VOLUME THREE - African Bible Students
VOLUME FIVE – THE ATONEMENT BETWEEN GOD AND MAN
Bible Students sometimes study the Pastor’s writings so closely, paragraph by paragraph, sentence by sentence, even word by word, that we sometimes don’t see the forest for the trees as the familiar saying has it, meaning that we miss the beauty of the big picture because we are so narrowly focused on the details down to the veins on the leaves of the trees!. And so it’s good, occasionally, to zoom out and take a broader view of an entire volume – how its chapters relate to each other, and build upon each other in the Pastor’s presentation of truth. Indeed, we can zoom out even further and take a look at how all six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures relate to each other as entire books. To illustrate this point, here’s a quick overview of all six volumes.
Volume 1, of course gives us the length and breadth of God’s Plan for man, particularly well illustrated in the Chart of the Ages. Volumes 2, 3, and 4 deal with the horizontal, time features of that Plan, in closer and closer focus. Volumes 5 and 6 cover the vertical provisions of that Plan for the Atonement between God and Man, as well as the call of the Gospel Age New Creation, highlighting, of course, the central, foundation doctrine of the Ransom.
Now let’s begin our summary of Volume 5, containing 490 pages divided into sixteen chapters, with an observation on the style or format of Br Russell’s presentation of the truth on the subject of the Atonement between God and Man. In volume five we see a repeated pattern where Br Russell refutes an error and presents the truth…refutes an error, presents the truth, time after time. And the very first chapter of Volume Five is a good example of this style.
Chapter One – The Fact and Philosophy of the Atonement
The first chapter of volume five is eighteen pages long and is entitled, “The Fact and Philosophy of the Atonement” and it sets forth the scriptural teaching on this important doctrine. It begins with these words, “The doctrine of the Atonement lies at the very foundation of the Christian religion.” Now, many first time readers of volume five in Br Russell’s day had been taught by their churches for ten or twenty years or more, various errors regarding the atonement. Pastor Russell first describes two common but erroneous perceptions about the atonement. Here’s a quote from page 16:
There are two general views of the atonement
(1) What is known as the orthodox view, namely, that man, as a transgressor of the divine law, came under divine condemnation--”under wrath”; and that God, while hindered by Justice from exonerating the sinner, has provided a just redemption for him, and thus provided for the forgiveness of his sins, through the sacrifice of Christ. This entire work of satisfying the claims of Justice and making the sinner acceptable to God, is denominated the work of Atonement.
(2) What is known as the unorthodox view of the Atonement . . . it presupposes no requirement on the part of divine justice of a sacrifice for the sinner’s transgression; it ignores the wrath of God as represented in any special sentence of death; it ignores “the curse.” It holds that God seeks and waits for man’s approach, placing no hindrance in the way, requiring no atonement for man’s sin, but requiring merely that man shall abandon sin and seek righteousness, and thus come into harmony with God . . .
Next, Br Russell lists thirteen elements of the true Bible doctrine of the Atonement on pages 17-20 which we have combined into these seven points:
Adam was created perfect, sinned by willful disobedience, and brought the entire race of mankind under the penalty of death.
God has a program of atonement in which he is both just and the justifier of mankind.
God’s program of atonement has two parts – the satisfaction of justice and the bringing back into at-one-ment with God as many as are willing in the Kingdom.
God’s program of atonement includes the death of Jesus as a Ransom for all to satisfy justice and remove the death sentence.
Thus far only a little flock of Jesus’ footstep followers have received the benefits of the atonement.
This church class of footstep followers, together with Jesus will constitute a royal priesthood in the Kingdom, which will remove the blindness, error and degradation Satan has brought upon mankind for the last 6,000 years.
At the end of the Millennial Kingdom, the great work of at-one-ment will be completed, and there will be no more sickness, pain, sorrow or death, and all things will be in harmony with God
Pastor Russell was a master teacher, and he utilized what is now a common practice among speakers, educators, and presenters everywhere: tell them what you’re going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them. In chapter one he has established his credentials as someone knowledgeable with the commonly held understanding (or misunderstanding) of the doctrine of the atonement. And he has also set forth the truth in a clear, orderly, line upon line, precept upon precept way. Then he ends the first chapter of Volume five with an overview of the rest of the book. Here’s a recap of Br Russell’s summary of the rest of the volume. Chapter two establishes that Jehovah God is the author of the atonement. Chapters three thru seven deal with Jesus, in his various roles as mediator of the atonement. Chapters eight thru eleven discuss the Holy Spirit – the channel of the atonement. Chapters twelve thru fifteen deal with mankind, the beneficiary of the atonement, and the last short chapter, chapter sixteen, closes the book with a look toward the glorious future to come when the work of atonement is complete, along with words of encouragement to the church class now.
