jesus the meek herders of sheep. God caused his angels from heaven to announce the birth of Jesus and to speak to the shepherds these words: "And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multi-
tude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and [Roth.] on earth peace, among men of good-will." (Luke 2:9-14) By that time almost all the people of Israel had turned to religion; but there were a few who were faithful to God's commandments.
DEVIL AND HIS AGENTS
Had the priests, Pharisees and scribes, otherwise known as the clergymen of Israel, been faithfully devoted to doing the will of God and obeying his commandments, they would have known that Jesus would begin his ministry when thirty years of age and they would have instructed the people to be ready to receive him and to obey his commandments. When Jesus reached the age of thirty years and began his ministry, not a single one of the clergy class received him and hailed him as the Son of God. The reason why they did not was, because they were religionists and were looking for favor to themselves from amongst men (John 5:44), and they were the instruments of the Devil practicing his religion. Those Jewish clergymen or religionists were full of guile and fraud and deceit. A few honest and faithful Israelites were looking for Christ the Messiah, and it was from among such that Jesus chose his disciples, concerning one of whom Jesus said: "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" (John 1:47) This was conclusive proof that all the religious leaders, the clergymen, were full of guile and deceit.
Jesus was baptized in the Jordan river and was anointed of Jehovah; and John, standing by, beheld the manifestation of God's power upon Jesus and His approval of him. "And, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17) No Pharisee or other clergyman was there to witness that great event. No doubt the Devil looked on from some point, but, of course, was invisible to men.
Immediately after his anointing of the holy spirit Jesus was assaulted by the Devil, who made a subtle and vicious attack to bring about the destruction of Jesus. The Devil demanded that Jesus perform a miracle by making bread from stone, to which Jesus replied that man's existence does not depend upon material bread alone but does depend upon his obedience to God's Word. The Devil then dared Jesus to show his superiority by jumping from a high pinnacle into the valley, to which Jesus replied: "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." The Devil, being the invisible ruler of the world, mockingly and sarcastically offered to turn the world over to Jesus if Jesus would bow down and worship the Devil, to which Jesus replied: "Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Matthew 4:1-10; Luke 4:1-13) This is further and conclusive proof that the Devil is the enemy of God, that he is a fraud, a deceiver and a liar, that he is the inventor of religion, and that those who worship any creature or thing, and fail to
worship the Lord God, are the enemy of God, and the agent or ally of the Devil, whether they know it or not. There was not one clergyman of the Jews that accepted Jesus and stood by him; which shows that all such were agents of the Devil.
Thereafter Jesus began his work of preaching to the people and introduced his discourse with these words: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Did any of the clergymen accept that as true? Not one. The priests, Pharisees and other religious leaders were hypocrites and loved the plaudits and approval of men, and sought the worship of the people even as their father the Devil had done. A great multitude of the people went with Jesus into the mountain, where he delivered to them that famous "Sermon on the Mount". From the record it does not appear that a single clergyman was there to hear that great sermon. The common people listened with eagerness to learn, and, amongst other things, Jesus said to them: "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." (Matthew 6:5-8)
Then Jesus gave to the people a model prayer, which is generally known as "the Lord's prayer". — Matthew 6:9-13.
In the foregoing text it was the priests or clergymen who practiced religion to whom Jesus referred as hypocrites making a great show of their pious faces in the streets that they might be seen of men. Compare the conduct of those Jewish clergymen with the clergymen and religious leaders of this present day. Often you have observed a priest or other clergyman or religious practitioner going about the streets with a prayer book in his hand, pretending to read it, or sitting in the parks doing the same thing. Daily those clergymen walk through the streets wearing peculiar garments that they may attract the attention of men. They stand in the church buildings, as the Jewish clergymen stood in their synagogues, and strike a sanctimonious attitude, and utter senseless speech in a language that few, if any, of those present can understand; and that they do that they may attract attention of men to themselves. Thus Jesus shows that the practitioners of religion among the Jews find their counterpart in the practitioners of religion now on earth in "Christendom".
