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VOL.
XXXIV
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y"
AUGUST
1,
1913
THE
PEACE
OF
GOD
l
This
article
was
a
reprint
of
that
published
in
issue
of
July
1,
1895,
whieh
please
see.]
WHY
THERE
IS
DIVERSITY
AMONGST
GOD'S
PEOPLE
No.
15
"Who
maketh
thec
to
diffcr
from
anothcr~
And
what
hast
thou
that
thou
didst
not
reccive~"-l
Cor.
4:7
WJ,il,'
it
i~
tnll'
tli;lt
all
llll'n
arc
j,ol'n
with
illaJicllah]e
!'ighb
and
prili!c:,I'~,
yet
1I0
mall
is
bol'll
withont
sill.
Tlie
~('J'i
ptnl'l'~
I'l'ry
prupl'r!y
dl)(·1:1I'8
tliat
the
r;lI'e
ill
.\dalll
was
sold
IIIJ(!<lr
sin
six
thonsalll!
Yl'ar~
ago.
III
this
sl,wie,
therefore,
lie
w('rc
not
burn
free,
but
slaves
of
sin.
Neither
are
we
bom
cqual.
~o
tllO
IJ<'rsons
are
exadly
alike
ill
opportunity,
talent
;Illd
al,ilitv.
,Yc
diffcr
from
unc
alluther.
Gud
did
llot
I'l'l'ate
SOIU,'
b('tt~,1'
alld
SOllll,
wurSl'-SOllle
more
l'iehly
elluo\H,u
alld
somc
ll',ss
ril'llJv
clldowel!.
vYe
are
to
take'
tIll'
Bihle
statellJ('lIt
oj'
tile
ol:igin
uf
humanity,
and
ulluerstalld
that
Uod
11Ia<lc'
,\dam
l'I'rfl,(,t.
All
the
imperfec,tiolis
which
I'll,
l'llllllll'r
the
1IIIl1iali
ral'l,
:ll'e
tlic
1'8sults
of
the
dying
l,,'oe88s.
Sill
h:IS
made
liS
all
to
difTcr,
thell,
from
tIl('
origilla]
image
alld
likent'ss
of
(;011.
Satan
]Jl'ought
about
this
difl'erellee
thrulli,h
~rotlll'r
En,.
III
ollr
text,
huwever,
the
Apost]e
Paul
has
in
mind
a
Ill'W
ereation
ill
Jesus
Christ-a
ncw
order-amongst
whose
llH'mhers
tJI('1'('
is
a
diffel'l'nce.
Some
in
the
chureh
have
lIlany
talt'nts,
others,
few
talents;
some
have
special
talents,
other's
have
c)1'(1illal'Y
talents.
Hut
Satan
is
not
ehargec1
with
hay·
ing
given
the
gl'(':ltcr
or
le,;slT
talents
to
these.
The
Apostle
S:Jys
that
it
is
Go,1
who
has
sd
the
various
memhers
in
the
hody
;lH
it
has
1,1easell
him;
and
that
hoth
this
setting,
or
apportioning,
of
th(~
,1iff('l'('nt
IIlembers
of
the
lJOdy
and
the
hringing
forth
of
the
11iffC'rC'nt
,legn'es
of
fruitage
'are
mani
fC'stations
of
God's
g'l'an,
ill
our
hearts.
Thus
we
arC'
made
to
diff('r
frolll
eac·h
other.
CAUSE
OF
DIVERSITY
OF
ATTAINMENTS
The
nwttC't'
of
gTollth
in
the
holy
Spirit
is
one
that
is
depC'I1(]l'nt
ill
large
IUC:lsure
upon
e;H'h
one's
zeal
to
know,
to
do,
the
will
of
no,1.
We
arc
put
into
the
sehool
of
Christ
to
I"arn
of
him.
80llle
k:Jm
morc
rapi<1])',
others
less
rapic1I}'.
In
proportion
as
tlley
learn,
they
have
greater
opportunities
and
hlessing's.
All
are
gr;lIItel1
a
measure
of
the
holy
Spirit
all
grantl'l]
some
hkssing.