Chapter Two – The Author of the Atonement
Chapter two is entitled “The Author of the Atonement” and is fifty pages long. The main point, easily proved by dozens of scriptures cited, is that Jehovah God is the author of the great plan of atonement. The scriptures include, Isaiah 43:11, “I, even I am Jehovah, and beside me there is no savior,” and Jude 25, “To the only wise God, our savior, be glory and majesty, dominion, and power, both now and ever.”
Why fifty pages to make a simple direct point? The answer is that most of the chapter lays the groundwork for refuting the error of the trinity by explaining the distinction between God, the author of the atonement and Jesus, God’s representative and “messenger of the Covenant.” Countless scriptures are examined and applied correctly to either God or Jesus in their various roles in the atonement. A good example is Titus 3:4-6, “But after the kindness and love of God our savior toward man appeared….which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our savior.” A misreading of this verse might give the thought that, if God is our savior, and if Jesus is our savior, well then, God and Jesus must be the same being. On the contrary, Br Russell here establishes the principle elsewhere stated in scripture that salvation is of the father, the author of the atonement, and by or through the son, the mediator of the atonement.
Even scriptures that seem to support the Trinitarian view, such as John 10:30 – “I and my Father are one,” are explained in harmony with the truth that God and Jesus are separate beings, Father and Son. Using the principle, “Let scripture interpret scripture,” Br Russell quotes John 17:22, “that they (that is, Jesus’ disciples) may be one even as we are one” to explain the oneness between God and Jesus as an oneness of purpose, not of being. The analysis of each scripture is precise and detailed and correct.
Chapter Three – The Only Begotten One
Chapter three is the first of five chapters about Jesus, the mediator of the atonement. It is entitled, “The Only begotten One,” and is a relatively short fourteen pages. On pages 84 and 85, Br. Russell lists several points about Jesus and then proves those points in detail in the rest of chapter three and in parts of later chapters as well. Those points are:
Jesus had a pre-human spirit existence and was the highest of all God’s creation – the only begotten of Jehovah, properly referred to as “a god” – a mighty chief of the angels.
Jesus volunteered to become flesh for a time and for the purpose of carrying out the Divine will.
Jesus resurrection was not as flesh but with honor and glory to the highest of spirit natures – the divine nature.
Here, too, Br. Russell builds on the groundwork he laid in the previous chapter proving that God and Jesus are two separate beings by examining such scriptures as John 1:1 – properly translated as, “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with the God, and the word was a god.” Jesus’ role as the Logos is particularly featured in this chapter.
Chapter Four – The Undefiled One
Chapter four, “The Undefiled One,” begins on page 97 and is only ten pages long. In this chapter, Br Russell refutes an error, but this time not the trinity. This time the error refuted is the teaching of the Immaculate Conception. The key scriptures are I John 3:5:
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
And Hebrews 7:26:
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Most Christians accept these texts at face value and agree Jesus was perfect. The debate is over how that happened since Job 14:4 declares, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.” The answer given by the Roman Catholic Church is that Mary herself was perfect, and could therefore bear a perfect child, Jesus. That answer, of course, begs the question to be asked, how could Mary be perfect? Was her mother perfect, too? And her grandmother as well? The final answer given to all these pesky questions is that, “It’s a mystery.” The truth on this question is in three parts. First, that Mary was an imperfect member of Adam’s fallen race. Second, all existence, living energy or being comes from the father, whereas the mother furnishes the organism. And third, God was Jesus’ perfect father, providing a perfect living energy into Mary who provided the organism that was born as the babe who grew to become the man Christ Jesus. Thus the imperfect Mary could bear a perfect child, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.
