How many times did the door shut? (P3, Pg. 213)

On the other hand, the closing of the "door," in the parable of Matt. xxv., marks the full end of all opportunity for any, even of the "called" ones, thereafter to attain the prize of the high calling. It marks the end of all opportunity to prove worthy of the prize by faithfulness in the service: all opportunity for service will there terminate, in the "night" wherein no man can work ( John 9: 4). It is manifest, therefore, that the door, or opportunity, thus to make our calling and election sure, does not necessarily close when the call, or general invitation to all believers to enter, ceases to go forth. And, while the door stands open, it indicates that any believer who is anxious to enter and ready to comply with the conditions may yet do so, even though the general "call" or invitation to enter is no longer sent out. As a matter of fact, the door or opportunity to labor and sacrifice has not yet closed, though the general call ceased in 1881.

How many times did the door shut? (P3, Pgs. 212-213)

The ending of the high calling to joint-heirship with our Lord Jesus in the Kingdom of God, it should be distinctly understood, is not the shutting of the door in the parable of the virgins. Though the general "call" to this favor ceased in 1881, the "door" is yet open. The call is the general invitation of God, to all justified believers in the Redeemer, to follow in his footsteps of self-sacrifice, even unto death, and thereby prove their worthiness to reign with him in glory. This favor had a definite time for beginning: the waiting disciples were accepted to it on the day of Pentecost, A.D. 33. And it has had, as already shown, a definite time of ending; viz., October 1881.*

How many times did the door shut? (P3, Pgs. 207-208)

There are three ways in which the closing of this door might be indicated: first, by a definite Bible state the exact date; second, by such a reversal of public sentiment with reference to the truth, that fidelity and its service would no longer meet with opposition and when suffering with Christ for the truth's sake (Rom 8: 17) would be no longer possible; or third, by such a of affairs obtaining in the world that all opportunity for such service would be effectually obstructed, thus leaving no opportunities for candidates to enter into the work and to develop and prove their love and faithfulness by their activity and endurance.

Though we are definitely informed that the door will be shut sometime in this harvest period or end of the age, the Bible does not give the exact date; and, although after the great time of trouble there will be a grand reversal of public sentiment in favor of truth and justice, we have no intimation whatever that such a condition of affairs will obtain until after the harvest period is fully ended. But we have a clear intimation that the door will be shut in the manner last named; for, before the Millennial day breaks, we are forewarned of a dark night wherein no man can labor—"The morning cometh, and also the night"— Isa. 21: 12. See also Vol. 11, chap. viii.

Pastoral Memorial Service Begins October 5th

Friday October 5 - 7th, 2012

Memorial Archive:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/12016985 

How many times did the door shut? (P3, Pg. 207)

In view of its glorious termination, the opportunity walk in this narrow way of self-sacrifice for the truth’s sake is the grandest privilege that was ever offered to any creature. The privilege of suffering with Christ and in his cause, after first recognizing him as our Redeemer, is therefore the door, and the only door of opportunity which the glory to follow, as the bride and joint-heir of Christ, can be reached.

How many times did the door shut? (P3, Pgs. 206-207)

Consider this "door" of opportunity and privilege, soon to close. Our Lord called it a gate, and said that during the Gospel age it would be difficult both to find and to enter it, and advised us to make great effort to enter, if we would share the immortality and Kingdom honors, to which it and no other door leads. He said, therefore, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in and shall not be able, the Master of the house hath risen up and shut to the door (Luke 13: 25). This narrow way, as we have already seen,* is the way of self-sacrifice in the interest of the)] and work. The way is made narrow by the circumstances of the present time, by the opposition of the worldly spirit against truth and righteousness, so that whoever walks in the footprints of our Leader and Forerunner will find the way narrow or difficult and must suffer persecution. To walk in this way, as our Lord set us an example that we should follow in his steps, implies not only a passive conformity to his disposition or spirit, but also an active, energetic zeal in the promulgation of his truth at all hazards. And all who walk in this narrow way, faithful as he was faithful, unto death, have fellowship in his sufferings, and will also in due time have fellowship in his glory, at the marriage feast, in the glory to be revealed at his appearing and Kingdom—Phil. 3:10: 1 Pet. 4: 13.

