The Church's Divinely-Appointed Mission (Being Edited)

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don't faint. -- 2 Corinthians 4:1

The Apostle Paul Writing to Fellow Believers
(Picture by Claude Vignon, 1593-1670)

 WHAT is the Church's mission? What role has Jehovah given his devoted people in terms of ministry or service? Every dedicated child of God should have this question front and center in their minds at all times. Before beginning any service, it is crucial for the servant to be aware of what is expected of him. If not, he risks wasting his time on the wrong tasks, leaving important tasks undone while focusing on other issues that would be better handled in another way, in accordance with the plan and instructions of the great Supervisor of the salvation plan, Jehovah.

(2) The answers to this question could be categorized into three general categories throughout Christendom; two of them are blatantly against the Bible, while the third, based on the text, is rendered unreasonable by other common errors and is only adhered to by a small minority. These will be looked at as follows:

(3) <1> THE ROMAN CATHOLIC VIEW of the Church's mission is that she is the ruler of the world, appointed to be such by the Almighty, and duly empowered and authorized to rule over kings and nations, to order all the affairs of earth, moral, political, financial, social and ecclesiastical, -- the pope and his hierarchy constituting this spiritual kingdom. This spiritual kingdom, it claims, reigned gloriously in the past, -- during the period that the remainder of mankind denominate "the Dark Ages." They claim that now this kingdom is suffering a reverse at the hands of infidelity, Protestantism, etc., and has deprived the Papacy of its alleged proper, God-given and God-intended rights, as the supreme government of the earth. It claims that very shortly there will be a grand change in earth's affairs, which will put back again, into its possession and under its control absolutely, all peoples, nations, kindreds and tongues, so that again, as of yore, the pope must be the recognized head of the world, all other religions be overthrown and effectually stamped out, and that thus the world will be blessed -- by a return to medieval conditions.

(4) We reject this idea and maintain that the Bible teaches the opposite: that the Church will rule and bless the world as God's Kingdom, not in the time of the "present evil age" (Galatians 1:4), but rather during the "age to come" (Mark 10:30; Hebrews 6:5), which will be introduced by our Lord Jesus with authority from on high after he returns. (Revelation 21:1–5) The Scriptures make the case, in line with good sense, that the Church's tribulations come before her reign, not that she reigns and suffers at the same time. They promise us that the difficulties we are currently facing are insignificant in comparison to the glories that will one day be seen in us.  -- Romans 8:18; 2 Timothy 2:12. 

(5) <2> The majority of Protestants share the aforementioned views regarding the Church's mission, with the exception that they reject the Pope and his allies' assertions that they have special divine authority to dominate the world. The Protestants usually assert, however, that their denominational churches should take on the responsibility of guiding the world and installing its representatives in positions of authority among the nations; and that higher and better forms of religious sentiment should be fostered, the world's religion developing alongside its politics and social conditions, thereby guiding the world and elevating the underprivileged masses to good citizenship in the modern era. It is generally claimed among Protestants that their mission is to work with the governments of the world to promote, merciful, philanthropic, educational, moral, and benevolent work, in the interest of mankind. In effect, this view would claim the Church as being God's instrument to uplift the world along physical and social lines. In short, it is an attempt to make the present evil age (Galatians 1:4), of which Satan is the god (2 Corinthians 4:4 [Young's]; Revelation 12:9), to be a better place to live in.

(6) As noble as this view sounds, and while each Christian should certainly seek influence others towards righteousness and to do good to all, we do not agree that this is full mission that is given to the Church. This view appears to make the Church's mission to be that of reforming the present evil age. This, we believe, is the final mission given the Church in the age to come; it is not the present mission of the church to do this. However, one may ask: "Should Christians not have a deep interest in all reforms—for example, drug reform, social purity, political reform, good citizenship, anti-smoking crusades, socialistic improvements, financial reforms, etc.? We respond: "Yes, indeed." No one could be a real Christian and remain indifferent to all of these efforts as well as to any additional ones that might be made for the mental, moral, and physical advancement of our race. And yet you assert that the Church's mission is different from this. Yes, we reply; even though we sympathize with every good deed, we are also to ask Jehovah for guidance on how, where, and what we might accomplish in his service if we were to work alongside him. "Jehovah, what would you have me do?" We shouldn't ask our fellow humans for advice, and we shouldn't accept the responsibilities and liabilities that their opinions and consciences would place on us. And yet you say that this is not the mission of the Church? Yes, we answer; although our sympathies are with every good work, we are at the same time to inquire of Jehovah respecting how, where, and what, we may do in his service, if we would be co-laborers together with him (1 Corinthians 3:9): "Jehovah, what would you have me do?" Our query should not be addressed to fellow men, nor should we accept the burdens and duties and obligations which their judgments and consciences would lay upon us. Instead, we are to obey Jehovah's voice (as it is revealed in the Scriptures) and not set up for ourselves our own standard, or the standard of anyone else, as what we or others might decide to best course of action may not be in harmony with God's will. While we are to do good towards all (Galatians 6:10), this is not the missionary goal that God has given to the Church.