The man Jesus was the great and true witness of Jehovah God, whom God sent to the earth to tell his message of truth for his name's sake. If the priests and clergymen of that day had been honest and on the side of Almighty God they would have gladly heard the words of Jesus and followed his instructions, but instead they refused to believe him and opposed
him in every possible manner, and this they did because they were the agents of the Devil and therefore the enemies of God. It is written concerning the sincere Jews of the common people, who listened to the preaching of Jesus, that "the common people heard him gladly". (Mark 12: 37) Did the clergymen believe the words of Jesus? They did not, but, on the contrary, they did everything they could to induce the people not to believe. When a sincere man reported to those clergymen the wonderful words that Jesus had uttered and things he had done, they replied: "Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?" (John 7:47,48) Instead of supporting Jesus the clergy of his time used every possible means in opposition to him to prevent the people from hearing his words of wisdom and life. Exactly the same condition exists today with the religious leaders of "Christendom".
OPPOSERS OF TRUTH
What advantage is there in now considering the clergy who were on the earth when Jesus was here, and why should this be done at all? The purpose is to show that those men were practitioners of religion, claiming to represent God, but in fact were on the side of the Devil and were the enemies of God; and that in the present time those who oppose Christ Jesus and his kingdom are the enemies of God and of man; that religionists are always opponents of the truth; which shows that religion proceeds from the Devil and is employed to deceive the
people; and what was true when Jesus was on earth is still true, to wit, that religion is against God and his kingdom. By his prophets of old God had foretold that the religious leaders of Israel would turn the people away from God, and now Jesus, the greatest of all prophets, told those religious teachers to their face that they were hypocrites and the Devil's representatives. What Jesus said to those men applies with even stronger force to those of the present time who practice religion for gain and who oppose those who proclaim God's Word of truth concerning Christ and his kingdom.
The religious leaders among the Jews claimed to be the seed of Abraham according to the promise and that they were the sons of God. Jesus had told them that God had sent him to the earth to bear witness to the truth, and that the message he was delivering was not his own, but that he was speaking the words which God had commanded him to speak; and in the face of these statements the clergy or religionists tried to kill Jesus, and Jesus reminded them of this fact.
Mark here the words of Jesus, addressed to those opposing religionists: "I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath
told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me; for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." — John 8: 37-47.
And did they show themselves to be sons of the Devil, as Jesus had told them? The facts conclusively show that they did. They practiced religion, based upon the traditions of men, ignored the commandments of God, and thus made the Word of God of none effect, and therefore they were the enemies of God and enemies of the people. Mark here the words of Jesus, which conclusively show the difference between religion and obeying the commandments of God: "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, . . . saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? . . . But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also
transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? ... Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites! well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." — Matthew 15:1-9.
Those clergymen and preachers were practitioners of "the Jews' religion" and were the instruments of the Devil. Saul afterwards testified to the same effect, as will appear at Galatians 1:13,14. The Devil got those Jewish clergymen on his side because they were proud and sought the favor of men and taught the doctrines which men had invented and taught and they ignored and disregarded the commandment of God. From the day of Nimrod onward the Devil has employed religion to turn men away from God in furtherance of the Devil's wicked challenge to Jehovah. The Devil works upon the vanity of men and induces them to adopt and practice formalism by which it is claimed that they worship God, but which in truth and in fact is an abomination in the sight of God.
God, through his holy prophets, had announced his purpose to set up a kingdom which should rule the world in righteousness to the honor of God's name and for the good of all righteous creatures. He foretold that he would send his beloved Son, the Messiah, to rule and bless the people. Then came Jesus in due time, declaring to the people that he had come as the
representative of Jehovah God and for the gathering of men unto himself who would faithfully serve Jehovah God and be witnesses to His name. Were there any religionists amongst those Jews who joined with Jesus in proclaiming the kingdom and inviting the people to put themselves under Jehovah's King? Not one; but, on the contrary, they tried to keep the people out of the kingdom; concerning which Jesus said: "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." (Matthew 23:13) At this present time who among the religious leaders are telling the people of God's kingdom under Christ as the only hope for the world? Not a single one. On the contrary, they tell the people to give no heed to those persons who come to them preaching the message of God's kingdom. They cite human inventions and human agencies as the means of relief and salvation for the people.
The religious Pharisees, who opposed Jesus, were great sticklers for formalism, that they might appear in the eyes of men as being very clean and righteous and wonderful men. They were following the traditions of their fathers who had murdered the faithful prophets of God, and so now they would seek to kill Jesus, the greatest of all prophets. Therefore Jesus said to them: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of
all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers! how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" (Matthew 23:27-33) Here is the clear declaration of Jesus that religionists are the agents of the Devil, whether they are aware of that fact or not.
