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Overland Monthly / OV020 - The Divine Program (V. Redemption from the Curse)
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OV20 THE DIVINE PROGRAM V—REDEMPTION FROM THE CURSE
BY C. T. RUSSELL
PASTOR BROOKLYN TABERNACLE
This is the fifth in the series of articles by Pastor Russell of the Brooklyn Tabernacle.
Interest in these articles goes on
apace, and the press generally is giving the arguments of Pastor
Russell considerable attention. Letters containing comment of different
kinds continue to pour into this office, all of which tends to show
that the series of articles is awakening general interest.—THE EDITOR.
AS IN OLD English the word evil was
frequently used in respect to things unwholesome or hurtful, as well as
things morally bad, so also the word curse was used more frequently
than now in respect to calamities and the unfavorable condition
resulting from the Divine sentence against sin and sinners. We have
noted that the evil or unsatisfactory conditions prevailing amongst
mankind are the results of the Divine curse or sentence. We have seen
that a great mistake was made in the dark ages in the assumption that
the curse or sentence against sin was one of eternal torment; that on
the contrary it was a just one, a death sentence; that the Creator
declares that the life and blessings given to his creatures were
forfeited forever because of disobedience under trial, and that all of
Adam’s posterity share his curse or sentence in a natural way—because
he could not give to his children more than he possessed himself. We
have seen that the mental, moral and physical imperfection prevalent in
the world is all directly or indirectly the outworking of the death
sentence on account of which, as the Apostle declares, "the whole
creation groaneth and travaileth together in pain," "waiting for the
manifestation of the sons of God" and the blessings which God has
promised shall come to all the families of the earth through the
"elect" Church, after its glorification as the Kingdom of GodÂ’s dear
Son.—#Ro 8:19,22.
Keeping in mind the scriptural use of the word curse, in its broad
signification attaching to every quality of mind and body, we now come
to the consideration of what the Bible teaches respecting the
redemption from that curse.
We find the intelligence of the world
hostile to the thought of redemption and specially hostile to the
thought of redemption through the precious blood of Christ.
We believe that their hostility results
from their having the wrong standpoint of view. Their opposition
unconsciously perhaps associates itself with the erroneous thought that
man was cursed to eternal torment on account of AdamÂ’s sin; and that
redemption from the curse would signify GodÂ’s purchase of a handful of
mankind out of eternal torment. Human intelligence would assent to no
such proposition of (1) injustice and cruelty, and (2) a commercial
barter in the name of Justice and Love. But this is not the Bible
presentation of redemption, and those who hold this view should lay it
aside, should rid their minds of it, that they may approach the subject
from the standpoint of GodÂ’s Word and not from
OV21 the standpoint of the superstitions and terrors of the dark ages.
Divine Justice Inexorable.
When we view our Creator as the Supreme
Judge of the Universe and acknowledge him absolutely perfect in
Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power, we can see that there could be no
appeal from the decisions of this Supreme Court, and furthermore that
this court could not reverse or set aside its own decisions. For
instance, granted that the Divine Law is that no creature may have
eternal life except upon the terms of absolute obedience to the Divine
Law of righteousness; granted also the Scriptural proposition that
Father Adam, under a fair trial in Eden, was disobedient and came under
the sentence or curse, "Dying thou shalt die," it will be conceded that
no relief could reach his case except through a Redeemer, a substitute.
That is to say, man having lost his life rights and been sentenced to
death justly, the Great Judge could not justly reverse that sentence.
He could not declare his original sentence an unjust one. He could not
declare Adam worthy of eternal life, nor could he excuse him and
forgive him, and yet preserve the laws of the Divine Empire inviolate.
For God to break his own laws and to cancel his own sentence, even
once, would establish such a precedent as would mar our confidence in
his unchangeableness. For instance, if God could lie, and, after having
pronounced a death sentence were to revoke it and clear the guilty one,
the changeableness thus manifested would call in question the Divine
Wisdom which pronounced a sentence which it subsequently desired to
cancel. It would call in question Divine Justice. For if it were right
to sentence Adam to death, it would be wrong to cancel that sentence
and to give him eternal life. The difficulty with us in reasoning on
such a subject is, that we, yea, all mankind, acknowledge
fallibility—liability to err; hence very properly we know very little
or nothing of Justice in its last analysis, which would be fitting only
to the Supreme Judge. For four thousand years God exhibited to mankind
and to the angelic onlookers his unwavering Justice—in that he
permitted the reign of sin and death to proceed uninterrupted and
practically unchecked. Even the giving of the Law Covenant to the one
nation of Israel worked no cessation of the sentence "Dying thou shalt
die." Sin and death still reigned from Moses until Christ, and the
nation of Israel under its Law learned still more thoroughly the lesson
that fallen, depraved humanity could not keep GodÂ’s perfect Law and
hence could not, under the Divine arrangement, make any claim for life
eternal. Then came the time for God to accomplish in another way the
seemingly impossible thing of maintaining the dignity and Justice of
his Supreme Court, and, at the same time, providing a way by which
members of the condemned race might be released from the penalty of
original sin.
An Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth.
This line of strict Justice the Lord
inculcated in his Law given to Israel to assist them in understanding
the great principle of Justice underlying the Divine conduct.
The lines of the same Justice extended
taught that a manÂ’s life is the penalty for a manÂ’s life. Thus our Lord
prepared us to see how "he could be just, and yet be the Justifier of
him that believeth in Jesus," and release such a believer from the
death sentence which came upon all through AdamÂ’s sin. We do not claim
that the method which God adopted for dealing with our race was the
only one open to him, but we do claim that the fact that Divine Wisdom
selected this method of dealing with AdamÂ’s race is an assurance that
in some respects, at least, it is the wisest method, the best adapted
to the Divine purpose of developing the race and testing its members
and their worthiness for life eternal—and also the best method for
exhibiting the various qualities of the Divine character to angels and
man. Jesus was the worldÂ’s Redeemer, and the entire process by which he
accomplished that work is scripturally styled redemption. It includes
the satisfaction of Divine Justice as respects original sin and the
penalty imposed upon it. It includes also indirectly the RedeemerÂ’s
work
OV22 of lifting the redeemed out of their
sin and death condition—up, up, up to all that was lost in Eden and to
all that was purchased back for them at Calvary by the RedeemerÂ’s
sacrifice of himself.
Holy, Harmless, Separate from Sinners.
The exactness and particularity of Divine
Justice was exemplified in the fact that God could not and would not
accept as a redeemer any member of AdamÂ’s race.
Even if one of them could have been found
willing to sacrifice in behalf of the others he would have been
rejected; because, as the Scriptures declare: "No man can redeem his
brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." (#Ps 49:7.)
To human judgment this would have settled the entire matter and marked
manÂ’s condition hopeless as respects redemption and a future life. But
manÂ’s extremity became GodÂ’s opportunity. What man could not do for
himself God arranged for him—he provided a Redeemer, "The Lamb of God
which taketh away the sin of the world," Jesus Christ the Righteous.
But our sense of justice cries out that it would be wrong for the
Creator to compel one of his creatures to die for another or others.
GodÂ’s Word sustains this thought and assures us that no such injustice
was practiced; that while the Heavenly Father planned a work of
redemption, our Lord Jesus was in no sense of the word forced or
compelled to sacrifice himself to carry out the Divine Program.
There was another and a better way by
which to reach the results desired. God could have created another man
Adam, and could have allowed him to redeem the first Adam and then
could have rewarded him with life on a higher plane of being. But what
assurance would there have been that another newly created Adam would
have done better than the first? The logic of the situation shows us
that there would have been two races of sinners to deal with instead of
one. But behold the Divine Wisdom which offered this service, for
humanity to the noblest, the chiefest of all the Heavenly Court!—the
Logos, the Beginning of the creation of God!—the Beginning of all
creation!—#Joh 1:1; #Re 3:14.
With the proposition properly went a promise of reward; and so we read
that "for the joy that was set before him," our Lord Jesus endured the
cross, ignored the shame and redeemed us by the sacrifice of himself;
"wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every
name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue
confess." Thus did God reward him who was already the beginning of the
creation of God, the Logos, making him the Prime minister of the
Celestial Empire, Associate in the Throne and Partaker of his own
Divine, immortal nature. Our Lord says: "To him that overcometh will I
grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set
down with my Father in his throne."—#Re 3:31.
Every step of the Divine Program is interesting and instructive. The
offering of the opportunity to make the greatest sacrifice and to
perform the greatest service was made to the chiefest of the heavenly
hosts. Had he declined the privilege, the offer might have been
tendered to a subordinate—to Gabriel or others of the heavenly host.
Being accepted by the Logos, the proposition went no further. He
delighted to do the will of the Father—even to humbling himself unto
Death, the death of the cross.
Humbled Himself Even Unto Death.
The redemption was not accomplished by
the Logos as a spirit being. It was not a spirit being who was to be
redeemed, but an earthly being, Adam. Hence the first step of our Lord,
the Logos, was the leaving of the riches of the heavenly condition and
humbling himself, debasing himself to the lower plane or state of the
human nature. But although that was a great stoop, it was not the
sacrifice for sin. As the Scriptures declare, it was "the Man Christ
Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."—#1Ti 2:6.
