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13
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download/literature/watchtower/1935-6.pdf
../literature/watchtower/1935/6/1935-6-13.html
:MARCH
15,
1935
fJ"fie
WATCHT0WER
93
According
to
the
divine
prophecies
all
this
consti.
tuted
unmistakable
and
tangible
proof
that
Zion,
God's
universal
organization,
had
given
birth
to
or
brought
forth
the
New
Nation,
The
Kingdom.
A
PEOPLE
FOR
HIS
NAME
D
URING
the
period
of
time
from
the
year
eight
een
hundred
and
seventy-eight
forward
to
the
year
nineteen
hundred
and
eighteen
the
work
of
restoring
the
truths
of
God's
Word
to
the
seekers
therefor
was
carried
on
by
those
who
truly
devoted
themselves
to
the
Lord
God
and
his
service.
This
work
was
long
ago
prophetically
foreshadowed
by
the
course
of
action
that
God's
prophet
Elijah
took
to
ward
the
ancient
nation
of
Israel.
In
that
period
of
time
many
people
in
"Christendom"
withdrew
from
the
Catholic
and
Protestant
church
organiza
tions
and
joyfully
embraced
the
truth;
but
some
of
the
former
errors
clung
to
them.
These
errors
are
represented
by
the
prophet
of
the
Lord
as
being
II
the
filthy
garments"
that
were
brought
away
with
those
who
separated
themselves
from
Satan's
organization
or
"Babylon",
as
the
Bible
calls
that
organization.
(Zech.
3:
1-4)
l\Iany
of
those
who
thus
came
to
a
knowledge
of
the
truth
and
withdrew
from
the
Cath
olic
and
Protestant
organizations
believed
and
pro
ceeded
upon
the
theory
that
their
chief
duty
was
to
prepare
themselves
for
heaven.
To
this
end
they
set
about
to
develop
a
sweet
and
beautiful
"character"
and
to
call
the
attention
of
others
to
the
necessity
of
so
doing.
That
they
were
honest
in
this,
no
one
will
question.
Of
course,
it
was
right
for
them
to
believe
that
the
Lord
would
give
the
faithful
overcomers
a
part
with
him
in
his
kingdom;
and
it
was
right
for
them
to
be
lieve
that
they
must
be
pure
in
thought,
in
word,
and
in
action
so
far
as
possible;
but
they
overlooked
a
work
that
must
first
be
done
by
the
followers
of
Christ
w4ile
on
the
earth.
Every
Christian
should
lead
a
blameless
life
and
put
forth
his
best
endeavors
to
al.
ways
do
that
which
is
right;
but
that
is
not
all
that
he
must
do.
No
man
can
by
his
own
efforts
become
so
good
and
perfect
that
by
reason
thereof
he
would
be
fit
to
reign
with
Christ
in
his
kingdom.
The
condi
tion
precedent
to
entering
into
that
kingdom
is
love
for
and
faithfulness
unto
Jehovah
God
and
Christ
Jesus.
Such
love
is
proved
by
joyfully
keeping
the
commandments
of
God.
(John
14:
15,
21;
1
John
4:
17,
18;
5:
3)
That
means
that
the
overcomers
are
unselfishly
devoted
to
the
Lord
and
his
cause
and
re
fuse
to
compromise,
either
directly
or
indirectly,
with
any
part
of
the
Devil's
orgoanization.
Those
who
are
thus
faithful
to
the
end
will
be
granted
the
crown
of
life
and
a
place
with
Christ
Jesus
in
his
kingdom
of
heaven.
The
Christian
cannot
be
faithful
and
true
and
at
the
same
time
neglect
or
igonore
the
command
ments
of
Jehovah
God.
His
delight
will
be
to
keep
those
commandments.
Jehovah
God
reveals
to
man
the
meaning
of
his
Word
progressively.
"
The
path
of
the
just
is
as
the
shining
light,
that
shineth
more
and
more
unto
the
perfect
day."
(Prov.
4:
18)
The
apostles
of
Jesus
Christ
began
to
see
and
understand
God's
purpose
at
the
time
they
were
anointed
with
the
holy
spirit
at
Pentecost,
but
thereafter
they
saw
more
clearly.
Likewise
the
Lord's
people
gradually
saw
the
truth
as
it
was
restored,
and
after
the
Lord
came
to
his
spiritual
temple,
in
fulfilment
of
Malachi's
prophecy,
they
began
to
see
the
truth
more
clearly,
and
the
light
still
continues
to
increase
upon
God's
'Vord.
When
Jesus
was
on
earth
he
restricted
his
preaching
to
the
Jews
alone.
For
three
and
one-half
years
thereafter
his
disciples
tau~ht
the
Jews
exclusively.
The
religion
of
the
Jews
had
become
a
formalism,
as
a
result
of
the
unfaithfulness
of
the
clergy
and
leaders
therein.
For
some
time
after
Pentecost
much
of
that
formal·
ism
was
held
on
to
by
the
disciples
of
Jesus
Christ.
Some
of
those
honest
Christians
thought
that
I
ex
cept
a
man
be
circumcised
he
could
not
be
saved'.
Circumcision
applied
to
the
Jews
only,
by
reason
of
the
law
covenant
which
God
had
made
with
them.
It
required
time
for
those
who
had
come
away
from
the
darkness
of
Jewry
to
see
this
fact.
In
God's
due
time
he
sent
the
apostle
Peter
with
the
gospel
message
to
Cornelius,
a
Gentile.
(Acts
10)
The
Gentiles
or
non-Jewish
people
had
nothing
to
do
with
circum·
cision.