How many times did the door shut? (P3, Page 206)

An open "door" symbolizes an opportunity of entrance to certain conditions and privileges; a shut door represents the termination of such privilege or opportunity. The privilege, invitation or opportunity of the Gospel age, granting, under restrictive conditions, to believers in Christ, entrance into joint-heirship with him in the heavenly Kingdom and to the divine nature, is the "door" by which we "have access into this grace [favor] wherein we stand"; namely, into the hope of sharing the glory of God. (Rom. 5: 2.) This door, which has stood open throughout the entire age, is sometime to be closed; and the door in the parable of the virgins marks this close, the termination of all such opportunities and privileges. This parable of the virgins merely portrays the events in the close of this age among those of the true Church living at that time. The "door" of this parable represents that certain special privileges, the consummation and goal of all the favors of the Gospel age, will be open to the "wise virgins" in the time of harvest; and the closing of the door when all of this class shall have availed themselves of such privileges represents the close of all the favor and privileges of the Gospel age; because the feast represents in full the Gospel advantages and privileges, being a representation of the grand consummation to which all other favors lead, the promised Kingdom glories.

Memorial Service Oct. 5 - 7, 2012 - Ustream

The 2012 Pastoral Memorial Service will be streamed live October 5 - 7 from Chicago as events take place.

Link and schedule will be available soon!

E Vol 8 Pages 619-620 Treats Youthful Worthy's "Tentative Justification"

(15) A number of times in The Present Truth, e.g., when treating of Ex. 12: 43-50, in the article on Israel's Enslavement And Deliverance, and of Ruth 2-4, in the article on Ruth, Type And Antitype, we pointed out that the strangers in the land (v. 14) type the Youthful Worthies. Their dwelling in the land types their being consecrated, i.e., in the Truth and its Spirit, while their not being born there types their not being Spirit-begotten. It is of the Youthful Worthies that v. 14 treats. For such an one to keep the antitypical Passover unto the Lord, it is necessary that he do exactly what the new creatures do with it (v. 14). He must keep it according to the statute (chukath) of the Passover and according to the judgment, ordinance (mishpat) of the Passover. According to the doctrine (mishpat—judgment, ordinance) he must keep it, i.e., in living faith in the Lamb as tentatively justifying him, through the tentative imputation of His merit. And according to the practice (chukath—statute) he must keep it, i.e., during the Gospel-Age from 1881 onward as a part of Nisan 14, with the leaven of sin and error purged out, with the unleavened bread of sincerity and Truth and with the bitter herbs of trials, sufferings and persecutions, with the staff of God's Word in hand as his support, with the girdle of service about his loins and journeying out of symbolic Egypt to antitypical Canaan. When v. 14 tells us that there is one statute for the stranger and the Israelite born in the land, it gives us the thought that in the antitype there is no difference in what consecration requires of the new creatures and of the Youthful Worthies. They make the same vows of deadness to self and the world and aliveness to God. The difference is, therefore, not in the obligations that they take upon themselves, but in the use God makes of their consecration: the consecration of some is accepted by God through the begettal of the Spirit and that of the others is not. But the same antitypical Passover doctrines and practices both classes are to live out—one statute to the stranger and to the one born in the land. But as the Youthful Worthies now do these things, not as the parts of a trial for life, but of faith and loyalty, they will unto a completion do these things Millennially and in the Little Season as the parts of a trial for life.

"We Are Perfect?" Part 4 - E4. Pgs. 461-462

(63) Question: Do the Youthful Worthies in this Age have to develop perfect love?