Chapter Five – “Made Like unto His Brethren”
Chapter five, “Made Like unto His Brethren” is twenty two pages long and once again addresses an error– an error that is the opposite of the trinity. For while the trinity teaches that Jesus was Jehovah God in human form, this opposite error teaches that Jesus was merely an imperfect man like the rest of mankind. Granted, those who believe this error will say, Jesus was better than most - wiser, more compassionate, a good teacher, but in the end, he was just another man. This pair of opposing errors illustrates a frequently used tactic of the Adversary to obscure the truth. He will pose two conflicting teachings, both of which are wrong, and try to get people arguing over which error is correct, all the while winning the battle over the truth which often lies in between the two errors. We saw another example of this in the very first chapter of this volume where Br Russell gave the two views of the atonement, the orthodox and unorthodox view, both of which were wrong, albeit both partially correct.
The basis of this error comes from Hebrews 2:17:
Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
So how is it then, that Jesus could be both holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners… and… like unto his imperfect brethren? The answer is that the “brethren” mentioned in this text does not refer to fallen mankind in general. No, “like unto his brethren” refers to our Lord’s justified footstep followers, who are adopted by God as joint heirs with Christ and are therefore siblings, brethren of our Lord, whose sins are covered with the merit of his sacrifice. The vast remainder of mankind, by contrast is still in sin, children of their father the devil as John 8:44 declares.
In the remainder of the chapter, Br Russell explains the meaning of several important scriptures such as how Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin - Hebrews 4:15. How Jesus was made perfect through suffering - Hebrews 2:10. And, how Jesus himself took our infirmities - Isaiah 53:4, and Matthew 8:17.
Chapter Six – “David’s Son and Lord”
Chapter six, David’s son and David’s Lord explains a difficult to understand scripture in Matthew 22:42-45:
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? They say unto him, the son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
The context of these verses tells how the Pharisees and Saducees tried to trip up Jesus with supposedly unanswerable questions like the one where a woman’s husband died, she married his brother, he died, she married again, and so on thru seven husbands, so in the resurrection, whose wife would she be? Jesus answered all their questions, and then asked one of his own – the question we just read.
Chapter six of the fifth volume answers the question Jesus posed by pointing out Jesus is David’s son by two lines, actually – Solomon’s down to Joseph, and Nathan’s down to Mary. However, the line most would pick as being the better line, Solomon’s, is not the line implied in the expression David’s son because after Solomon’s death, the kingdom was rent away from his son as God’s punishment for Solomon’s sin of allowing idolatry to be practiced in Israel. In any case, Jesus could not be David’s son thru Joseph since Joseph was not Jesus’ biological father, so then, Jesus is David’s son thru his mother Mary, a descendant of David’s son Nathan.
That explains half of Jesus question to the Pharisees and Sadducees – How Jesus could be David’s son. What about the other half? How is Jesus David’s Lord? The answer is that Christ Jesus became David’s Lord by reason of the great work he accomplished to qualify himself as mediator of the atonement – completing his sacrifice on Calvary’s cross. Listen to Acts 10:36.
The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
And Romans 14:9:
For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
In the latter part of this chapter, Br Russell explains similar concepts in other titles of Jesus such as the root and offspring of David, the Second Adam, and the everlasting father. All these refer to Jesus in the kingdom when he will be the lifegiver to resurrected mankind, the mediator of the atonement.
Chapter Seven – The Son of Man
Chapter seven, The Son of Man, is fourteen pages long, and it is the last of the five chapters about Jesus – the mediator of the atonement. Once again, as in previous chapters, Br Russell refutes an error prevalent in his day – actually two errors. One error suggests that since Jesus so often used the title “son of man” in referring to himself, he was therefore acknowledging Joseph as His father. The other error, even worse, declares that since this title is also used of the resurrected Jesus, then Jesus now is still a human being in heaven. Br Russell first disposes of the errors by citing scriptures that show this title, “Son of man” applied to Jesus even before he was born on earth, when he was the Logos, so the title could not be an acknowledgment of Joseph as his father. Other scriptures are cited to show that Jesus’ human existence was only temporary, for the purpose of being sacrificed forever, and that he is now a spirit being, since flesh and blood, the human nature, cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven.
