| Christian Life and Doctrine | March 1965 |
Contending for the Faith
IN JUDE’S epistle we are exhorted to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (vs. 3) In verses 20 and 21 we read, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” These texts suggest that it is by contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints, and building up ourselves in our “most holy faith,” that we keep ourselves “in the love of God.”
This makes our understanding and defense of the “most holy faith” a very important consideration, and it naturally raises the question as to what constitutes this “faith” which was “once delivered unto the saints.” Another expression used in the Bible to identify this faith is found in Romans 1:16, where the Apostle Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation.” It is also the Gospel of the kingdom. To thousands at this end of the age it has come to be known as the divine plan of the ages.
The word “Gospel” means good news, or glad tidings. In examining the Scriptures to learn more of the details of this most holy faith, we should expect to find that it does contain the element of good news. Paul informs us that the Gospel was preached before unto Abraham when God said to this ancient friend that through his “seed” he would bless all the nations of the earth. (Gen. 12:3; 22:18) Paul informs us that Jesus was that promised Seed, and when Jesus was born into the world to carry out his mission the angel announced that his birth was “good tidings of great joy” which was to be “to all people.”—Luke 2:10
Doctrines
God’s plan of salvation is set forth in the various doctrines of the Scriptures. The word “doctrine” simply means teaching. Sometimes reference is made to the fundamental and the non-fundamental doctrines of the Bible. Actually, however, all the doctrines, or teachings, of the Bible are fundamental, because they are all necessary parts of the divine plan of salvation. There are, nevertheless, certain viewpoints which most of us hold that are in harmony with the Gospel of Christ which are not clearly set forth in the Bible. These viewpoints may vary in the minds of the Lord’s people, but they should not be considered of sufficient importance to form the basis of controversy, nor should they be permitted to disrupt the fellowship of the brethren.
We suggest that the doctrines of the Bible which are of fundamental importance are those which can be definitely established by a “thus saith the Lord.” At the center or hub of these basic doctrines of the divine plan truths is the ransom sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, “There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (I Tim. 2:5,6) The word “ransom” means a corresponding price, and the reference here is to the fact that Jesus gave his perfect human life as a substitute for the life which father Adam forfeited through disobedience to divine law.
Creation and Fall
To gain a proper understanding and appreciation of the doctrine of the ransom one must know something of the nature of man, and the penalty which came upon him because of his disobedience. The Bible informs us that man was created in the image of God, and of the earth, earthy; that is, an earthly creature, not a spirit being. (Gen. 1:26,27; I Cor. 15:47; Ps. 8:4-9) Associated with this basic truth is the further scriptural fact that the earth was designed and created to be man’s eternal home. (Isa. 45:18) It was not the Creator’s design that man should experience a short span of imperfect human life here on earth and then, through a “gateway of death” be transferred to another place and condition of abode.
The penalty for sin is death, not torture. This is another basic teaching of the Word of God. God said to Adam that if he partook of the forbidden fruit he would die. (Gen. 2:17) Thousands of years later the Apostle Paul wrote, “The wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) The only way these plain truths can be set aside is by changing the meaning of words, and this, indeed, has been done by many. Those who do not believe in the reality of death claim that death means separation from God in a place of torment. However, the Bible contradicts this false reasoning and informs us that “the dead know not anything.”—Eccles. 9:5
Jesus took the sinner’s place in death. Isaiah wrote that he poured out his soul unto death. (Isa. 53:12) It was this that provided a way of escape from death, making possible the resurrection of the dead. Paul wrote, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (I Cor. 15:22) How clearly thus does a proper understanding of man’s creation and fall show the need of the ransom, if the human race is to enjoy life beyond the grave! Truly these are among the great basic truths of the divine plan, and how we should cherish them and contend earnestly for them!
The Abrahamic Covenant
Another of the important doctrines of the divine plan of salvation is, as we have noted, set forth in the promise God made to Abraham. God promised that Abraham’s seed would bless all the families of the earth. When Abraham demonstrated his faith by his willingness to offer his son in sacrifice, God confirmed his promise with his oath. (Gen. 12:3; 22:15-18) The Seed referred to in this covenant is, primarily, the Messiah, the Christ of the New Testament, Jesus being the Head, and the church his body. Paul wrote, “We, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.”—Gal. 4:28
The natural descendants of Abraham looked forward to the coming of their Messiah, being assured over and over again that he would come and that God’s promised blessings would be vouchsafed to them and to the people of all nations through him. Many of these prophecies spoke of the glory which would be attached to his rulership, while others revealed that he must first suffer and die for the sins of the people. The Jewish people overlooked these latter prophecies. Jesus came in his humility, and it not being the due time for him to establish his world government, they rejected him.