Those
who
are
anxious
to
know
thl'
will
of
th"
1,01',1
and
to
shu]y
it
grow
the
more
rapidly,
and
thus
hal'e
more
of
the
holy
Spirit.
These
arc
zea]ons
to
do
the
Lonl's
will.
Their
progress
is
not
attrihutablc
whoJl}'
to
t1wmsC'1ves,
but
especially
to
the
favor
of
God.
The
Apostle
gOI's
on
to
say,
Ye
are
God
's
workman~hip;
"it
is
God
whieh
worketh
in
you
both
to
will
and
to
do
of
Ilis
goo<1
pleasure.'
,
We
eould
not
do
this
work
our~elves.
The
power
that
is
working
ill
us
is
of
G
oel.
He
is
prcparing
a
glorious
temple.
He
has
provided
who
shall
be
the
ehief
eorner·stone
of
this
temple,
anc1
who
shaH
be
the
mem],rrs
of
the
templc
dass.
Vve
eouW
not
ehoose
the
plaee
for
ourselvc~.
But
in
God's
l'rovidenec
wc
eaeh
respondl'd
to
the
eall
to
he
a
living
stone.
'fhe
stonl'S
were
nrst
cnt
out
of
the
dark
<jllarry,
and
now
they
arc
l,eing
shapl'd
and
prrpared
for
plael'H
in
the
glorious
building.
DIVERSITY
OF
ANOTHER
~ND
'l'he
great
Master·Workman
is
doing
a
work
upon
us.
He
is
ehiseling
and
fashioning
us.
He
is
making
us
what
we
are.
Consequently
there
is
to
be
no
boasting.
There
is
a
eertain
amount
of
personality
connected
with
eaeh
one,
however,
and
if
there
is
too
lI1ueh
eross·grain
in
the
stone
it
will
be
aban
doned.
As
the
Apostle
PeteI'
exhorts,
we
are
to
humble
our
selves
under
the
mighty
hand
of
God,
that
he
may
exalt
us
in
due
time.
The
same
Apostle
also
reminds
us
that
we
should
look
up
to
God
and
g'ive
him
praise
for
all
that
we
have
and
are.-1
Pet.
5:6;
4:11.
IVe
arc
eolaborers
with
God.
We
give
God
the
praise
that
he
has
made
us
to
differ
from
our
former
selves,
that
he
is
making
us
thus
to
differ
more
evC'ry
day,
and
that
he
will
eontinue
the
good
work
as
the
days
go
hy
and
as
we
seek
to
do
his
will.
What
have
we
of
ourselves~
Nothing!
We
v,ere
wholly
dead
through
Father
Adam's
disobedience;
WI'
IIrre
bom
in
this
eondition,
having
no
right
to
evcrlasting
life.
But
God
has
a
plan
which
is
world,wide
in
its
scheme
of
hIes
sing.
He
has
proffered
the
h]essings
of
the
higlil'st
feature
of
this
plan
to
us,
and
invited
us
to
come
to
him
in
advance
of
the
world.
And
this
we
reeeive
through
his
graee.
DOCTRINES
MORE
OR
LESS
IMPORTANT
'1'111'1'('
aI'"
entail]
fpatu1'('s
of
the
doetrine
of
Christ
whieh
an'
fuudanll'ntal
:In,]
inI1isl'e1lsahlp,
anti
,,,ithout
,vllil'h
none
wonlll
bl'
r"I'ognizl"]
of
tlll'
LOl',1
as
oue
of
his
followers.
'l'hpJ'('
are
othn
fl'atun',.,
v;lli"l,
woulll
seen
I
to
hc
useful,
help
ful,
hl,'ssl'lI,
l>11t
not
flllJ(1;1111"II1:J1~-"-1l0t
es,ential
to
memhership
in
the
hody
of
Christ.
'I'hl'
flllld;unent;Jls
have
IJCell
enjoyed
hy
g'ooll,
saintly
onC's
frolll
thl'
Il:i:,'
of
]"'lIteeost
111ltil
now.
VVI',
the
sanl('
('lass
11011'.
h,II','
till'
same
fuudamentals,
:Inc!