Having disposed of the two errors, Br Russell proceeds to present the truth, namely that this title, “Son of man,” carries the thought of “the son of the man Adam.” Just as Jesus was David’s son, through his mother’s lineage, so too, was he a member of Adam’s race. But not just any member. No, he was the lamb slain before the foundation of the world. He was the promised seed, the Messiah, the chiefest among ten thousand, of whom even Pilate declared, “Behold, the man.” The chapter ends with a study of Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah chapter 52.
Chapter Eight – The Channel of the Atonement, The Holy Spirit of God
The next four chapters, chapters eight thru eleven, deal with the channel of the atonement, the Holy Spirit from various points of view. Chapter eight is entitled, “The channel of the atonement, the Holy Spirit of God” and it’s forty-six pages long. Once again, there is an error to be refuted – the teaching that the Holy Spirit is a being and is part of the Trinity. Here are some familiar highlights of the Pastor’s explanation. First, the pronoun “he” often used in reference to the Holy Spirit could equally be translated “it.” Second, the original Hebrew and Greek words Ruach and Pneuma, translated Spirit, have the meaning of something powerful, yet invisible, like the wind. So, if the Holy Spirit isn’t a being, what, then, is the Holy Spirit? Br Russell gives us our familiar definition of the Holy Spirit as, “the divine will, influence, or power” and expands the definition with these words:
(a) God’s power exercised in any manner, but always according to lines of justice and love, and hence always a holy power.
(b) This power may be an energy of life, a physically creative power, or a power of thought, creating and inspiring thoughts and words, or a quickening or life-giving power, as it was manifested in the resurrection of our Lord, and will again be manifested in the resurrection of the Church, his body.
(c) The begetting or transforming power or influence of the knowledge of the Truth. In this aspect it is designated” The Spirit of Truth.”
In the next ten pages, the Pastor examines scriptures that refer to the opposing spirit of the world, the spirit of antichrist, the spirit that lusteth to envy, etc. and the battle between these evil influences and God’s holy spirit, particularly within and without the saints of God. The last ten pages of the chapter deal with several ministrations of God’s spirit as our teacher, comforter, and guide.
Chapter Nine – The Baptism, Witness, and Seal of the Spirit of Atonement
Chapter nine is forty pages long and is entitled, “The Baptism, Witness, and Seal of the Spirit of Atonement.” Once again, several errors are refuted in this chapter. Among them, that the Holy Spirit is a person, and that frequent Pentecostal style baptisms of the spirit are to be expected and sought. The truth given in this chapter is that the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon us is an outpouring of God’s influence upon his newly adopted children as a sign of their acceptance as joint-heirs with Christ. There were three outwardly manifested baptisms of the spirit at the beginning of the Gospel Age - upon Jesus at Jordan, upon the disciples at Pentecost, and upon Cornelius to signify God’s acceptance of the gentiles. These three are adequate to cover the entire body of Christ. In the Kingdom, there will be a general baptism of the spirit upon all flesh, as it says in Joel 2:28, that is, upon the world of mankind, as each brings himself into harmony with the righteousness of the kingdom. The first part of the chapter ends with a discussion of praying for the Holy Spirit. And Br Russell makes the important point that our prayers for more of God’s spirit must be accompanied with effort at emptying ourselves of self-will and every contrary influence.
The second part of this chapter explains the witness of the spirit as being NOT merely feelings of peace or happiness or favor. The witness of the spirit is not an emotional high. Rather our pastor presents logical questions to be asked by those seeking a witness of the spirit respecting their sonship. Listen to each of them and see how they apply to yourself:
Was I ever drawn to Christ as my redeemer?
Did I ever fully consecrate myself, my time, my talents to God?
Are we having trials and pruning experiences that indicate we are part of the vine?
Are our trials resulting in growth in the fruits of the spirit?
Do our hearts delight to do God’s will and sacrifice our own aims?
Do we discern that we are different from the world and out of harmony with its spirit?
Are we glad to confess that Jesus is our redeemer and to tell others the truth?
Do we have an interest in and a growing understanding of the doctrines of truth?
If we can answer yes to these questions, then we have the witness of the spirit that we are the sons of God.
The third and last part of this chapter deals with the seal of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13, 14 declares that, “we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance.” This scripture means that having the witness of the Holy Spirit is the seal or acknowledgment by God that the promise of glory, honor and immortality is ours now, and that we will receive that promised inheritance if we faint not.
