Reconciliation

Ministry of Reconciliation

JEHOVAH'S expressed purpose is that all men shall in his due time be brought to an accurate knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim. 2:3-6) This must be done after the ransom is provided by the great sacrifice of Jesus. During the time that others are being taken into the covenant by sacrifice a testimony of the truth is given. When that covenant by sacrifice is finished even a greater testimony will be given that all may have opportunity to know the truth. During the period of time from the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus until his second coming and kingdom what has been and is the will of God concerning the work that is to be done by Christians on the earth? That question is an important one and finds full and complete answer in the Scriptures alone. If an answer given is not supported by the Scriptures it will be confusing and harmful.

Confusion

The true mission of a Christian on earth is stated by the apostles in plain phrase. Those faithful followers of Jesus Christ adhered to the teachings of Christ and that which God gave also through his holy prophets. Had all professed followers of Jesus

pursued a like course there would have been no confusion at this time. Seeing that Satan the enemy has caused men to misrepresent the fundamental doctrines of God's Word, it might be expected that Satan would cause confusion as to the proper duty and course of the Christians while on earth. This is exactly what has come to pass.

The Roman Catholic church claims to be the church. In brief it teaches that all men fell under sin and are headed for eternal torment; that the mission of the church is to save souls from the terrible fate, and that to do so the church was organized; that through the work of the clergy in the sacrificing of the mass and by prayers and by penances souls are released from purgatory and saved from torment and eventually taken to heaven, and that all others not thus saved must spend eternity in torment.

Certain companies of Protestant systems, by and through their clergy, hold and teach that some people are elected to salvation and happiness and all others are destined to eternal torment; that even those who are elected to salvation must exercise some faith and that such faith comes by reason of hearing a message delivered by the clergy; and that the mission of the church is to warn even the favored ones to escape eternal torment and to tell the others who are less fortunate what is their fate.

Another branch of the Protestant system teaches that there is a great controversy 011 between God and the Devil as to which one will get the greater number of the human family; that God is, and for centuries has been, agonizing with sinners to accept the message delivered to them by the clergy and be saved and

taken to heaven; that all others who do not thus hear and obey must spend their eternity with the Devil in torment.

Other professed Christians hold that Christianity is a religion distinguished from other religions; that while some may be saved by other religions, the Christian religion is the best; and that the mission of the Christian church is to send out preachers to preach to the people the doctrines taught by the church, that the people might be brought into the church and thus be saved. They teach that millions of heathen who have died without ever having heard of the Christian religion will be saved in some way, they know not how. They further teach that if those heathen who do hear should refuse to heed and obey the message delivered by their professed Christian church, then they will be lost. When asked to explain why, then, they take their message to the heathen when they might be saved without hearing and are certain to be lost if they do not heed, they are at a loss to give any explanation.

A fair sample of what the churches and their preachers claim to be the mission of a Christian while on earth may be had from the following statement written by a distinguished clergyman, and appearing in Volume II, Standard American Encyclopedia, under the title "Christianity", to wit:

By the time a person considers all these conflicting claims he is so confused that he does not know what to believe. Babylon is one of the names applied to the Devil's organization. It properly applies to every part of his organization as well as to the whole. The term therefore is sometimes applied to so-called organized Christianity, which misrepresents the Lord

and confuses the people. Jesus thus spoke of this unholy system, designating it as "Babylon", and states that it has become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit, and calls upon the true Christians to come out therefrom. — Rev. 18:2-5.

Many clergymen, because of their inability to harmonize these conflicting claims when confronted by an inquirer, reply: 'Believe what you please. It makes no difference, just so you belong to the church. Our mission is to develop character that we may be ready to go to heaven, and you can do that as well in one church as you can in another.'

It is manifest from these confusing statements of the clergy that they have no conception whatsoever of the mission of the Christian while on earth. Instead of having the right understanding they have used Christianity for a selfish purpose. These denominations fight amongst themselves and yet they all unite to fight against the truth. It is manifest from the facts, in the light of the Scriptures, that these confusing statements are not an expression of divine wisdom but that they proceed from the Devil. "This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." — Jas. 3:15-18.

The fact that the claims made by the clergy concerning the mission of a Christian are numerous, conflicting and confusing, and not understandable, is

conclusive proof that what they answer does not proceed from God but emanates from the enemy Satan. "For God is not the author of confusion." (1 Cor. 14:33) Every sincere Christian should earnestly desire to ascertain what is God's will concerning a Christian while on earth, as well as hereafter. He will find that wisdom which proceeds from the Lord is pure, peaceable, gentle, and full of good fruits.

