SCRIPTURE
STUDIES
VOLUME FIVE - THE
ATONEMENT BETWEEN GOD AND MAN
STUDY
XVI
THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION OR AT-ONE-MENT
This
Ministry Committed to the Royal Priesthood — Anointed to Preach of the At-one-ment
— Why the Joyful News is not Appreciated — The Results of this Ministry
— Persecution and Glory — How it Tests
Fidelity — Only the Faithful may Share the Atonement Work Future.
“No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of
God, as was Aaron. So also
Christ glorified not himself to be made a high priest.” Heb. 5:4,5
THE MINISTRY of reconciliation or at-one-ment is
participated in by the entire “Royal Priesthood” of which our Lord
Jesus is the Chief Priest or High Priest.
All the Priests share in the “better sacrifices” which have
progressed throughout this Gospel age, and which will be finished with its
close (Rom. 12:1): and all who thus share the sufferings of Christ shall
likewise share his future glory as participators with him in the great and
glorious ministry of reconciliation of the Millennial Kingdom.
As for these under-priests, they “were by nature children of
wrath, even as others,” and needed first to be reconciled or at-oned to
God before they could be called of God to this priesthood—“for no man
taketh this honor to himself, but [only] he that is called of God.”
It is not until after we have received the at-one-ment, at the
hands of our Redeemer, the High Priest, that we are privileged to be
reckoned as joint sacrificers, joint mediators, joint reconcilers, joint
at-one-ers.
Whoever received the “spirit of adoption” which constitutes him
a son of God and a priest, is forthwith impelled [page 488]
by that spirit to begin the ministry of
reconciliation or at-one-ment, each according to his several abilities and
opportunities. Each realizes, as the High Priest did, the leadings of that
holy Spirit, saying, “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he
hath anointed me to preach the glad tidings to the meek [not now to the
proud and arrogant and hardhearted and profane], to bind up the
brokenhearted, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord”—the
period during which God is pleased to accept a little flock as living
sacrifices, through the merit of the Redeemer.
The Apostle Paul as one of the under-priests felt the influence of
this Spirit prompting him to engage in the work of telling all with whom
he came in contact who had “ears to hear,” of the “ransom for
all,” accomplished through our dear Redeemer’s sacrifice; and to
exhort all to be reconciled, at-oned, to God, and begin at once to walk in
the paths of righteousness.
Note the Apostle’s statement of these matters in 2 Cor. 5:17-20.
“If any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are
passed away [old sins, ambitions, hopes, etc.]; behold all things are
become new. And all [these
new] things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,
and hath given to us the ministry [service] of reconciliation [katallage—the
same word rendered “atonement” in Rom. 5:11]; to wit [namely], that
God was in Christ reconciling [at-one-ing] the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them [because their penalty was borne by
Christ]. And [God] hath
committed unto us [the royal priesthood] the word [message, good tidings]
of reconciliation [at-one-ment].”
“Now then [because God has called us and given us as a priesthood
this ministry or service in his name, and this message of favor, to
declare], we are ambassadors for Christ [our official head or High Priest,
and the Father’s representative] as though God were inviting by us, we
in Christ’s stead pray you—be ye reconciled [at-oned] to God.” [page 489]
This joyful message, which, rightly appreciated, should bring ready
responses in every place and from every class, is generally rejected; and
the Prophet speaking for the Royal Priesthood cries, “Who hath believed
our report, and to whom is the Arm of Jehovah [Christ, the power of God
unto salvation] revealed?” (Isa. 53:1; John 12:38)
It is efficacious now toward the comparatively few only—even as
many as the Lord our God calls to be of the Royal Priesthood; for no man
taketh this honor to himself, but he that is called of God.
The reason for the general rejection of the message is evident:
reconciliation, at-one-ment with God, means opposition to sin: peace with
God means a warfare against all the entrenched weakness and depraved
desires of our fallen human nature: it means a complete change
or conversion from the
service of sin to the service of righteousness. Many who despise sin (in its grosser, viler forms at least)
and who long for a reconciliation to God and an interest in the blessings
which he bestows only on “the sons of God,” make a start for
righteousness by self-reform, only to find their own weaknesses too great
for them to conquer, and that besides the whole world is arrayed on the
side of sin. The only ones
who can possibly get free from this slavery, wherein all were born, are
those who, seeking deliverance, give heed to the Master’s testimony:
“No man cometh unto the Father but by me”—the one Mediator—“the
Way, the Truth and the Life.” Moreover, the Apostle informs us that the great Adversary,
“the god of this world, hath blinded the minds” of the vast majority
with falsehoods, so that they cannot appreciate the advantage contained in
the offer of at-one-ment
through the Redeemer.
Under these circumstances, the result of sin abounding, is it any
wonder that to be true, faithful ambassadors for God, and in Christ’s
name and stead (as members of his body), means that the under-priests must
follow in the footsteps of the High Priest—must suffer with him for righteousness’
sake? The great High Priest who proclaimed “the Word of
reconciliation” [page 490]
most clearly, was despised and rejected and crucified
by those who professed to love and follow righteousness.
The apostles were similarly evil treated because of their
faithfulness—their refusal to compromise the message, “the word of
reconciliation.”
“Ye shall be hated of all men for my sake,” “they shall say
all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.” Marvel not if the
world hate you: ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
These words by the great teacher were to be true “even unto the
end of this age”: and they are as true today as ever.
Whoever will faithfully exercise
his ambassadorship, and not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, will
speedily know something of the sufferings of Christ and can say
truly—“The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon
me.” Matt. 5:10-12; 10:22; Psa. 69:9; Rom. 15:3
And here again we behold the wonderful wisdom of the divine plan;
for it is while performing his priestly ministry of “the word of
reconciliation” to which the spirit of anointing impels, that each
priest finds the necessity for offering up himself, a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to God, and his reasonable service. Rom. 12:1
Hence the measure of self-sacrifice and sufferings for Christ,
endured by each of the consecrated, becomes a measure
(from God’s standpoint—for man cannot always discern it) of the
faithfulness of each as ambassadors.
Every priest who fails to suffer for Christ’s sake, for the
Truth’s sake, must therefore have been an unfaithful ambassador and
minister of the New Covenant. And
only to those now faithful as good soldiers of the cross will be granted
the inestimable privilege of being participators with the great High
Priest in the glorious at-one-ment work under the favorable conditions of
the Millennial age. If we
suffer with him we shall also reign with him.
If we deny him, he will also [then] deny us. Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim.
2:12,13; Titus 1:16
Take heed that no man take thy crown. Rev. 3:11
“Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of
life.” Rev. 2:10