Chapter Ten - The Spirit of a Sound Mind
Chapter ten is a short one - only fourteen pages long, and it is entitled, “The Spirit of a Sound Mind.” The theme text of this chapter is II Timothy 1:7:
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Br. Russell explains this scripture as teaching NOT that the Lord’s people are by nature of more sound mind than the world. Rather, it is because we seek the Lord’s will and his instructions in his word that we develop wisdom and sound judgment. In describing the opposite of a sound mind, Br Russell gives this somewhat humorous example:
Who has not noticed in his friends and his neighbors (as well as in himself) abundant evidence of such unsoundness of mind that they are unable to manage their affairs creditably, and who nevertheless cause great annoyance by their attempts to manage the affairs of others?
A key benefit of the Spirit of a sound mind is that it enables its possessor to rightly value the transitory toys of this life in comparison to the eternal riches in Christ. And on the last page of the chapter is this summary thought:
The thought we wish to impress is that on whatever plane of mental decrepitude, immorality or unwisdom the truth and grace of God shall reach a man or woman it will lift him up and make him or her the nobler, the purer, the kinder, the gentler, the more considerate of others--in proportion as he or she receives this new mind, the Spirit of a sound mind.
Chapter Eleven - Supposed Objections Considered
Throughout the fifth volume, Br Russell has been refuting the doctrine of the trinity with logic and sound scriptural reasoning. Some, however, might remain unconvinced because they have in mind a scripture or two that to them proves definitively that the Holy Spirit is a person and along with God and Jesus are three gods in one. This is what they were always taught in their churches, and that is what they believe. To answer these objections, Br Russell devotes an entire chapter thirty eight pages long - Chapter eleven - Supposed Objections Considered. In this last of four chapters on the Holy Spirit, the channel of the atonement, our pastor explains such difficult scriptures as, “Lying to the Holy Spirit,” in Acts 5:3, and “Tempting the Holy Spirit,” in Acts 5:9, along with nineteen other passages, one after the other. The explanations are detailed and logical.
Chapter Twelve - The Subject of the Atonement - Man
Chapter twelve is about, as its title says, “The Subject of the Atonement - Man.” The chapter is long - eighty-two pages, and again there are two errors to be refuted. This time, it’s theological orthodoxy’s view, at one end of the spectrum, that man is part God - possessing an immortal soul . . . and evolutionists on the other end of the spectrum declaring that man is merely a higher form of animal. There’s that tactic of the Adversary’s again – present two opposing errors and then and get people to fight over which of the errors is correct, when in fact, both are wrong, and the Adversary wins by obscuring the truth in both cases! Refuting both of these errors, Br Russell presents the Bible truth that man IS a soul, comprised of an earthly body and a breath or spirit of life. Then, once again, the Pastor presents a detailed explanation of the words pneuma and ruach along with other words translated “breath,” “life,” and “soul.” Ezekiel 18:20, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die,” is used effectively to show that the soul is not immortal. Then, having explained what human life is, Br Russell goes on to explain death and refute yet another error, this time proving that there is no hell, and that death is the condition of oblivion until the resurrection. We’re all familiar with the analysis of the Hebrew word “sheol” and the Greek words, “hades and gehenna.” The key scripture, of course, is Ecclesiastes 9:10, “For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
Chapter Thirteen – Hope for Life Everlasting and Immortality
Chapter thirteen is entitled, “Hopes for Life Everlasting and Immortality Secured by the Atonement.” It is twenty-two pages long and begins with these words, which make the doctrine of the atonement personally relevant to the first-time reader:
THERE is a longing hope within men that death does not end all existence. There is an undefined hope that, somehow and somewhere, the life now begun will have a continuation. In some this hope turns to fear. Realizing their unworthiness of a future of pleasure, many fear a future of woe; and the more they dread it for themselves and others the more they believe in it.
Once again, the error refuted is that man has an immortal soul that cannot die. The scriptural truth is that mankind’s hope for life everlasting is in the atonement provided by Jesus when he “died for our sins’” and “rose again for our justification.” There are, however, conditions upon all who would receive the life everlasting provided for in the atonement. First, all must accept Christ as their redeemer, and second, they must live in harmony with God and righteousness. And so it will be for mankind in the kingdom when the hope of life everlasting is actually given to them.
