Question (1921)—The Ancient Worthies had their faith imputed to them for righteousness, and were regarded by God as friends, and as such had access to Him. Is this the standing of the Youthful Worthies, or do they come through the Way—Jesus?
Answer.—All of the tentatively justified have their faith imputed to them for righteousness. This would, therefore, include the Youthful Worthies as well as
the Ancient Worthies. Just like the Ancient Worthies, the Youthful Worthies are not sons of God; for neither Christ’s merit has been imputed, nor has the spirit
begettal been given to either Class. Just like the Ancient Worthies they are friends of Jehovah God, and have access to God; but not to Him as their Father, even as was the case with the Ancient Worthies. They are not to pray to Him as their Father, but as Jehovah, their God. They are not introduced to the Father by the Advocate, though Jesus as God’s Vicegerent acts providentially toward them, as He did in His prehuman condition toward the Ancient Worthies. Therefore they do not by Him have access through the one Spirit to the Father as the Church does.—Eph. 2: 18. ’21-9
Friday, November 23, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Youthful Worthies—Would It Be Proper To Say That They Are Tentatively Covered By The Imputed Merit.
Question (1952)—Would it be proper, then, to say that the Youthful Worthies are covered tentatively by Jesus’ imputed merit and that it will not be used for the world of mankind until after all the Youthful Worthies have finished their earthly course?
Answer.—Yes. The Epiphany Messenger stated the matter as follows (P. ’46, p. 104, col. 2, 50-53): “Godward the application [of the ransom-merit] will be made instantaneously after the complete death of the Great Company and Youthful Worthies, who are covered, the former vitalizedly, the latter tentatively, by the imputed merit.” We see, therefore, that the Youthful Worthies enter into their complete death before the ransom-merit is applied for the world, prior to which they are tentatively covered by it. In the Jan. Herald, 1946, p. 6, par. 1, appears the following: “It will be seen that God’s wisdom planned every step in the salvation of the four elect classes, that God’s love provided all the sacrifices, including the ransom sacrifice, for their winning, and that Divine power executed every step of it, on the basis of an imputative use of the ransom. Note how wisely Divine wisdom planned for an imputative, a reckoned, and not an actual purchase by the ransom on behalf of the elect classes.” Obviously, then, the Youthful Worthies need the imputation, though tentatively held, of Christ’s ransom-merit as their covering in their covenant relationship with God during their earthly course; and surely the God who invited them to this high privilege of consecration would not deprive them of their standing under the tentatively imputed ransom-merit until they have had full opportunity to make their calling and election sure. It is not logical to suppose that Jehovah, who is a God of order, would begin the non-elective salvation before the elective salvation is entirely completed and the last class to leave the earth, the Youthful Worthies, have all gone into death. In The Herald, Jan., 1946, p. 6, par. 2, we read: “After the three elect classes of the present will have left this world, and thus will no longer need the imputation of Christ’s ransom-merit, then it will be free to be used for the actual purchase of Adam and his race of the unbelief class.” We may be sure, therefore, that its tentative imputation will be available for the Youthful Worthies until they will have finished their course. ’52-45
Answer.—Yes. The Epiphany Messenger stated the matter as follows (P. ’46, p. 104, col. 2, 50-53): “Godward the application [of the ransom-merit] will be made instantaneously after the complete death of the Great Company and Youthful Worthies, who are covered, the former vitalizedly, the latter tentatively, by the imputed merit.” We see, therefore, that the Youthful Worthies enter into their complete death before the ransom-merit is applied for the world, prior to which they are tentatively covered by it. In the Jan. Herald, 1946, p. 6, par. 1, appears the following: “It will be seen that God’s wisdom planned every step in the salvation of the four elect classes, that God’s love provided all the sacrifices, including the ransom sacrifice, for their winning, and that Divine power executed every step of it, on the basis of an imputative use of the ransom. Note how wisely Divine wisdom planned for an imputative, a reckoned, and not an actual purchase by the ransom on behalf of the elect classes.” Obviously, then, the Youthful Worthies need the imputation, though tentatively held, of Christ’s ransom-merit as their covering in their covenant relationship with God during their earthly course; and surely the God who invited them to this high privilege of consecration would not deprive them of their standing under the tentatively imputed ransom-merit until they have had full opportunity to make their calling and election sure. It is not logical to suppose that Jehovah, who is a God of order, would begin the non-elective salvation before the elective salvation is entirely completed and the last class to leave the earth, the Youthful Worthies, have all gone into death. In The Herald, Jan., 1946, p. 6, par. 2, we read: “After the three elect classes of the present will have left this world, and thus will no longer need the imputation of Christ’s ransom-merit, then it will be free to be used for the actual purchase of Adam and his race of the unbelief class.” We may be sure, therefore, that its tentative imputation will be available for the Youthful Worthies until they will have finished their course. ’52-45
Sunday, November 4, 2012
How many times did the door shut? (P3, Pg. 213 cont.)
The Gospel age has been the calling time: first, for calling sinners to repentance and to faith in Christ the Redeemer; and, second, for calling the justified ones to joint-heirship with Christ in his Kingdom, on the condition of following now in his footprints of self-sacrifice, even unto death—as the condition of acceptance to the Kingdom work and honors of the coming Millennial age. When, therefore, the Lord tells us that the closing period of the age will be a harvest time, it indicates clearly a radical change—from sowing to reaping, from calling to testing the called and closing the work begun by the call.
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