The Watchtower, March 1, 1951
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The WATCHTOWER
Announcing
JEHOVAH'S
KINGDOM
MARCH 1, 1951
Semimonthly
TORMENTS OF THE RICH MAN
NO RELIEF FOR THE RICH, BUT
COMFORT FOR THE POOR
CLERGY AND WAR—A CONFUSED
PICTURE
EARLY CHRISTIANS UNDER
ROMAN RULE
PRAYERS FOR PEACE
©WTB&TS
“YOU ARE MY WITNESSES,” SAYS JEHOVAH.—Isa. 43:12 THE PURPOSE OF "THE WATCHTOWER"
Literal towers in Bible times were elevated vantage points from which watchmen could observe happenings, warn of danger, or announce good news. Our magazine figuratively occupies such a vantage point, for it is founded on the very pinnacle of wisdom, God's Word. That elevates it above racial, national and political propagandas and prejudices, frees it from selfish bias. It is not bound by any traditional creed, but its message advances as the light on God's purposes and works increases.—Habakkuk 2:1-3.
It sees things Scripturally. When it observes this generation afflicted with greed, delinquency, hypocrisy, atheism, war, famine, pestilence, perplexity and fear, and persecution of unpopular minorities, it does not parrot the old fable about history repeating itself. Informed by Bible prophecy, it sees in these things the sign of the world's time of the end. But with bright hope it also sees opening up for us just beyond these woes the portals of a new world.
Thus viewed, "The Watchtower" stands as a watchman atop a tower, alert to what is going on, awake to note signs of danger, faithful to point out the way of escape. It announces Jehovah's kingdom established by Christ's enthronement in heaven, feeds his kingdom joint-heirs with spiritual food, cheers men of good will with glorious prospects of eternal life in a paradise earth, comforts us with the resurrection promise for the dead.
It is not dogmatic, but has a confident ring in its voice, because it is based on God's Word. It does not privately interpret prophecy, but calls attention to physical facts, sets them alongside prophecy, and you see for yourself how well the two match, how accurately Jehovah interprets his own prophecy. In the interests of our salvation, it keeps sharp and faithful focus on Bible truth, and views religious news generally.
'Be watchful in these perilous times,' God admonishes. So keep on the watch by regularly reading "The Watchtower".
PUBLISHED BY THE WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY
117 Adams Street
N. H. KNORR, President
GRANT SUITER, Secretary
"They will all be taught by Jehovah."—John 6:45, NW; Isaiah 54:13
CONTENTS
Prayers for Peace 131
Clergy and War—a Confused Picture 132
"Be Rich in Right Works" 136
Early Christians Under Roman Rule 137
Torments of the Rich Man 141
Canada's Supreme Court Sides with
Jehovah's Witnesses 147
No Relief for the Rich, but Comfort
for the Poor 148
Gilead Appreciates the New Version 156
U. S. Supreme Court Upholds Freedoms 158
Questions from Readers 159
Experience and Announcements 160
Abbreviations used in "The Watchtower" for the following Bible versions
AS - American Standard Version LXX- The Septuagint Version
AT - An American Translation Mo - James Moffatt's version
Da - J. N. Darby's version NW - New World Translation
Dy - Catholic Douay version Ro - J. B. Rotherham's version
ED - The Emphatic Diaglott RS - Revised Standard Version
Le - Isaac Leeser's version Yg - Robert Young's version
Unless otherwise indicated, the Bible used is the King James Version
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PRAYERS FOR PEACE
MANY persons pray to God when in trouble, but forget him when all is well. Others blame him for their woes, but never bless him for their joys. Peace prayers abound when war threatens, but when the scare subsides how concerned about God is Christendom? Few thank him for good as earnestly as they implore him when trouble strikes. Whom do you consider your true friends? Those who come only when they want something? Whom do you feel the urge to help? Those who wish to use you selfishly? or those who at all times love you sincerely? If one who runs with others in good times comes to you only in hard times, are you not inclined to refer him back to his fairweather friends for help?
So it is likewise understandable why Jehovah finally said to Israel: "You have forsaken me, and served alien gods. Accordingly, I will not save you any more. Go and cry to the gods whom you have chosen! Let them save you in your time of distress!"—Judg. 10:13, 14, AT.
What about nations of Christendom that claim to serve God? Their politics is corrupt, their commerce greedy, their religions hypocritical. Their trust has been placed in international alliances, in mechanized armies, in weapons of destruction Since in such the nations place hope, to such they should cry for help in trouble Like the nations, so the people generally
shun anything more than lip service to God and his Word. As foretold, the masses of men are "lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, without gratitude, with no loving-kindness, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with self-esteem, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power".—2 Tim. 3:1-5, NW.
When such men and nations pray to God for peace, can we expect him to listen? Without forsaking their wrong course, should they expect divine aid? God's Word states: "Jehovah is far from the wicked; but he heareth the prayer of the righteous." "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination." "Jehovah's eyes are upon the righteous and his ears are toward their supplication, but Jehovah's face is against those doing injurious things."—Prov. 15:29; 28:9, AS; 1 Pet. 3:12, NW.
If prayers are to be heard, the praying one must heed God's Word, show love for God by obeying His commands, and voice petitions in harmony with God's purposes for a peaceful new world. Such prayers for peace will be answered.—Isa. 9:6,7; Matt. 6:9-13; Jas. 4:3; 1 John 5:3; Rev. 21:1-4.
WHEN Jesus concluded his famous sermon on the mount "the crowds were astounded at his way of teaching; for he was teaching them as a person having authority, and not as their scribes". (Matt. 7:28, 29, NW) He drew heavily upon the inspired Hebrew Scriptures to give substance to his sermon, and this gave it a ring of godly authority. Unlike the scribes and Pharisees, he did not depend on the traditions and commandments of men for support. Of Christ it is written, "The sheep follow him, because they know his voice." (John 10:4, NW) His voice echoed the Bible. They heard in his words the righteous principles of the Bible. His speech was plain, his words simple, his meaning clear. No double talk to be variously construed and interpreted, no hairsplitting or ambiguity to smack of a cagey lawyer more than a fearless minister. He did not water down or compromise or abandon his principles in the name of an endless string of "expediencies". With him it was Bible truth regardless of consequences. It was this kind of talk that astounded ears accustomed to the preaching of scribes and Pharisees who feared men, sought to please men, to be admired by men, to be enriched by men. Jesus pleased God, and spoke with the authority of God.
