4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Shall we fear to confront Christ‭?

It is possible to do so unnecessarily.‭ ‬It has been argued that the uncertainty of Christ's verdict, coupled with the terrible pictures which the Scriptures give of the rejected, warrant fear. This is an unfortunate mistake. Bible revelation is intended to inspire earnest, truth-loving men with confidence. Let us look at a few of the many beautiful Bible promises and assurances: "They shall never perish," "They shall be mine," "Shall change our vile body," "When he shall appear we shall be like him," "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

Of what value are such promises and assurances if the friends of Christ are going to shiver at the prospect of seeing him‭? ‬Under no circumstances can this fearing be acceptable to Christ. As to uncertainty concerning the judgment verdict, this is a fault resting with ourselves,‭ ‬and is remediable.

If it is a question of not knowing whether we keep all Christ's commandments,‭ ‬then let us give greater study to the book of his law. Is it anxiety lest we keep not sufficiently these commandments? Let us set the mind at rest by remembering that Christ will cast off no one whose life is characterised by a desire to know and to do his will,‭ ‬however feeble and imperfect the result.

It is only the idle,‭ ‬non-effort-making, wilful sinner that the Scriptures deprive of hope. Let us cheer up in the matter of the coming of Christ.‭

To the fearful heart God says: "Be strong, fear not.‭" Misgiving means the loss of strength—strength which no one can afford to lose in the struggle for life. ATJ

The Christadelphian, Sept 1894. p340.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

[We have] in the sense of having broken bread with the lead and guidance of the nature in which we were born: yet that nature is still with us and gives us a good deal of trouble at times with its revolts and oppositions to divine injunction, causing us to groan with Paul at the wretchedness, which Paul experienced from the same cause.

Disowning the old man as but an ephemeral prelude to the perfect state, we have "put on the new man," yet we know the new man only as a state of mental renewal; not as an endowment of that strength and real sweetness that will come with the new nature which is the new man's final development.

We stand between the old and the new - leaving the one - reaching forward to the other. In this, we are dealing with facts - not with fancies.

Seasons 2.95

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

The glad tidings which can revolutionize the mind,‭ ‬change the motives, and induce purity of life, personal holiness, disinterested philanthropy and benevolence, and unreserved obedience to the will of Yahweh. 

The new man is made new again by exact knowledge -έιγνωσιν- after the image itself of the Creator.—Col. 3:10.

"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: through which (knowledge) are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that through these ye might become partakers of the divine nature."—2 Pet. 1:3, 4.

Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, April 1856

When the spirit of the mind has become renewed, the moral image of Christ is reflected therefrom. This renewing of the inner man. is a process which is predetermined by the Father. As saith the apostle: "Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. that he might be the first-born among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29).

Sis Lasius - Yahweh Elohim Ch 4

Paul says to the Colossians, "ye have put off the Old Man," or moral image of the First Adam, "with his deeds; and have put on the New Man," or last Adam, "who is renewed by knowledge after the image of him that created him" (iii. 9,10). This they had done. They were in the last Adam, and conformed to his moral image, in hope of being conformed to his material image at the coming of their Chief.

Here then are two men, or Two Adams, occupying the arena of the Roman Habitable -- the Old Adam and the New Adam. The former is an infidel atheistic sinner, declared by Paul to be atheos en to kosmo, atheist in the world. Read his summary of him in Eph. ii. 12; and his description of his vices in Rom. i. 21-32. The whole world of unenlightened natural men of all ages and generations constitutes collectively the Old Adam, who is also "the Devil and Satan" in a certain relation of things. This man has long since come to a perfect man -- to the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Antichrist. He is strong and lawless, doomed to perdition when the times apocalyptically "signified" shall be fulfilled.

The other Adam came upon the arena of the habitable in a later age and generation; and was regarded by him as an intruder, and an enemy to be ejected by all possible means, the end to be attained sanctifying everything, however criminal or ferocious. But, if he could not prevail by violence, it was within the scope of his policy to try and corrupt with flatteries; for if he could put to silence by these he would convert the New Man into a partizan, and all opposition would cease. So long, however, as each remained true to his principles, the Old Adam to those of the flesh, and the New Adam to those of the word, there could be nothing but war until the one or the other were subdued.

But, the New Man, though "perfect," did not in all the constituents of his body continue in all his conflicts undefiled. Much of his flesh became diseased and gangrenous, and perished by the way. This reduced his proportions considerably, and leaves him in his nineteenth century existence feeble, emaciated and decrepit; while the Old Adam is still robust and powerful.

Eureka 6.2.Preliminary remarks

***

àIn the case of Jesus and the Apostles, there were no writings from which they could learn the mystery hidden from the ages and the generations. The knowledge of this had to come by direct sealing. There was ample material for them to exercise "their foreheads" upon in the scriptures of the prophets, so as to sharpen them by reason of use. But they had to speak things about which all antiquity was silent, and this required direct sealing or teaching by the Deity himself.

When men are sealed they are sanctified; and it is written

"Sanctify them by thy truth; thy word is truth;"

and John says:

"to pneuma estin he aletheia, the Spirit is the truth."

To be sealed, then, by the truth is to be sealed by the Spirit; and to be sealed by the Spirit is to be sealed by the truth; and he that is ignorant of the teaching of Jesus and the apostles, which was in strict harmony with the prophets, is not sealed at all, however pious or religious he may feel.

... The New Man these sealed ones put on is "made new by exact knowledge -- eis epignosin -- after the likeness of him who created him;" for "they are the Deity's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works" (Col. iii. 10; Eph. ii. 10).