(7) Nowhere in the Scriptures are God’s people directed to spend their time in efforts at morally reforming Satan’s world. They never suggested any change in the work of the Church from the work they performed. On the contrary, they declared that we have the apostles as examples of how we ought to walk. (1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Peter 5:3) They declared that our Lord’s course was in full, perfect harmony with the divine will and plan and that the apostles faithfully followed his example: and we are exhorted to become simply co-workers together with God in his work (2 Corinthians 6:1), already instituted, — not to alter or attempt to improve on them. There were moralists and ethical reformers when Jesus and his apostles were here on earth. There were some who advocated total abstinence. Others were promoting rigid self-denial, often related to material things such as food or clothing, usually with the belief that such would lead to ethical elevation. There were also political reformers, who sought the establishment of republican institutions, in his day. Additionally, there were social reformers, many of whom sought to establish forms of communal living. There were also dress reformers at that time, who promoted certain peculiar styles of clothing, evidently with thought of bring better morals and religion among the population. Did Jesus or his apostles ever take up any of these causes so as promote them? No, the Bible does not reveal that they at any time joined with these forces to make the present evil world a better place to live in.

(8) It may, indeed, be claimed that a kind of Christian communal arrangement at the beginning went without rebuke, even if it was not commended by the apostles. More than likely, the short-lived communal arrangement of the early Church was to some extent the result of the new doctrines promulgated by Christ, the central feature of which was love for God and love for fellow-men, as opposed to the selfish sentiments of fallen man: so that without divine instruction there was a disposition on the part of believers to have "all things in common." (Acts 2:44; 4:32) Nevertheless, such an arrangement was not sustained by the apostles for all Christians. Thus, if the holy spirit sanctioned and permitted this, in the beginning, it was evidently only as a lesson, as an experience to the Church, to show that union and communion of this kind is not practicable under present conditions, while all are troubled by imperfections of the flesh -- their own and that of other men. The Scriptural record, however, does indicate that Jehovah did not permit that kind of communal arrangement to last long, but, as we are told, instead God permitted a great persecution to arise against the Church, which scattered the participants of that commune everywhere to preach the Gospel.

(9) Nor did the apostles ever recommend such a procedure, or attempt such an arrangement among the Christians elsewhere. If, then, the teaching and example of our Lord and his apostles are our criterion of the will of Jehovah, the Church's commission is not to morally reform the world. But perhaps someone will say, Things have changed from what they were, and so the Church's work should change accordingly. We answer, that the apostle Paul declares in so many words, "I didn't shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God." (Acts 20:27) And Jude tells us that the Christians should "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 1:3) We believe that if it was God's plan to have the church to change to another mission than what is given through apostles, he would have had his apostles fortell of such. Whatsoever, therefore, is additional to that which was stated by the apostles and which was recorded for us in the Bible is not the counsel of God. And any counsel from any other quarter is not to be received by Christians, and is sure to be misleading. Again, the apostle says to Timothy, respecting the Word of God, "Every writing inspired by God is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction which is in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16,17) Were the writings of Paul considered as part of those inspired writings -- scriptures? Peter believed they were, for he wrote he includes Paul's writings with "other Scriptures." (2 Peter 3:15,16) If, therefore, it was God's design that the Church's mission should change at some future time we should be able to find in the Scriptures some intimation of this kind, and some authority for the change. And if we find no authority for a change in her mission, we should make no change.