What about those claiming to speak for God today? Do they do so with an authoritative Bible ring of truth and righteousness? Or do they echo human opinion, as
did the scribes and Pharisees? Let us sample some of the views on war, since that is a current theme of their sermons.
On November 29,1950,the National Council of Churches was officially constituted. It embraces 31,000,000 members of the American Protestant denominations. The council's own claim is that "it lifts up its voice in behalf of the Christian way of life". Because of the war peril a commission had been "asked to seek under God for a Christian word that might guide or strengthen our fellow Christians and our fellowmen in the darkness we face together". The "word" forthcoming was a lengthy report that was very obscure. It condemned pacifism, advocated the United Nations; justified total mobilization, but not total war; declared no methods of fighting clean,but opined some methods dirtier than others. Atom bombs? If used on us first,we could "use them in retaliation with all possible restraint".
What scriptures were offered to give the ring of Bible authority to the report? None. Two members of the commission refused to sign it, one saying that the statement was involved and confused and had the effect of "making Christians do reluctantly what military necessity requires", and the other said the report was a "contradiction of terms" and offered no "distinctive moral guidance from the Christian gospel". Certainly no one could conceive of this mass of confused wordage coming from the mouth of the fearless Nazarene.
OUTSPOKEN FOR WAR
Unmistakable, however, was the position taken by Dr. Billington of the Akron, Ohio, Baptist Temple. He contended that "as a man of God" it looked to him as though "God is not with us", and advised: "Drop the A-bomb and stop it [Korean war]. God gave it to us. Let's use it to protect our Bibles, churches, schools and America's way of life." The Word of God will endure forever, and that without atom bombs. The same can be said concerning the true church. (1 Cor. 15:50-58; 1 Pet. 1:25) If God gave the atom bomb to the United States, did he also give it to the Soviets? Would we expect Christ to speak as did Dr. Billington? Or would he be more likely to cite as a principle, "Those who take up the atom bomb will perish by the atom bomb"?—Matt. 26:52.
Josef Cardinal Frings, archbishop of Cologne, declared on July 23, 1950, that "war is not only the right but even the duty of a nation" and that "unqualified conscientious objection to warfare as propagated by certain quarters does not coincide with Christian principles". (AP dispatch published in Albany, N.Y., Times Union, July 24, 1950) What Christian principles? No scriptures were offered to give this assertion an authoritative ring. Nor were any offered in Osservatore Romano when it gave Vatican approval to Truman's decision to build the hydrogen superbomb, because "there is no other way out". (N.Y. Times, February 3, 1950) True Christians still rely on God rather than bombs as the way out.
Adding another facet to the clergy position on war, Roman Catholic Edmund A. Walsh, vice-president of Georgetown University, said concerning atom bombs, if the nation felt it were on the verge of being attacked: "Neither reason nor theology, nor morals require men or nations to commit suicide by requiring that we must
await the first blow." He added that American use of the bomb first would place "an appalling responsibility" on the accuracy of its intelligence sources reporting the imminent attack upon the United States. Then he proceeded to shoulder that "appalling responsibility" by saying: "The protestations of peaceful intent spoken by Vishinsky in the United Nations are only the actors' lines of a prepared script designed to distract the audience from an approaching Pearl Harbor."—N. Y. Times, December 25, 1950.
Adding a brilliant polish to this facet of striking the first blow of a third world war, the official newspaper of the archdiocese of Boston, The Pilot, said on September 1, 1950, that a preventive war against Russia may be necessary. It held that offensive wars are moral under certain conditions, if fought for a "morally certain right", and added: "There is considerable evidence to establish the fact that the Soviet is guilty of real crimes and is contemplating further ones, and we seek merely to defend basic human rights."
A CHASTISEMENT OR BLESSING FROM GOD?
Moving on to get another view of this many-sided picture of the clergy and war, we come face to face with the frequently expressed position that God brings the wars upon us as a chastisement for our sins. An example of this is found in the New York Times' report of July 24, 1950: "Our own sins have undoubtedly brought upon us this new chastisement," the conflict in Korea, Auxiliary Bishop Joseph F. Flannelly, administrator of St. Patrick's Cathedral, said yesterday. No scriptures are offered to make this position sound authoritative, whereas logic makes it unreasonable. If the war is a chastisement from God, why rail against the Korean and Chinese communists, and the Soviets that lend their backing? Flannelly's position would require us to recognize these communists as instruments in God's hands.
A few weeks later, from this same pulpit, an aboutface is made. No longer is the war lamented as a chastisement from God, but is proclaimed a blessing from him. From the New York Times, September 11, 1950, we quote: "Sorrowing parents whose sons have been drafted or recalled for combat duty were told yesterday in St. Patrick's Cathedral that death in battle was part of God's plan for populating 'the kingdom of heaven.' 'It is a thought not always remembered,' he [Msgr. W. T. Green] continued, 'but it is the first responsibility of Christian parents to do what lies in their power to give their children back to God at whatever time, place and circumstances in which he chooses to call them, so that they may become true citizens of the eternal kingdom of heaven.' " If war is a part of God's plan for populating the kingdom of heaven, why should Catholics try to thwart him? Why should they pray for peace? Why not do all in their power to encourage war, that through it their children may gain the Kingdom? Why have peace, and thwart God's plan, and keep heaven unpopulated?
Centuries before Christ Israel was God's holy nation, and was used in wars that were approved by God, and at times he even fought in behalf of his people Israel. Yet even under such favorable circumstances the Israelite soldiers that fell in battle did not go to heaven. (John 3:13) David was a man of war, divinely approved wars, but he did not ascend into heaven. (Acts 2:34) After Christ came, Christians are spoken of as soldiers, but not the usual kind: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage warfare according to what we are in the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly." (2 Cor. 10:3, 4; Eph. 6:10-17, NW) The Christian
Greek Scriptures disclose God's method of populating the kingdom of heaven, but carnal warfare does not appear as a part thereof. Green's words lack backing.