... This is the seal of the Deity -- "his power for salvation to every one who believes: for therein is his righteousness by faith revealed for faith; as it has been written, The just shall live by faith" (Rom. i. 16); so that, in writing to Jews and Gentiles in Corinth, who, having heard from him "the Word of the Kingdom," "believed and were immersed" (Acts xviii. 8), Paul says to them, in 2 Cor. i. 21

Eureka 7.3.

Education

As to education being a good work, that depends upon what sort of education it is. Education is the act of educing, or leading out, the intellect and moral sentiments. These are naturally blind. If a blind man be appointed to lead them out, he will exercise them in darkness, and make them vicious. If we judge of the education of our day by the word of God, it is decidedly bad.

To teach a boy to read, write, and cipher, is not education, but artistry, and leaves his veneration, conscientiousness, in short, all his cerebral faculties, save those concerned in these arts, a desert of thorns and briars.

The adults of this generation are incompetent to the education of the rising race, even as their fathers were before them. As ordinarily conducted it is not "a good work"; and if Paul were living now, we are satisfied he would have denounced it as evil.

A tree is known by its fruits; and the fruit of the educational Upas that overshadows the country is seen in the rowdyism of Congress, the ignorance and fanaticism of "the churches," and the general demoralization of the people in trade, commerce, and domestic life.

This comes of flesh educating flesh, the end thereof is walking in the flesh; to the denial and rejection of the word.

Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, Jun 1860

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

"God made of one blood all nations of men."

God created man a "very good" living creature, and "upright;" but that by transgression of the divine law, he diverged from this condition into a state of sin and death, in which he sought out for himself "many inventions" which were not upright.

These evil inventions, based upon sin, or transgression of law, became the sources of the circumstances which, in process of time, grouped themselves into systems of things under which those attached or devoted to the inventions ranged themselves by a sort of attraction of aggregation. The influence of these evil systems became a law to flesh and blood, creating physical habitudes, which in process of time gave peculiar individual expression to the evil influences which originated them.

... Sin, then, is at the bottom of racial diversities; so that when sin and its prevailing consequences shall be eradicated from degenerate humanity, physical racial diversities will disappear, and nationalities based upon this diversity, and mankind in its totality once more reflect the divine image and likeness of God.

Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, Jan 1855

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

The only deeds acceptable with God as a matter of individual well-pleasing, are those that are performed in the fear of His own name, and in the spirit of enlightenment and loving obedience to His commandments. All deeds so rendered are acceptable, even if they miss their mark as regards men. If a man for Christ's sake give to the undeserving, his service is accepted none the less because of unworthiness of the object.

On the other hand, if we minister to Christ's servants or do Christ's work, in the spirit of pleasing men, the act will not be reckoned, though in the providence of God it may be part of His means of accomplishing real work of ministration.

Ways of Providence Ch 22

19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Men who are unkind,‭ ‬churlish,‭ ‬and neglectful in their behaviour towards their wives will doubtless one day rue it.‭ ‬Predisposition in either of these directions should be manfully attacked and overcome.‭

After Christ a man's wife should come first in his affections and considerations.‭ ‬The commandments are very definite upon the matter.‭ ‬The wife is to be loved‭ (‬even as a man would love himself‭) ‬cherished,‭ ‬nourished,‭ ‬and held in honour‭ (‬Ephes.‭ v. ‬28,‭ ‬29‭; ‬Col.‭ ‬iii. 19‭; ‬1‭ ‬Pet.‭ ‬iii. 7‭)‬.‭

A husband's duties do not begin and end in providing temporal necessaries.‭ ‬He has to bear in mind that his wife is a joint heir with himself of salvation.‭ ‬He has to dwell with her‭ "‬according to knowledge.‭" ‬He has to be circumspect:‭ ‬to study the manifold bearings that his conduct has on her race for eternal life.‭ ‬He has to look to her spiritual requirements:‭ ‬to help her to get to the meetings,‭ ‬and secure time for reading.‭ ‬He should also endeavour to arrange for profitable companionship for her.

‭ "‬The husband is the head of the wife,‭"

‭ ‬and should therefore form a worthy example to her.‭ ‬The fear of displeasing her should not influence him to forego the obligations and calls of the truth.‭ ‬Neither should that motive cause him to refrain from giving faithful counsel or timely reproof.

Bro AT Jannaway

The Christadelphian, Nov 1887

24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Not one day should pass without our doing something for Christ-for the well being of the ecclesia, and the enlightenment of the stranger. Christ can be served in many ways, and by the busiest.

We can materially forward his work by an exemplary discharge of the common duties of life. What better recommendation can the truth have than for those who profess the name of Christ to be kind, courteous, upright, sober-minded, and virtuous?

This is a way of serving Christ which is open to us all, whether we be master or servant, husband or wife, parent or child, in health or in sickness. Touching this way the Scriptures exhort us frequently (Matt. 5:16; 1 Pet. 3:16).

But we can all do more than this. We can take steps to make ourselves strong in the truth, so as to be in a position to impart instruction to the less enlightened, and otherwise form useful and stable members of the meeting to which we may belong. Who is there that cannot squeeze in, however busy he may be, many minutes during the day for Scripture meditation and study?

Are not our minds, for the most part, more filled at the end of the day with unprofitable stuff gathered from the newspaper and other sources, than with divine knowledge, which might have been got if our attention had been turned Christwards?

Then, again, we can sow the good seed of the kingdom by dropping a word here and there. If we are too shy to open out to our neighbours in the tram or train, we can carry a few leaflets or lecture bills to lodge quietly as opportunity offers. It is not so much time that is needed as a willing mind. The day will come when all of us will lament that we did not put forth more effort for Christ.

Bro AT Jannaway

The Christadelphian, May 1907