| In the chapter of The Divine Plan of the Ages on the Three
Ways, an attempt is made to show that the "Narrow Way" is the way in which
the saints in Christ Jesus are supposed to walk, the "Broad Way" is the way of
the sinner, and the "Highway" is the way that will be opened up in the
millennial age. A more careful study of the Word, rightly dividing the Scriptures, will reveal additional truth concerning these ways. Those called to the glorious calling in Christ Jesus are never exhorted to walk in the Narrow Way. This is tho way of law-keeping. It did not give life, but led to it. The early disciples and the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb endeavored to walk in the footsteps of Jesus; but the saints in Christ Jesus are exhorted to follow Paul as he followed Christ. One was a terrestrial calling; the other, a celestial calling. Our Lord's earthly ministry was devoted to Israel, the gentiles receiving only crumbs of favor as they came into the picture. The entire world was under the "law of sin," but our Lord's teachings had to do directly with the nation of Israel. Hence the picture of their condition on the "Broad Road" was not a discussion of the sentence of death which passed upon all men, but had to do with the fact that Israel was at that time threatened with destruction as a nation because of their refusal to receive the kingdom message and acknowledge their Messiah. The nation did go into destruction, as stated in the very last of the book of Acts. Destruction does not mean annihilation; for "all Israel shall be saved;" but when, for the third time, they refused the message under the direction of the Holy Spirit, they were cast off, and as a nation they were destroyed. Thus they committed the "unpardonable sin," a sin of rejection that could not be forgiven in "this age or the next," as our Lord stated it. A few of Israel, however, were following the spirit of truth, and looking for the Messiah. These gratefully acknowledged Him, and so were transferred from the "Broad Road" to the "Way of Life." Today there are thousands of Christians earnest Workers -- who are preaching the kingdom, meaning the coming reign of Messiah, as the one great topic in which all Christians should be most interested, entirely overlooking the secret divulged by the apostle Paul, which opens up the "More excellent Way" (1 Cor. 12:31) never before known, and never offered to Israel as a nation. So intensive is this teaching among some Bible Students that the activity in proclaiming the "Kingdom" is made the chief basis of fellowship. If one physically able to witness fails to do so, he is relegated to a class that will be deprived of the "choicest" blessings, and becomes in danger of still greater calamities. In delivering this witness such are denominated Witnesses of Jehovah. It is a most significant thing that the title "Jehovah" is never used in the Scriptures concerning the church which is His body. Jehovah is the term or title used in the relationship of God to Israel. In the present age when God is concillated, grace is to be heralded and manifested. Vengeance and judgment are withheld until His body is glorified, and the King returns to establish the "highway" in the thousand years. From the foregoing, it should be clear that the saints in Christ Jesus should not sit in judgment during the present time, but should be ambassadors of peace. To proclaim wrath and indignation now is to misinterpret the very mission which is ours. To us has been committed the "word of conciliation," and our lives, our words, our ministry should comport with that commission. Much confusion has resulted from trying to apply the message of the Circumcision apostles, and the personal teaching of our Lord Himself while on earth to those who are instructed under the guidance of Christ by the apostle Paul. No other writer speaks of Christ Jesus. To the Circumcision He was Jesus, Who had been the Christ; and they knew Him and spoke of Him as Jesus Christ; the One Who had first been humiliated and then exalted. Paul met Him on resurrection ground and knew Him as Christ, the Sovereign of heaven, Who had once been Jesus, the Saviour. Thus He was to him, and becomes to us, Christ Jesus. Being put to death with Him; roused with Him; seated with Him, in the spirit, among the celestials, we enjoy the "more excellent way," a "way" entirely unknown to the Circumcision -- the message concerning which Peter said was a thing "hard to be understood." |
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