THE BASEST OF WAR PROFITEERS
Much talk is heard about taking the profit out of war. One of the cruelest forms of war-profiteering is exemplified by a letter written to Catholic parents during World War II. It was from Archbishop Sinnot, of Winnipeg, Canada, and dated March 1, 1944. After the salutation "My dear Catholic Parents", the first lengthy paragraph reads like an extortion note:
"I have received from the Pastors of the different Parishes a list of those who have boys overseas. Some time ago, as you are aware, I called on Catholic Mothers to enroll their boys as Perpetual Members of the Society of the Propagation of the Faith. I said: 'What better guarantee for any boy exposed to all the hazards of war! A guarantee, should he be killed, that he will go at once to his Maker, to be with Him for all eternity. A guarantee, should it be God's will, that he will return to his dear Mother and to those who love him.' This has been explained to you over and over again, from the pulpit and you have been urged to enroll your boys. A few, who have been personally contacted, have answered the appeal, but all the others have maintained a stolid indifference. If I were to conclude that you were indifferent to the safety of your boy, I would be doing you a grave injustice. You are not indifferent. What then can be the reason for the inaction! Some say, in fact many say, that they cannot afford it. That is not a reason, that is a specious excuse, unworthy of a Catholic Mother. You receive a portion of the boy's pay, and what better use can you make of it. 'Oh', you answer, 'I am trying to have a nest egg for my boy when he returns.' When he returns.
Wouldn't it be better to take the best means you know to ensure the boy's return. If he does not return, what good, under heaven, will the 'nest egg' be to him. I am not advising you to take the boy's money, I would much prefer that you use your own money. But, if you must take the boy's money, take it as a loan. Surely you will be able to make it up in the years to come. Do you not think, with a little economy and a few less shows, you will be able to set aside one dollar a month, until the full amount is paid up? It is not necessary to pay the 40.00 at once. You can pay any sum you wish, by instalments. You can pay, say, 5.00 a month, or $10.00 every three months. You can take a year, you can take two years, you can even take three years. Three years, that is almost the equivalent of One Dollar per month. The important thing is to ensure the boy's safety, as far as we can do so,-his safety in time and eternity."
MONEY BUYS NO FAVORS FROM GOD
It is difficult to conceive of such heartless nagging for money, under any circumstances. When it is done in God's name, it is the rankest fraud and blasphemy. The humane mind balks at believing God might return safely from war a son with a forty-dollar price tag. Or to take that son to heaven if a forty-dollar ticket is provided. What scripture can possibly be twisted and wrested to even hint at such vicious money lust on God's part? Not one! The falsity of such extortion done in God's name is shown at Micah 3:11 (AT): "Her chiefs pronounce judgment for a bribe, and her priests declare oracles for hire, and her prophets divine for cash. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, 'Is not the LORD in the midst of us? No misfortune can befall us.'"
But misfortune can and will befall those who think God's favors can be bought with
money. On one occasion a man offered Peter money for a gift of God. The apostle Peter, very unpopelike, said: "May your silver perish with you." (Acts 8:18-20,NW) It was Peter who said to those in charge of congregations: "Shepherd the flock of God among you, not under compulsion, but willingly, neither for love of dishonest gain, but eagerly." (1 Pet. 5:2, NW) This rules out the dishonest use of nonexistent pagan purgatories or burning hells to extort money from the surviving friends of the deceased. The Bible shows the dead are in the grave, asleep in death, awaiting a resurrection to life on earth. (Eccl. 9:5, 10; John 5:28, 29, NW) No clergyman can interfere with this divine purpose, whether he is given or refused money.
From the foregoing it is clear that the clergy offer no consistent, comforting counsel regarding war, no sure guidance backed by the authority of God's Word, and their leadership in other problems is similarly confused. The majority of those thinking war un-Christian are too weak-kneed to say so in wartime. Others clamor for war to rid them of their enemies, just as the Pharisees forced the Roman military to kill their exposer Jesus. Some support defensive wars, others preventive wars, and still others outright offensive warfare. One says war is a chastisement from God for our sins, another says it is his way of populating heaven. Others hover over their congregations like vultures, opportunists that swoop down in wartime to extort money from grieved parents. War-profiteers of the basest sort.
Sincere Christians turn from these confused men, turn to the clear truths and Christian principles of God's Word. There they will find words of authority. There the sheep will hear the voice of the Good Shepherd, and will learn the way to follow, and will find the path to life in a new world.—2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1-4.
"Be Rich in Right Works"
THERE was once a very foolish man, so the parable goes, who had such great wealth and possessions that he thought of tearing down his storage barns and building bigger ones. Crazed with greed he dreamed of the time when he would selfishly spend his fortune wining and dining to his body's lustful content. But in drawing up his plans little did he figure that he would die that very night, leaving everything behind. No, not with all his glittering riches was he able to add even a single day to his life.—Luke 12:16- 21.*
Today multitudes of people are just as foolish as the man in the parable. In fact, the whole world of organized religion, politics and commerce is dominated by this same greedy spirit. Powerful religious sects seek to increase their sphere of influence in politics and commerce. Political parties and systems of government compete with one another for control of earth's surface, its people and its wealth. Cruel and oppressive commerce with its fearful creed of selfish greed hoards up earth's treasures. Thus every part of this present system of things is feverishly stock-piling material riches as security against the ominous future.
How foolish! Oh, how worthless that wealth, influence and power will be when Jehovah God brings his terrible wrath against the Devil's wicked organization at Armageddon! No, it profits people absolutely nothing if they gain the whole world and then forfeit their life. A person's "life does not result from the things he possesses".—Ezek. 7:19; Jas. 5:1-3; Mark 8:36; Luke 12:15,NW.
Now what do you as an individual want? Is it security in this present world that
will soon pass away, or is it life in a righteous new world? All sober persons not intoxicated with the Devil's spirit of greed and selfishness will choose the latter. Consequently, they will follow the commandments concerning the way to life. Working at what is right and righteous is what counts! "Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death."—Prov. 11:4.
But how can one be rich in right works? Jesus told the rich young man who sought eternal life to dispose of his burdensome wealth and show mercy and loving-kindness to the poor by following Christ's example. That was the best advice, but the saying was too much for the vain and selfish fellow. Like a camel trying to crawl through a needle's eye, he never made it. Matt. 19:16-24.