:In'
permittl"[
to
h:ll'P
otll('l'
i'ril'ilrgps.
truths,
"ml'[lt
in
due
sl'ason,"
for
Olll'
stl'l'lIg1hpllill.g'.
These
latter
arc
not
11('I'I'ss:ll'ily
esspntial
to
our
lIlC'lnLl'l'ship
in
the
hody
of
Christ;
uthel'\vi,,1'
onr
fOI'('f;11111'I's
who
did
not
have
them
would
not
h:l"e
h(,l'n
nll'1I111l'I'S
of
Christ,
allli
there
would
have
been
no
('hrist
],rJ,11'
for
('C'nturil's.
TIll'
fn;I(]:lnll'nl:l]
theol'l'
of
the
A
tOllenlC'lIt
is
as
follows:
(1)
A]I
ll1('lI-aJl
of
A
(!:l1ll
's
children--arc
sillnl'!'s.
(:2)
1\0111'
('an
l,e
j'('eo!ll'il(',1
to
God
without
a
Redepmer's
saeJ'ifi('e.
e,)
.Tpsus
('allle
into
tlll'
,,,01'1,1
to
Ill'
that
sacri(j('e-and
latl'r
to
apl'ly
th:lt
r;Jnsom-l'ri('('
for
thr
sillS
of
the
,,,orld.
(4)
On
ille
hasis
of
faith
ill
thr
R,'(11'1'llIeJ'
's
work,
the
lle
HC'ver
IlIny
enllSel'mtp
himsr]f
to
thp
divine
scrvice,
in
aeeept·
an('e
of
thl'
diviJll'
invitation,
"Presl'nt
your
hodies
a
living
sael'ifi('p.'
,
(;,)
80
doillg,
tIl('
lw]ipwr
may-Ill'
to
tlle
time
of
the
l'ollll']dion
of
the
eled
lllllllhc'r-expr('ise
full
assuranee
of
faith
thnt
his
s:ll'l'ifiel'
wiJl
he
aeeppte,1
of
the
Pnther;
an,1
that
he
will
I'reeive
a
sharp
of
the
allointing
of
the
holy
Spirit-the
hegetting.
(n)
Slleh
ns
med
tl,rse
c'011(1itions
are
to
be
aceepted
as
brrthrc'n
in
thp
highest
sensi'
of
the
term.
This
much
,vouM
S('em
to
have
h('en
a]w:lvs
nC'eessaJ'v.
alld
more
thnn
this
we
he]ieve
is
not
llrcessary
today.
j:~llt
if
hy
reason
of
our
favorahle
day
we
have
morc
knowlrdge,
we
may
also
have
eOl'responl1ing
trials,
'I'hieh
our
gTPater
knowlC'dge
will
offset.
Our
alhi,'/'
to
th/'
1,01'11
's
,1ear
people
evel'ywhl'J'('
is
that
they
put
no
yoke
upon
each
other,
beyond
the
fundamentals
spceifjpd
ahove-that
ot.herwip,e
they
stand
free,
and
leave
raeh
other
free,
and
feJlowship
and
agree
as
mueh
as
t1w)'
elm
with
eaeh
other.
If
thcre
he
a
disposition
to
crowd
caell
other
on
more
than
this
hnsic
faith,
and
if
it
he
('onsidered
lll'cessary
to
separate
in
ol'ller
to
the
progress
of
either
of
the
pnrties,
then
doubt
lC'ss
rather
than
a
continual
eontention
a
separation
would
he
the
wise
eourse.
We
are
not
eritidsing
the
vipws
of
anyone.
Eaeh
hns
a
perfe(·t
right
to
hold
whatC'I'er
he
belieYC's
the
Bih]e
to
teaeh,
and
our
views
are
c10uhtless
well
known
to
all
of
our
readers.
Briefly
stated,
they
are
as
follows:
(1)
That
thc
one
that
sinned
was
Adam,
and
that
he
allll
all
his
posterity
wel'e
involved.
