Pagină:Organization-part-II-1938.djvu/5: Diferență între versiuni

JUNE 15, 1938 ® Righteousness means doing gladly according to the will of God by measuring up to and carrying out the commission which God has given to his anointed people. That does not mean the driving of the un- willing, but that the love of righteousness is the driv- ing or impelling force, that is to say, the moving cause. It is the love of God and the vindication of his name that impels such to proceed to push on with the work of fulfilling the commission God has given them. Therefore all must be fully united in action and harmoniously ‘serving him, day and night, in his temple’, willingly and with unspeakable joy. The right motive, therefore, drives or moves God’s people into harmonious action. It is such works of righteousness and such workers that obtain the approval of the Lord. Examples of such, who receive the Lord’s approval, are these: Zerubbabel, the governor ; Josh a, the high priest ; the prophets Zechariah and Haggai; Ezra the seribe; Nehemiah, the governor; who were associated with the Jewish remnant returned from Babylon, first, to rebuild the temple, and then the walls of Jerusalem. (Ezra 5:1,2; 7:1-10; Neh. 5:6-19) Also other ap- proved examples are the apostles, who worked for peace and righteousness in the Lord’s organization. All that are now at the temple and who remain there must also be workers of righteousness.

• Appointments by the Watch Tower Society are

not what religionists call ‘‘ordinatiors’’, Men who translated the Bible, as well as others, have misapplied the word ‘‘ordained’’ and hence used the word con- trary to the real Scriptural meaning. The manner of using the word ‘‘ordained’’ by religionists is in the nature of a declaration or claim that there exists in God’s organization an arrangement called ‘‘orders’’ and that the persons assigned to such ‘‘orders’’ are superior to and in a different class from others of the church; and such is the basis for the use of the office and title employed by clergymen and other ‘‘exalted ones’’ in religious organizations. The religionists call such ‘‘holy orders’’. The conferment of such ‘‘orders’’ or offices is held to be a sacrament conferred upon the one receiving such by the action of a bishop. Such is entirely contrary to the Word of God, and it is the wily and seductive influence of the Devil that led men to make such an arrangement as ‘‘orders’’ or ‘‘ordinations’’ and to hold and teach that some men might ordain others by conferring upon them titles, honors and dignities above their fellow men. 20 According to the Scriptures the word there trans- lated ‘‘ordain’’ means ‘‘to appoint, to designate, con- stitute and set in order’’, but never means rank or class distinction. Says the apostle: ‘‘Ye are all one in Christ Jesus.’’ (Gal. 3:28) God hath set the mem- bers in the body as it pleascth him. (1 Cor. 12:18) In the body of Christ there are no such ‘‘orders’’, as that term is employed by religionists. Different ones in the company perform different funetions in the body of Christ. There are many members, but one She WATCHTOWER. 181 body. (1 Cor. 12:20) As the hand does not perform the functions of the eye, so one member of the body does not perform all the functions of the body of Christ, but all are on the same level. There is no au- thority or need for ‘‘the Society’’ today to employ the ceremony of ‘‘laying on of hands’’ upon those appointed to places of service. The mere designation, appointment and endorsement by the Society, given through the mail, by telegraph or by telephone, is all- sufficient and meets the requirements. Nor is there any need for a representative of the Society to be present and go through any hand motions or other ceremonies at such appointment. Such personal presence could add nothing to the appointing power and effect before the Lord. The apostles were clothed with certain spe- cific power delegated to them by the ‘‘higher powers’’, but on the earth today there are none who are clothed with such special delegated power as that conferred upon the apostles, “In the early days of the church the elders in lay- ing on of hands or hand-stretching were merely giving their expression of mature judgment of approval of the ones put forward to serve. Now, since the gath- ering into the temple and the anointing, all of the temple company have come to eldership or maturity in Christ. In the place and stead of the apostles or others clothed with such authority, who acted in the absence of Christ Jesus, there is now at the temple Christ Jesus himself, Jehovah’s great Apostle, who is in full control. (Heb. 3:1) Christ Jesus is clothed with absolute authority, and, being in complete con- trol of the organization of Zion, he directs the opera- tion thereof. Therefore Christ Jesus, the Head of Zion, now at the temple, fills all the offices, to wit: Great Elder and the Elder Brother in the church (Heb. 2:11,13; John 21:5) ; great Deacon (diakonos), min- ister (Matt. 20:28; Rom. 13:4); the great Pastor or Shepherd (John 10:11; 1 Pet. 5:1-4); the great Bishop or Episkopos (1 Pet. 2:25); the great Evan- gelist or Proclaimer of good news (Matt. 4:23; Luke 4:18, 48); great Teacher (Isa. 30:20; John 18:13, 14); great Prophet (Matt. 21:11; John 4:19; Acts 3:22, 23; Rev. 19:10); the great Judge (John 5: 22, 26-30; Acts 10:42; 17:31); and the great Counselor (Rev. 3:18; Isa. 9:6). In sending Christ Jesus to the temple Jehovah has, by one act, fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 1:26, to wit: ‘‘And I will re- store thy judges as at the first, and thy counscllors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be ealled, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.’’ Thus Jehovah sets up Zion, his faithful city or organiza- tion, with Christ Jesus being the absolute ruler as the Executive Officer of Jehovah God. Therefore ‘the government is upon the shoulder of Christ Jesus’. (Isa. 9:6) He is the Higher Power next to Jehovah, the Supreme Power. (Rom. 13:1,4) He is the Ruler in spiritual Israel. (Matt. 2:5,6) That part of the Lord’s organization on earth, therefore, acts under