(10) But someone may ask, Did not our Lord especially go after the tax collectors and sinners, and especially welcome them; and was not this an indication to us that the Church's work is to be largely amongst the lower, depraved classes of mankind? It is true that Jesus said his ministry was to call "sinners to repentance." (Mark 2:17) However, neither the tax collector or harlots were made the subjects of special missionary efforts on the part of our Lord and his apostles; it was when these classes came in contact with his ministry, to his preaching, and manifested interest therein and signs of repentance and reformation, that he received them cordially; he did not refuse to recognize them, as did the Pharisees. The record is not that he carried on slumming missions designed for the tax collectors and harlots, but, he "receives [tax collectors and] sinners," and that many of these lower classes heard him gladly. (Luke 15:2; Mark 12:37) Furthermore, be it noticed, these tax collectors and sinners were members of the Jewish Church -- for that entire nation was accepted of God as his people, and they were all included under the typical sacrifices for sin, on the Day of Atonement; and they were all reckoned as under the Law Covenant -- Covenanters. These lower classes had slipped away from the typical observance of the Jewish law, but our Lord testified that many of them were in far better condition of heart to receive his message than were many of the outwardly pious Pharisees.

(11) <3> THE CORRECT VIEW OF THE CHURCH'S MISSION: The question then arises, If the Church is not to rule the world in this present age, and if she is not to be the world's instructor, uplifter, by moral reforms, what is her mission -- what other mission can she have? And this brings us to the third view, which quite a number hold in a more or less confused way -- their commingled errors beclouding and diminishing the truth.

(12) <(a)> Her chief mission is toward herself. She is to lift up the light in the world, the True Light, the Good News of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14) -- not with the expectation of enlightening the world, nor with the idea of converting as many of the world of possible to save them from some eternal doom, not with the thought that her feeble lamp will scatter earth's night of sin and darkness of superstition; for that can be accomplished only by the coming of the morning, the Millennial morning, when the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in his beams (Malachi 4:2), and after Satan has been abyssed so that the heathen will no longer be deceived. (Revelation 20:3) Only then will the present darkness (Isaiah 60:2) be removed. (Isaiah 25:7) The church -- in the present evil age -- holds up the light of the truth, the light of the Kingdom Good News, during this night, to attract some -- "a peculiar people" (Titus 2:14, King James Version) -- not to attract and gather all, but as many as Jehovah our God will call. (Acts 2:39) Her message respecting the love of God and the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, as it rings out into the world, is not expected to awaken the world and to lead the world to Jehovah. No, she is merely bearing "witness" -- a witness which will have to do also with a future knowledge and opportunity to be granted to the world during the Millennium. -- See our publication: The Restoration of All Things

(13) She is instructed by the Word of Jehovah not to expect that any but a comparatively small number will appreciate her light or her message: as the prophet foretold, so she has found it, "Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of Jehovah revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1; see also John 12:38) As the scriptures declare, so she finds it, that the vast majority of mankind are blind, so that they cannot see the light: some are stone blind, so as to see nothing: while others are partially blind and can get a little glimmer of it by which they can discern some things indistinctly. In hearing, likewise, the world's ears are dull of hearing -- "deaf," say the scriptures. Some hear nothing, others hear very imperfectly, few hear the message of divine love and mercy clearly and distinctly. The Church is to realize that her mission is not to these, the blind and deaf, but to him "who has an ear [to hear], let him hear." -- Revelation 2:7; 3:6,13,22; see also Matthew 11:15; 13:9,43; Mark 4:9,23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35.

(14) While Jesus was still present his disciples, he told them: "Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear," and he declared that his parables and teachings were not uttered with the intention of making the blind of this world see and the deaf of this world hear, but purposely so that the deaf might not hear, and so that the blind might not see. When the disciples inquired respecting the interpretation of a parable, he said, "To you it is given to know the mysteries (secrets) of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables; that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'" (Luke 8:10.) Those of the world may indeed possess physical sight and physical hearing, but they lacked spiritual sight and hearing. And the message that our dear Master preached, and that he commissioned his apostles and his Church to preach throughout this age, is the same -- not for the spiritually blind or deaf of the world, but for those "blessed," favored ones who have eyes and ears. -- See our study: Understanding Kingdom Mysteries.

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(15) As our Lord did not expect many to respond to his preaching, and particularly implied that only a small number would be able to do so, saying, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44), so his Church throughout this age is to realize that when she lifts up the light and lifts up her voice no man will come in response except as the Father draws him. (John 6:44) And as the Father drew only a comparatively small remnant of the Jewish nation to our Lord, so the Church should not be surprised that he has drawn only a comparatively small proportion of Gentiles throughout this age.