Just how the spark of life was transferred from the heavenly one to the
earthly one may be beyond our power to explain or even fully to
comprehend, but, all the same, it is a part of the Divine Revelation
and fully consistent with and necessary to the Divine Program. The
Scriptures show that it was because this spark of life came to Jesus,
not from an earthly father, not from human stock, but as a transferred
OV23 life, that our Lord Jesus was "holy,
harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." At another time we may
indicate just how and why it was possible that he could be born perfect
and yet have an imperfect mother. This is the Scriptural proposition,
and can be shown to be in fullest harmony with the scientific laws
governing progeny.
The Man Christ Jesus
In consistent harmony with every other
feature of the Divine Program he was made flesh, "came into the world
to save sinners" by the sacrifice of his life, "the Just for the
unjust." He did not make that sacrifice until thirty years old, because
it was not a child who had sinned and was to be redeemed, but a man.
Promptly on attaining the age specified in the Law, Jesus consecrated
his life, renouncing all except the divine promise of reward. He
symbolized that consecration to death by baptism in water at the hands
of John the Immerser. It was then that he received the anointing of the
holy Spirit, which constituted him the Anointed One—the Christ—the
Messiah. The same anointing constituted his begetting of the holy
Spirit as a New Creature to the Divine nature. Thenceforth for three
and a half years he was sacrificing his humanity, which was consecrated
to death and reckoned as dead and was "dying daily," while his New Mind
or Will, begotten of the holy Spirit, was developing day by day. The
outward man was perishing, while the inward man (the spirit begotten
new creature), was being renewed during the three and a half years of
his ministry.
The end of the duality was reached at
Calvary, when, as a man, he died once for all and forever. There the
manhood which he consecrated and reckoned dead at Jordan became
actually dead, and the New Creature, begotten of the holy Spirit and
developed during his ministry, was "born from the dead" on the third
day by resurrection power from on high. The work which the Father had
given him to do had been performed, and he who had humbled himself to
the human condition, "even unto death, even the death of the cross,"
was highly exalted and made partaker of the Divine Nature—glory, honor
and immortality. He was put to death in the flesh; he was quickened in
spirit; he was sown in death an animal body, and raised in resurrection
a spirit body; sown in death, dishonored, numbered with the
transgressors; raised in resurrection glory. We see that our LordÂ’s
glory of person was attained at resurrection, but his glory of office
he has not yet fully assumed. He awaits the selection of the "elect"
Church to be his Bride, his "joint-heir" and Associate in his throne in
the Millennial Kingdom for the blessing of the world. It is written
that he shall "see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied."
He is not yet satisfied, however, nor will he be, thank God, until by
his Millennial Kingdom reign he shall have triumphed over everything
opposed to righteousness and shall have delivered from the power of sin
and death so many of the human family as under full light and
opportunity will be glad to obey him and experience his uplifting power
in that glorious epoch of his reign. The Bible abounds with accounts of
the wonderful blessings which will accompany his reign of
righteousness, assuring us that the knowledge of the Lord shall fill
the whole earth and reach every individual; that all the blind eyes
shall be opened and all the deaf ears be unstopped; that the whole
earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God; that
every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, and that all who neglect
to come into the fullest harmony will die the Second Death, from which
there will be no recovery.—#Ac 3:23.
Bought With a Price—A Ransom.
The Apostle writes, "Ye are not your own; ye are bought with a price." (#1Co 6:19,20.) Listen to St. Paul again, "He gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (#1Ti 2:6.)
There is one feature of the subject seen by remarkably few, even by few
Christian Bible students; namely, how the one sacrifice of our Lord
Jesus could redeem the world of mankind numbering thousands of
millions. In their confusion some have suggested that our Lord suffered
as much in connection with his earthly ministry as was due to all
mankind as a penalty for sin. Some even go to greater absurdity in
claiming that all the sufferings of the thousands of millions of AdamÂ’s
race to all
OV24 eternity in hell would have been
less than our LordÂ’s sufferings during his earthly life. We sympathize
keenly with the poor souls whose minds can accept such nonsense. And we
sympathize with intelligent worldly people who, disgusted with such
nonsense, turn away from Christianity entirely. The Scriptural view of
the matter is very simple and very reasonable. Its presentation is that
Father Adam alone was placed on trial for life; that he alone failed:
that he alone was sentenced to death, and that the payment of AdamÂ’s
penalty to Justice would effect not only his release, but also that of
all his children, who share in his condemnation—"born in sin and shapen
in iniquity." Hence, how beautiful and simple is this Biblical
philosophy!