The prophecies foretold that at his first advent the Messiah would be born into the world as a babe, and of a virgin mother. (Isa. 7:14) The New Testament confirms the fulfillment of this prophecy (Luke 1:30-35; John 1:14) It was necessary that the “Word,” or Logos, of God be made flesh in order that he might give his flesh for the life of the world. (John 6:51) This basic fact of Jesus’ first advent is thus seen to be clearly established by the Scriptures, and therefore is certainly one of the fundamental doctrines of the divine plan.
Christ’s Second Presence
The doctrine of Christ’s second presence is also fundamental. This teaching embraces the manner of his coming. As we have seen, Jesus gave his flesh, his humanity, for the life of the world, and in his resurrection was highly exalted to the divine nature. (Col. 1:15; Eph. 1:20,21; Phil. 2:8-11; II Cor. 5:16; I Pet. 3:18) By nature, therefore, Jesus is now invisible to the human eye, even as God is invisible. (I Tim. 1:17) It is this divine Christ who returns to earth at the second advent. This means that his return and second presence needs to be recognized otherwise than by seeing him with the naked eye. While in the flesh Jesus said that it would be only a little while until the world would see him no more.—John 14:19
The Scriptures teach that Jesus’ faithful followers would recognize the fact of his second presence by means of signs which would then become apparent. His disciples asked him, “What will be the sign of thy presence, and of the consummation of the age?” (Matt. 24:3, Diaglott) Our Common Version translation of this text erroneously uses the word “coming” instead of “presence,” as correctly used by the Diaglott translation. The signs, therefore, which Jesus indicated in response to this question are not signs that his coming would be near at hand, but rather, they are signs that would indicate his return had taken place and that he was already invisibly present, as the Scriptures teach he would be.—Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 17:25-30
In response to the disciples’ question, Jesus enumerated many signs. We wish to call attention to two of them which today are so clearly discernible that there is no escaping their meaning. One of these signs of Jesus’ second presence is recorded in Matthew 24:21,22. In this statement Jesus refers to the prophecy of Daniel 12:1 concerning a “time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.” Jesus uses the word “tribulation” to describe this foretold trouble, and explains that it would be so severe that unless it was shortened no flesh would survive.
Probably the greatest destruction of human life ever experienced by man occurred during the first and second World Wars, yet during all the weary years of those two wars the human race continued to increase. But now it is different. Scientists, militarists, government officials, and writers all agree that with the use of hydrogen bombs another full-scale war would result in the destruction of the entire human race. It was exactly this that Jesus foretold more than nineteen centuries ago as one of the signs of his second presence.
Another sign of his second presence given by Jesus pertains to the experiences of the Jewish people. He said, “Jerusalem [that is, the Jewish polity and nation] shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24) This trodden-down condition of the Jewish people began in 606 B.C. when they were taken captive to Babylon. It was there that they lost their national independence, and they were still a subject people in Jesus’ day. Jesus said that this situation would continue until “the times of the Gentiles” were fulfilled.
Now, in this end of the age, we have seen this situation changed. Not long after Jesus uttered this prophecy, the fulfillment of which was to be one of the signs of his second presence, the Jewish nation was destroyed altogether, and the people scattered among all nations, where the treading down was even more acute. But beginning in the closing years of the nineteenth century many changes have taken place. Finally, in 1948, these changes led to the formation of the new State of Israel. Not only has the nation of Israel come into being again as a nation, but it is a free nation, not subject to any of the Gentile nations. Indeed, this new nation is a member of the United Nations.
True, Israel is perplexed by the chaotic conditions which exist throughout the world, even as all the nations are distressed. She needs constantly to be on the alert against attacks by her Arab neighbors. Except for a small minority, the people of Israel do not yet recognize the prophetic meaning of their present experiences. This will come later. All that Jesus mentioned as one of the signs of his presence was that this people would no longer be “trodden down” by the Gentiles; that they would regain their national independence. This we have seen fulfilled to a remarkable degree.
