THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL
Page Seven
our work is tested. Man has no power in himself.)
“Who also hath made us able ministers of the new
testament. Not of the letter but of the spirit, for the
letter killeth but the spirit giveth life.”
J. Here is something that I want to know
what it teaches. Some say the new testament is the
new testament writings, which is the position of my
Church. The word minister must mean the preacher
who ministers to the people. They are called min-
1sters.
B. Read the next verse.
R. “But if the ministration of death written
and engraved in store was glorious so that the chil-
dren of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face
of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which
Glory was to be done away. How shall not the min-
istration of the spirit be rather glorious.”
R. The bell rings again. Good evening Brother
Klippingfinger and Brother Whitebeam. Come in. I
believe Brother K. vou are of the Russell Persuasion
and Brother W. you are of the Baptist line. We were
having a Bible study. Glad you came in just now.
We are on a very critical scripture. Possibly you can
help us out.
K. We heard there was a secret meeting going
on and we said, there was nothing secret in religion
So We came around.
R. For the benefit of the two who just came in
we would like them to take their Bibles and read down
to the close of verse seven.
K. 1 see that the Apostle is discoursing here
on the two testaments, the old and the new. One was
good but the other was a good deal better.
S. What were the two ministrations here spoken
of ?
W. Well sir, one was Moses, and the other was
Christ. Christ was more glorious than Moses. Christ
was the head of the new testament and Moses was
the head of the old testament.
J. What was that which was written on tables
of stone?
B. That was the ten commandments of course.
S. Was the ministration of the ten command-
ments death?
J. If we were to preach that old law now, it
would mean spiritual death to the one that did it, and
the Church to which I belong, would soon say it was
death to the preacher for they would not give him a
job very long.
K. It was the death of that law that was min-
istered to it, it seems to me.
B. I wish we had Wesley's comments here. He
would soon tell us what that ministration of death was.
K. One thing sure, it says that ministration was
glorious and I can’t think of a thing more glorious than
the killing of that law.
B. Is it possible you all believe that the ten com-
mandments are dead? If it is, then I have been in the
dark, for Wesley said the law was eternal and un-
changeable.
J. I know if Alexander Campbell could speak
he would soon tell us what we want to know.
K. Pastor Russell had wisdom on all such ques-
tions. He could tell what this text taught.
W. 1 don’t know just what the Baptists do teach
on this point. But I do know they have the truth on
all such questions.
S. Let us have some more of the chapter read.
Possibly it may throw some light on what we wish to
know.
“For if the ministration of condemnation be glory,
much more doth the ministration of righteousness ex-
ceed in glory. For even that which was made glor-
ious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the
glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away
was glorious, much more that which remaineth 1s
glorious. Seeing then that we have such hope, we
use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses,
which put a vail over his face, that the children of
Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that
which is abolished: But their minds were blinded:
for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken
away in the reading of the old testament; which vail
is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when
Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Neverthe-
less when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be
taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all,
with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the
Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to
glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Verses 9-18.
W. I must say there is a little bit of this that
is not clear. Verse nine, says it was ‘‘the ministra-
tion of condemnation.” Verse thirteen says “it was
abolished.” According to that, all condemnation is
now abolished.
J. One thing is certain. It was done away
whatever it was, but 1 can’t see why if a thing is
glorious, why it should be done away, and the other
thing which was more glorious take its place. Why
could not both remain?
K. Why could it not apply in the millenial age?
It looks to me like it was comparing the present as
glorious, and the Millenial age as more glorious.
S. It seems to me we are just guessing, to see
if we can’t find some thing that will fit. But that
is not the way to study the bible... Now I have sup-
posed we were all taking the new testament as our
guide and hence well acquainted with all it said. But
I must confess my Church has never called my atten-
tion to this chapter. It seems to me it doesn’t be-
long in the new testament at all. Who knows whether
it is the law, ministration, condemnation or death that
is done away. I want to hear some one who knows
something go through this chapter and tell what it
does teach. I belong to a church which says we take
the whole word of God. But if they ever took this chap-
ter and explained it I don’t know it. Any one can
go ahead and make assertions and guess at things but
that is not giving the people the truth. It seems
more and more to me the whole Christian fraternity
don’t know what they do believe on doctrine. 1 have
supposed I knew something but since coming and
studying with R. I see I don’t know anything about
the new testament, the very thing I have boasted about
taking as my guide. I have attended Church for
thirty five years and gone regularly to Sunday school
all that time, and what do I know. Simply noth-
ing. Paul says, “ever learning and never able to come
to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 am almost discour-
aged with myself. If it was not that I know it is the
devil trying to overthrow me I would give up the whole
thing. But, that I will not do, till the very bottom
of Bible study is reached.
+ 'o ve continued in next issue)