| No organization of Christian believers has attempted more
sedulously to uphold the doctrine of the "ransom" than those working under the
banner of the International Bible Students Association. In all the writings of Pastor
Russell this doctrine is set forth as the great vital issue of Christianity. Unfortunately, however, this attempt resulted in.the phrasing of a philosophy of the ransom that became the basis of a Christian fellowship. If one gave every assurance that he believed in the efficacy of the blood of Christ, unless he phrased his belief in the dictated usage of the International Bible Students Association, he was outside the pale of Christian fellowship from their point of view, and subject to the second death. There is a significant lack of "rightly dividing the Word of truth" in the statments made by these good Christians, concerning the ransom, for their own language misses entirely the real significance of the complete purpose and ultimate results of that very ransom; and it is continually confounded with their teaching concerning "sin offering" and "atonement." A great controversy arose among them as to whether the "church" was part of the sin-offering. The very question raised by such a debate showed how little was understood concerning the sin-offering and "atonement." A right division of the Word of truth would convince all earnest Bible students that both these terms -- sin-offering and "atonement" (or propitiation) -- are Israelitish terms and do not directly concern the church, which is His body. |
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