Br Russell then gives good definitions to some key terms used in the scriptures. “Immortal” means a condition where death is impossible – death-proof. “Mortal” means a condition where death is possible, but not necessarily inevitable unless a death sentence has been incurred. “Eternal Life” is mortal life as Adam enjoyed it before his disobedience, and as obedient mankind will enjoy it in the kingdom. In support of this last point is Romans 6:23 which tells us that eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord”
Chapter Fourteen – The Necessity for the Atonement – The Curse
Chapter fourteen is sixteen pages long and is entitled, “The necessity for the Atonement – the Curse.” Many scriptures speak of a curse upon mankind and upon the earth, but Revelation 22:3 speaks of the coming kingdom when, “There shall be no more curse.” Once again the error refuted is that the curse spoken of in the Bible is a future curse of eternal torture upon the wicked in this life. But the truth is that the curse upon man is a present one, pronounced upon Adam after his disobedience, “Dying thou shalt die.” The curse upon mankind was not only just but also instructive in that mankind’s experience with the permission of evil and its effects has been an object lesson not only for our own race but also for the angels. Br Russell even speculates a little about future space travel in this one sentence passing thought on page 416:
And who knows but that in the far distant future, instructors in righteousness for as yet uncreated billions will be drawn from among the worthy of earth’s redeemed and restored race, who have had an actual experience with sin and who will be able to speak from experience, in guarding others against the least deflection from absolute obedience to the divine will.
Chapter Fifteen – A Ransom for All
Chapter fifteen is entitled, “A Ransom for All – The Only Basis for Atonement.” After fourteen chapters of laying the groundwork, Br Russell here delivers a masterful treatise on the most fundamental doctrine of truth. Given the importance of the subject, it’s a long chapter, the second longest in the book, at sixty-five pages. Recall earlier in the first chapter where it described the two parts of the atonement as being the satisfaction of justice and the bringing back of mankind into at-one-ment with God? The Ransom is first of those two parts - the price or payment to justice. The second part of the atonement, the application of the price and the bringing back into atonement with God as many as a re willing in the Kingdom, will be dealt with in the next and final chapter of the book.
Only three verses in the New Testament use the word ransom, but they are important texts indeed. Let’s read one of them, I Timothy 2:5, 6:
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
On page 428, after quoting this text, Br Russell says:
There is no room for quibbling or disputing the meaning of these texts. And the more this thought of a ransom--a “corresponding price”--is considered, the more force does it seem to contain, and the more light does it shed upon the entire work of the Atonement. The thought, and the only thought, contained in it is that as Adam, through disobedience, forfeited his being, his soul, all his rights to life and to earth, so Christ Jesus our Lord, by his death, as a corresponding price, paid a full and exact offset for Father Adam’s soul or being, and in consequence for all his posterity--every human soul--sharers in his fall and in his loss.
Br Russell goes on to explain in great detail, the difference between the words Ransom, Redeem, Deliver, Pardon, and Forgive. “Ransom”, means a corresponding price, the perfect life of Jesus, sacrificed in death for the perfect life of Adam, which was forfeited by sin and under the penalty of death. “Redeem” includes the thought of the ransom price plus the additional thought of the setting free of those for whom the price was paid. Deliverance has only the thought of setting free the ransomed ones. “Pardon” means to remit the penalty of, to let pass. And “Forgive” means to release from punishment on the basis of a price paid.
The last half of the chapter includes a defense of the ransom doctrine against the various no-ransom errors taught in the Pastor’s day.
Chapter Sixteen – The Ministry of Reconciliation or Atonement
The final chapter of volume five is only four pages long and is entitled, “The Ministry of reconciliation or Atonement.” It deals with the second overall part of the atonement work, the application of the Ransom price and the bringing back into atonement with God as many as are willing in the Kingdom. In this short, closing chapter, Br Russell begins with this beautiful word picture of the Kingdom:
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 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.
The chapter continues with inspiring exhortations to the saints of God to further zeal, and joy in their part of the ministry of reconciliation now, despite opposition, so that we may be privileged to be a member of that Royal Priesthood in the kingdom. Following the time proven practice of, “Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them, Br Russell summarizes the doctrine of the atonement in a way that makes it personally applicable and important to the conscientious reader in these final two paragraphs of Volume Five:
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.
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.
The book ends with the scripture in Revelation 2:10: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”
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