The photo-drama of "Creation" is now being produced daily in more than eighty cities, both here and abroad. From all sides come words of commendation. The Bible is being opened up to popular understanding as never before. Pastor Russell's text today was, "See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. . . from Heaven." Heb. 12:25.
The pastor introduced his discourse with a comment upon the opening verses of the Epistle to the Hebrews. There the apostle is contrasting the message which God sent through the Lord Jesus Christ with those messages sent previously through His servants Moses and the prophets of Israel. The apostle elsewhere tells us that God speaks peace unto us through His Son. This statement suggests that previously there had been war. Away back in the days of Eden, when Father Adam and Mother Eve were on trial, Mother Eve was misled by Satan's suggestion and disobeyed God's command. Then Father Adam, leaning to his own understanding, sinned willfully, that he might have fellowship with his wife rather than with God. Thus the entire race were brought unto rebellion against the Creator and were condemned to death in Adam.
Then the pastor went on to trace the history of the rebellious race of man. Cut off from fellowship with God, falling deeper and deeper into sin, degradation and death conditions, none were fit to be called children of God. About twenty-five centuries after the fall the Almighty gave the Israelites opportunity to come into harmony with Him. There He spoke to them especially, through Moses and the law covenant, directing that whoever would hear Moses and obey might come closer to their Creator. So we read: "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." God had not spoken to mankind in general; only to the little nation of Israel had He given a message. To them He had not spoken in any other way than through the law and the prophets. The apostle tells us that those who disobeyed Moses' law died without mercy. Moses was God's mouthpiece; and therefore whoever disobeyed him came under the penalty of death.
The apostle's argument, the pastor declared, in this: Now, brethren, review the history of Israel, and see how from time to time they neglected the messages which God sent them at the mouth of angels and of Moses, and note how disasters came on them because of that negligence. If, then, there was such a penalty inflicted for negligence respecting the words of Moses, what should be the result of refusing to hear Him who speaks from heaven itself? If those who rejected Moses' law died without mercy, how much severer punishment should they receive who would count the blood of the covenant wherewith they were sanctified a common thing, and who would do despite to God's spirit of favor? Surely we may expect that there would be nothing further for those who reject God's arrangement for man's salvation! [HGL603]
The pastor next showed the consecrated people of God will finally be found in one of three classes. The little flock, to whom our Lord declared it is the Father's good pleasure to give the kingdom, is a limited number so far as we can judge probably 144,000. Then comes the great company, "whose number no man knows" God not having revealed it a class unworthy of a place in the little flock, but yet loyal in heart to God and the principles of righteousness. Last of all, is the class that go into the second death, the class that do despite to the covenant of grace. Formerly the pastor was inclined to think that this class would be very small, but of late he realizes that according to the experiences of the typical people the number will be much larger than he once had thought; for many Israelites fell in the wilderness on account of having rejected the testimony of the Lord, and their death was typical.
No one is on trial for life, the pastor declared, except those who have gotten free from the sentence of Adamic death. No one has a standing with God except those who have turned from sin and have presented their bodies in full consecration to Him. Those who have taken these steps have been accepted by the Lord Jesus Christ in harmony with the Father's great plan. Immediately after our Lord has accepted them He counts them as His flesh, and then the Father also accepts that flesh, for, as the Scriptures point out, the flesh of Christ has been in offering throughout the gospel age. Jesus first offering His own flesh. When He had finished that work He appeared in the presence of God and made satisfaction for the sins of the church, beginning with the apostles. Then the Father indicated His acceptance of their sacrifices by giving them the holy spirit.
Throughout the gospel age, the pastor continued, all believers have received the holy spirit just as soon as they have been accepted of the Father through the great advocate. All though the age the members of the body of Christ have been coming to Him, and the flesh of the church, the consecrated ones, has been counted as the flesh of Jesus. This flesh has been suffering for nearly 1, 900 years Christ suffering in the flesh.
Thus we see fulfillment of the Scripture which declares that the church is filling up that which remains of the afflictions of Christ. "If we suffer with Him we shall also reign with Him." And "the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed" in the church which is the body of Christ. The prophets of old, says St. Peter, spoke of the sufferings of the Christ and of the glory that shall follow. All who share the sufferings will also share the coming blessings glory, honor and immortality.
Then the pastor pointed out that those who are received of the Lord are in spirit all one as new creatures. There is one body of Christ in the flesh of the church. Then there is the other body of Christ, the new creature body, composed of the new natures of all who are begotten of the holy spirit as new creatures, and these new creatures inhabit this flesh of Christ. Here are two bodies of Christ then the body of Christ in the flesh and the body of Christ spiritually, which is dwelling in these earthly tabernacles and seeking to bring them to the sacrificial point day by day in everything. He also showed that the final body of Christ beyond the veil will be composed of the "more than conquerors" only Jesus, the captain, and all who voluntarily lay down their lives in following His example.
Thus there are three bodies of Christ. The final one is taken out of the other two. Those who are left constitute the great company and those who go into second death. But those who constitute these bodies are the only ones with whom God is dealing the only ones whom He has yet received. And even these were not received until they had come to the full point of consecration and were begotten of the Holy Spirit as new creatures. Therefore it is the new creature that is on trial not the flesh. Throughout the entire gospel age only the new creatures in Christ have been on trial for life or death eternal.