On the other hand, the faithful apostles and all true Christians since then have proved it can be done. By right works they have proved their faith. (Jas. 2:17,18) It is true that the majority of these are "the poor of this world", yet there are a few "who are rich in the present system of things". (Jas. 2:5; 1 Tim. 6:17, NW; 1 Cor. 1:26-29) So it is not the actual value or worth or quantity that one gives in Kingdom service that counts. All that one has is required from poor and rich alike. The poor widow that gave her last two mites, worth about one-fourth of a cent, was fully approved, for actually she "cast in all the living that she had".—Luke 21:1-4; Matt. 13:44-46.
So keep busy and keep spending yourselves in Kingdom work if you would "be rich in right works". Be liberal and ready to share your divine knowledge with the poor, and thus secure for yourselves eternal life.—1 Tim. 6:18, 19, NW.
A further discussion of the general subject is found in The Watchtower of January 1, 1950.
EARLY CHRISTIANS Under ROMAN RULE
SATAN is the god and princely ruler of this world and the mass of mankind are in hondage to his on
written, Origen expressly says "that many [Christians] had made it their business to
kind are in bondage to his oppressive organization. Christ's kingdom, on the other hand, is not of this world. His disciples are no part of it, though
they remain in it as ambassadors of Jehovah's new world. (2 Cor. 4:4; John 15:19; 18:36; Jas. 4:4) As true Christians they have a special calling, are given a divine commission, and have God's activating holy spirit upon them to accomplish a work of making disciples of people of all the nations. (Matt. 28:19,NW) Early Christians were faithful to this commisgo through not only their towns, but also the villages and farms". 2
At first the early Christians wrote letters; but what let-
ters! "If they could write such letters as these," Dr. Goodspeed remarks, "what kind of sermons do you suppose they preached? No wonder the gospel so quickly permeated the Greek world!" The apostles wrote for the common people and hence in the popular koiné Greek, not the classical, and their letters were circulated far and wide. (Col. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:27) Being book-conscious, the
sion, though it made them unpopular, objects of hatred, targets of persecution.
There were only 120 in this little band of Christians at first. But in less than two months, at Pentecost, 3,000 more were added. Then the number jumped to 5,000. The work increased, the field of activity expanded to take in more territory, and in spite of violent opposition from the orthodox Jews God's witnesses "went every where preaching the word". (Acts 1:15; 2:41; 4:4; 8:4) The apostles and others traveled from port to port, and
early Christians not only collected and published the letters of Paul, Peter, John James and Jude, but also published the history of the apostles by Luke, and the "Four Gospels" in codex form, a method of bookbinding made popular by Christians. (2 Tim. 4:13) The literary style of the gospel accounts is so high that "no type of religious literature has equalled it in attractiveness and power". As time went on that early unincorporated Bible society of Christians became busy translating the Bible into other languages—Syriac, Coptic, Latin, etc.
overland they used the famous system of Roman military highways. 1 In the principal cities they established congregations, and it was from such centers that the Kingdom message was carried into the rural areas. In addition to what Pliny, Clemens Romanus and Justin Martyr have
IMPACT ON PAGAN WORLD
As young Christianity in its vigor and strength spread over the Roman empire it ran up against many strange religious theories, philosophies and customs. It also collided head-on with the ideologies of Roman officialdom.
To the demon-worshipping pagans who reverenced a host of different gods it seemed very strange indeed that these people called Christians believed there was only one true and living God whose name alone is Jehovah.4 In pagan eyes it seemed odd that these servants of God had no stately temples. "For almost three centuries, we must remember, Christians had no church buildings. They met in such private houses as had rooms large enough to accommodate their meetings."3,2
Moreover, Christians had no famous statues or shrines. "The use of images," Neander affirms, "was originally quite foreign to the Christian worship and Churches, and it remained so during this whole period. The intermixture of art and religion, and the use of images for the latter, appeared to the first Christians a heathenish practice." 2 Christians had no imposing formalism or paid priesthood. 5 "In the apostolic church preaching and teaching were not confined to a particular class, but every convert could proclaim the gospel to unbelievers, and every Christian who had the gift could pray and teach and exhort in the congregation." 6
Christians proclaimed Christ their savior instead of the emperor. Even their Bible teachings regarding such things as marriage, cleanness in all things, honesty and justice, peaceable conduct one toward another, patient endurance of violent persecution, as well as the practice of love, mercy and forgiveness 1 all of these things were viewed by unbelieving pagans as "turning the world upside down".
Tertullian tells how the pagans ate human blood—sometimes to seal a treaty, sometimes as a sign of initiation, sometimes as a cure for epilepsy. But not so Christians! Says Tertullian: "Let your error blush before the Christians, for we do not include even animals' blood in our natural diet. We abstain on that account
from things strangled or that die of themselves, that we may not in any way be polluted by blood, even if it is buried in the meat. Finally, when you are testing Christians, you offer them sausages full of blood; you are thoroughly well aware, of course, that among them it is forbidden; but you want to make them transgress."
"The early Christians, who tried to keep themselves from idolatry, were regarded as very antisocial persons. They never appeared at public feasts and entertainments. They would not join in the amusements of the circus or the amphitheater." 8,9,10 And why not? Cyprian, who lived back there, gives other reasons in addition to the matter of public idolatry: "A combat of gladiators is in preparation, in order to gratify the thirst of cruel eyes with blood. A man is put to death for the pleasure of men, murder becomes a profession, and crime not only practised, but even taught." 2
Roman agencies lied against the Christians, to incite both the people and the government against them. 2 Outbursts of mob violence often occurred and terrible injuries and even death were suffered by faithful Christians. 8
SERVE GOD OR STATE, WHICH?
It was the same old issue: whom would God's servants worship and obey? One cannot serve two masters, Christ declared. True Christians never compromise on this issue. (Matt. 6:24; Acts 4:19, 20) Even as they refused to "heil Hitler" in modern times, so also nineteen centuries ago they refused to salute, bow down to or burn incense to Caesar's image. 8 "Rome had become gradually full of people espousing foreign cults, who on demand would swear allegiance to the divine spirit of the emperor. The Christians, however, strong in their faith, would take no such oath of loyalty. And because they did not swear allegiance to what we would to-day consider as analogous to the FLAG, they were considered politically dangerous."
