Denver, Colo., Sept. 3 Pastor Russell spoke here today in his usual impressive manner. His text was from 2 Tim. 1:7 - "God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." The Pastor spoke in part as follows:
As far as we are able to discern, the whole world is under the spirit of fear. It seems to be the great power that the Adversary has used these many centuries to delude mankind and to keep them away from God. This is very manifest amongst the heathen nations. The Bible declares most positively that the fallen angels always have been the real gods of the heathen, whose hideous idols are only the representation of their deities. Undoubtedly the gods and demigods of mythology were the fallen angels and their progeny, referred to in Gen. 6:1-4. The world cannot realize this fact; for they have not the guidance of the Word of God. Many professed Christians are also being deluded, because of their neglect of the teachings and warnings of the Bible. Consequently many have departed from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, "by reason of which the Truth is evil-spoken of." Leviticus 17:7; Deut. 32:17; Psa. 106:34-38; 1 Cor. 10:20-22; etc.
It is through the spirit of fear that the great Adversary has been able to deceive the race with false doctrines during these many centuries. Those who have been set free by the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ can now see how formerly they were enslaved, and can also understand how others become slaves. (John 8:31, 32) This spirit of fear, together with the worldly ambitions of the leaders of religious organizations, brought on the Dark Ages. Fear was used as a lash to drive people into the churches in an effort to convert the world. Blasphemous doctrines which grossly misrepresented our loving Creator were foisted upon the people to frighten them into subserviency.
But fear never has amounted to anything in bringing people to the Lord. The most that it could do would be to cause its victims to make an outward profession which belied their heart sentiments. It is the love of God, the love of Christ, that constrains us. (2 Cor. 5:14, 15) There was a time when we had this same fear; but instead of driving us to God, it had a tendency to drive us away from Him. History proves unmistakably that the blasphemous doctrine of endless torture has utterly failed to bring men to God. The most hardened criminals are very
generally those who have been taught this doctrine. The great mass of the careless, the indifferent, the morally lax, are those who from childhood have been thus indoctrinated. It is not God's design to draw the world to Himself by any such methods.
The Truth is beautiful. It has a drawing and sanctifying power that nothing else can have. If the world were not under the blinding influence of "the god of this world" Satan all would be captivated by the Truth; for it is the only reasonable proposition on the face of the earth. If those who hold false doctrines are not ashamed of their errors, it is because they do not know enough to be ashamed. All should be ashamed of every doctrine except the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of this Gospel the great Apostle Paul declared that he was not ashamed. The Gospel of the Love of God as manifested in Christ was the Apostle's continual glory. Rom. 1:16; Gal. 6:14
But the god of this world has blinded the minds of "the children of disobedience" lest the light of the knowledge of [HGL842] the glory and the goodness of God should shine into their hearts. Satan does not wish this light of God's goodness to shine in upon humanity. Consequently he has endeavored to cause people to think of their Creator as the greatest Demon imaginable. One can scarcely even imagine a being as monstrous and cruel as the creeds of the Dark Ages represent our God to be. No human being, however depraved, would be so devilish as to do what has been attributed to God. A being who would torture throughout eternity billions of his creatures would be a devil of the blackest dye. And when we consider that these creatures were born imperfect and blemished by the Adamic fall, and blinded by superstition and ignorance inherited from their forefathers, the matter would be still worse. How could we imagine such things of our Heavenly Father!
It is no wonder that such teachings have caused the majority to prefer not to think about God, but to seek pleasure, to immerse themselves in business, in society, in almost anything rather than to think of their Creator. This has been a most successful device of Satan to hinder people from any true worship of God, from any real love for Him. Naturally man would have a strong drawing toward his Maker; for in every human being there is something that would cause him to long after God. The faculty of reverence lies at the top of the head. Reverence is the highest faculty of the mind. Whoever lacks fellowship with God is living in the lower parts of his brain.
Even the heathen naturally would wish to find God. (Acts 17:22-28) But when we send missionaries to them with such terrible misrepresentations of the Divine character, the heathen are repelled. They do not wish to have such a God as the creeds of Christendom represent. Consequently the missionaries have accomplished comparatively little in leading the heathen to the religion of Christ. If the missionaries had had the real Gospel Message, the heathen would have desired it.
Some time ago we were in India, where we were somewhat disappointed with the attendance at the meeting we held in a city there. The next morning two intelligent natives came to us as we were on our way to the railway station. Calling us by name, they expressed regret that we could not remain longer in their city. Amongst other remarks they said, "Had we known last night that you were present here, we would have gone to the meeting. We care nothing for what the missionaries say. Our gods tell us that we should not harm even the tiniest insect. Then to think that the Christian God has damned our forefathers to suffer through all eternity! We cannot trust such a God as He. But we are told that your message is altogether different from that of the missionaries."
We had to apologize to these men, and to tell them that they were quite right, but that they had been misinformed respecting the true character of God of the Bible. We assured them that we would be glad to remain longer and tell them about the true God, but that our appointments made it necessary that we go on at once. We do not know whether they heard us at any other point or not; and so we leave the matter.
Practically the only natives of India who pay any attention to the missionaries are what are known as "rice Christians." They were poor heathen a short time ago, and had very little to eat. Rice was promised them on condition that they would attend the meetings conducted by the missionaries. Naturally they attended whichever mission would promise them the rice. Poor creatures! It was not the message that drew them, but the material benefits promised.