Since the Scriptures clearly show that on our Lord’s return he would be invisible except as revealed by signs, and since these two signs alone are so definite and understandable, we do not hesitate to say that the fact of the Master’s presence is established by a “thus saith the Lord,” and is therefore to be considered one of the basic doctrines of the divine plan. Besides, to recognize the Lord’s presence is essential in order to see the real meaning of what is taking place throughout the earth today, and is a great cause for rejoicing on the part of all who long to see the full establishment of the messianic kingdom.
The High Calling
God’s plan of salvation for mankind in general is restoration to life on the earth as humans. Peter speaks of the period in which this will be accomplished as “times of restitution of all things,” and informs us that this feature of the divine plan had been spoken by the mouth of all God’s holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:19-21) However, Jesus introduced a higher hope than this for his footstep followers. On the night before he was crucified he said to his disciples, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”—John 14:2,3
In his epistle the Apostle John wrote, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (I John 3:2) This means that in the “first resurrection” the true followers of the Master are exalted to the divine nature, even as he was exalted to the divine nature when he was raised from the dead. Thus they will be with him, and will be able to see him as he is.—II Pet. 1:4
Paul spoke of the Lord’s invitation to this high position in the divine plan as a “heavenly calling.” (Heb. 3:1) He also referred to it as a “high calling.” (Phil. 3:14) Peter wrote concerning the hope of the footstep followers of the Master, saying, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” (I Pet. 1:3,4) Certainly this precious doctrine of the divine plan is well established by the Scriptures.
A Sacrificial Work
Associated with this hope of exaltation in the resurrection to be with Jesus, and to live and reign with him, is the privilege we now have of following in his footsteps of sacrifice, suffering and dying with him. Paul speaks of this as being “planted together” in the likeness of Jesus’ death. (Rom. 6:5) And this introduces another basic teaching of the Word of God; namely, that the followers of Jesus share in the sin-offering sacrifices of the Gospel Age. Jesus alone provided the ransom price; but his followers, covered by the merit of his blood, are invited to present their bodies “a living sacrifice,” and are assured that in so doing their offering will be holy and acceptable to God.—Rom. 12:1
Paul writes further concerning this, saying, “In that he [Jesus] died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:10,11) Here is a great truth of the divine plan clearly stated. Jesus did not die unto sin in the sense that sin died out in his body. His death unto sin—the Diaglott says “by sin”—was as a sin-offering. And Paul uses the word “likewise” in connection with our offering. In other words, Paul is saying that we die as a sacrifice for sin just as Jesus did—not to ransom Adam and his children from the death penalty, but as participators in the great project of the divine plan to destroy sin throughout the earth, and thus to remove its blight from humanity.
Paul uses another interesting word in this explanation, which is “reckon.” “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,” he wrote. As members of the sin-cursed and dying race, we could not actually present an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord, but Paul authorizes us to “reckon” the matter as though we could; and this, of course, is with the assurance that our offering will be acceptable through the merit of Christ’s shed blood on our behalf, the blood which he also shed on behalf of the whole world. Thus we see that the doctrine of the church’s share in the sin-offering is well established in the Word of God, and therefore should be considered as one of the fundamental doctrines of the divine plan of salvation.
God’s Covenants
In the outworking of his plan of salvation the Lord deals with his people under the terms of what the Bible refers to as covenants. We have already referred to one of these; namely, God’s oath-bound covenant with Abraham. Then there was the Law Covenant with the children of Israel, which was made at Mt. Sinai. In Jeremiah 31:31-34 we find a promise by God that the time would come when he would make a “new Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah,” a covenant in which his law would be written in the inward parts of the people.
