INTRODUCTION

What Pastor Russell Taught

on the

COVENANTS   RANSOM   MEDIATOR
SIN-OFFERING   ATONEMENT

A Companion Book to

"What Pastor Russell Said"
His answers to Hundreds of Questions

Pastor Russell declared that

Membership in the Body of Christ

Is the Only Key to all the Wonderful Harmony of the Divine
Word, the Basis of all His Presentations
to the Church Since 1880

HE SAID:

It was about that time, 1880, that the Lord drew our attention to other features of his plan previously unseen by us and, so far as we are aware, unseen by others since the days of the Apostles.

We realized that this further light was Harvest light for the ripening of the wheat, and by no means an evidence of greater wisdom or ability in Bible interpretation on our part. The due time had come and the unfolding came with it. The Master who had already been serving us brought forth from the storehouse "things new and old," RESPECTING THE COVENANTS AND THE ATONEMENT SACRIFICES. We were astonished at the length and breadth and height and depth of the Divine Plan and set them forth in a pamphlet entitled Tabernacle Shadows of the Better Sacrifices.

It was through those Tabernacle Shadow blessings that the Lord showed us how and why the Church of this Gospel Age has been called to heavenly glory while the Divine purpose respecting mankind in general is restoration to human perfection with everlasting life to all the willing and obedient – to be granted to the faithful in the close of the Millennial Age, when they shall have reached human perfection and the "paradise restored" shall have been extended to the whole earth.

We then understood for the first time the meaning of the Apostle's words respecting the "Hidden Mystery," namely, that close, intimate relationship between Christ and his faithful followers, the "more than conquerors." It was then that we understood the Apostle's words, "God hath given Christ to be the Head over the Church, which is his Body," and "We are members in particular of the Body of Christ." "This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the Church." Oh, yes, this is indeed a hidden mystery – that the Church is completely separated from the world and offered a great prize of glory, honor and immortality, the Divine nature. But we came to see, also, that this prize was offered on certain sacrificing conditions – not merely upon condition of faith, though faith is the basis of all our hopes.

We began to understand why the way during this Gospel Age should be made so "narrow," so difficult, while the Lord promised to make the way to eternal life a broad, "high way" during the Millennial Age.

Now we know what St. Paul meant when he said, "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach." – Heb. 13:13. We perceived from this last text that he referred to the sacrifices of the Day of Atonement mentioned in the context and in which he says that the bodies of those beasts whose blood accomplished sin atonement were burned outside the camp. The type shows that the first of these sacrifices was the bullock and the second the Lord's goat (Levit. 16); that the priest first killed the bullock provided by himself, and afterward killed the goat provided by the Congregation of the Children of Israel. We saw clearly enough that the bullock represented our Lord's sacrifice and that the only other sacrifice burned outside the camp was the goat, and hence that the Apostle must have referred to us, the Church, the members of the Body of Christ.

THIS HAS BEEN THE BASIS OF OUR PRESENTATIONS TO THE CHURCH SINCE 1880. WE CONSIDER IT THE ONLY KEY TO ALL THE WONDERFUL HARMONIES OF THE DIVINE WORD, as they are now in our possession by the Lord's favor. We have no doubt whatever that our great Adversary would like to take from us this valuable key to the Divine Plan, which alone explains the "mystery" of this Gospel Age, which is the Church and her special call – TO THE PRIVILEGES OF SACRIFICE NOW AND THE PRIVILEGES OF GLORY BY AND BY.

We should be very thankful for the great privilege we have been accorded to share in his "Cup," to be "baptized into his death." As the Apostle Paul declares in the third chapter of Philippians, I count all things as loss that I might win Christ; that I might have fellowship in his suffering; that I might be baptized into his death; share his "Cup" of suffering; so should we. Paul counted every other interest and consideration as of no value in comparison with this great privilege of the Gospel Age, which is accorded us.

Now, if we should ever lose sight of this wonderful privilege, if we should ever come to the place where we fail to appreciate the fact that we have been invited to share in our Lord's "Cup," have been invited to participate with him in this blood of the New Covenant, this blood which is to ratify, to seal the New Covenant, it would be doing despite to all these privileges and favors which have been specially given to us, but never given to any other people in the world and never will be given again, a great privilege never offered to the angels, but offered only to the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and those who would have his spirit during this age.

The lesson to us all is, "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time." Let us not be heady, high-minded and worldly-wise, but humble, teachable and full of faith in the Divine promises, which are so rapidly fulfilling and culminating.

Very truly your servant in the Lord,
C. T. RUSSELL.