1 1
Those men of God knew that the "divine right of kings" is only a myth, that the flag or emblem of the state was no symbol of salvation and hence they could not pledge allegiance to it. Nevertheless, they were loyal and obedient to the state in all matters not pertaining to worship. 12 Christ forbade them to be rebellious against the state. "Pay back Caesar's things to Caesar, but God's things to God," he commanded them, and that is what they did. (Mark 12:17,NW) Says Justin Martyr: "Taxes and customs we pay the most scrupulously of all men, to those who are appointed by you, as we were taught by him. (Matt. 22:21) Hence we worship only God alone, while at the same time we serve you willingly in all other respects." 2 On this same matter Tertullian declared: "The image of Caesar, which is on the coins, is to be given to Caesar, and the image of God which is in man, is to be given to God; therefore, thou must give the money, indeed, to Caesar, but thyself to God; for what will remain to God, if all belongs to Caesar?" 2
"The early Christians were ready to die for their faith. They refused to worship the gods of the pagan Romans. Since they believed in peace, they would not serve in Rome's imperial armies."13 To the Romans those "who objected to military service seemed useless to the state",9 but that did not change God's viewpoint of the matter, and, after all, that is what counted.
Those Christians did not object to or interfere with Caesar's drafting pagans for his army. Indeed, he had a perfect right to do so, for they were part of this old world. But when Caesar asked God's ministers, who were of Jehovah's kingdom and no part of the Devil's world, to fight old world battles, that was an entirely different matter. So the specious argument of those like Celsus (a Latin writer of the second century) is but empty words. "Does not the emperor justly punish you?" asked Celsus, "For if all did as you do, the emperor would be left to himself, no one would defend him, the wildest barbarians would obtain the power over all the world, and there would not remain a single trace of true wisdom, nor even of your religion, among mankind; for fancy not that your Almighty God would come down from heaven to fight for us." 2,12
PERSECUTION FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE
"If they have persecuted me," warned Jesus, "they will also persecute you . . . all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake." (Matt. 5:10, 11; Luke 21:12; John 15:20, 21) And so it was. "It appears conclusively, both from the letter of Pliny and the rescript of Trajan, that the Christians could be punished for the nomen alone, or the mere profession of Christianity, apart from the specification or proof of definite crimes." Everywhere they were spoken against.—Acts 28:22.
Christians in those early days were attacked by literary scholars such as Lucian, Celsus, Porphyrius, Hierocles, and, as already mentioned, they were often mobbed and beaten by the misdirected populace. 14 But in many other instances the ruling elements were responsible. Christian meetings were broken up; their Bibles were burned; their privileges as Roman citizens were taken away; they were thrown into prison; and sometimes they were burned at the stake or stretched on the rack or thrown into an arena to be torn to pieces by wild animals. "Every refinement of torture was practiced. Paganism, fighting for its existence, left no means untried to root out a sect both despised and feared." 8
Some historians 15 have debated over why God's people were singled out and persecuted beyond measure, but when one sees the issue it is quite simple to understand.
A letter addressed to Diognetus, who lived in the early part of the second century, says: "The Christians are not separated from other men, either in their earthly abode, nor by language, nor customs; they never inhabit separate towns, they use no peculiar speech, no singular mode of life. They dwell in the towns of Greeks, or of Barbarians, just as chance has assigned their abode and inasmuch as they follow the customs of the country with regard to raiment, food, and other such matters, they show a temper and conduct which is wonderful and remarkable to all men. They obey the existing laws, nay, they triumph over the laws by their own conduct."2
So the persecution was not because Christians were queer fanatics. They were just common, ordinary people when it came to everyday life. (1 Cor. 1:26-29) But even this fact drew ridicule from Celsus, who "makes it a matter of mockery, that labourers, shoemakers, farmers, the most uninformed and clownish of men, should be zealous preachers of the Gospel". 2
Rome really had no better subjects, for Christians paid more genuine respect to the government and law and order than any others, even though they were classified as undesirable citizens. 16 In proof, Tertullian called in the magistrates to testify that among those daily guilty of murder, seduction, stealing, etc., the criminals were pagans, not Christians. True, the jails were full of Christians, but the only accusation against them was that of being Christians. 17 All the facts proved that Jehovah's faithful servants under the rule of Rome were "a set of men of the most harmless, inoffensive character, who never harboured in their minds a wish or thought inimical to the welfare of the state". 18
would be hated and persecuted without pity? Here is the reason, Tertullian explains: "They pay no vain, nor false, nor foolish honors to the Emperor" and they refuse to indulge in the wanton festivals of the pagans. The Romans were tolerant of everyone that would bow down and worship the totalitarian state and its manmade god, the deified emperor. Even the Jews got along fairly well by compromising the issue. But the conduct of the Christians," Mosheim tells us, "was directly the reverse of this: for, laying aside every sort of fear, they strenuously endeavoured to make the Romans renounce their vain and silly superstitions, and were continually urging the citizens to give up and abolish those sacred rites." Their gospel was not an esoteric, secret mystery, but something to be proclaimed upon the housetops, and they made it their business to carry into effect the old slogan of the prophets, 'Publish good tidings.'"3
Strange, is it not, that such good people
Christianity and the Roman Government, by E. G. Hardy, 1925 reprint of 1894 edition, pp. 122, 130, 95, 18, 19.
The History of the Christian Religion and Church During the Three First Centuries, by Augustus Neander, translated from the German by Henry John Rose, second edition, 1848, pp. 46, 182, 183, 162, 52, 159, 160, 52, 53, 40, 41.
Christianity Goes to Press, by Edgar J. Goodspeed, pp. 11, 36, 76, 14, 75.
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Edward Gibbon, The Modern Library edition, vol. 1, Chap. 16, pp. 450, 451.
A Source Book of Roman History, by Dana C. Munro, 1904, p. 170.
History of the Christian Church, by Philip Schaff, vol. 2, p. 124.
Tertullian's Apologeticus, translated by T. R. Glover, IX, 9-15.
Early European Civilization, by Hutton Webster, 1933, pp. 132, 233, 333, 334.
A History of Rome, by George Willis Botsford, 1901, p. 263.
The History of Medieval Europe, by Lynn Thorndike, 1917, p. 64.
