Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-05-27

above angels. principalitles and pow
ers. and every name that Is named.
(Ephesians /. 2l.) On the contrary. II
would be both equitable and God-likc
that the great Jehovah should highly
honor Ills faithful. Only Bcgotten son.
the First and the Last. the Beginning
and the Ending of the creation OF God
(Revclation xxi. l3D Could we for
one moment suppose that our great
Creator would allow His faithful Son.
or any servant. Ia lay down life In Di-
vine service. and to suffer loss as a
consequence of His obedience? Is Y
not much more rational to believe. as
the Scriptures declare. Him hath God
highly exalted" philippians II. %.
The Assembled One Descended.
Pastor Russell called attention to the
Apostles phrascoloGy In the context
that the Assembled One had previously
descended. and that the ascending and
descending were related ms cause ana
effect. The One who assembled up ON
high completely filed the highest po-
sition in the great. Divine Government
OF the Unlversc-as Head of principali-
ties and powers. angels and men-next
10 the Father. Yet. the Apostle warns
us that we must not identify the glori-
fed one with the one Who. in obedi-
ence to the Fathers will. humblcd
Himself 10 come down from the heav-
emily nature and glory to the earthly
station where lie. ms man. huinbled
Himself unto death. even unto the ig-
nominiouS death of the cross.
The Apostle calls our attention to
These two cxtrcmes-the extreme OF
humiliation and the extreme OF eXal-
tation. both accomplished In the son
of God. the LogOs. The Christ
III some of us Mt one time misunder-
stood the Scriptures and supposed that
our Lord Jesus assembled to heaven In
physical condition, as n man. we en-
tlrcly misunderstood the Scriptures
He Who was rich. as the Logos III
glory. preserved His identity when He
was made poor for our sins, made fcsh.
that He might he our Redcemer. SINH
larry. that Redeemer preserves His
identity now that He has been made
rich again-now that He has been re-
ceived mp 10 the Spirit Plane of glory
honor and Immortality. the divine ma.
ture
To suppose that Jesus went to heav-
en- n man is to mistake the significance
of His title. The Son OF Man. which
He maintains. us identifying Him with
His great rcdempiiye work-as one of
His many titles. 10 suppose that Jesus
is human being in heaven would he
to suppose that lie Is still MS when
in the flesh. "a little lower than the
angels" whereas the Scriptures de-
clare that He has assembled far higher.
so that all the angels of God. as well
az men are commanded to worship
Him. TO suppose Jesus in heaven n
lfnman being would he to suppose Him
out of all harmony with heavenly.
spiritual conditions and surroundings
Moreover. are we not told that the
Church Of Christ will be changed from
the human 20 the spirit condition In the
resurrection. and that this change Will
deemer. SO that they may see Him as
lie is. not rs He TGs-that they may
see Him In glory. honor and immor
tality, exaltation. and not as the hh
inflated one. Who was made flesh that
lie might sacrifice His flesh on mans
behalf; When we 80 thought we for
got the Srriptural declaration that
flesh and blood cannot inherit the
Kingdom of God" hence that all those
called 10 he partakcrs Of the divine
nature and heavenly Kingdom with
their Redeemer and Lord must be made
like Him by the power OF the First
Resurrection.
Difficulties Of unbelievers.
The Pastor declared that he had
found worldly-wisc people very skcp-
teal respecting the descent of the
Logos. the Son of God. TO earthly con
ditions: but that Christians seem To
have more difficulty than the world In
comprehend ny the return, the ascen-
sion Of Jesus To the spirit plane and its
excellent glory Both points, however
are important. necessary, MS the Apos-
tie declares in the context Whoever
Is unable - see that the LOg0s. the
glorious Son of the Highest. humbled
Himself. Invested Himself of the Spr
II Nature and took Instead human ma
ture. cannot see that Jesus was sin
less. And those who cannot recogniz"
that He was holy, harmless. indebted
and separate from the sinner race dIc-
brews vii. 26i. cannot believe In ih"
sacrifice Of Jesus as being Ransom
price for Adam. 10 effect his release
aud that Of his race from condemn
ton.
Pastor Russell went into considera-
BILE detail respecting the manner by
which the LoOos was transferred from
heavenly conditions 10 earthly condi-
tions. and how His purity, His perfec-
ton OF Organism. His freedom from
| sin was preserved, Notwithstanding the