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| − | CfheWATCH TOWER
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| − | which thry would be if the officials of earthly govern.
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| − | ments were meant]." The word "ministers", as used
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| − | in this text, is from the Greek leitourgos, and is the
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| − | same word usrd to derive the English word "liturgy".
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| − | Who, then, are God's leit01lrgos (ministers)? The
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| − | word ministers is used to translate the word leitolll'[JOS
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| − | ia the following texts also, which texts prove beyond all doubt that they are God's anointed ministers ministering in and for the church. (Heb. 1: 7;
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| − | 8:],2,6; 9:21; 10:11; Acts 13:2; Rom. 15:16;
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| − | Phil. 2: 17, 25) 'fhen adds the apostle: 'Tlwse minis,
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| − | tr]'s of Cod arc attending upon this very thing.'
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| − | Therelly he clearly means that the office of such ministel'S is to maintain order and authority in the church.
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| − | His arg'ument is, then, that there might be order anJ
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| − | peace, and for conscience' sake the Imvs of the land
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| − | should he obeyed "'here they do not conflict with
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| − | God 's I~;w.
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| − | 21 "Render then'fore to
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| − | all [whether in:,ide the
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| − | church or outside thereof I .. , trihute to whom tribute
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| − | is due; custom to 'whom cllstom." The words "t rihute" and "custom" both refer to a commercial or
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| − | financial obligation which the government may lay
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| − | upon t hOfie who refiide thereundel' to meet tho governJ:H:ntal expenses, Jesus and his disciples paid such
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| − | tax. In reply to the question as to whether or not it
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| − | w~:s proper to pay taxes to the Roman government
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| − | Jesus said: "Render thc'rcforo unto C~psar tho things
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| − | that al'O Ca~fiar 's, and unto God tho things that aro
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| − | CotI'N.' '-:latt, 22: 18-21.
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| − | 22 But what docs the apostlo moan when he says in
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| − | tho sarno verse: "Fear to whom fear [is duo'l "? Does
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| − | he mean that it is the will of God that tho Christian
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| − | is to stand in awe of or in fear of the appointed servants of the church? The clergy, elders and others of
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| − | cong'l'egations have used this scripture as an authority
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| − | for demanding that rewrence and fear he given to
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| − | them hy the eong-regation. Such application of the
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| − | text is Ton~·. Whom, then, do the memhers of the
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| − | church pro11'1'1y fear? The following scriptures gin~
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| − | 2.nSi'er.
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| − | "J "Submitting yourselves ono to ~Ulother in the
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| − | fear of (;od." (Eph. fi: 21) "Be respectful to all;
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| − | love the brotherhood; fear God; honor the King, Let
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| − | houfiehold sen ants be subject vith all fear to their
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| − | masters; not only to the good and gentle, but also to
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| − | the pe1''erse." (1 Pet. 2: 17, 18, Diaglott) "But even
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| − | if you suffer on account of righteousness, you arc
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| − | blefised..
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| − | d fear not with their fear, nor be alarmed;
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| − | but sanctify the anointed Lord in your hearts, and be
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| − | alwa,vs prepared with a defence for everyone demanding an account of the hopo that is in you; but
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| − | with meekness and fear." (1 Pet. 3: 14, 15, Diaulott)
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| − | "Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be
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| − | ;YOUl' fear, and let him be your dread. "-Isa. S: 13.
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| − | 24 The Christian is not to fear man. "The fear of.
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| − | man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust ill
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| − | BROOKLYN,
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| − | N. Y.
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| − | the Lord shall be safe." (Prov, 29: 25) Those who
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| − | have an abiding confidence in God do not fear what
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| − | man may do unto them. "By faith Moses, when he
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| − | was born, was hid three months of his parents, because
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| − | they saw he was a proper child; and they were not
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| − | afraid of the [Gentile] king's commandment. By
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| − | faith he forsook T'Jgypt, not fearing the wrath of thl)
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| − | [Gentile] king; for he endured, as seeing him who is
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| − | invisible. "-Heb. 11: 23, 27.
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| − | 2;; It is entirely Scriptmal, and therefore right, for
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| − | Christians to show n'spect for one another in tht)
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| − | church, because tho Lord has set the members there.
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| − | The apostle speaks of those in the church who follow
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| − | a selfish course and" despise government", and whom
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| − | the IJonl will punish. Of sueh it is written: "Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they arc not afraid to
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| − | speak evil of dignities." (2 Pet. 2: 10) "Likeyisc also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despiso dominion, aud speak eyil of dignities, "-Jude 8.
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| − | 2G Says the apostle: "Honour to whom honour [is
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| − | duel" 'What does he mean by those words? The
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| − | Scripturcs make it clear as to whom the Christian
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| − | should honor. "For the Father judgl'1.h no man, but
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| − | hath committed all judgment nnto the SOil: that all
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| − | men shall honom' the Son, cyen <1S tll('y honour the
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| − | Father, lIe that honoureth not the Son hOl1011l'C·th nol'
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| − | the Father whieh hat h sent him." (.John G: 22, 23)
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| − | "Bc rcspedful to all; ]OC the brotherhoou; fear
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| − | God; honor the King [Christl." (1 Pet. 2:17,
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| − | Diaglott) If an elder in the church lahars aeeording
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| − | to the ,Yard of truth for the intlTests of the kinguom,
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| − | then he is entitled to double honor or resprct. If he
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| − | opposes the ,,'mk of the Lord and the instruction concerning t he Lord's work, thrn he is not entitled to
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| − | any honor, (1 Tim. G: 17) "''hrreforo the IJord Cod
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| − | of Israel saith, I said inJeed that thy house, and the
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| − | house of thy fathcr, should walk beforo me for ever;
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| − | but now the Lord saith, De it far from me; for t helll
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| − | that honour me I will hOllour; and they that despise
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| − | me shall be li;,;'11t]y esteemed, "-1 Sam, 2: 30.
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| − | 27" Owe no man any thing, but to 10'e one another:
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| − | for he that loyeth another hath fulfilled the lay,"
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| − | (Yel'se S) Here is laid down the rule that Christiall';
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| − | o"e a duty to one another to love Olle another, th::r
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| − | is to say, to unselfishly safeguard the interests of onc
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| − | another in the chmch. They should diligently seek to
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| − | do good one unto another. Herein is found the real
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| − | reason why Christians should be ohedient unto all
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| − | laws that arc right.
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| − | REASON FOR OBEYI:>JG
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| − | 28 "For this, Than shalt not commit adultery, Thou
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| − | Nhalt not kilJ, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not
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| − | hear false witness, Thou shalt not co'ct; and if there
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| − | be any other rommandment, it is briefly comprehemlcd in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Versc 9) Whcn the apostle hero
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