The Book of Culture, by Ethel Rose Peyser, 1934, p. 549.
A Short History of Rome, by Gugllelmo Ferrero and Corrado Barbagallo, 1919, pp. 280, 382.
From the Old World to the New, by Eugene A. Colligan and Maxwell F. Littwin, 1932, p. 88.
Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, by McClintock & Strong, 1871, vol. 2, p. 271.
The Ancient World, by Willis Mason West, 1913, pp. 538, 539.
History of Europe, by James H. Breasted, 1920, p. 272.
History of the Christian Church, by Henry C. Sheldon, 1894, vol. 1, p. 180.
Historical Commentaries on the State of Christianity, by John Laurence von Mosheim, translated from the German by Robert S. Vidal and edited by James Murdock, 1853, vol. 1, pp. 129, 130.
Torments of the Rich Man
IN OUR previous issue we discussed the parable of Rich Man and Lazarus down to the first part of Luke 16:22. The Scriptural proof was offered to show that the favored rich man and the beggar Lazarus symbolized two classes: the rich man the highly favored religious clergy among God's professed people, and the beggar Lazarus the despised, neglected people who realize their spiritual need and who hunger and thirst after truth and righteousness from God. The parable had its first application to the Jews or Israelites to whom Jesus spoke the parable. Among them the "rich man" class included the chief priests, the scribes, the Pharisees and Sadducees, and other religious leaders, who opposed Jesus and sneered at his teachings. Because Jesus and his disciples preached the good news of the Kingdom to the poor and afflicted ones who listened to him with pleasure, this enriched them with the truth of God and with privileges of serving him aright. It meant death to their beggarly, diseased spiritual condition. It relieved them of dependence on the "rich man" class for what religious instruction they got. It brought them into the favor of Jehovah God, who was represented by Abraham, where they could feast to the full at the spiritual "table of Jehovah". In this way it was that, to quote the parable, "the beggar died and he was carried off by the angels to the bosom position of Abraham."
WHAT now occurs to the "rich man" is the opposite of the favor to the beggar Lazarus. Luke 16:22,23 tells us: "Also the rich man died and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, he existing in torments, and he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in the bosom position with him." (NW) The "rich man's" death did not mean the physical death of any members of that class. It pictured their death to the privileged, advantageous position that they had till now enjoyed and in which they had treated the Lazarus class as despised, diseased beggars. So when and how did the "rich man" class die and get buried?
2 It was at the same time that the Lazarus class experienced their change of condition for the better. What worked
for the removal of the disadvantageous condition of this poor class worked for the death of the "rich man" class to their special privileges seemingly in God's favor. This occurred when John the Baptist came preaching repentance because God's kingdom was near. He turned the people to Jesus as the "Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world", the Anointed One, the Christ. John exposed their self-righteousness and called them the "offspring of vipers" and showed them they were in danger of being baptized with fiery destruction in the coming wrath of God on Israel. They needed repentance just as much as the sinful poor people who were condemned by Moses' law. They need not think they were the promised "seed of Abraham" due to their natural descent from that faithful Hebrew.—Matt. 3:7-12, NW.
3 But Jesus himself was still more deadly to the "rich man" class in their linen and purple clothing and at their sumptuous table. Declaring themselves righteous, they once appeared lofty in the eyes of the Lazarus class, but they were actually disgusting in God's sight. Jesus exposed them as such to the Lazarus class. (Luke 16:15, NW) Thus he stripped them of their linen of self-righteousness. He disrobed them of
What befell the rich man at death? What did his death picture?
2, 3. (a) When did the "rich man" class die? (b) How did Jesus strip them of their linen and purple and spoil their table?
their purple claims to royalty in God's kingdom when he declared that the harlots, sinners and tax collectors of the beggar class went into the Kingdom before them. He climaxed this with the awful judgment: "The kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits." (Matt. 21:43, NW) He spoiled their religious table for them when he turned from them and committed the Kingdom mysteries and the privilege of Kingdom preaching to the poor of the Lazarus class and said: "I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to babes. . . . Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and become my disciples, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for your souls. For my yoke is kindly and my load is light." (Matt. 11:25-30 and Luke 10:21-24, NW) When the "rich man" class willfully rejected him and procured his death, this sealed their death as spiritually privileged ones. Their religious table became a trap and their feast a deadly snare to them. Rom. 11:7-9.
4 We have already noted that the parable avoids saying that Lazarus was buried and went to hell, Hades or Sheol. But it does say of the rich man that he "died and was buried" and found himself "in Hades". His death was openly certified by that day of Pentecost ten days after Jesus ascended to heaven to appear in God's presence with the value of his human sacrifice. Then the holy spirit was poured out on the first members of the Lazarus class. The spirit was an evidence of their being accepted with God and of having Christ's righteousness imputed to them and of becoming heirs of God's kingdom. The spiritual food concerning his kingdom by Christ did not fall on that day of Pentecost from the "rich man's" table for the poor people. No; it came through those disciples who had been taken into the "bosom position of Abraham". There Peter, and not the "rich man" class, began using the "keys of the kingdom of the heavens". About 3,000 Jews turned to the table of the Greater Abraham and were baptized and got the outpoured spirit. Thus the Lazarus class began to be lifted out of deadness in trespasses and sins and to be seated "together in the heavenly places in union with Christ Jesus". (Acts 2:1-42; Matt. 16:19; Eph. 2:1-6, NW) So how could the parable describe Lazarus as in Hades, Sheol, hell, or the common grave of mankind? It could not.
But as for the "rich man" class: By refusing Jesus and stubbornly holding onto the works of the Law to justify themselves to life they proved themselves cursed by the Law. So they died to the privilege of being associated with Jesus Christ as the promised Seed of Abraham. Till their physical death they lived on in the flesh, just like the gadabout woman of whom the apostle wrote: "The one that goes in for sensual gratification is dead though she is living." (1 Tim. 5:6, NW) The Law to which they held proved to be death to them, condemning them to death as accursed sinners. (Rom. 7:9-11) Living on in the flesh, though they were dead in God's eyes, they could see what happened with the Lazarus class and could be chagrined by it.*
Does the parable describe Lazarus as buried at death and gone to hell? Why?