(16) Following our text the apostle points out why this is the case: why the majority of mankind are not in a condition of heart to see and appreciate the light, to hear and to rejoice in the Gospel [Good News], not in the condition to be drawn by the Father. He declares that it is because 'the god of this age [Satan] has blinded their minds' (2 Corinthians 4:3,4), and thus hindered the light of divine truth from shining unto them. He points out that all such are in a lost condition, without God and without hope in the world. (Ephesians 2:12) Not, however, that they are any more lost now than they have been all along for six thousand years; for whoever is not in Christ, whoever is out of relationship to God, is a member of that large class, servants of sin, still under condemnation, still strangers from God, still lost in the wilderness of sin. (Romans 5:18; Ephesians 2:2; 5:6) They have not yet been found by the great Shepherd who promises that in due time all the true sheep will be found; -- that all the Satan and prejudice-blinded eyes will be opened to see the light of divine goodness and truth; and all the deaf ears will be unstopped to hear the message of the grace of God. -- Isaiah 35:5

(17) <(b)> It is another part of the mission of the Church to care for those who do see the light which she holds up, and who are attracted by that light, and who come unto Jehovah through Jesus. She is to teach and instruct such, and to introduce them to the full fellowship of the spirit by making clear to them, in obedience to the Master, "what is the hope of our calling," present and future -- now to suffer with Christ for righteousness' sake, to cultivate his spirit, his disposition, to bear much fruit of the spirit in our own hearts and lives, and thus, under divine supervision, to be fitted, polished and prepared for a place in the glorious Temple of the future, for a share in the glorious work of the incoming age, -- the blessing of the world. -- Philippians 2:1; 1 Corinthians 1:26; Ephesians 1:18; 2 Thessalonians 1:11.

(18) The Church is supplied by her glorious Head, Christ Jesus, with certain gifts in men, amongst her members; and these co-working together in their various roles are to strengthen, establish, upbuild, develop, one another, growing in grace and in the knowledge and spirit of the Head, until the whole Church will eventually be brought to the stature of the fulness of perfection as the Body of Christ, under the Lord Jesus as the Head. (Ephesians 4:13) But she is not to expect that all, even of those who see her light, and who hear her proclamation, and who draw near in harmony with her message, will eventually come into membership in this glorious Body of Christ in this present evil age. On the contrary, she is assured of the Lord in advance that, while only a few, comparatively, will hear her message, the call, a still smaller number will accept the call -- for many are called, proportionately, to the few who are chosen -- who make their calling and election sure by faithfulness to the conditions imposed. -- 2 Peter 1:10.

(19) <(c)> The conditions imposed upon the Church are designed by Jehovah to be crucial tests of her loyalty to him, and to the covenant under which she was received by him. Trials, difficulties, persecutions, are useful in proving whether or not her covenant of consecration is from the heart: those who have merely made a lip covenant will be sifted out, manifested, separated from the true ones whom the Lord designates his jewels, and his sons. It is for this reason that this call and election or selection of the Church takes place during this present age, while evil is still permitted to reign in the world, and while the majority of mankind are under the blinding influences of the great Adversary, not yet bound. -- Revelation 12:9; 20:1-3.

(20) As our Lord explained, the darkness of sin and error is in direct antagonism with the light of truth, and consequently when his people lift up the light, -- let their light so shine as to glorify the Father in heaven who has called them out of darkness into his marvelous light, -- the effect upon the darkened world will be to awaken opposition, antagonism; because the effect of the light is to make manifest the evils of darkness which would not otherwise appear; and thus to disturb and make uncomfortable those in sympathy with darkness. Consequently those who love darkness, those who love evil, those who love sin, in its varied forms, hate the light, neither come to the light; but either publicly or secretly oppose the children of the light, the enlightened ones, the light-bearers. And even those who have gotten out of the extreme darkness of moral pollution into a kind of twilight of civilized reformation and moral reform cannot endure the clear, searching light of the true Gospel; they much prefer a measure of darkness. -- John 3:20.