Answer: If the question were put as follows, Are the Youthful Worthies now on trial for life, i.e., are they being tried along the lines of perfect love, on which trial for life must be, we would have to answer, No; for their trial is like that of the Ancient Worthies, who evidently were not on such a trial, as is proven; e.g., by the cases of Samson and David who were among the approved Ancient Worthies (Heb. 11: 32, 39), but who died wishing evil on enemies of theirs. But the Youthful Worthies must now develop disinterested love in some measure, though not necessarily unto perfection; for to carry out a consecration unto death, which is not a demand of justice, duty love, but is a matter of privilege, disinterested love, it is inevitable, if one is faithful, that he develop a measure of disinterested love, though not necessarily unto perfection, i.e., crystallization. In the case of the Little Flock and the Great Company, their trial being for life, they must develop disinterested love unto crystallization, otherwise they could not get life. The Youthful Worthies, not now being on trial for life, are not required to develop disinterested love unto crystallization. We would not even say that they must develop perfect untested love, i.e., gain the mark, though some of them do it, which will bring them a higher reward in the Millennium than those of them who do not develop it. Apparently God does not now permit to come upon them such trials as would be necessary to develop disinterested love unto perfection, crystallization. But He does have come upon them such trials as will test their faith and devotion to righteousness sufficiently to qualify them for Millennial princeship, as well as such as will measurably test their disinterested love.

"We Are Perfect?" Part 3 - PT. 1947, Pg 115

…And if only those who have faith have been called throughout this Gospel Age, what shall we say of the testings of faith for these? The Apostle's intimation is that their faith will need a great testing. He says, "The trial of your faith is much more precious than that of gold which perisheth" (1 Pet. 1: 7). Gold has a special value at the present time by reason of its scarcity—a value that will perish when with the new order of things it will be as easy to have gold as to have clay or iron; but the "Little Flock," which the Lord is selecting during this Gospel Age, is always to be specially precious in that to this class alone of humanity, so far as the Divine revelation shows, will be granted the Divine nature, with its glory, honor and immortality. Hence the trial of the faith of this class is very precious, a very important matter. None shall be admitted to that glorious immortality without first being tested and proven by the Lord. But here again let us remember that our testing is not as respects the flesh, to see whether or not we are perfect in the flesh, but on the contrary we are assured that God knoweth our condition—that all things are open and naked before His sight, and that He declares that we are all imperfect. What then is God seeking in us? The development and perfection of faith! The first element in it is to believe in Him as a faithful, wise, true God; and secondly to believe in His revelation of Jesus as His Son, and the one through whom He has provided a covering for our imperfections, our blemishes, past, present and future. This is the essential phase which must be held on to, and which He will therefore test in order to prove our loyalty...

"We Are Perfect?" Part 2 - PT. 1919, Pg. 167

Whoever is controlled by the spirit of love will have this witness that he is infilled with God's Holy Spirit; for "God is Love." In due time this spirit will enlarge our hearts, our minds, our entire spiritual capacity. This does not prove, however, that we may not be sidetracked before we reach the end of our course, either by our own faults or those of others. The ideal condition is that we should be continually filled with the Holy Spirit of God and not engrossed with earthly things. But if upon careful self-examination we find that this is not our condition, we are not to feel discouraged. Rather we are to demonstrate our loyalty to the Lord and to the principles of righteousness by renewed efforts to do His will. He is watching us, not to see whether we are perfect according to the flesh, but to see whether or not we have the spirit of loyalty which is trying to control our imperfect earthly body. 

"We Are Perfect?"-Rightly Dividing the Word, Pt 1

The same confused Pilgrim (see April 26th posting) representing the Bible Standard Ministries who has been making statements that those of us who are consecrated living now have Christ's Imputed Merit, and are perfect, doesn't clarify his position. He doesn't understand the difference between those who were called during the Gospel Age (the Spirit Begotten) and those consecrating between the ages. He contradicts himself within his own discourses. His understanding of the Parousia and Epiphany Truth is like oil and water. Sad as this is, he has also been named as the next Executive Trustee of the Bible Standard Ministries. This is from his talk: In Prison, Out of Prison - Part 1