True Mission

A Christian is one who is anointed by Jehovah through Christ Jesus and who is therefore a follower of Christ. Jesus Christ is the Head of all true Christians, and therefore the true Christians constitute the members of his body. (Col. 1:18) "Church" means called out ones. Jesus is the Head of the church. It is God who has set the members of the church in the body as it pleases him and it is God who clothes the church with authority, both the Head and the members thereof. (1 Cor. 12:12-14, 18) It follows, then, that the only way to ascertain what is the proper work of Christians while on earth is to ascertain what work Jesus did while he was on earth and what he commanded the body members to do.

Many have claimed to accept Christianity because they believed it to be better than some other religion. In this they have been wrong. Christianity is not a religion. Religion is an outward form or ceremony by which man indicates his recognition of the existence of a supreme power. All peoples have some kind of religion. True Christians are not given to forms and ceremonies, but seek through God's Word to ascertain

his will and, learning it, they do his will without regard to time, place or conditions. When Jesus was on the earth he never indulged in formalism nor performed any ceremonies. He ate the passover, not as religious formalism but for the purpose of showing the picture which foreshadowed the reality of the great sacrifice, which sacrifice he made of himself. His followers observe annually the memorial of his death, not as a formalism but to keep in memory the purpose of his death. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their outward formalism. — Matt. 23:13-29.

Even in these latter days, when consecrated ones have learned that the doctrine of eternal torment and kindred doctrines are false, as Satan himself, they look upon the heavenly calling of a Christian from a very narrow viewpoint. They say: 'How glad we shall be when we can escape the trials and woes of this wicked world and be taken to our eternal home in heaven, there to bask in the sunshine of God's love!' The faithful performance of their divinely-given commission is scarcely ever thought about. They say: 'We must develop character and get ready to go to heaven.' There is no record in the Scriptures that Jesus ever bemoaned his condition on earth or claimed he wanted to get away from the trials and woes of the wicked world and go to heaven. Never at any time did he say anything about developing character that God might take him to heaven. It is true that he prayed to his Father to glorify him with the glory which he possessed before he came to earth, but that was after his work on earth had been completed. He did not even request the great reward of immortality. It is true that the Christian has the hope of immor-

tality set before him and rejoices in this hope; but if that alone constitutes the inducing cause for him to be a Christian, he is coming far short of that which God purposed for him.

Jesus said he came to earth because his Father sent him. "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38) 'I came in my Father's name.' (John 5:43) He did not come to magnify his own name nor to shine amongst men. (John 5:20) He came to earth to work and he was always diligent in doing that work. He said: "I must work the works of him that sent me." (John 9:4) Furthermore he said: "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Matt. 20: 28) The clergy claim to be ministers, but they always desire some one to minister to them. God foretold this through his prophet. — Isaiah 56:10, 11.

Jesus said he came to minister. A minister is one who is clothed with power and authority to represent a higher power or authority and who attends to the duties of his office and renders service. He is the representative of a government or power. He is an ambassador performing service in his official capacity. His authority is limited by the commission received from the one appointing him. Ministry means the act of serving in harmony with the delegated power or authority. It is the act of performing the duties or functions of the office of a minister. Ministry of the Christian therefore means the act of serving in harmony with the power and authority delegated to such by the great Jehovah God.

The Commission

Those whom God anointed with his spirit he commands to do his work. The commission of authority which he bestows upon Christians is set forth in his Word: "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek: he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." — Isa. 61:1-3.

Jesus read this commission in the presence and hearing of others and applied it to himself. (Luke 4:18-21) All the body members receive the same anointing through the Head and are called upon to do a work similar to that which Jesus did. (2 Cor. 1: 21; 1 Pet. 2:21) When Jesus had finished his work on earth and was about to take his official departure from his disciples, he said to them: "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." (John 20: 21) "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy spirit." (Matt. 28:19) This proves that God has a work for Christians to do while on earth, and they can not be idle and yet please the Lord. That work

consists in telling the truth concerning God and his plan for the reconciliation of man to God.

After Jesus had ascended into heaven the apostles realized that they had a work committed to them which they must do. They immediately set about to seek some one to put in the place of Judas, who had been given a part in the ministry and who had forfeited that right. (Acts 1:17, 25) Later Paul was chosen as one of the apostles to bear the name of the Lord before the nations. (Acts 9:15) He did the work committed unto him, even though there was much opposition. He said: "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." — Acts 20:24.