(21) It is in consequence of this conflict between light and darkness that our Lord suffered at the hands of those who professed to be children of the light, children of God, and who had at least a little light. Our Lord was not maltreated by the Roman governor and the Roman soldiers of their own volition, for they were so totally blind as not to appreciate anything of the light which he displayed. His persecutors were those who had some light but who hated the brilliancy of the great light which shone upon them. Similarly, all the way down through this Gospel age those who have been burning and shining lights in the world have been hated and persecuted, largely, we might say chiefly, almost exclusively, by those who had some light, but whose light was darkness in comparison to the great light of the holy spirit shining in and through Jehovah's fully consecrated ones. Thus was fulfilled our Lord's testimony, "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you." (John 15:18) "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12) The Lord's followers in the present time are called upon to suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, not because it is either reasonable or proper, but because Jehovah, wishing to test, prove and polish his people, is willing to permit the evil, opposing influences to prosper, and persecute and oppose his "members," and thus to serve his cause in the preparation of his elect for a future work of service. Thus the persecutors of the "body," like the persecutors of the Head, are cooperating to fulfil the divine plan in a manner they little suspect. -- John 15:18; 1 John 3:13; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:14,15; 2 Thessalonians 3:4; John 16:2; Acts 14:22.

(22) We might multiply the Scriptural declarations that this is the call of the Church in the present time -- to let the light shine and thus to attract persecution, and to endure the persecution for righteousness' sake, and to be rightly exercised by it in patience, brotherly-kindness, pity and love -- toward the persecutors and toward all men.

(23) As it was the mission of our Lord not to rule the world, nor to judge the world, at his first advent, but to lay down his life for the world, so it is the mission of the Church, the Body of Christ, not to rule the world, nor to judge the world now, but to "lay down our lives for the brothers." (1 John 3:16) Our Lord declares, "I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." (John 12:47.) The Son of Man came to lay down his life for the world. (John 6:51; 10:15.) "My Kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36) And so the Apostle assures us that we are not to reign now, but on the contrary to suffer with Christ, if we would reign with him by and by: that we are not to judge the world now, but on the contrary to judge nothing before the time; but he assures us that in God's due time the saints will judge the world, and the prophecies show that this will be to the world's blessing. (1 Corinthians 6:2; Genesis 22:18; Isaiah 2:2-4; 25:6-8; 32:1) He assures us that it was his mission " fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the assembly." (Colossians 1:24) He tells us, along the same line, that while we are to do good unto all men as we have opportunity, our service is to be specially to the household of faith. Our efforts that will go toward the world of mankind in general are to be only the side-glances, as it were, the overflow of our efforts expended chiefly and directly upon the members of the body of Christ, the consecrated Church, -- expended in building one another up in the most holy faith. -- Romans 8:18; 1 Corinthians 4:5,6; 6:2; Galatians 6:10.

(24) <(d)> Quite a goodly number of Protestant Christians theoretically take more or less of the position which we have herein stated, especially our Presbyterian and Baptist friends. But when we come to consider God's object in thus specially dealing with the Church we find that very few indeed even of these have any comprehension of it. The general thought is that God merely wishes to elect the Church, and that he is thoroughly indifferent as respects the poor world, that for six thousand years has lain in a lost condition under the blinding influence of Satan, and deaf to the Gospel call. Here we must differ, for we find the Scriptures to teach a much more wonderful, much more just, much more benevolent, much more grand plan of God than that.

(25) We find it to teach that this Church, now being selected or elected, is merely a first-fruit unto God of his creatures, and that a great work is to be done for the world of mankind, through this Church, after she will have been glorified and associated with her Lord in the Kingdom. (Romans 8:23; James 1:18) The same Scriptures which tell us that now the world is blind and deaf, and that Satan, "the prince of this world," "the god of this age," has directly and indirectly had much to do with this blindness, tell us also that the time is to come when all the blind eyes will be opened, and all the deaf ears will be unstopped, and when Satan, the great deceiver, will be bound, restrained, permitted no longer to deceive humanity. (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9; 20:1-3; Isaiah 29:18,24; John 14:30; 16:11) These Scriptures assure us that the Church now being selected and proved, and thus made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light, is to be God's channel of blessing to mankind; and that Head and Body, Jesus and his Church, will constitute in the full sense the promised "Seed of Abraham," or Spiritual Israel, through which all mankind will be blessed with a knowledge of God's true character, and with an opportunity for gaining eternal life in the Millennial judgment day which God has appointed. -- Gal. 3:16,29; Genesis 12:3; 22:18. -- See our study: Mankind's Course to the Day of Judgment.