From 32 seconds to 1:03
"...We are living in a time when many changes are coming along in our understanding as we progress down our, our avenue of consecration and as God's plan comes, excuse me, ever closer to fruition, we are finding more and more progressive, thoughts we should be discussing with each other…"

From 3:34 to 4:13
"…John 8:36 We have been emancipated by the one named Jesus Christ, and the scripture reads 'If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.' Remember not too many years ago there was a gentleman that used that thought. 'Free Indeed' Martin Luther King, wasn't it…"

From 9:22 to 10:05
"…Now I want to take a little different avenue about from where we were committed by our mothers into condition of sin; and I want to ask the question Can we be perfect? and the answer is yes, God expects it of us. When we've use the word perfect, we think of that one that has, holy, come from the sand, to the glass, to the crystal. We are working on crystallization of our character, that is the whole purpose of where we are today in God's plan…"

From 11:35 to 12:15
"…Gen 17:1… and the scripture goes on: and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. This is what God expected when he made a covenant with him that he would walk before Him and be perfect. The thought of being perfect here is to do our very best. Be the best we know how to be…"

From 14:16 to 15:07
"…We can be perfect in the sense that God is perfect in Matt 5:48 there is the text where God gives us what he expects us to be, 5: 48 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.' These are Jesus' words to the one's he was addressing at that time. Be thou perfect..."

Here is a truth reference stating the opposite, from THE TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH, R4004 Pg. 170.
We are glad to have the testimony of the Apostle that these grand characters of the past met with the divine approval, and fell asleep in death to await at the resurrection a grand reward--their trial and testing having been successfully finished. But in the same connection the Apostle tells us that in the divine plan the "little flock" of this Gospel age has been called to a still higher station and privilege and blessing than the ancient worthies. The Apostle's words are, "These died in faith, not having received the thing promised; God having provided some better thing for us [the Gospel Church], that they without us should not be made perfect." Their perfection will be to the human nature; ours, if we are of the very elect, will be to the divine nature, far above angels, principalities and powers. What then shall we suppose respecting God's approval in the Gospel Church, and the tests that he will apply? Can we think that he would make faith a test in the past and ignore it as respects the present election? Nay, verily! Faith is still the test of all who would please God. So then, as God in the past selected for the channels of his promises and blessings only those who could exercise faith, we may expect that in the present time the Lord has nothing whatever to offer except to those who can exercise faith in him and in his promises. We know that this must of necessity signify that the called of this Gospel age would be a very much smaller number than the whole population of the world; and then again we have the further declaration that of the called few will be chosen.

What does this signify except that few will prove themselves to have the requisite faith and obedience to please God, to be counted worthy a share in the Kingdom with his dear Son, our Lord. And if only those who have faith have been called throughout this Gospel age, what shall we say of the testings of faith for these? The Apostle's intimation is that their faith will need a great testing. He says, "The trial of your faith is much more precious than that of gold which perisheth." (1 Pet. 1:7.) Gold has a special value at the present time by reason of its scarcity--a value that will perish when with the new order of things it will be as easy to have gold as to have clay or iron; but the "little flock," which the Lord is selecting during this Gospel age, is always to be specially precious in that to this class alone of humanity, so far as the divine revelation shows, will be granted the divine nature, with its glory, honor and immortality. Hence the trial of the faith of this class is very precious, a very important matter. None shall be admitted to that glorious immortality without first being tested and proven by the Lord. But here again let us remember that our testing is not as respects the flesh, to see whether or not we are perfect in the flesh, but on the contrary we are assured that God knoweth our condition--that all things are open and naked before his sight, and that he declares that we are all imperfect.

Who is the mother of these new 1878-81 Youthful Worthies?

At the Muskegon convention in 2012, the Executive Trustee was asked a similar question. His answer was Hannah. Do we find this in our writings? Hmmmm....

E13, p.8: "... Hannah additionally types the earthly elective truths and the servants that apply them to the earthly elect class, the Youthful Worthies developed in the end of the Age, i.e., from 1881 onward."