Paul was anointed as a member of the body of Christ. All true Christians are likewise anointed by the spirit of Jehovah as members of the body of Christ. All such are called to the heavenly calling. Addressing these Paul says to them: "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house." — Heb. 3:1,2.

That admonition is to the effect that Christians while on earth are to give attentive heed to the things which Jesus did and go and do likewise. The fact that the apostle calls upon Christians to consider Christ Jesus, is of great importance. Jesus was on earth charged with the ministry of God's Word. He was God's Apostle and Ambassador. He declared that the Word of God is the truth and that he must tell it to

those who would hear. He said: "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." (John 18:37) That which the Apostle Paul emphasizes in connection with the ministry of Christ Jesus is that he was faithful to God, who appointed him as his minister. (Heb. 3:2) When he had finished his work on earth he received the high title of "The Faithful and True Witness". (Rev. 3:14; 19:11) Those who will gain the prize of joint-heirship in heaven must likewise be faithful unto God in the performance of the work given them to do. — Rev. 2:10.

Ministers of God

The anointed ones are God's ministers; therefore God's servants. Each one is a servant or steward and all the faithful ones collectively constitute the Servant of God, of which Christ Jesus is the Head. (Isa. 42:1) Many a man has been turned away from God and from his faithful service because he thought more highly of himself than he should think. That was due to Satan's interference. That enemy plants seeds of pride in the mind of man. Man becomes impressed with his own importance. He begins to desire and receive the plaudits of men. He forgets God and looks upon himself and deems himself important. He then becomes haughty, austere and proud. "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov. 16:18) He soon falls to the blandishments of the enemy and ceases to be God's minister.

Then others coming to a knowledge of the truth are induced to look upon men who have preceded

them as great. They look forward to the time when they themselves may be great and receive the praises of men. They praise men who have been their leaders, and forget God and their obligations to their covenant to do God's will. Seeking honor and glory for self or glorifying men, they fall into the snare of the Devil. They begin to think their personal appearance is important, to wear a special garment to attract the attention of others, and sit on the platform and fold the hands and strike an attitude of devotion to be seen of men, to assume a pious face and sanctimonious voice to be seen and heard of men. To do such things is to forget one's real commission and to fall into the snare of the enemy. To sing the plaudits of men who are teachers or leaders tends to turn the mind away from God and from his service. The attempt to be man-pleasers leads one into the snare of the enemy.

The true servant or minister of God seeks always to faithfully represent God and to please him. Paul did not sing the praises of other men, nor did he seek to exalt himself in the eyes of men. He said: "Let no man glory in men." "Glorify God in your body." (1 Cor. 3:21; 6:20) Concerning himself and the ministry committed unto him and to his fellow servants he said: "Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing, as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God: who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." "Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received

mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." — 2 Cor. 3: 1,5, 6; 4:1,2.

Every true Christian is a new creature. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." (2 Cor. 5:17) A creature consists of a mind, will, heart and organism. The organism of the new creature in Christ is the body of human flesh. It is weak and imperfect. It is this new creature to whom is committed a part of the ministry of reconciliation; therefore the apostle, in speaking of this ministry committed to him and to his brethren, refers to it as a treasure. It is indeed a treasure, because a very important mission. He said: "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (2 Cor. 4:7) Some have erroneously used this scripture to show that a new creature is something separate and distinct from the man who is a Christian, and is inside of him and must be developed. This is not at all what the apostle meant; but what he did mean is that the new creature in Christ has committed to him this ministry and, he being an earthen vessel and imperfect, God has arranged it thus in order that the excellency and the power may not appear from man but may appear, as in fact it is, from God. It is this valuable thing or great treasure, namely, the ministry, which Jesus referred to as the talents, the kingdom interests, committed to his followers on earth. What, then, is the ministry which God has given to his anointed ones? The answer is that it is

the ministry of reconciliation. Those who have been brought into Christ have become new creatures. Before becoming new creatures they must be reconciled to God by justification. As new creatures they are given the commission that was given to Jesus because they are members of his body. Their work on earth, therefore, is to tell the people of God's gracious plan for the reconciliation of man to himself. Upon this point the apostle's argument is: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." (2 Cor. 5:17-19) The gist of the apostle's argument here is that all things proceed from Jehovah; that he has reconciled the church to himself by Jesus Christ; and that to the members of the body of Christ he has committed the ministry of reconciliation; that God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself; and that his body members are ambassadors for Christ and as such must perform the office of an ambassador.