The
fact
that
the
gospel
had
been
taken
to
the
Gentiles,
and
that
they
were
not
circumcised,
raised
a
controversy
amongst
many
of
the
Christians
of
that
time.
A
convention
of
the
disciples
of
Jesus
was
held
in
Jerusalem
to
consider
these
questions.
James,
one
of
the
disciples
of
the
Lord,
was
the
chairman
of
that
convention.
In
the
course
of
the
discussion
Peter
re
lated
how
God
had
sent
the
gospel
by
him
to
the
Gen·
tiles,
and
that
now
there
is
no
distinction
between
Jew
and
Gentile
so
far
as
God's
Word
and
purpose
are
concerned.
Then
Paul
and
Barnabas
addressed
the
convention
and
told
what
miracles
and
wonders
God
had
wrought
amongst
the
Gentiles
by
them.
In
summing
up
the
matter
James
gave
utterance
to
prophetic
words.
Harmonizing
his
own
words
with
those
of
God's
prophet
Amos,
James
said:
"Simeon
[Peter]
hath
declared
how
God
at
the
first
did
visit
the
Gentiles,
to
take
out
of
them
a
peo
ple
for
his
name.
And
to
this
agree
the
words
of
the
prophets;
as
it
is
written,
After
this
I
will
return,
and
will
build
again
the
tabernacle
of
Marcu 15, 1935 According to the divine prophecies all this constituted unmistakable and tangible proof that Zion, Fhe WATCHTOWER. 98 God’s universal organization, had given birth to or brought forth the New Nation, The Kingdom. A PEOPLE FOR HIS NAME URING the period of time from the year eighteen hundred and seventy-eight forward to the year nineteen hundred and eighteen the work of restoring the truths of God’s Word to the scekers therefor was carried on by those who truly devoted themselves to the Lord God and his service. This work was long ago prophetically foreshadowed by the course of action that God’s prophet Elijah took toward the ancient nation of Israel. In that period of time many people in ‘‘Christendnm’’ withdrew from the Catholic and Protestant church organizations and joyfully embraced the truth; but some of the former errors clung to them. These errors are represented by the prophet of the Lord as being ‘‘the filthy garments’’ that were brought away with those who separated themselves from Satan’s organization or ‘‘Babylon’’, as the Bible calls that organization. (Zech. 3:1-4) Many of those who thus eame to a knowledge of the truth and withdrew from the Catholic and Protestant organizations believed and proceeded upon the theory that their chief duty was to prepare themselves for heaven. To this end they set about to develop a sweet and beautiful ‘‘character’’ and to call the attention of others to the necessity of so doing. That they were honest in this, no one will question. Of course, it was right for them to believe that the Lord would give the faithful overcomers a part with him in his kingdom; and it was right for them to believe that they must be pure in thought, in word, and in action so far as possible; but they overlooked a work that must first be done by the followers of Christ while on the earth. Every Christian should lead a blameless life and put forth his best endeavors to always do that which is right; but that is not all that he must do. No man can by his own efforts become so good and perfect that by reason thereof he would be fit to reign with Christ in his kingdom. The condition precedent to entering into that kingdom is love for and faithfulness unto Jehovah God and Christ Jesus. Such love is proved by joyfully keeping the commandments of God. (John 14:15,21; 1 John 4:17,18; 5:3) That means that the overcomers are unselfishly devoted to the Lord and his cause and refuse to compromise, either directly or indirectly, with any part of the Devil’s organization. Those who are thus faithful to the end will be granted the crown of life and a place with Christ Jesus in his kingdom of heaven. The Christian cannot be faithful and true and at the same time neglect or ignore the commandments of Jehovah God. His delight will be to keep those commandments. Jehovah God reveals to man the meaning of his Word progressively. ‘‘The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.’”? (Prov. 4:18) The apostles of Jesus Christ began to see and understand God’s purpose at the time they were anointed with the holy spirit at Pentecost, but thereafter they saw more clearly. Likewise the Lord’s people gradually saw the truth as it was restored, and after the Lord came to his spiritual temple, in fulfilment of Malachi’s prophecy, they began to see the truth more clearly, and the light still continues to increase upon God’s Word. When Jesus was on earth he restricted his preaching to the Jews alone. For three and one-half years thereafter his disciples taught the Jews exclusively. The religion of the Jews had become a formalism, as a result of the unfaithfulness of the clergy and leaders therein. For some time after Pentecost much of that formalism was held on to by the disciples of Jesus Christ. Some of those honest Christians thought that ‘except a man be circumcised he could not be saved’. Circumcision applied to the Jews only, by reason of the law covenant which God had made with them. It required time for those who had come away from the darkness of Jewry to see this fact. In God’s due time he sent the apostle Peter with the gospel message to Cornelius, a Gentile. (Acts 10) The Gentiles or non-Jewish people had nothing to do with cirecumcision. The fact that the gospel had been taken to the Gentiles, and that they were not circumcised, raised a controversy amongst many of the Christians of that time. A convention of the disciples of Jesus was held in Jerusalem to consider these questions. James, one of the disciples of the Lord, was the chairman of that convention. In the course of the discussion Peter related how God had sent the gospel by him to the Gentiles, and that now there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile so far as God’s Word and purpose are concerned. Then Paul and Barnabas addressed the convention and told what miracles and wonders God had wrought amongst the Gentiles by them. In summing up the matter James gave utterance to prophetic words. Harmonizing his own words with those of God’s prophet Amos, James said: “Simeon [Peter] hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of
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