(2)
That
a
Redeemer
was
necessary,
that
J
I'SUS
bceall1e
that
Redeemer,
and"
gave
himself
a
ransom
for
aIL"
(3)
That
God
has
invited
some
of
the
redepmed
sinners
not
to
bC'
the
ransolll·priee,
nor
to
redeem
anyho(ly
else,
hut
-to
be
assoeiates
of
the
Redeemer,
members
of
his
body,
his
bride.
(4)
The
trrms
and
eonditions
upon
which
these
may
havC'
felloll'ship
arc
that
Jesus
as
the
grl'at
Advoeate
shall
aceept
them
as
his
meml,ers-their
flesh
as
his
flesh-and
that
he
shall
impllte
to
thrm
the
share
of
his
merit
whieh
won]d
he
coming
to
them
as
mem
hers
of
the
Adamic
race.
Then
they
are
]e;raJly
justified
from
all
the
shortcomings,
weaknrsses
and
imperfections
inherited
by
them;
and
their
own
wills
and
all
thrir
remaining
powers
and
talents
being
consecrated,
their
saerifice
may
he
aceeptable
to
God-as
part
of
the
sin-offering
by
thr
great
High
Priest.
(5)
Sharing
thus
in
the
Redeemer's
death,
these
am
pri
yilC'gl'd
to
share
in
his
life,
by
the
first
resurreetion.
The
RC'tleemer
docs
not
now
make
application
of
his
merit
to
the
world,
asidc
from
the
ncwly·aecepted
and
added
memhers.
II"
\Yill
earry
ant
the
divine
program,
and
saerifiee
aU
his
[5284]
Vou. XXXIV BROOKLYN, N. Y., AUGUST 1, 1913 No. 15 THE PEACE OF GOD [This article was a reprint of that published in issue of July 1, 1895, which please see.] WHY THERE IS DIVERSITY AMONGST GOD’S PEOPLE ““Who maketh thee to differ from another? While it is true that all men are born with imalienable rights and privileges, yet uo man is born without sin, The Seriptures very properly declare that the race in Adan was sold under sin six thousand years ago. In this sense, therefore, we were not born free, but slaves of sin. Neither are we born equal No two persuns are exactly alike in opportunity, talent and ability, We differ from one another. God did not create some better and some worse—some more richly endowed iuid some Jess richly endowed. We are to take the Bible statement of the origin of humanity, and understand that God anade Adam perfect. All the imperfections which encumber the human race are the results of the dying process. Sin has made us all to differ, then, from the original image and likeness of God. Satan brought about this difference through Mother Eve. Tn our text, however, the Apostle Paul has in mind a new ereation in Jesus Christ—a new order—amongst whose members there is a difference. Some in the church have many talents, others, few talents; some have special talents, others have ordinary talents. But Satan is not charged with having given the greater or lesscr talents to these. The Apostle says that it is God who has sect the various members in the body as it has pleased him; and that both this setting, or apportioning, of the different members of the body and the bringing forth of the different degrees of fruitage are manifestations of God’s grace in our hearts. Thus we are made to differ from cach other, CAUSE OF DIVERSITY OF ATTAINMENTS The matter of growth in the holy Spirit is one that is dependent in large measure upon each one’s zeal to know, to do, the will of God. We are yt into the school of Christ to learn of him. Some leurn more rapidly, others less rapidly. In proportion as they learn, they have greater opportunitics and blessings. All are granted a measure of the holy Spirit— all granted some blessing. Those who are anxious to know the will of the Lord and to study it grow the more rapidly, And what hast thou that thou didst not reecive?’’—-1 Cor. 4:7 and tius have more of the holy Spirit. These are zealous to do the Lord’s will. Their progress is not attributable wholly to themselves, but especially to the favor of God. The Apostle goes on to say, Ye are God’s workmanship; “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.’?’ We could not do this work ourselves. The power that is working in us is of God. He is preparing a glorious temple. He has provided who shall be the chief corner-stone of this temple, and who shall be the members of the temple class. We could not choose the place for ourselves. But in God’s providence we each responded to the call to be a living stone, The stones were first eut out of the dark quarry, and now they are being shaped and prepared for places in the glorious building. DIVERSITY OF ANOTHER KIND The great Master-Workman is doing a work upon us. He is chiseling and fashioning us. He is making us what we are. Consequently there is to be no boasting. There is a certain amount of personality connected with each one, however, and if there is too much cross-grain in the stone it will be abandoned, As the Apostle Peter exhorts, we are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt us in due time. The same Apostle also reminds us that we should look up to God and give him praise for all that we have and are.