(26) One of the particular trials with many of Jehovah's people is that they are frequently upbraided by less consecrated, worldly-wise professors, with the suggestion that they are selfish, and neglectful of the true work of the Church, because they do not join with others in the various political, social, financial and moral reforms of the world; or in "revival" efforts to drive and scare the worldly, whom God has not "called" by the truth along Scriptural lines. The result of such teaching is that the church houses have become filled with false Christians, called in the KJV as tares, weeds. (Matthew 13:25-40) Furthermore, many of the Master's true servants are proving themselves less that fully faithful. (Luke 12:42-48) If we are obliged to endure something on this score for Christ's sake, it is only a part of "the sufferings of Christ" in which we should rejoice; realizing that Jehovah knows our faithfulness to him and to his Word. We may realize, also, that in due time others will see the divine plan actually fulfilling, as we are now permitted to see it by the eye of faith; and they will then see that the "wise virgins" were wise in that they hearkened to and obeyed the Master's word, and made themselves ready for the future work of service for the world. -- Revelation 19:7; Ephesians 4:12.

(27) We can sympathize with those who see nothing; we can sympathize also with those who see a little, and who strive toward moral and other reforms, and in various ways for the sectarian prosperity rather than for the upbuilding of the saints, the Church of the living God, whose names are written in heaven. We should have patience, particularly with those who give evidence that they are laboring in harmony with their convictions. If they are engaging in good works of any kind they deserve our sympathy, and undoubtedly will obtain a blessing as a result. The true Church is laboring not merely for a blessing for the repair of Satan's world, but for the adoption as sons of God, the seed of Abraham that will bring blessings to all the families of the earth. (Genesis 12:3; 22:16-18: 28:14: Galatians 3:8,16,29) Let all, then, who see the reward, and who see the light of God's glory shining in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord, be faithful to the Father's terms, conditions, calling, service. Let all such give attention to this ministry (service) which we have received, and faint not; be not discouraged, whether men hear or whether they forbear, whether they think ill of us or whether they speak ill of us; let us remember that our report at the end of the trial is to be rendered to Jehovah himself, when he is making up his jewels. (Malachi 3:17) Let us remember that the first condition of acceptance with him is loyal obedience to his Word, the evidence of love for him and faith in him through the Lord Jesus. (2 Corinthians 10:5,6; Deuteronomy 30:6; Matthew 22:37; 1 John 3:23; 5:3) Let us remember, also, that the second qualification he will look for in us is love for the brothers, readiness to be, to do and to suffer, to die on behalf of those who are consecrated children of God, those seeking to walk in his ways. (1 John 3:23; 5:2) However, not only are we love the brothers, but our love has extend beyond this to include even those who hate us. -- Matthew 5:44-47; 22:37; Luke 6:27-35. It is this quality of love that is emphasized throughout the Bible, but especially in the New Testament.

(28) All thus following in the ministry (the service) which we have received of God, find themselves today walking in the footsteps of Jesus and the apostles, and find the various predictions made respecting the entire Church applicable to its living members also, as, for instance, following our text, the Apostle declares of his ministry: --

(29)

2 Corinthians 4:5  For we don't preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants [servants toward the church, not toward the world] for Jesus' sake.

 2 Corinthians 4:5  For we don't preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants [servants toward the church, not toward the world] for Jesus' sake.

2 Corinthians 4:6  Seeing it is God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness," who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:7  But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.
2 Corinthians 4:8  We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;
2 Corinthians 4:9  pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;
2 Corinthians 4:10  always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus [through our afflictions we are always representing the death of Christ], that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
2 Corinthians 4:11  For we who live [as new creatures in Christ Jesus] are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.
2 Corinthians 4:12  So then death works in us, but life in you [as a result of our sacrificial labor on your behalf].

Thus we have this example before us all, that by our sacrificial work we may be in constant face of death, so that our brothers may have life in Christ Jesus.

(30) In other words, the truly consecrated Church of Christ, all "whose names are written in heaven," are his representative members upon the earth, throughout this Gospel age. The Head suffered eighteen hundred years ago, the members of the Body have since been suffering with him, and have been learning the same lessons of obedience to the divine will, and trust and confidence in the divine wisdom, and love for the brothers; and by and by seed of Abraham will be completed, and they will be judges in the kingdom of glory, so after the selection of the Church will begin God's great work for the world, for which all his dealings with the Church are but the divine preparation. In the Church Jehovah will give to the world Kings and Princes, to rule in righteousness, -- in love, instead of in selfishness and pride; but the Church will also be Priests, to bless with the knowledge of the truth, and with help out of the mire of sin, back to full harmony with God, all who desire to return to him. It will then be true: "you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth." -- Revelation 5:10, New Revised Standard Version.

Paragraphs are numbered for reference and use in group and individual study.