Ambassadors

An ambassador is one appointed by a higher authority to represent that higher authority in a foreign country. Jesus was the great Ambassador of God his Father when he came to earth to do a work in his Father's name. God was then and there speaking

through Christ his message of reconciliation, telling the people how man can be reconciled. Jesus laid down his life in death, which constitutes the basis for reconciliation. His death provided the ransom price, which ransom price presented as a sin-offering constitutes the atonement or expiation of the sin of man. The ransom price, however, and the sin-offering do not constitute the reconciliation of man.

The terms "ransom", "sin-offering" and "reconciliation" should not be used synonymously. To be sure, there could be no reconciliation without the ransom price being provided and presented as a sin-offering, but what would that great ransom sacrifice avail man if he knew nothing about it? He must first have knowledge. It is the will of God that all men be saved and then brought to an accurate knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim. 2:3, 4) The ransom and sin-offering open the way for reconciliation, and then the truth of this great fact must be brought to man and man be given the opportunity of accepting the gracious provision or rejecting it. In support of this the apostle says: "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." — Rom. 5:18.

There could not be a gift without the party to whom the gift is made having knowledge of the offer. A man is in great need of money. Another offers him a gold coin, but the man is blind and deaf and does not know of the offer. The gift fails for that reason. The human race is in great need of life. God is the source of life. 'Life is a gift from God through Jesus Christ our Lord.' (Rom. 6:23) To be reconciled to God

means life to man. God is the great Giver, and he gave his beloved Son that man might live. Man must be brought to a knowledge of that fact.

Jesus as the great Ambassador of his Father told his disciples and others who had hearing ears of God's purpose to reconcile man to himself. When Jesus was leaving his disciples he appointed them to be ambassadors to carry the same gracious message of truth to the people. (John 20:21) Peter says: "He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." (Acts 10:42, 43) But how could man believe without some knowledge upon which to base that belief? He can not believe the truth until he hears the truth. In support of this conclusion Paul wrote: "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!" — Rom. 10:14, 15.

This means that the ambassador of the Lord is to preach the truth as set forth in God's Word and not to express man's wisdom. All true Christians who are therefore anointed of God are appointed and commissioned as ambassadors of Christ and of God to tell the people the truth concerning God's plan. Having been themselves reconciled to God and brought into Christ, they have become a part of God's organiza-

tion. They are no longer any part of this world, which is the Devil's organization. The enemy's organization is a foreign government in opposition to Jehovah's organization. While the Christian is in that foreign and enemy government the Christian must faithfully represent God's organization and keep himself separate and distinct from Satan's organization. If he becomes a friend of the world he becomes the enemy of God. This proves that the clergy who have joined forces with the political and financial powers of this world have become God's enemies. (Jas. 1:27; 4:4; 2 Cor. 6:15-17) The vocation of the ambassador of God and Christ is to tell God's truth. He is not to exalt himself nor to make the people believe that he is giving out his own message of wisdom. He is to tell the truth as set forth in the Scriptures, that the people may know that Jehovah is God and that Christ is the great Redeemer and Deliverer of man.

Perfecting of the Saints

Jesus said: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matt. 5:48) Do not these words prove that the chief work of a Christian while on earth is to make himself perfect? Therefore is not the chief work of a Christian to 'develop character'? It is true that the Christian must be made perfect if he would be a joint-heir with Christ Jesus in glory. But how is he to be made perfect? Jesus said to the young man who wanted an answer to that question: "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow

me." (Matt. 19: 21) Those words of the Master mean that the Christian must be completely and fully devoted to doing God's will. Jehovah God is perfect and holy because all of his ways are right. — Ps. 18: 30.

The Christian must be made perfect by following the right course of action, which course of action is marked out in God's Word. No one can even begin to take that right course until he has made a full consecration to do God's will. He must completely forsake Satan's organization and become a part of God's organization. That is what Jesus meant in telling the young man to sell his all and come and follow him. The Logos was perfect. He became a man and as a man he was perfect. It is written of and concerning Jesus Christ: "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." (Heb. 5: 8, 9) He was made perfect through the things that he suffered. (Heb. 2:10) It was after his complete consecration and after his anointing that Jesus was made perfect, which perfection was accomplished by that which he suffered. The suffering here mentioned could not have been his death. What is meant, then, by being made perfect by the things he suffered?

