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WATCH TOW ER
lIy lord delaycth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to cat and drink with the drunken; thl' lord of that sernmt . . . shall cnt him asunder. "-::.att. 24: 48-51. 1:' The Gentile powers use the sword to kill. If the text is applil'd to the Gentile pOlvcrs, then it mean'! that such are clothed with pmn'r and authority oycr the Lord's people to literally kill those ,vho are in the ehurch, and that such are awn gel'S of God. Jesus was charged with the evil of sedition, was unjustly judged and killed. In so doing surely the Devil was not acting as God's avenger therl'. The words of the apostle mean that the sword represents the powl'1' which God uses to punish those in the rhurrh who do evil awl who therefore do contrary to his law by ,vhich the church is governed. The creature (or crl'ai ures) whom God uses to exercise such pmvcr is the avenger to execute wrath upon the evil-doers, 14 This Joes not mean that every individual in the clmrrh may punish at one or many who he thinks may be doing evil. The Srriptures expressly prohibit a member of the church from so doing, "That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified." (1 Thess. 4: 6) The Lord did commit unto others the power to judge and to execute judgment in certain cases. This power he committed to his apostles because tlwy wel'e his speeial representatives. Paul says that it Ivas reported to him that there was evil in the congreg'ation, and then adds: "Par I vcrily, as absent in body, but pl'l'sent in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, conrerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and m~' spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deJiwr such an one unto Satan [cut him off as with a sword from the ecclcsia of God and turn him over to Satan] for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit [of the church, which is holiness and complete devotion to God] may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus [at the second eom· ing of the Lord and the gathering of his people]." (1 Cor. [): 1-5; see also Acts [): 1-11; 8: 20-22) Christ and the apostles are the rulers in the church, and were already set at the time Paul "Tote these words, and to the ecclesia is committed some authorit~'. ~ono of these are a terror to good works; but that power which the Lord uses is a terror to evil ,yorks and bears not God's punishing instrument in yailL 10 "-Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for "Tath, but also for conscience sake," (Hom. 13: [) God has not called his people to set them aside to be yictims of his wrath, lIe called them to be his faithful witnesses and to receivc salvation through Christ Jesus. (1 Thess. 5: 9) But God's wrath is yisited upon those who are disobedient and who do eyil. (Eph. 5: 5, 6) Let no one for a moment belieye that God has
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lSI
appointed so-called "spiritual policc'mc'n" to a 'eng:) evil-doers in the ('hurch, . y punishment that result:; from anger or ]Jl'rsonal l'esentnll'nt is entirely iTOUg. -Col. 3: 8; ::latt. ;:;: 22. 1G Paul'" statement is 1hnt if one in the churC'h doc" eyil he shall suffer, nnd he should l'('frain from (Til for that reason; b~lt he should also for eomwienC'e' sake refrain from evil or wrong'-doing in the ehurch. 1±' he refrains from ei-il ml'rely in onkr thnt he may escape punishment, his motive is not propel' and un· selfish. If he refrains from evil because he knows that it is right so to do, amI pleasing to God for him to refrain from evil, then he does so because he loves God, aud his motivc is right and pure and he has a cleal' ('onscienee. "~ow the (']ld of the eommandml'!lt i-; 10Ye, from a pun' heart, and a good eonsciencl', and an undissembkd faith,' '-I Tim, 1: 3, Dio[llott,' TAXES
1, "For thi-; cause pa~- ye tribute also; for the," an' Gael's ministl'rs, attending eontinually upon this very thing," (Verse 6) The fact that the apostlc speaks of paying taxes has been considered a strong argument and has been useel to prove that the entire chapter has reference to the Gentile powers. That argument is Ullsound, and the conclusion is not warranted. The rendering of this text as given by different translators IS ~lere set out for the purpose of comparison. 18 "For beeause of this are ye paying' tribute also." (Hothel'lwlIl) "For the same reason as you pa,v taxes," (Jfoflatt) .. Why, this is r('al h- the reason VOll pay taxes al~o," (11' f1,;llouth) "For' on this aceo~mt also you pay taxrs,' '-DUlglott, 19 The apostle does not rommand the pa~-ment at' taxes or customs to anybod~- in the church. TIl" epistle was addressed to those Christians who had one,' been Jews (Hom. 7: 1,) and ,vho wrre familial' with the law of the Jews requiring' the payment of a poll tax and other taxes imposed for the support of Israel's government. (Ex, 30: 11,131 Tl}(,v would understand anll did UlllJt.rstand that the i)a~-ment of taxes was a proper thing to do. When Paul lTote to them those Chri'Jtians WE're residing in Home and iH'1'(' pa~-ing taxes to the Homan government because 1lot I-ishing to incur the wrath of Home, and also for the sake of their own conseienee, knowing that the~' in'n' doing right. 'For this cause,' says the apostk, '~-ou pay taxes; and moyed by the same good reason ~-Oll should render your dues to ,ft'honlh.' The '(Jl'l1" of the text, 'for this rause you pay taxr" a1,,,o, , appea l' to be it parenthetical statement and put ill merc,l,- tll str'engthell the forr(: of the apostle's argument, For idwt caus,' do you [lilY t;lxC'S? For ('ollsl'il'n('e' -;ah', for' the rea,;on that it i" right to l,ay fill' what ';l'I'-!,'" ~-ou !'t'rein-. "r'Then rl'wrtillg to the rul('r" he say,,: .. Fol' th,',are Cod's ministt'rs ['>l'ltllltS, not ;)atan'" ,>cnallt.'J,