PT 1938,  p. 53: "...Hannah additionally types the earthly elective truths and the servants that apply them to the earthly elect class, the Youthful Worthies developed in the end of the Age, i.e., from 1881 onward."

PT 1972, p. 40: "Hannah types additionally the earthly elective truths and the servants that apply them to the subordinate earthly elect class, the Youthful Worthies, developed in the end of the Age, i.e., from 1881 onward. Further information on Hannah and her children is given in E 13, pp. 7-64."

"Watch and Pray"

OUR 1972 MOTTO TEXT
"Watch and pray. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry" (Matt. 26: 41; Heb. 10: 37).

FOR 1972 motto text we have, we believe with the Lord's guidance, chosen a combination of two texts which are logically closely related and apparently very timely. As the Lord's people approach to the very end of the Gospel Age and the complete overthrow of Satan's empire, they need to watch and pray more than ever before. Satan and his demons are more active than ever as they see the end of their dominion rapidly approaching. As Satan since 1874 is being bound in certain respects he becomes more active in others...

...Error has also greatly increased. New systems of error continue to spring up on every hand, and their multiplicity is appalling. Many errors in these systems are so plausible and subtle that they are very deceptive. Our Lord foretold that "there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect" (Matt. 24: 24—ARV)...

"Try The Spirits"

"TRY THE SPIRITS"

1 John 4: 1
THE APOSTLE JOHN exhorts in this text: "Beloved, believe not every spirit [teaching], but try [test, prove] the [and [teachings, doctrines] whether they are of God [he shows why this is necessary, and warns]: because many false prophets [with their false teachings] are gone out into the world [thus it is evident that the word spirits here means teachings]." Pastor Russell, "that faithful and wise servant," indicates (F 232, 278) that the spirits in this text are teachings and teachers (comp. Life-Death-Hereafter, pp. 129-132, 209). We are to "prove [test by the truth of God's Word] all things," all teachings presented to us by those we have reason to believe are true Bible teachers, and to hold fast only to those teachings that are good and true (Isa. 8: 20; Acts 17: 11; 1 Thes. 5: 21). We are not in any manner to accept the erroneous doctrines of false teachers or to give heed to their wrong practices, but, as the Apostle Paul advises, "from such turn away" (2 Tim. 3: 5; Rom. 16: 17)…

...Therefore this Scripture proves that, generally speaking, Jesus as God's Mouthpiece, and thus the exclusive Interpreter of the Word, would use in the end of this Age the Parousia and Epiphany Messengers as antitypical Aaron, generally speaking, to interpret to the brethren the Word as due, especially on new doctrines, prophesies and types. And during the earthly lifetime of these two Messengers, any attempt of others to unravel these three things as new matters would be the prohibited "gazing"—speculation—of Ex. 19: 21-25, and would meet with a cutting off from their standing, if wilfully persisted in (comp. P '76, p. 92, pars. 3, 4). Had this matter been heeded, the Lord's people in the Parousia, and especially in the Epiphany, would have been spared much confusion and many a fall from class standings before the Lord. 

We should, however, differentiate between "gazing" and watching for fulfilments of Scriptures (Hab. 2: 1; Luke 21: 36). We understand that this watching, as distinct from "gazing," means the meek and humble study of current events for signs of the times in the light of the Scriptural forecasts and interpretations given by God's special mouthpieces, including the one serving at the time, in order to see how these are being fulfilled...

PT. 1978

"Exposing and Refuting Error A Necessity"

EXPOSING AND REFUTING ERROR A NECESSITY

SOME have questioned the advisability of our exposing and refuting various errors from time to time, claiming that to do so is entirely negative and not really edifying or necessary for the welfare of the Lord's people. The thought has been expressed that we should merely state what we believe, and let others set forth and believe what they wish, without our pointing out or refuting any of their errors for our readers' benefit.