God had promised him the highest place in the universe next to himself. Before granting his beloved Son that great prize, the Son must be put to the severest test and his loyalty, faithfulness and devotion to God must be proven by that test. Being subjected to that test caused him great suffering because he was opposed by the Devil and all of his instruments. Under this test he learned to be completely obedient unto

God's will. He suffered because of his obedience unto God's will. He suffered because of his faithfulness and loyalty as God's ambassador in telling the truth. He always told the truth and refused to compromise with Satan or any part of his organization. His course of action and complete devotion to God brought upon him the reproaches that had previously been heaped upon God by Satan. "For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me." (Ps. 69: 9) When Jesus came to earth these reproaches fell upon him because he was the Son and faithful Ambassador of God. By reason of his unswerving devotion to the course of righteousness under the most adverse conditions he proved his faithfulness and loyalty and devotion to his Father, and God therefore raised him out of death and gave him the prize of immortality and made him the author of eternal salvation unto all them that follow in his steps. — Phil. 2: 5-11; Heb. 5:8,9.

It, therefore, logically and Scripturally follows that all of his body members must be made perfect in a like manner. Each one must prove his faithfulness and loyalty as the representative of God. Such devotion and faithfulness is required of each one who is a steward of the Lord. "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." (1 Cor. 4:1, 2) Such faithfulness and devotion brings reproaches upon the Christian. — Rom. 15: 3.

The clergy have not been willing to preach Christ and him crucified and to faithfully represent God.

They have preferred to compromise with the Devil's organization and receive the approval and plaudits of men of this world. For this reason they are disapproved. Many who have started out to be the true followers of Christ have fallen into the same trap of the enemy. The true Christian delights to tell the truth, and because he tells it faithfully and joyfully he is the target of the enemy and is subjected to all manner of reproach and persecution at the hands of Satan the Devil and the clergy who represent the Devil. That is the reason why humble and faithful Christians are persecuted and suffer as Christ suffered. "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified." (1 Pet. 4:12-14) That such is the means that God has chosen to perfect the saints the Apostle Peter further testifies: "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." — 1 Pet. 5:10.

Jesus stated the same thing, in substance, to his disciples in the parable of the vine and the branches. The substance of his statement is that Jehovah God is the husbandman, Jesus Christ the vine, and his body members the branches. (John 15:1-10) He then stated that the Lord is pleased with those who bring forth

much fruit. The fruitage which he sought was not the saving of souls for heaven, nor was it 'character development'. The fruitage was and is a people to do his work on earth at the time he intended it to be done, and to do it joyfully. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not burdensome." — 1 John 5: 3, Diaglott.

Jehovah did not appoint somebody else as the husbandman; but he is the one who looks after his vineyard, and his true and faithful servants do his service joyfully and to the honor of his name. The chief office of a vine is to bear fruit, that by its product it may cheer God and man. (Judg. 9:13) Jehovah planted The Christ, Head and body, that his name might be glorified. (Isa. 61:3) Being faithful unto God as his ambassadors in loyally and faithfully keeping his commandments is pleasing to God. Bearing the message of God's plan of reconciliation and telling men of his loving-kindness brings cheer to man. This is the real fruitage. "But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." — 1 John 2: 5.

The perfection of the new creature is gained by continual faithful and joyful devotion to God in declaring the message which God gave to him to declare and to do that unto the end. — 1 John 4:17, 18.

Saving Souls

God has not been attempting to save souls for heaven, nor has he commissioned any one to save souls for him to go to heaven. During the period of sacrifice,

or Christian era, God has been taking out a people for his name. (Acts 15:14) Those so taken out become God's people for a purpose, and that purpose is the vindication of his name and showing forth the glory of God by telling the people the truth concerning him.  — 1 Pet. 2:9, 10.

The importance of the second coming of Christ was stressed by Jesus and by his apostles. The first period of his second presence is a time of preparation during which the work is done of gathering together those who have been taken into his covenant by sacrifice. (Ps. 50:5) When Jesus ascended on high he must wait until God's due time for him to take his power and reign. (Ps. 110:1) The physical facts show that God's due time arrived in 1914 and that then he set his beloved Son upon his throne. (Ps. 2: 6) That time was marked by the anger of the nations of Christendom and the great World War. That was the legal end of Satan's world and there ouster proceedings against Satan began. — Rev. 11:17, 18; Matt. 24: 3-8; Ps. 110:2-6.

