Correspondence: 1 Cor. 12:28; Rev. 12:17, 14:12, 22:14

From: Young Christian: Volume 12, 1922

Revelation 12:17; Revelation 14:12; Revelation 22:14 • 5 min. read • grade level: 8

Question: In the “Young Christian” of April, 1922, page 112, do you mean that none of the gifts that God set in the church in 1 Corinthians 12:28²⁸And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:28), are to continue to the end of the church period? G. J. T.

Answer: Eph. 4:11-13¹¹And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹²For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ¹³Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11‑13) tells us the gifts that are to continue. Apostles and prophets have given us the foundation (Eph. 2:20²⁰And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (Ephesians 2:20)). Evangelists, pastors and teachers will continue “till we all come into the unity of the faith,” (Eph. 4:13¹³Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:13)).

In 1 Corinthians 12:28²⁸And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:28) some gifts are mentioned that we do not find now; such as gifts of healing, miracles, diversities of tongues. We do not believe that jabbering without sense is a gift. We think it is hysteria akin to hypnotism and spiritism, and forbidden by the Word of God (1 Cor. 14:28²⁸But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. (1 Corinthians 14:28)).

Question: Please explain Revelation 12:17; 14:12; 22:14¹⁷And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17)
¹²Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12)
¹⁴Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14). H. E. B.

Answer: We must not think that the law of God (Rom. 7:25²⁵I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:25)), and the commandments of Jesus (John 14:15; 1¹⁵If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15) John 5:23²³That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. (John 5:23)), are the same as the Ten Commandments given by Moses. The one is Christianity; the other is Judaism, to which Christians are dead by the body of Christ. (Rom. 7:4⁴Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. (Romans 7:4)). The Ten Commandments were never given to the Gentiles, except to those who settled in the land of Palestine with the Jews. There was one law for all who dwelt there (Ex. 12:48, 49⁴⁸And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. ⁴⁹One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. (Exodus 12:48‑49)). The Jews are still under the law, and therefore under its curse (Gal. 3:10¹⁰For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10)), and having rejected Christ, there is nothing for them but judgment. Faith in Jehovah and His Word, in the Old Testament was what God honored, and it led them to confess their sins (Psa. 32).

In the tribulation, after the church is caught up, there will be Jews converted, and still under law, and they are believers in Jesus at the same time. Some of them are martyred for their testimony (Rev. 6:9-11; 12:11; 15:2⁹And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: ¹⁰And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? ¹¹And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:9‑11)
¹¹And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11)
²And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. (Revelation 15:2)). There is also a spared remnant preserved from martyrdom (12:17; 14:1-5). Revelation 14:12, 13¹²Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. ¹³And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. (Revelation 14:12‑13), is an encouragement to those whom the beast tries to compel to worship him, rather to suffer martyrdom, for if they die, they will get a place with Christ in glory. If they live on without dying they will be on the earth in the millennium. Revelation 20:4⁴And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4) shows us the martyrs of the tribulation raised to reign with Christ. In that verse all the glorified saints who had been caught up are included in the words, “I saw thrones and they sat upon them.” (Compare 4:4.) “Seats” and “thrones” is the same word. Revelation 6:9-11⁹And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: ¹⁰And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? ¹¹And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:9‑11) and 15:2 are the two classes of martyrs.

The passage in Revelation 22:14¹⁴Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14) is not the law of Moses, but the law of God. In J. N. D’s and other translations, it is translated, “Blessed are they that wash their robes,” and corresponds with Psalm 1:1, 2; 119:9¹Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. ²But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (Psalm 1:1‑2)
⁹BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. (Psalm 119:9). It is the application of the water of the Word to their ways (John 15:3³Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (John 15:3))

When the Jews are back in their land, the Sabbath will again be observed (Matt. 24: 20; Ezekiel 45:17¹⁷And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel. (Ezekiel 45:17)).

The saint in every dispensation, because he is born again, desires to do the will of God, but under the law he was in bondage. The saints of this present time are not under law, but under grace. Their failure does not bring a curse upon them, for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. He has an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. All the commandments of the law of Moses was every man’s duty to do. His conscience told him so, with the one exception, and that was the Fourth Commandment—the Sabbath, the sign that they were under the law (Ex. 31:13-17¹³Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. ¹⁴Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. ¹⁵Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. ¹⁶Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. ¹⁷It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. (Exodus 31:13‑17)). A heathen man that knows nothing of the law, knows it is wrong to steal, lie, and murder, but the Sabbath is no part of his duty to God. The Jews had it, but did not keep it (Ezek. 20:13¹³But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. (Ezekiel 20:13)).

It is worthy of note that Jesus wrought miracles on the Sabbath day plainly to show that the Jews had broken the covenant, and that God did not regard the Sabbath. John 5:17¹⁷But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. (John 5:17) says, God’s rest was broken by sin, and now the Father and the Son were working in grace in the midst of the wretchedness their sin had brought upon them.

The Christian has no Sabbath to keep. Jesus does not give one in His commandments. We rejoice in Him and His finished work. He died for our sins.

We are also dead with Him, and risen with Him. The first day of the week finds the disciples gathered around the Risen One (John 20:19¹⁹Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (John 20:19)).

It was on the first day of the week that the Holy Spirit came down to form the assembly on earth.

The Pentecostal offering lets us know the morrow after the Sabbath is the first day of the week (Lev. 23:15-17¹⁵And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: ¹⁶Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. ¹⁷Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord. (Leviticus 23:15‑17)). In Acts 20:7⁷And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7) we find the custom of the disciples was to remember the Lord in the breaking of bread on that day. On the first day of the week they were together in 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2¹Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. ²Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. (1 Corinthians 16:1‑2). And John in Revelation 1:10¹⁰I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, (Revelation 1:10), gives it its name. “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.” To meet the Jews to tell them the gospel, the apostles used the Sabbath, for the Jews came together on that day; but Christians, gathering as an assembly, were associated with the resurrection of Christ on the first day of the week.

The law is not the rule for a Christian’s life. It is Christ Himself that is his pattern. The Christian, whether he was Jew or Gentile before conversion, fulfills the righteousness of the law in walking not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, for Christ is the pattern for his behavior (1 John 2:6⁶He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:6)), and that goes higher than law. It is the royal law, and the law of blessed liberty, for the Lord has given us the new risen life, and the Holy Spirit, who gives us to delight to do His will and also the power to do it.

Now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

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