—l Pet. 5:6; 4:11. We are colaborers with God. We give God the praise that he has made us to differ from our former selves, that he is making us thus to differ more every day, and that he will continue the good work as the days go by and as we seck to do his will What have we of ourselves? Nothing! We were wholly dead through Father Adam’s disobedience; we were born in this condition, having no right to everlasting life. But God has a plan which is world-wide in its scheme of blessing. He has proffered the blessings of the highest feature of this plan to us, and invited us to come to him in advance of the world. And this we receive through his grace. DOCTRINES MORE OR LESS IMPORTANT There are certain features of the doctrine of Christ which are fundamental and indispensable, and without which none would be recognized of the Lord as one of his followers. There are other features which would seem to be useful, helpful, blessed, but not fundamental-—-not essential to membership in the body of Christ. The fundamentals have been enjoyed hy good, saintly ones from the diy of Pentecost until now. We, the same class now, have the same fundamentals, and are permitted to have other privileges, truths, ‘meat in due season,’’ for our strengthening. hese latter are not neecssarily essential te our membership in the body of Christ; otherwise our forefathers who did not have them would not have been members of Christ, and there would have been no Christ hody for centuries. The fundamental theory of the Atonement is as follows: (1) Al men—all of Adam’s children-—are sinners. (2) None ean be reeonciled to God without a Redeemer’s saerifiee, (3) Jesus eame into the world to he that saerifice Jater to apply that ransom-price for the sins of the world. (4) On the basis of faith in the Redeemer’s work, the beHever may consecrate himself to the divine service, in aeceptanee of the divine invitation, ‘Present your bodies a living saerifico,?? (5) So doing, the believer may—up to the time of the completion of the eleet number—exereise full assurance of faith that his sacrifiee will he aceepted of the Father; and that he will receive a share of the anointing of the holy Spirit—the hegetting. (6) Such as meet these conditions are to be accepted as brethren in the highest sense of the term. This much would seem to have been always necessary, and more than this we believe is not neeessary today. But if by reason of our favorable day we have more knowledge, we may also have corresponding trials, which our greater knowledge will offset. Our adviee to the Lord’s dear people everywhere is that and (227-232) they put no yoke upon each other, beyond the fundamentals specified ahove—that otherwise they stand free, and leave each other free, and fellowship and agree as much as they can with each other. Tf there be a disposition to crowd each other on more than this basic faith, and if it be considered necessary to separate in order to the progress of cither of the parties, then doubtless rather than a continual contention a separation would be the wise course. We are not criticising the views of any one. Each has a perfect right to hold whatever he believes the Bible to teach, and our views are doubtless well known to all of our readers. Briefly stated, they are as follows: (1) That the one that sinned was Adam, and that he and all his posterity were involved. (2) That a Redeemer was necessary, that Jesus became that Redeemer, and ‘‘gave himself a ransom for all.’’ (3) That God has invited some of the redeemed sinners— not to be the ransom-price, nor to redeem anyhody else, but —to be associates of the Redeemer, members of his body, his bride. (4) The terms and conditions upon which these may have fellowship are that Jesus as the great Advocate shall accept them as his members—their flesh as his flesh—and that he shall impute to them the share of his merit which would be coming to them as members of the Adamic race. Then they are legally justified from all the shortcomings, weaknesses and imperfections inherited by them; and their own wills and all their remaining powers and talents being consecrated, their sacrifice may he acceptable to God—-as part of the sin-offering by the great High Priest. (5) Sharing thus in the Redeemer’s death, these are privileged to share in his life, by the first resurrection. The Redeemer does not now make application of his merit to the world, aside from the newly-accepted and added members. He will carry out the divine program, and sacrifice all his [5284]
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