Then the Lord, as foretold, came to his temple for the purpose of judgment: first the judgment of his professed people, and then of the nations. (Ps. 11:4-6; Rev. 11:17-19; Mal. 3:1-3; Matt. 25:14-30) The physical facts show the fulfilment of this prophecy by the Lord's coming to his temple in 1918. Following that time the ambassadors of God and Christ must give a clear and bold testimony to the truth that the people might know that Jehovah is God, that Christ is King, and that they might know of God's plan of reconciliation of man to God. Since that time in particular the great issue before the minds of the people

of earth is, Who is God? Satan the Devil has turned the minds of the people of the world away from the true God. Now Jehovah is saying to his faithful ambassadors who have been gathered into the temple condition: "Ye are my witnesses, . . . that I am God." (Isa. 43:10, 12) These faithful ambassadors must bear witness to the glory of God's name. God will have this witness given before he dashes to pieces Satan's wicked organization; and his faithful ambassadors, in obedience to the Lord's command, must give the witness. — Matt. 24:14, 21, 22.

Since 1918 faithful Christians on earth, known as the International Bible Students, have been engaged in giving a vigorous witness to God's plan of reconciliation because the time has come for that testimony to be given. The present work of Christians on earth is to be the faithful witnesses unto Jehovah of and concerning his goodness and his plan. That is the only reason or excuse for a Christian to be now on the earth.

On coming to his temple and taking account with his servants who have been brought into the covenant by sacrifice, Jesus Christ found some faithful and some unfaithful. (Luke 19:12-28) Those whom the Lord found faithful and approved he designates "the remnant" because they obey God's commandments. (Rev. 12:17) A great number of those who have been less faithful go to make up that unnumbered multitude of Christians who are saved to life as spirit beings and become servants before the throne of God in heaven. (Rev. 7: 9-17) Many of these are now held as prisoners in the denominational church systems. The prison-keepers are the clergymen of the various denominational systems. Each clergyman is, as he

claims, a watchman of his own congregation. (Isa. 56:10, 11) By threats and coercion and false statements these clergymen, as prison-keepers, hold the timid Christians in their prison-houses. These timid ones are put in fear of the clergymen and are thus held in the enemy's snare. — Prov. 29: 25.

In all denominational church systems there are doubtless sincere Christians. They see that the clergymen and their leaders have departed from the Word of God and teach contrary to his Word. They see that the nations that claim to be Christian are anything but Christian and are saying, 'Where is God?' God foreknew the condition of these prisoners and caused his prophet to foretell that condition and to give expression to the heart sentiments of the prisoners in these words: "0 remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us; for we are brought very low. Help us, 0 God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? Let him be known among the heathen in our sight, by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those who are appointed to die." — Ps. 79:8-11.

These are spoken of as prisoners who are appointed to die because they were taken into the covenant by sacrifice, having consecrated themselves to do God's will, and were called in the hope of being a part of Christ. (Eph. 4:4; Ps. 50: 5) They must die as human beings in order to be resurrected as spirit beings.

There must now be given a witness for the benefit of these prisoners that they may have an opportunity to separate themselves from the denominational prison-houses and take their stand on the side of the Lord. The faithful remnant class who are the ambassadors of God and Christ upon whom the spirit of the Lord rests must give this testimony. To such servant class God says: "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." (Isa. 42:1, 6, 7) This work must be finished before God proceeds with the work of reconciling the world in general.

The faithful ones composing the remnant class have been taken into the covenant by sacrifice and are now gathered together as God commanded. (Ps. 50: 5) As ambassadors of God and of Christ, amongst other things they must now declare the day of the vengeance of our God. It is the time for the vindication of his name. (Isa. 61:1, 2) These prove their love and devotion to God and are made perfect therein by continued faithfulness in boldly testifying to the truth in this day of judgment. (1 John 4:17, 18) Continuing faithful therein unto death these will receive the crown of life. (Rev. 2:10) It is therefore not the duty of the Christian on earth to convert the world nor to save souls to God. God has a better way of doing that and he will do it under another covenant.

Relationship of Covenants

There is a vital relationship between Jehovah's covenants, all of which relate to the reconciliation of man to himself. In the Abrahamic covenant Abraham represented God, Sarah the wife represented the covenant itself, while Isaac the only son represented the "seed". The Abrahamic covenant produced the "seed" of promise. The law covenant made in Egypt served as a schoolmaster to hedge about and protect the natural descendants of Abraham until the time came for the making of the covenant by sacrifice. The covenant by sacrifice is employed to prepare the "seed" through which the blessings shall come to all the families of the earth. The "seed", while in course of preparation, are the ambassadors of Jehovah in the earth to declare his message. That covenant by sacrifice being fully completed, then God proceeds with the reconciliation of the world in general by and through another covenant. All of these covenants testify to the goodness and the glory of Jehovah God.