It is important to understand to whom these various covenants apply, and what is accomplished by them. The Abrahamic Covenant is an all-embracing one in that it promises a seed, and the blessing of all the families of the earth through that seed. The Law Covenant, which was added hundreds of years later, did not change or disannul the original covenant with Abraham. Paul assures us of this, and explains that “it was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made.”—Gal. 3:17-19
Paul explains that Jesus is the Seed of promise, and adds that those who are baptized into him and who have “put on Christ,” are also a part of that seed, “and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:16,27-29) Paul explains further: “Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are two covenants; the one from … Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. … Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.”—Gal. 4:22-28
It is clear enough from Paul’s explanation that the followers of Christ, who, together with him, constitute the seed of Abraham which is to bless all the families of the earth, are developed under the terms of the original Abrahamic Covenant; or, as Paul indicates, the Sarah feature of that covenant which produces the blesser seed as typified by Isaac. The nation of Israel was primarily concerned with the Law Covenant, and it has no special relationship to us as Christians today.
There is a view, which we consider unscriptural, that the promised New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:31-34 took the place of the Law Covenant at the beginning of the Gospel Age, and that the church is developed under this covenant. The lesson set forth by the Apostle Paul in II Corinthians 3:4-12 refutes this view. In this lesson Paul explains that we have been made “able ministers [or servants] of the New Testament,” or covenant. He contrasts the glory in connection with the ministration of the Law Covenant, as reflected on Moses’ bright shining face, with the glory to be associated with the ministration of the New Covenant. Then he refers to this glory as a “hope,” not as something which is now a reality.
In Romans 8:24 we read, “Hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” Thus, since our participation in the glorious ministry of the New Covenant is but a hope, it means that the operation of the New Covenant is future, which means that the church is not the offspring of the New Covenant. Thus we conclude that this proper understanding of God’s covenants is of fundamental importance.
Covenant by Sacrifice
God’s promise of the New Covenant is that his law will be written in the inward parts of the people. This implies a restoration to the perfection of the divine image which Adam enjoyed before he fell into sin and death. It is one of the Old Testament promises pertaining to “the times of restitution of all things” which Peter declared was spoken by the mouth of all God’s holy prophets. (Acts 3:19-21) On the other hand, the call of God’s people during the present age is to sacrifice, to give up their earthly lives by being planted together with Jesus in the likeness of his death, a sacrificial death. In Psalm 50:5 this is referred to as a covenant by sacrifice.
Living a moral and upright life does not alone constitute one a Christian. The true believers are those who deny themselves, and take up their cross to follow Jesus into death. (Matt. 16:24 These are represented as being with the Lamb on Mount Sion, and of them it is said, “These are they which follow the Lamb withersoever he goeth.” (Rev. 14:1,4) In addition to being exalted to the divine nature, they will live with Jesus, and reign with him in his millennial kingdom. These precious truths are clearly set forth in the Word of God, and are our inspiration to faithfulness in walking in the Master’s footsteps.
Contending in Love
We have examined briefly some of the great truths of the divine plan which constitute “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints,” our “most holy faith.” It is by adhering to these great truths, and contending for them, that we keep ourselves in the love of God; for it is through these doctrines that God has revealed his love for us, and not only for us, but also for the whole world of mankind, a love with which all will become acquainted when the knowledge of his glory fills the earth as the waters cover the sea.—Hab. 2:14
How do we contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints? First of all we should endeavor to become more and more acquainted with all the precious promises of God pertaining to his plan. Also we should endeavor to be emptied of self, and filled more and more with the spirit of the Lord engendered by his promises. These promises all have conditions attached to them, and we should strive earnestly to be conformed to the divine will by complying with these conditions. In other words, our first contending should be in our own hearts and lives because the world, the flesh, and the Devil are constantly striving to draw us away from the Lord and away from the precious doctrines of his plan. Paul admonishes that we take unto us the “whole armor of God,” that we might be “able to withstand in the evil day,” and the “armor” of God is his truth in all its glorious aspects.—Eph. 6:13
We are also to uphold the truth in our association with the brethren, and in both our general and personal witness work. We should be ready at all times to give an answer from the Scriptures pertaining to the hope in which we rejoice. (I Pet. 3:15) But we are to present and uphold the truth in love, manifesting the spirit of the Lord, which is the spirit of patience, understanding, and kindness. We should never be contentious. Being contentious does not help others to see the truth, and is no benefit to ourselves, but usually the reverse.
We know that few will accept the message today, but we can afford patiently to wait because of the assurance that the knowledge of the Lord will, in due time, fill the earth. In this hope we rejoice, and we can contend for the faith with patience and love, leaving the results with the Lord. Let us rejoice in the privilege we have of upholding and contending for our “most holy faith”!