Pagină:Organization-part-I-1938.djvu/9: Diferență între versiuni

JUNE 1, 1938 each one, so let him walk. And thus in all the con- gregations I appoint.’’—1 Cor. 7:17, Diaglott. 2° Thus the ‘‘Higher Powers’’ were duly acknowl- edged and, as commanded, ‘‘every soul’’ was ‘‘subject to the higher powers’’. (Rom. 18:1) The apostles are no longer on the earth in the flesh, but the Higher Powers are present in the temple, Jehovah God, the Supreme Power, being there represented by Christ Jesus the Higher Power. Therefore no individual on earth acts as the direct personal representative of the Higher Powers, as did the apostles in their day.

• Titled offices or officers, supposed to be superior

to the common ones, have always Leen in vogue in the religious organizations called ‘‘Christendom’’, and that was even so among those engaged in the Elijah work, from 1878 to 1918. There were those who assumed a titled position or office and assumed to act as bosses over others and thus showed insubordination to the body of Christ as a whole. Now the Lord having come to the temple and gathered unto himself the faithful, all such must be on a common level, at unity in Christ. It strongly appears that the epistles to Timothy and Titus were written for the specific direction of Jeho- vah’s witnesses in the “‘last days’’, but that does not at all argue for the appointment of titled ones, such as elders (episkopous) and deacons (diakonous). The Lord, through the apostle Paul, delegated to Timothy and Titus certain duties. Paul, in his day, made known the will and ordinances of the Lord, which he had received from the Lord, and hence Paul there stood in the place of or represented more particularly the Lord Jesus Christ, who now is at the temple as the only Son of Jehovah God. Jesus Christ at the temple. is the great and special representative of Jehovah. When on the earth Jesus had appointive power, and now much more. He has the same because he is clothed with all power in heaven and in earth—John 15:16; Matt. 28:18. VISIBLE ORGANIZATION 81 Tt must be scen by all who love and serve Jeho- vah, and who therefore believe the revealed truths of his Word, that the Lord Jesus Christ as the Head of Jehovah’s organization Zion has a visible part of his organization on the earth, which represents the Lord and acts under the direct supervision of the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise the work of the Lord in the earth would be without order. His visible kingdom interests or ‘‘goods’’ must be committed to some rep- resentative, and the question now is, Who is that visible representative, standing in the place similar to that occupied and followed by Timothy end Titus, and which representative is clothed with certain authority to act? The answer must be found in the Scriptures, and not in the mere opinion of men. Jesus declared, as it is written, that upon his coming to the temple he would commit all his goods or kingdom interests on earth to that ‘‘faithful and wise servant’’, which fhe WATCHTOWER. 169 faithful and wise servant is made up and composed of all the anointed ones on earth brought into the temple into unity in Christ, and acting in complete unity under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matt. 24: 45-47) Paul, as the representative of Christ Jesus, delegated to Timothy and Titus authority to act in certain matters of appointing servants in the church. The Lord Jesus, now at the temple and in full charge of every part of his organization accord- ing to his own word, delegates to his earthly repre- sentative certain duties to be performed in his visible organization, and which duties, of necessity, must in- clude the sclection of servants. The anointed remnant on earth at the temple, for convenience, is designated as ‘‘The Society’’. That does not mean the Watcr Tower BisLe & Tract Society as a corporation, be- cause that corporation is organized to meet certain legal requirements. ‘‘The Society,’’ as that term is now used, does mean God’s people on the earth at full unity, duly organized and carrying on the work of bearing testimony to the name of Jehovah God in harmony with his will, which ‘‘testimony of Jesus Christ’? is committed unto them, these all being the children of God by his organization Zion. (Rev. 12:17; Isc, 54:18) The letters of the apostle Paul, addressed to Timothy and Titus, applying to the ‘‘last days’’, now apply to the Society; and the things committed to Titus and Timothy to do, and the special charge to them, are performed by the Society, acting under the direct supervision of the Lord Jesus Christ at the temple. 82 Timothy was charged concerning the teaching of what is the will of God. (1 Tim. 1:3,4,18; 2:12; 3:11; 2 Tim. 2:14) He was instructed with reference to recognizing the ‘‘ Higher Powers’’, and the prayer- ful and faithful support of them. (1 Tim. 2: 1-3) The Higher Powers are now in active office, and it is their time of war. (2 Tim. 2:3) Beeause of his ap- pointive power Timothy was instructed as to the qual- ifications of servants in the church or companies.— 1 Tim. 3: 1-13. 83 No provision was made for the office of ‘‘elder’’, or ‘‘priest’’. In fact an episkopos or overseer must first be an elder, as shown by Acts 20:17, 28; that is to say, he must be one of the mature ones in Christ. Such overseers were not just one in a province, set over all others in that territory, such as the Roman Catholic system follows. The overseer was one ap- pointed to look after the interests of the company or congregation. Timothy was instructed as to the proper conduct of himself in God’s organization or house, (1 Tim. 3: 14,15) Likewise in all these matters ‘‘The Society’’ is instrueted to deport itself in har- mony with God's will, as set forth in the Scriptures. 3% Timothy was commanded to exhort and to remind the brethren (by repeatedly calling attention to such things). He was youthful, but was told to permit no one to despise him by reason of his youth. (1 Tim.