The Catholic Douay Bible reads: "And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell." The Latin Vulgate and the Roman Catholic Confraternity translation of 1941 read similarly. The Catholic Version by Monsignor R. A. Knox reads: "The rich man died too, and found his grave in hell." (Luke 16:22) These readings, stating that a man makes his grave in hell, proves what all the rest of the Bible shows, namely, that the Bible
In what way was the "rich man" class dead and yet living?
6 As far as the Jews are concerned, the "rich man" was buried three and a half years after Pentecost. Why then at the latest? Because then the good news of God's kingdom was preached to the despised uncircumcised Gentiles for the first time, at the home of the Italian centurion Cornelius. The "rich man" class among the Jews were not the ones to do the preaching. No; they were not the ones proving to be a blessing to all the nations of the earth in harmony with Jehovah's promise to Abraham. The one preaching to Cornelius was a member of the despised Lazarus class, the apostle Peter equipped with the "keys of the kingdom". (Acts 10:1 to 11:18) The "rich man" class was without any life-giving message and was inactive in God's service, and hence was as dead and buried.
7 But, you ask, how is it that the rich man is pictured as talking in hell if it is just the common grave of mankind? It is because this is a parable. So dying, being buried and being in hell are used in a symbolic way. This fact shows that it is a parable, because if the "rich man" class were actually in the Bible hell, they could not talk or see a thing. "Let the wicked
be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol" (AS)—"be silent in the grave" (AV)—"be brought down to hell" (Dy). So says Psalm 31:17. (Ps. 30:18, Dy) And at Ecclesiastes 9:5,10 we read: "For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing more, . . . Whatsoever thy hand is able to do, do it earnestly: for neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge shall be in hell [(Dy)]—in Sheol (AS)—in the grave (AV)], whither thou art hastening." If one is in the condition like Sheol, hell, or the grave, he is not active in God's service nor learning any of the truth. There the "rich man" class find themselves and can see the Lazarus class' change of condition and can talk and complain. It is as when the psalmist despondently said concerning himself: "My life draweth nigh unto Sheol. I am reckoned with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no help, cast off among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more, and they are cut off from thy hand. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me."—Ps. 88:3-7, AS.
HOW IN TORMENTS
But if Hades, Sheol, or hell is the common grave of mankind, where there is no sensation, knowledge or activity, how is it that the parable says of the rich man in Hades, "he existing in torments"? In the next verse he says it is due to a "blazing fire". Does that not show there is fire and torment of conscious human souls in Hades, Sheol, or hell? Not at all. This is a parable, and Sheol or Hades is used to picture the condition of the "rich man" class while still here among us on earth. Hence this class can be pictured as being in Sheol or Hades or hell and at the same time
hell is the common grave of mankind, gravedom, the realm of the dead, not of the living. This is corroborated by Revelation 20:13, 14: "And death and hell gave up their dead that were in them; . . . And hell and death were cast into the pool of fire. This is the second death." (Apoc. 20:13, 14, Dy; AV) Here the Catholic translation of 1946 by Rev. F. A. Spencer, O.P., reads: "And Death and the Grave gave up the dead who were in them, . . . And Death and the Grave were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death—the Lake of Fire." By this very comparison of Roman Catholic authorities themselves it stands proved that the Bible hell is mankind's common grave, without our making any argument on the subject.
A more extended comparison by any honest courageous person will disclose to him that where the Douay Version reads "hell" in the Hebrew Scriptures, the King James Version reads "grave". The American Standard Version discloses that in all these places the Hebrew original word is "She.ol", whereas the Greek Septuagint Version uses the word "Ha'des". No hellfire screecher can disprove this. Now you can understand why Amos 9:2 says: "They dig into hell."
When was the "rich man" class buried back there?
If hell is the grave, how is it they are pictured as talking there?
Does not his "existing in torments" there prove there is fire and torment of conscious souls in hell? Why?
existing in torments from a blazing fire. The rich man could not be pictured as in Gehenna, because then he could not be pictured talking, for Gehenna or the "lake of fire that burneth with brimstone" symbolizes "second death", utter destruction from which there is no resurrection.—Rev. 19:20, AS; 20:14. See footnote.*
ABRAHAM SEEN AFAR OFF
The "rich man" class, although living in their religious realm, were dead to God and were as buried in Hades or hell as far as his active service is concerned. For this reason they could be pictured as dead and buried in Hades or the grave and yet be alive and able to look up and see afar off and also to experience torment. What they saw helped to contribute torment to them: "he saw Abraham afar off and
Lazarus in the bosom position with him." That means the "rich man" class saw they were not getting the blessing as Abraham's natural seed. They saw the Greater Abraham, Jehovah God, far off from them and his favor going to the Jewish remnant and Gentiles who believed on Jesus and followed him. Far from being the promised seed of Abraham for a blessing to all the families and nations of the earth, they were a curse to them. Said Paul: "They are not pleasing God, but are against the interests of all men, as they try to hinder us from speaking to the nations that these might be saved, with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins." (1 Thess. 2:15,16,NW) Both Paul and Barnabas said to them: "It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken first to you. Since you are thrusting it away from you and do not judge yourselves worthy of everlasting life, look! we turn to the nations. In fact, Jehovah has laid commandment upon us in these words, 'I have appointed you as a light of nations, for you to be a salvation to the most distant part of the earth.'"—Acts 13:46,47,NW.
No one can cite Psalm 116:3 as a proof that there is torture of souls in Sheol, Hades or hell, even though it reads: "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow." Here other Bible versions read: "the pains of Sheol" (AS); "the tortures of Sheol" (AT); "the perils of hell" (Dy); and Monsignor Knox's translation reads: "the terrors of the grave." (Ps. 114:3, Knox) The pains, tortures, were not in Sheol or hell itself; but the psalmist was in peril and in terror of going into Sheol, hell or the grave. The psalmist here foreshadowed Jesus Christ in his agony in the garden of Gethsemane on the night he was betrayed. Was Jesus in danger of pains and tortures in hell? No; he was the chief of God's saints or loyal ones, deserving of the loving-kindness of God. (Ps. 16:10; 2 Sam. 22:6) Jesus went to hell, but not into everlasting torment in literal fire and brimstone at the center of the earth. His soul or life was not left in hell, but was resurrected out of hell on the third day after he died.