MURDERERS
All liars and murderers are religionists. Whenever a murderer is about to be executed, he has some religious practitioner to say some senseless words over him, which is supposed to save him, but which does no good. The Devil was the originator of religion, and the Devil is the father of lies and a "murderer from the beginning" and ever thereafter. (John 8:44) From Nimrod down to the present hour the breakers of God's everlasting covenant, who have opposed God and murdered human creatures, have been and are religionists, practicing some form of religion. It was religionists that murdered the holy prophets of God, whom he had sent to declare his truth, and those religionists murdered them because they represented God and followed the truth. (Matthew 23: 30-32) When Jesus, the great Prophet and Heir of the Almighty God, came to earth the Devil put it into the minds of the religionists to kill him, and therefore they said concerning Jesus: "This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance." (Matthew 21: 38) It was not the common people, but the religionists, that opposed Jesus and that sought his lifeblood, and this they did because he told the truth.
The man Jesus was the only righteous perfect man ever on the earth. He was holy, harmless, undefiled and without sin. (Hebrews 7: 26; 1 Peter 1:19) He went about doing good to the people and never did a wrongful or harmful thing to anyone. He was repeatedly charged with crime, and on every occasion it was the reli-
gionists who falsely accused him. It was the religionists who entered into a conspiracy to have Jesus put to death, because they feared that the people who followed him would all abandon the clergymen and those religionists would be left without any means of support; and in proof of this it is written: "The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him." (John 12:19) "Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place [our jobs] and nation." — John 11:47,48.
The high priest then expressed himself in these words: "Ye know nothing at all, ... it is expedient for us, that one man should die ... he prophesied that Jesus should die .. . Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death." (John 11:49-53) This was a conspiracy to commit deliberate murder, and that conspiracy was carried into effect by the commission of the overt act.
The clergymen caused Jesus to be wrongfully charged with the high crime of treason. It was not the common people or the political element that demanded his death, but it was the religionists, who cried out: "Crucify him," and, "His blood be on us." (Matthew 27:12-26) When Christ Jesus was nailed to the tree and was pouring out his lifeblood, the clergy mocked him: "Likewise also the chief priests mocking
him, with the scribes and elders, said, ... He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him; for he said, I am the Son of God." (Matthew 27:41-43) The same spirit moves modern-day clergymen to speak against those who proclaim the message of God's kingdom.
The clergymen or religionists did not see that the body of Jesus had a decent burial, but it was a rich lawyer of honorable estate who had not consented to the action of the priests that begged for the body of Jesus that he might give it a decent burial. (Matthew 27: 57) It was the chief priests and Pharisees, the religious leaders, that tried to prevent the resurrection of Jesus, and that bribed soldiers with large sums of money to say falsely that his disciples had stolen the body while they slept. (Matthew 28:11-13) Can any honest person for one moment doubt the guilt of those religionists and that they, the leaders of religion, scribes and Pharisees, clergymen, acted as the agents and representatives of the Devil? As progress is made in this study keep in mind that it was the religionists that murdered Jesus, and then compare therewith the facts which show that the murderers in modern times are leaders in religious practice.
PURPOSE OF HIS COMING
The man Jesus was the Son of God. Before he became a man he was known as the Logos, the active agent of Jehovah God in the creation of all things. (Colossians 1:16) By the supreme
power of Jehovah God, Jesus, the Logos, 'was made flesh [a human creature] and dwelt among men.' (John 1:14) Jehovah God sent him to earth as his special representative, and the message which he delivered was the message from the Almighty God. (John 7:16) The Devil, the inventor of lies, the deceiver and murderer, for centuries had slandered the name of Jehovah God, mocked him and defied him and challenged him to put on earth any man who would remain true to God when the Devil put him to the test. After giving the Devil four thousand years to carry on unhindered his wicked work Jehovah God sent his beloved Son Jesus to earth to prove the Devil a liar and to be the vindicator of Jehovah's name. In carrying out the will of God it was of first importance that Jesus proclaim the truth; therefore when asked concerning his mission on earth, he replied: "I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." (John 18:37) It follows, therefore, that every person who refuses to hear the message of Jesus is not of the truth, but that he is under the control of the arch liar and enemy, the Devil.