But let us not forget that a large part of the New Testament, of the teachings of both Jesus and the Apostles, is made up of this very kind of ministry—namely, showing the Satanic origin, and therefore the dangers and unsettling results, of the propagation of erroneous doctrines, which the Apostle Peter (2 Pet. 2: 1) so definitely refers to as "damnable heresies."

Our Lord prophesied and warned (Matt. 24: 4, 5, 24), "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Throughout the Gospel Age, and even in our own day, how many antichrists have arisen (1 John 2: 18; 4: 3), and how many false prophets, deceiving many!

The Apostle Paul predicted and warned (Acts 20: 28-31), "Take heed therefore unto yourselves . . . for I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them...

PT. 1965

Come To You In Sheep's Clothing

Fishmongers who seek to sell fish unfit to be eaten never cry, "Nasty, old fish," nor label them as such, but usually offer them as "nice, fresh fish"; likewise, "false prophets," of whom the Lord told us to beware, never identify their repudiations of the Truth, their restatements of old errors, their erroneous new interpretations, their misapplications of Scripture or their wild speculations as being such, but usually misrepresent them as being revelations from heaven, "advancing Truth," "new light," "mature thoughts," etc.

PT. 1958

Another Great Door of Favor

It is quite clear from the Scriptures, reason and facts that 1914 marked a very significant point of time in history, the end of the Times of the Gentiles and the beginning of the great Time of Trouble foretold in Dan. 12: 1 and referred to also by Jesus in Matt. 24: 21, 22.

But what many are not aware of is that 1914 marked also an important milestone for God's people. The plowman (the great Time of Trouble, as identified by Pastor Russell—Amos 9: 13; Z 5761) then overtook the reaper, those who were doing the harvesting work of gathering the remnant of the Spirit-begotten saints of God (Psa. 50: 5).

According to Rev. 7: 1-3, all of the Elect, the 144,000, were sealed in their foreheads before the wind—the World War—began to blow in 1914-16. Before the War began where they were, they all had received enough of the Truth as due to leave Babylon or wherever they were and to come into an understanding of the Truth as due on Jesus' Second Presence, etc. Before nominal Zion's travail, in the great Time of Trouble (Isa. 66: 7; 1 Thes. 5: 3), she brought to Spirit-begettal the Man-child—the full number of the Body of Christ, the one New Man of Eph. 2: 15.

Some of the Spirit-begotten remained after 1914 for many years to complete their earthly course, but the passage of time, as well as other considerations, show that now they have all finished their earthly course.

However, another great door of favor of God has opened—another special class has been developing here in the end of the Gospel Age—the Spirit-enlightened, Spirit-energized, non-Spirit-begotten, dedicated servants of Jehovah, who have consecrated too late to be of the Spiritual elect, but who are nevertheless greatly beloved of God and Christ and are given Their fellowship, joy, mercy and peace in believing (1 John 1: 3-7; Rom. 14: 17). They will have marvelous rewards in the Millennial Kingdom in association with the Ancient Worthies in its earthly phase. Pastor Russell referred to them in Z 5761 as "Those Consecrating Between the Ages."

PT. 1983

Actual and Tentative imputation

(17) God instructed that in such cases the leaders of His Gospel-Age people, as their representatives, should indicate openly His repentant people's faith in Jesus' perfect humanity as their substitute before Divine justice and their only hope for forgiveness (the elders ... shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock, v. 15). Among such leaders of His people were Arius, Claudius of Turin, Berengar of Tours, Peter Abelard, Peter Waldo, Marsiglio, John Tauler, Wyclif, John Huss, Savonarola, Wessel, Luther, Zwingli, Hubmaier, Servetus, Cranmer, John Wesley, etc. During the Gospel Age, Jesus as High Priest has held His merit available for actual and tentative imputation on behalf of His people (bullock shall be killed), and has actually imputed as much of it as was necessary to satisfy justice fully for the Spirit-begotten ones among God's people (vs. 16, 17)... PT 1965 Page 41