How thoroughly it is confirmed by the
ApostleÂ’s words, "By a man came death, by a man came also the
resurrection of the dead. For as all in Adam die, even so all in Christ
shall be made alive. But every man in his own order." (#1Co 15:21-23.)
Viewed from this standpoint, GodÂ’s method in permitting sin to enter by
the one man, and allowing his condemnation to pass upon the entire
race, was in order that the sacrifice of one man, "holy, harmless and
undefiled, separate from sinners," should fully satisfy the claims of
Justice. What a masterpiece of economy, combined with Justice and Love,
is thus brought to our attention! To catch the full force of the
matter, we should see that if one hundred, instead of one, had been
tried and failed and been condemned to death, Divine Justice must have
required a hundred Saviors.
If a thousand had been tried and
condemned a thousand Saviors would have been required. If a million had
been tried and condemned, a million Saviors would have been requisite.
Let us behold, then, the Wisdom of God in permitting the entire race to
share the condemnation of their father, that they might also share in
his redemption through the one Redeemer. No wonder the Apostle, noting
these things, inquires, "Who hath been GodÂ’s counsellor?" Who suggested
to the Almighty such infinitely wise arrangements? We have discussed
merely the broad, basic plan of redemption which will be available to
all mankind through the Resurrection and the Millennial Kingdom; there
is a still higher plane of redemption and a superior resurrection for
the church, first. The glorious results at the consummation will be a
world of humanity perfect in the Divine image and likeness, fully tried
and tested and proven to be lovers of righteousness and haters of
iniquity and worthy, under the Divine arrangement, to enjoy life
eternal under most favorable conditions—the unwilling, recalcitrants,
all being destroyed in the Second Death "like brute beasts."—#2Pe 2:12.
His Loving Kindness Toward Us.
Every feature of the Divine Plan is
wonderful and gracious, but most wonderful of all is that of the Divine
provision for the Church of this Gospel Age. St. Paul beautifully notes
this, and declares (#Eph 2:6  ,7)
that throughout ages to come God will show forth the exceeding riches
of his grace and his loving kindness toward us who are in Christ
Jesus—members of "the Body of Christ, which is the Church."
Here again the Divine character is shown
by a procedure quite contrary to anything men could have expected, and
yet superlatively grand in its merciful condescension and its strict
justice. Those who now accept Christ as their Redeemer and Instructor,
who turn their backs on sin and fully consecrate their lives, thoughts,
words, deeds, to the LordÂ’s service are accepted by the Lord as members
of Christ, over whom he is the Head. This means that such as now
willingly, gladly, joyfully take up their cross and follow after their
Redeemer, suffering for righteousnessÂ’ sake and laying down their lives
in the service of Divine Truth and its servants, will be granted a
share with the Redeemer in all his glories and honors of the Millennial
Kingdom—and more than this, a share with him in the highest of all
spirit natures—Divine nature.—#2Pe 1:4.
It is this elevation of the Church that the Apostle designates "Our
high calling of God in Christ," and exhorts us to attain to at any and
every cost.
It is this great honor that our Lord
compared to the pearl of great price—of great value, to obtain which
one is well justified in selling
OV25 all that he has that he may obtain
it. Hence, also, the Scriptures represent that only through great
tribulation shall the "little flock" enter the Kingdom—obtain this
great prize. And our Lord declares, "Strait is the gate, and narrow is
the way (which leads to this superlative life now offered), and few
there be that find it." The redemption through the blood of Christ is
general, for all the world. The salvation secured is alike to all—the
privilege of return to human perfection and earthly inheritance, etc.
The advantage accruing to the Church of
this Gospel Age is the privilege of sacrificing those earthly rights
and blessings secured by Jesus’ death—sacrificing them in the service
of the Lord and thereupon in turn receiving heavenly blessings,
spiritual life and glory.
IF WE ONLY UNDERSTOOD
COULD we draw aside the
curtains That surround each otherÂ’s lives, See the naked heart and
spirit, Know what spur the action gives—Often we would find it better,
Purer than we judge we would; We would love each other better If we
only understood.
Could we judge all
deeds by motives, See the good and bad within, Often we would love the
sinner All the while we loathe the sin.
Could we know the powers working To oÂ’erthrow integrity, We would judge each otherÂ’s errors With more patient charity.
If we knew the cares
and trials, Knew the efforts all in vain, And the bitter
disappointments—Understood the loss and gain—Would the grim external
roughness Seem, I wonder, just the same?
Would we help where now we hinder?
Would we pity where we blame?
Ah, we judge each other harshly, Knowing not lifeÂ’s hidden force; Knowing not the fount of action Is less turbid at its source.
Seeing not amid the evil All the golden grains of good, Oh, weÂ’d love each other better If we only understood.
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