The pastor then explained that no one can reject Christ in the full sense of the word and go into the second death unless he had fully come into Christ and had become His disciple. While many have heard of Christ and have been drawn toward him, yet until they offer themselves to God in consecration and receive the begetting of the Holy Spirit, they do not really hear Him who speaks from heaven. Those who are begotten of the Holy Spirit get a new understanding, a new hearing, new ears as it were, and new eyes. As new creatures they see, hear and understand differently from what they formerly did. As St. Paul says, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." No one can discern spiritual things until he has been begotten of the Holy Spirit.
But there is such a thing as rejecting Christ after one has heard about Him. One may turn his back upon the world, and turn his face toward God and start in the right direction. Every step of the way he will receive a little blessing. But if, when he has progressed to the place where he sees consecration clearly, he should turn back, it is a question whether his former progress in the right direction has not done him harm.
The pastor illustrated this point by referring to the tabernacle in the wilderness. If one going toward the tabernacle had entered the court, had recognized the sacrifice of atonement upon the brazen altar, had progressed to the laver, representing the purification of the flesh, and then had halted, he could not have seen the beauties of the tabernacle. Even if he had come up to the very door of the tabernacle, if he should then stop all his previous progress would count for nothing.
So, if one should seek to put away the filth of the flesh to live as moral a life as possible, to become cleaner and cleaner in his daily conduct unless he present himself in consecration to God his morality is of no avail in the matter of bringing him into covenant-relationship with God. Only by faith in the blood of Christ can he approach the mercy seat. "There is none other name given under heaven amongst men whereby we must be saved." [HGL604] Any one who gets a glimpse into the future when the millennial reign of Christ and his church shall have begun and who hears of the goodness of God, but is not melted by his own imperfections and his need of a savior, will, the pastor believes, be much disadvantaged. Whoever hears the voice of God speaking peace through the Lord Jesus Christ should press on to know the Lord. If even a little glimpse of the coming restitution, when the whole earth will become like the Garden of Eden and when all men will have the privilege of coming to perfection, does not appeal to one, that one is not in a very favorable condition of mind. Whoever does not love the God who has made so loving a provision for mankind is not in a favorable condition for further knowledge.
The pastor clearly pointed out that those who have never heard of the goodness of God have very little responsibility in proportion to those who do hear. The heathen millions who have not heard of God could not present their bodies in sacrifice. Our Lord declared that those who knew not would be beaten with few stripes in comparison with those who did know. Whoever therefore has heard, and who knows the will of God and the difference between right and wrong has responsibility, and will receive stripes for disobedience, even if he does not now come into a full test or trial for life eternal.
The proper attitude of heart, the pastor declared, is that of appreciation of God's mercies. As the Psalmist has said, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord." Whoever hears of God's loving provision for the salvation of mankind should feel like removing from his heart everything that would hinder the love of God from flowing in freely and bringing forth the fruitage of love, devotion and appreciation. To those who especially love God and desire to know His will He has offered a cup, which represents His providences for that special class. Jesus Himself drank that cup, and set us an example.
The pastor then discussed the subject of consecration, and showed how reasonable it is for one who has come to a knowledge of the goodness of God to offer himself to the Lord. He declared that whoever carefully considered the matter would realize that all one has to offer is far too small. But God says to such, I know that you have practically nothing to give, but you must give all that you have be it much or little. In comparison with what Jesus gave, you have nothing; for what you have is imperfect and sinful, whereas His offering was holy and undefiled. But He will impute His merit to your offering, and thus make it acceptable. In the typical tabernacle and its sacrifices, the pastor declared, this matter of consecration is represented by the offering of the two goats on the day of atonement. The goat represents the flesh of the one offering himself in consecration. Consecration is the tying of the goat at the door of the antitypical tabernacle. Then the high priest kills the antitypical Lord's goat. Henceforth the new creature, begotten of the Holy Spirit at the moment when the sacrifice was accepted, is represented in the body of the high priest.
Then, as members of the body of the antitypical High priest, the consecrated and spirit-begotten ones are privileged to enter the antitypical tabernacle, the spirit-begotten condition. There they may have fellowship with God as they partake of the antitypical bread of presence, and as they walk by the light of the antitypical golden candlestick, which gives them light respecting the deep things of the word of God. The things in the typical tabernacle were hidden from the sun; they were dark as respects outside light, but they had the interior light. Those in the antitypical tabernacle condition have also blessed association with the incense altar; not that they have anything, perhaps, to do with offering the incense, for that which was offered by the great high priest of their order was sufficient for all the members of his body and makes them acceptable in the most holy.
The pastor then dwelt on the responsibility resting upon all who have offered themselves as living sacrifices and have been accepted and begotten of the Holy Spirit. These have come under the Headship of Christ. His will is to be their will, His Spirit is to be their spirit. When they were baptized into that one Spirit when their spirits, their minds, were immersed into that of our Lord and He accepted them as members of His Body, they recognized themselves as under His Headship. This is what produced the oneness of spirit the sympathetic heart-oneness of all the members of Christ.
As long as the Headship of Christ is recognized, there must of necessity be much harmony among these members. But should any member get out of harmony with the Head, he is proportionately unable to get a blessing himself or to do good to others. The greatest blessing and usefulness comes from co-operation with the Head in whatever work He is doing.
In conclusion the pastor declared that only in proportion as we are in harmony with our Master, the great Head of the Church, can He use us as His members. The voice of the Lord is being heard throughout the earth today. Therefore all who hear it should see to it that they do not refuse the Message of the hour.
To all those who do refuse as most of them are doing and will do the tribulation that will come will be all the more sever- "a Time of Trouble such as never was since there was a nation," "no, nor ever shall be" hereafter.