REDEMPTION
The primary reason and purpose of Jesus' coming to earth was to bear witness to the truth of and concerning Jehovah God and his kingdom and to vindicate Jehovah's holy name. Incidental thereto, and as a secondary reason, he
came to redeem man from the condemnation resulting from Adam's sin. Because of the willful violation of God's law Adam was sentenced to death, and after that all his children were born. The condemned Adam was imperfect because under sentence of death, and could not produce a perfect child, and the result has ever been that all men have been born in sin and conceived in lawlessness. "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5) "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." (Romans 5:12) Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham were faithful to God, but, being born as imperfect men and therefore without right to everlasting life, by reason of Adam's sin, they could not get everlasting life unless provision for the redemption were first made. Man must be ransomed from death by the sacrifice of the perfect human life, because it was the perfect human life which God's law required Adam to give up as a penalty for sin. All men being descendants of Adam, there was no man who could present a perfect sacrifice unto God in the place and stead of Adam. God made the necessary provision.
It is the male of the human species that furnishes the life germ by God's provision. How, then, could a perfect man be provided, and who could become a ransom price for or deliverer of mankind? Jehovah the Almighty God caused Mary to conceive while yet a virgin. (Matthew 1:18) She conceived in her womb by virtue of
the power of the holy spirit of God exercised upon her. Seeing that God made man and woman out of the elements of the earth, there would be no difficulty whatsoever in God's causing a child to be conceived in the womb of Mary; which he did. The man-child Jesus was born, and was pure, holy, undefiled and entirely separate from sinners, having none of the contaminated life germ descending from Adam. (Hebrews 7:26) Jesus therefore is always designated in the Scriptures as "the Son of man", which is "the Son of God". When the man Jesus reached the age of thirty years he was qualified, under the terms of God's law, to become a priest unto God. It was then that Christ Jesus consecrated himself fully to do the will of God, and his immersion in the waters of the Jordan river was an outward evidence to others that he had made the covenant to be obedient to the will of God. It was then that his words apply: "Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, 0 my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." — Psalm 40:7,8; Matthew 3:15-17.
The one who would redeem mankind must offer himself voluntarily as a sacrifice, and that being the will of God, Jesus voluntarily and gladly complied with God's will and thus offered himself by presenting himself wholly unto the Lord God. The lifeblood of the perfect man Jesus could and did furnish the ransom or redemptive price for sinful man. The life is in the blood. (Leviticus 17; 11,14) The voluntary sacrifice of the perfect human life of Jesus pro-
vided the redemptive price, his lifeblood being poured out in sacrificial death. 'Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.' (Hebrews 9:22) The lifeblood of the perfect man Jesus God could accept, and did accept, as the ransom price and sin offering for sinful man. (For detailed consideration of the redemption of man, see book Reconciliation.)
The perfect man, Christ Jesus, was subjected to all manner of assaults and persecutions inflicted upon him by the Devil and the Devil's religious representatives on the earth, and through all of such assaults and persecutions Jesus maintained his integrity toward God, never for one moment deviating from the path of loyalty and faithfulness to God. Thereby Jesus proved Satan a liar, and this in vindication of Jehovah's name and word. After he had given testimony concerning the name of Jehovah and the kingdom, which covered a period of three and one-half years, he was then charged with the capital crime of treason, was given a mock trial, convicted without legal evidence, and crucified by being nailed to a tree, thus being put to death as a sinner accursed of God; and thus he would appear in the eyes of all others. (Deuteronomy 21:23) God permitted his enemies to put Jesus to death, knowing that Jesus would remain faithful even unto death, proving his integrity to God, and that God would raise him up out of death. Jesus thus met all the requirements and fully showed his qualification to become the vindicator of God's name.
Because of his faithfulness God raised up Jesus out of death and gave to him life and immortality, not as a man, but life divine, an endless and indestructible life, and exalted Jesus to the very highest place in all the universe next to Jehovah. (Philippians 2:5-11) God committed to Christ Jesus, the immortal One, all power in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18) Therefore Jesus said: "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." (Revelation 1:18) Christ Jesus therefore becomes clothed with all power and authority to act for Jehovah in all things as his chief executive officer.
