184 The WATCH TOWER BROOKLYN, N.Y.
or to obey God, well knowing the results. The Lord has caused a record to be made of a company of men who proved their faithfulness by martyrdom before the beginning of the selection of the church. Because they refused to obey the commands of Satan's organization, and because of their faithfulness to God, they "had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth".-Heb. 11: 36-38. 36 The apostle then adds that because of their faithfulness they obtained a good report and approval of God. The Scriptures show that the Lord will reward these faithful men by making them the visible rulers under the kingdom of Christ. It was their faithfulness unto God that the Lord will reward. Surely God will not require less of those to whom he will grant the unspeakable privilege of being with Christ in his throne and having a part with him in blessing all the famililes of the earth.-Rev. 2: 10; 3: 21. 37 The attitude of the true Christian toward war is not because of his animosity to men who have to do with earthly governments, but is because of his love for God and his obedience and faithfulness unto the Lord. God has called his anointed for his purposes and has made them his witnesses to honor his name. They must stand out separate and apart from the world. (Acts 15: 14; 1 Pet. 2: 9,10; Isa. 43: 10,12) These anointed ones have a warfare in which they must engage, but it is not a warfare with carnal weapons. "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds)." (2 Cor. 10: 3,4) The duty of the anointed of God is to do evil to no man but to render good unto all as opportunity is offered and to faithfully represent Jehovah.-Luke 3: 14; Gal. 6: 10.
TIME TO AWAKE
38 For a long time Christians have been in a condition of sleep concerning their duty of service in the Lord's organization. They have tried to please the rulers of this world, and to do so they have taken a course of action that is a compromise between faithfulness to the Lord and faithfulness to the world. They have said in effect: 'We must let the world see that we are so sweet and inoffensive that the rulers will observe that we have been with Jesus and learned of him.' The Scriptures have been wrested to justify that position. There is no scripture in support thereof. The apostles were bold and fearless, and when told that they must be obedient to the laws of the land rather than to obey the laws of God, they replied: "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken
unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." (Acts 4: 13-20) Even so now God is pleased only with those who are bold and fearless in representing his cause and declaring his name.-1 John 4: 17, 18. 39" And that, knowing the time, that now it is higll time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when 'e believed." (Verse 11) The anointed now know the time, They well know that the Lord is in his holy temple and that everyone ,vho is of the temple must now show forth the glory of God. (Ps. 29: 9) The complrtion of the ehureh, and therefore the salvation of the church, is nearer than eYer before. It is now no time to be sleeping and dreaming' and indifferent concerning the Lord 's cause. It is now the time to be wide awake, that we may sec and appreeiate the prophecies of God which he is unfolding, and his lightnings that illuminate them. '1'hose of Zion now awake must sene joyfull~', singing the praises of Jehovah's name. '1'hey must now obry the commandment of God and continue to remind their indifferent brethren of the importance of anointing their eyes that they may sec and appreciate present truth and be obedient to its demands. (Hev. 3: 14-21) Those who arc of the remnant arc now commanded, ,. Cl'Y aloud, spare not; lift np thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their traIlsgn'ssion." (Isa. :-is: 1) '1'hose who are asleep and indifferent arc committing the transgressions here mentioned. 40 The anointed now discern God's organization as they never saw it before. They now discern Satan's organization as they never saw that before. They src that the "seed" of the serpent and the "seed" 01' promise arc brought forth and arc directly oPPoscll to each other, and that the deadly conflict is on. 'rhm'e is no concord of Cln'ist with Satan's organization. Thel'e is no part that the believer has with the infidel. "And what agreement hath the temple of Cod with idols? for ~'e arc the ternpIc of the Ii ving God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall he my peollie. "-2 Cor. 6: 15, 16. 41 Surely God expects his anointed to obey his com· mandments rather than to yield to the rules of Satan's Ol'ganization that arc 0Pllosed to God's commands. '1'here is no excuse or justification to longer misapply the Scriptun's in an effort to cause tIle anointed of God to bow to the dictates of Satanl agencies and, particularly, to the ordinances thereof that would prevent the proclamation of the truth concerning Glad's name and his kingdom. Now is the time when God says to his own people: 'Ye arc my witnesses to declare that I am Jehovah.' (Isa. 43: 10, 12) "And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heaxens, and lay the foundations of the
