| Christian Life and Doctrine | June 1949 |
The Purpose of the Christian Life
THE purpose of the Christian life is the doing of God’s will. Jesus himself came into the world to do the Father’s will; and so fully in harmony with the divine will was he that he said, “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30) And again he said: “I came … not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38) The will of God in sending Jesus into the world was that he might become the Redeemer, and later, the Blesser of all the families of the earth, in harmony with the promise made to Abraham. The church has been called to association with Jesus in that loving purpose. Paul said: “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ; … and if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”—Gal. 3:27-29
In order that Jesus might be fully capable of consummating the divine purpose to bless all nations, he was highly exalted to the divine nature, and to the right hand of the Majesty on high. And in order that members of the true church might enter into full association with Jesus in that purpose of the Father, they too are invited to that same high position in the divine realm. It is to this that the church is called—a holy service indeed!—to a sanctification, or setting apart, to be “co-workers with God” in the ministry of reconciliation.
Through our understanding of the divine plan we of course know that the reconciliation of mankind, except one here and there, will not be accomplished until the full establishment of the kingdom; nevertheless our ministry has its beginning now. The church is called to take part in that work now by preparing herself for the work of the future. The divine commission given to the church by Jesus himself and the authority for which Jesus declared would be given us through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, was to assist in the work of selecting and building up those who ultimately will be associated with Christ in his kingdom.
This imposes squarely upon every individual aspirant to the high calling a real test of unselfish love, the same love as that exemplified by God himself in the gift of his Son to be man’s Redeemer. Are we meeting that test? Surely it would be inconsistent to claim interest in God’s future program for blessing mankind, yet at the same time fail to be watchful for every opportunity to scatter blessings at the present time, and especially for opportunities of laying down our lives for the brethren, as the Holy Spirit has anointed us to do.
Love—What Is It?
Volumes have been written in the past to define that short word “love”! yet Jesus, by his life and death, has given us a practical illustration of love in such plain and unmistakable form as to make its meaning so clear that even the casual student of the Christ-life should be able to comprehend what true love is and does. Divine love—the supreme test upon the church, the thing which the Apostle Paul declares to be the most important of all the Christian graces, being the sum of them all, and without which all else is futile—is not so much an emotional feeling, not a sentimental liking for someone who likes us. It is not a visionary, mystical conception of mind over matter, or of “God in all, over all, and around all”! Rather, it is a plain, simple, practical manifestation of unselfish interest in all mankind, and especially in those whom God is preparing for a position in the kingdom. Jesus said: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”—John 15:13
And Jesus did lay down his life, not only for his friends but for his enemies as well, even for the entire world of mankind. It was this Jesus who said: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 13:34) An even more specific and practical application of divine love as it was manifested in the life and death of Jesus is found in the instruction that “we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (I John 3:16) In obedience to Jesus’ new commandment of love, and under the directing influence of the Spirit’s anointing, the disciples began at Pentecost the work of laying down their lives for the brethren.
When the Apostle Paul was traveling throughout the length and breadth of the land, suffering hardships, privation, persecutions, imprisonment, and stripes, in order that the Gospel might be proclaimed, he likewise was laying down his life for the brethren.
When Martin Luther, and other reformers, boldly and courageously took a stand against the corruption and false doctrines of the Papal system, and were persecuted for their fidelity to God and his truth, they too were laying down their lives for the brethren.
When Pastor Russell, upon gaining an understanding of the truth due in the end of the age, devoted his entire fortune and his whole life in an untiring effort to make known the message of present truth to others, he was laying down his life for the brethren.
These devoted Christians, and thousands of others down through the age, have each given us a practical demonstration of the fact that they met the supreme test which Jesus enjoined upon everyone who would claim to follow in his footsteps. They willingly put into practice that same divine love which prompted the sending of Jesus into the world, and which impelled Jesus to adhere to his unswerving course of self-sacrifice from Jordan to the cross. And this has been the impelling spirit back of all the sacrifice and service of true Christians from that day to this.
As already noted, God’s purpose in calling the church, and anointing her to be associated with Jesus in the kingdom, is that she, together with Jesus might be the channel of blessing to the sin-cursed and long lost world. How reasonable it is, therefore, that the test of unselfish love which is involved in true Christian service is and should be the supreme test upon all those who are aspiring to be associates with Jesus in his kingdom.
How the Lord Works
But how can we help our brethren? How can we lay down our lives for them? The answer is clear. Every feature of God’s purpose concerning the church has been accomplished by proclaiming the Gospel message. Brothers Peter, Paul, Luther, Russell, and others, found this to be the Lord’s way of gathering saints, and setting them free from human bondage and headships. This same Gospel will reach our brethren who need help now. It must, of course, be the entire Gospel—including those exceeding great and precious promises which belong exclusively to the church.
It is difficult to grasp the magnitude of the opportunity for loving service that is now before the saints, the anointed. It is not a matter of attempting to accomplish some “wonderful work,” it is a plain, practical opportunity to lay down our lives for the brethren. Does not the anointing which we have received impel us to do what we can?
But some will ask, What can we do? How can these brethren of ours be reached and helped? To this question there now are many obvious answers—that is to say, there are many available avenues of service, many ways of extending spiritual aid. Perhaps one of the most effective and direct means of assisting our brethren is by getting into personal contact with them. And let no one hastily conclude that such personal contact is now necessarily impossible. In almost every city and town today there are those to be found who are “mourners in Zion,” and who will be glad to discuss the truth with those who have been caused to rejoice therein.
In order to assist those who are in a position to engage in this direct method of service, an abundance of literature both for the consecrated and for the unconsecrated is available. The radio work and public gatherings are proving to be very effective in reaching many of the brethren, but all of these efforts call for Christian co-operation. They require that every consecrated brother and sister in the Lord devote his or her entire being to that holy service of the truth for which we were chosen—while it is called day!
With such an important crisis upon us—with many of the Lord’s people everywhere, yes very many, needing help, having been bewildered and confused by false teachers; having temporarily lost sight of many of the simple truths of the divine plan, yet loving the Lord—shall we hesitate to throw our entire being, our resources of time, talent, means, strength—our all—into the accomplishment of this divine purpose for us in these “last days”? Shall we not feel, dear brethren, that any little sacrifice for comforting “mourners in Zion” that we may be able to make is indeed a glorious privilege?