When with his disciples, Jesus instructed them that all creatures who will receive everlasting life and the blessings of Almighty God must willingly and faithfully serve God. Then of himself he said: "And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20: 27, 28) This shows that the man Jesus understood that it was the will of his Father Jehovah not only that he tell the truth and become the Vindicator of his Father but that as a man he must die to provide the ransom or redemptive price "for many" of the human race. For how many of the human race: all or only a part? Not for all, because the redemptive price results beneficially only to those who believe on and obey God and Christ Jesus. Therefore he gave his life as a ransom for as many of the human race as take their stand on the side of God and Christ and maintain their integrity toward God when put to the test.
It is written: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Here the matter is squarely put to every man, to wit: If you prefer to continue on the side of the Devil and against God the result will be complete destruction; but if you take your stand on the side of God and Christ, showing full faith in the redemptive price and proving your integrity toward God, you will receive at God's hands, through Christ Jesus, the gift of life everlast-
ing. In further corroboration of this, it is written: "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3: 35, 36) Otherwise stated, all men came under condemnation by reason of sin, and God's wrath against sin is death; if one believes on the Lord Jesus Christ God removes that condemnation from him; but if man prefers to remain on the side of the Devil and continue in sin, then God's wrath or condemnation abides on him and is not removed. Thus it is seen that God's intelligent creatures are made free agents to choose life or death after having received a knowledge of God's provision for them.
The provision God has made to give life to men is prompted entirely by unselfishness or love on the part of God; as it is written: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16,17) It necessarily follows, then, that those who do not believe "perish", which means to be completely annihilated. God has no pleasure even in the death of the wicked, and certainly he could have no pleasure in inflicting torture upon anyone. The doctrine of eternal torment in hell is another one of Satan's vicious lies, which lies are taught to the people only by religionists, and the purpose of
this Devil lie is to turn people away from God and force them into the Devil's organization, that is, the "religious" organizations. "Hell" means the condition of death, not a place of torture. When a man prefers to continue in wickedness, God mercifully puts him to sleep in death, and that man never again awakens. "God is love," and he could not be guilty of a fiendish act such as eternal torture. The Lord causes to be brought to the attention of the people the truth, and then each one has the opportunity to believe or not to believe, as he may choose.
While instructing those who listened to and believed him, Jesus said: "I am come that they [that believe] might have life, and that they [that prove faithful unto death] might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) In order for anyone to believe, he must learn of God's provision for man through Christ Jesus. Therefore it is written: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" — Romans 10:13-15.
Further exercising his loving-kindness, God has provided that the attention of the people should be brought to the truth of and concern-
ing himself and his provision to give them life. He causes his Word to be proclaimed that the people may hear. The enemy Satan seeks to destroy all mankind, but the Almighty God graciously informs man that all those who will get on God's side, believe upon and serve the Lord Jesus Christ and Jehovah and prove faithful, shall live.
After the flood Satan induced men to practice religion in mockery of God and all the nations adopted and practiced the Devil religion. Jehovah God then chose the people of Israel, formed them into a nation, and gave them his commandments and instructed them how they could obey God and live. Thus the matter was clearly put before mankind. Men could choose to stay in the Devil's crowd or could serve Jehovah God faithfully and truly. Soon thereafter the Devil invaded the camp of Israel and induced that people to adopt formalism, which formalism in an outward way appeared to give honor to God but which in fact was against God. The Israelites soon began to use images in connection with their formalistic worship, and that was in direct violation of God's law. Continuing in this way, the nation went fully over to the Devil; only a few of the individual Israelites remained true to God. Men began the practice of formalism, which constituted "the Jews' religion", and that formalism and those man-made doctrines were handed down from parents to children; which is called "tradition". When Jesus came to earth the Jews were practicing religion, based upon such tradition, and which religion and tradition
made void the commandments of God, and Jesus so told them.
Jesus taught the people fully and sincerely to obey the commandments of God, and thus Jesus established true Christianity. There is no such thing in existence as "the Christian religion", because all religion proceeds from God's enemy, the Devil. "Christian religion" is a misnomer, fraudulent and deceptive. "Christianity" means the full and complete obedience of man to God's commandments, even as Christ Jesus taught and obeyed God's commandments. Therefore a person is a Christian only when he is a true follower of Christ Jesus, which means that he must be diligent in obeying God's commandments and follow them and not the teachings of man. Religion is a great enemy, always working injury to mankind, and this without regard to whether man is sincere or otherwise. Religion is entirely out of place in the church of God. What, then, is meant by the term the "church of God"?