That explains why the prophetic 116th psalm goes on to say: "Then called I upon the name of Jehovah: O Jehovah, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for Jehovah hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death [not, from eternal torment], mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. Precious in the sight of Jehovah is the death of his saints." (Ps. 116:4, 7, 8, 15, AS) As Jonah got out of the "belly of hell", the fish's belly, on the third day, so Jesus got out of the literal Bible hell. Jonah, in the whale's belly, did not picture Jesus in any torment in hell. (Jon. 2:1-3) The "sign of Jonah" which Jesus said would be given to the Israelites, including the "rich man" class, was Jesus' own resurrection from death and hell on the third day.—Matt. 12:38-41; 16:1-4.
The harmonious Bible truth therefore stands uncontradicted, unshaken, that Sheol, Hades, or hell, is the common grave of mankind and there is no fiery torment of human souls in it.
10 So they see the Lazarus class in the bosom position with Abraham, hence at meal or at banquet with Abraham and on the first couch with him, to betoken being in his special love and favor. (John 13:23, 25; Deut. 13:6; 28:54, 56; 2 Sam. 12:3, 8; Mic. 7:5) That means they are in the bosom favor of the Greater Abraham, Jehovah God, and are having fellowship with him. They have been adopted as sons of God to be associated with Jesus Christ, the true Seed of Abraham, and so they are feasting at the "table of Jehovah" on the Kingdom mysteries and truths and on the pure worship and service of God. (1 John 1:3, 7; John 4:34; Jas. 1:27) But the "rich man" class are on the outside of all this
What did the rich man see afar off? What did this mean to him?
What did being in the bosom position mean for the Lazarus class? What did not being there mean for the "rich man"class?
favor, afar off. The Lazarus class are like Isaac, Abraham's son by his beloved wife Sarah, the son who was made Abraham's heir. As God said: "It is in Isaac that your seed shall be called." (Rom. 9:7; Gal. 4:28,NW) But the "rich man" class are like Ishmael, Abraham's son by the slavegirl Hagar. God rejected Ishmael as the seed and he was therefore cast off and sent away so as not to threaten Isaac's life. So although those in the "rich man" class might be Abraham's natural descendants, they were cast off from God's favor. So they persecute the Lazarus class in envy and revenge, as Ishmael did.-Gal. 4:22- 30,NW.
11 No wonder the "rich man" class are in torments. In Jesus' day his message tormented them. After he exposed their religious traditions and precepts as contrary to God's Word and commands, the disciples said: "Do you know that the Pharisees stumbled at hearing what you said?" When he pronounced woes upon them for their religious hypocrisy and self-righteousness, one of them said: "Teacher, in saying these things you also insult us." This did not quiet Jesus, but he went on further to tell them they had taken away the key of knowledge from the people. Tormented at the report that Jesus was teaching in the temple, they dispatched officers to arrest him, but the officers refused to do so and came back with the tormenting confession: "Never has another man spoken like this." When he spoke his parable of the vineyard and they saw that the murderers in it meant them, they tried to seize him in their mental anguish, but did not do so, for they feared the people there.—Matt. 15:12-14; Luke 11:45; John 7:32, 45, 46; Matt. 21:45, 46, NW.
12 Thinking to reduce their torment, they finally had him killed. But their torments
were only renewed through the Lazarus class from Pentecost onward. For example, the priests, temple captains and Sadducees were annoyed because Peter and John taught the people in the temple about Jesus and his resurrection. But arrests and imprisonment did not intimidate and silence the apostles. They became bolder and the preaching in Jerusalem was intensified, exasperating the religious heads still more. At Stephen's testimony before them they felt cut to the heart. Gnashing their teeth and shrieking they rushed on him en masse, threw him outside the city and stoned him to death. Saul of Tarsus, who witnessed this, pushed a rabid persecution of the Lazarus Christians. Being extremely mad against them, he breathed threats and murder against them. But for him it was like the kicking of an ox against the goads and getting deeply pricked. When Saul changed and became the apostle Paul and he and Barnabas preached to great crowds of people, the religious leaders were filled with jealousy and blasphemously contradicted what these said to the people, and then persecuted them for turning with the message to the non-Jews. Repeated are the reports of their uprisings in rage against Paul and his missionary companions. What a torment they were in! How the heat of the flaming message of denunciation and exposure scorched and sizzled them!*
MODERN COUNTERPART
13 The religious officials and leaders of Jewry who made up the "rich man" class of that first century find their modern counterpart in the clergy and religious leaders and supporters of Christendom today. They represent systems that have be-
11, 12. How were they in torments in Jesus' day? How in apostolic days?
Acts 4:1-3; 5:17, 18, 24, 25; 7:54-58; 26:9-14; 13:45, 50; 17:5, 6, 13; 18:12, 13; 21:27-32, 35; 22:22, 23; 1 Thess. 2:15, 16.
13, 14. Who have acted as the modern counterpart of the rich man?
come entrenched among human society and have great antiquity and age-old traditions. So with their wealth and their influence with the rulers of this world, they have gained for themselves a place of great prominence, respect, influence and control over the people. Outwardly they have appeared very righteous and sacrosanct to men, so that to criticize them seemed sacrilegious, blasphemous and irreligious. They have basked in the favor of the wealthy and the rulers and have wielded mighty political influence. They have appropriated to themselves the Kingdom promises of God's Word and imagined they were first in the favor of God, the Greater Abraham, and that through them God's kingdom was to be established over the earth. They have gone in for educational, social and political advantages and have looked down upon the common people as the laity, unlettered, and utterly dependent upon the betitled, educated clergy and their religious systems for Scripture information.
14 They have given the people little of God's Word and service and have deceived them with the sectarian traditions and pagan philosophies, leaving them in their spiritual hunger and ulcerous disease. They have taken away the key of knowledge opening the meaning of God's Word. They have turned the people away from God's kingdom as humanity's sole remedy and turned them to the political schemes and policies of worldly rulers and blessed them for engaging in the sanguinary combats of the nations. At this end of the world they have no saving message for the distressed people, but leave them spiritually poor, starving and diseased with only the forlorn hope of a League of Nations or United Nations organization as their best hope for world peace, stability and prosperity.
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