Pagină:The-higher-powers.pdf/5

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1, 1929

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WATCH TOWER

hast given him power OWl' all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." (John 17: 2) "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." (John 5: 22,27) These scripturcs prove that Christ Jesus is the "higher powl'r" and that Jehovah is the highest or supreme power. "The higher powers" may therefore be applied to both J(.. hovah and Jesus, because Christ Jesus always carrie.> out the order of his Father. 14 Concerning tIle Lord Jesus Christ the apostk wrote: "'Yho is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers he· ing made subject unto him." (1 Pet. 3: 22) }Ianifestly this text docs not include the Gentile nations, powers and authorities of the earth, for the reason that at that time it was not God's due time to make tho enemy organization the footstool of the Lord. (Ps. 110: 1) The words of the apostle must therefore mean that every creature in God's organization must be subject to Christ Jesus, the Prince, or Huler, or Head over God's organization. In support of this conclusion Jesus stated that the power of judgment had been committed unto him, with the authority to execute the judgment. That judgment has particular reference to the organization of Jehovah, as it is written: "For we must all appear before the judgment scat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath don(', whether it be good or bad." (2 Cor. 5: 10) "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first hegin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" (1 Pet. 4 : 17) These scriptures show that Jesus Christ is the higher power, which lJowC'l' is always exercised in harmony with JdlOvah, the Supreme One. THE CHURCH 1J The church, made up of the m('mbers of the body of Christ, is of God's organization, with Christ Jesus as the Head thereof. ,. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." (Col. 1: 18) FurthermorC', the apostle, reiati'e to Christ Jesus, says, "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the vorking of his mighty power, which he "Taught in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far abon nil principalit,-, and power, and might, and dominion, and ewry name that is named, not only in this vodd, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gaYG him to be the head oyer all things to the church, whi('h is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." -Bph. 1: 19-23.

10;)

16 Christ Jesus, acting under the authority granted to him, organized the church. (:Matt. 16: 18) Since all things are from the Father, and all things are b,- the Son, we must understand that Jesus Christ is the executive officer of Jehovah in all things. Then says the apostle: "God hath set the members ewry one in the body as it hath pleased him." The proof is therefor0 conclusiYe that the church is of God's organization. (1 Cor. 1: 2; 11: 22; 2 Cor. 1: 1) The church is composed of many members, assigned to different positiOI1'l in the church. It is through Christ, the Head of the church, that the members thereof haye access to the Father. The organization is one building of God, with the apostles of Jeslls Christ holding' important positions therein under Christ Jesus the Head thereof.-Eph. 2: 19-22.

POWER CONFERRED 17 That Christ Jesus conferred power upon his apostles, there can not be the slightest doubt. Lnto PeteL' he said: "And I will give unto thee the keys of thu kingdom of heaven: and whatsoe'er thou shalt bin(l on earth shall be bound in hea"('n: and whatsoeYl'r thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in hem'en.·' (lIatt. 16: 19) After his resurrection Jesus said t(1 his disciples: "Peace be unto you: as my Father hat h sent me, even so send I you. And "'hen he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the holy spirit: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soewr Sill'l

ye retain, thry arc retained. "-John 20

21-23.

lS Furthermore, the Scriptures show that the apostle exercised power conferred upon him by the Lonl and in so doing he had the Lord's approval when he pronounced judgment upon Ananias and Sapphira. (Acts 5: 11, 12) O1hC'rs committed offenses in tho church, and Paul, although absent, exercised his power and authority in judging the offenders. (1 Cor. ~): 1-5) That the ecelesia shall properly take action ill judging certain offenders is proyen hy the words or Jesus.-lIatt. 18: 15-18.

CITIZENSHIP 19 A man is suhjrct to the laws of t he nat ion 0 f which he is a citizen. He is therefore the subjr:et or that nation. A citiz(·n of the Fnited Statrs is Sllhj(·(·t to the laws of the Cnitcd States. If that citizen of th(~ United States is in Ital,,- he is still suhjeet to the law-; of the United States, the land of his citizenship. SilJ(':~ the scripture under consideration is addl'r~srd to till' anointed sons of God, the inquiry is 1H'rl illl'lli : YII'j is the citizenship of the son of God 'I Thr .post1e P,'ll: answers that question and plainly deelar('~ that tl.,· members of the body of Christ on rart h lIan' t IIri ,. citizenship in heawn. "For our eitiz>ll'"hip is ill heaven; whence also we wait for a SaYiour, the Lord Jesus Christ. "-Phil. 3: 20, R. r. 20 It appearing that Paul (Rom. 13) is addrcssillg"