Notwithstanding the fact that we are living in such an intelligent age, fear is a potent factor throughout the whole world. All the educated people of today are abandoning the Bible. Still the great mass of mankind, doubting that there is a Hell of eternal torture, and yet afraid that there might be, turn occasionally to the Bible to try to get some little insurance against such a place of torment. They are actuated by fear. Why is this? It is because of false teaching, misrepresentation of the real Message of the Bible, because of the blinding influence of the great Adversary. 2 Cor. 4:4
This condition was clearly foretold in the Bible. It has been permitted by the Lord for a wise purpose. The work of this Gospel Age has not been the conversion of the world, but merely the taking out from the world a very special class, "a people for his name." (Acts 15:13-18) The present adverse conditions in the world are most favorable for the training, the testing and the proving of this class. In connection with their Lord and Head, Christ Jesus, they are to be used of the Father in blessing the whole world during the incoming Age in scattering the ignorance, the darkness and the superstition, in enlightening the minds of mankind, in instructing them concerning the Love of God, concerning His provision for their salvation and uplift through the Atonement work of their Redeemer. Then the world will be delivered from the slavish fear in which they have long been bound.
The love of God in the heart casts out this fear. This we know experimentally. Having the love of God in our hearts, we find that it has cast out fear, that our knowledge of God's great Plan for the salvation of both the Church and the world has banished the fear which has torment. (1 John 4:18) To us, God is no longer a great Devil, who seeks for some pretext to justify Himself in torturing His creatures throughout eternity. On the contrary, He is a loving Father, who seeks the highest good of all His creatures, and has provided great blessing for all who will accept them upon His gracious terms, when these terms are made known to them, and assistance granted according to their need.
The Scriptures promise that the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall yet fill the whole earth, and that Christ shall be a Light to lighten the Gentiles the heathen (Hab. 2:14; Isa. 11:9; 42:6, 7; Luke 2:25-32) That Light will reveal, not devilishness, but the glory of God, His goodness, His grace. Oh, that will be a happy time! And it is not far distant. Soon men will bow before "the Great White Throne." It will not take them long to learn in the incoming [HGL843] New Age, when all the blind eyes shall be opened, and all the deaf ears unstopped.
During this night-time of six thousand years, during which "darkness has covered the earth and gross darkness the people," it has required faith and courage to walk with the Lord. But presently, when the light shall be spread abroad, all shall know Him, from the least unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord. (Jer. 31:34) We are just finding out what it really means to know our God. This knowledge has wrought a great change in the lives of those who have come to this condition.
It is blessed to know God, to have an intimate acquaintance, a fellowship of spirit, with our Creator. Our Lord Jesus said that to know God is life eternal. (John 17:3) There are few as yet who know him. We who are beginning to know Him have this knowledge as an evidence that we are in the way to eternal life. But not until we become His children can we thus know Him. Every child should know his father better day by day. Therefore from the time when we are begotten of the Holy Spirit of God, our Heavenly Father is willing that we should become thoroughly acquainted with Him, with His character. This is what it means to have the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. Rom. 5:1-5
No one can truly worship God until he is set free from the bondage of fear. The more we are freed from this slavish fear, the more are we enabled to come into the light of God. The spirit of slavish fear represents Satan; for it is his spirit. Therefore until we get free from it we cannot properly worship God. When we thought of Him as a God who sent 999 out of every 1,000 into eternal torment, we could not understand how He could be a God of Love. Only those who would have no brains could fail to be troubled about such a question. But now we know that "God hath not given us the spirit of fear." It came from the Adversary.
God is not seeking slaves who will fall down to worship Him lest they be thrown into eternal torment. He desires the worship of those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) He tells us that slavish fear of Him is taught by the precepts of men. (Isa. 29:13) It does not come from God. The spirit which He gives His children is a spirit of courage. "The righteous are as bold as a lion." One with God is a majority. One shall chase a thousand; and two shall put ten thousand to flight if God be with them. (Prov. 28:1; Deut. 32:30) This is not self-confidence. It is the confidence born of the exceeding great and precious promises of the Word of God; and we dare trust these promises.
We love our Father and our Savior, and in this Divine strength will we go on, fearing nothing. God has given us this spirit; and it will increase in proportion as we endeavor to be loyal to the Lord God and seek to walk in the footsteps of our Master. "Be of good courage," children of the Heavenly King; "and He shall strengthen your heart." "Be not afraid!"
People are often astonished at the courage manifested by the true children of God. With all their meekness, they develop a wonderful amount of courage. They have found a Friend, oh, such a Friend, who loved them ere they knew Him. They find Him a very present help in every time of trouble. The courage which He gives them is not courage to do mean or unkind things, but courage to do right, to speak a word in season, to assist those who need a helping hand, courage to proclaim the Truth of God kindly and lovingly, whatever the opposition brought to bear against them. All the meek need to have this courage. Meekness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering, brotherly-kindness, love all these are qualities which the consecrated child of God must possess; and with them all he must also have courage.
The Truth of God gives its possessor the spirit of a sound mind, no matter how unsound his mind may have been by nature. The Spirit of God gives one a better balance, better judgment, better powers of reasoning. It does not make one perfect in the flesh; for God does not purpose to make His consecrated children perfect in this life. Those whom He is now training for membership in the Kingdom of His son are to be made perfect in heart, developed in character, but not perfect in the flesh. Were they made perfect in the flesh, they could not be so well tested and proved, nor could they so well sympathize with the world in the next Age, who have all these human weaknesses and whom these sons of God are to judge.
The spirit of a sound mind gives the Lord's children courage to fight against the weaknesses of the flesh, against the world and against the Devil. It keeps them from wasting their consecrated time upon foolish, unprofitable things. It leads them to redeem the time for the things that are worthy. Having given their time, their money, their all, to the Lord, they seek to spend and to be spent in His service and to His glory. Meantime He is watching to see how they are carrying out their vow of consecration. Therefore they are daily striving earnestly to increase their talents and to improve their time, that they may use all to His glory who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. These experiences are working out in them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, preparing them to be associated with Him in giving blessings to the world. So they are going on from grace to grace, from glory to glory.