Apollos forwarded this extract from Studies in Scriptures, Volume 3, pages 181 to 187. In these pages, brother Russell reasons on the effects of sectarianism. As witnesses, we may read this superb example of clear, concise writing and think how well it applies to “false religion”, to “Christendom”. However, let us open our minds still further and read it without preconception. For it is a most sobering piece of reasoning, from one whom we consider to be our modern day founder.
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Let such consider that we are now in the harvest time of separation, and remember our Lord’s expressed reason for calling us out of Babylon, namely, “that ye be not partakers of her sins.” Consider, again, why Babylon is so named. Evidently, because of her many errors of doctrine, which, mixed with a few elements of divine truth, make great confusion, and because of the mixed company brought together by the mixed truths and errors. And since they will hold the errors at a sacrifice of truth, the latter is made void, and often worse than meaningless. This sin, of holding and teaching error at the sacrifice of truth is one of which every sect of the Church nominal is guilty, without exception. Where is the sect which will assist you in diligently searching the Scriptures, to grow thereby in grace and in the knowledge of the truth? Where is the sect which will not hinder your growth, both by its doctrines and its usages? Where is the sect in which you can obey the Master’s words and let your light shine? We know of none.
If any of God’s children in these organizations do not realize their bondage, it is because they do not attempt to use their liberty, because they are asleep at their posts of duty, when they should be active stewards and faithful watchmen. (1 Thess. 5:5,6) Let them wake up and attempt to use the liberty they think they possess; let them show to their fellow-worshippers wherein their creeds fall short of the divine plan, wherein they diverge from it and run in direct opposition to it; let them show how Jesus Christ by the favor of God tasted death for every man; how this fact, and the blessings flowing from it, shall “in due time” be testified to every man; how in “the times of refreshing” the blessings of restitution shall flow to the whole human race. Let them show further the high calling of the Gospel Church, the rigid conditions of membership in that body, and the special mission of the Gospel age to take out this peculiar “people for his name,” which in due time is to be exalted and to reign with Christ. Those who will thus attempt to use their liberty to preach the good tidings in the synagogues of today will succeed either in converting whole congregations, or else in awakening a storm of opposition. They will surely cast you out of their synagogues, and separate you from their company, and say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for Christ’s sake. And, in so doing, doubtless, many will feel that they are doing God service. But, if thus faithful, you will be more than comforted in the precious promises of Isaiah 66:5 and Luke 6:22—”Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his Word: Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified [we do this for the Lord’s glory]: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” “Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold, your reward is great in heaven; for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” But, “Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you; for so did their fathers to the false prophets.”
If all with whom you worship as a congregation are saints—if all are wheat, with no tares among them—you have met a most remarkable people, who will receive the harvest truths gladly. But if not, you must expect present truth to separate the tares from the wheat. And more, you must do your share in presenting these very truths which will accomplish the separation.
If you would be one of the overcoming saints, you must now be one of the “reapers” to thrust in the sickle of truth. If faithful to the Lord, worthy of the truth and worthy of joint-heirship with him in glory, you will rejoice to share with the Chief Reaper in the present harvest work—no matter how disposed you may be, naturally, to glide smoothly through the world.
If there are tares among the wheat in the congregation of which you are a member, as is always the case, much will depend upon which is in the majority. If the wheat preponderates, the truth, wisely and lovingly presented, will affect them favorably; and the tares will not long care to stay. But if the majority are tares—as nine-tenths or more generally are—the effect of the most careful and kind presentation of the harvest truth will be to awaken bitterness and strong opposition; and, if you persist in declaring the good tidings, and in exposing the long established errors, you will soon be “cast out” for the good of the sectarian cause, or have your liberties so restrained that you cannot let your light shine in that congregation. Your duty then is plain: Deliver your loving testimony to the goodness and wisdom of the Lord’s great plan of the ages, and, wisely and meekly giving your reasons, publicly withdraw from them.
There are various degrees of bondage among the different sects of Babylon—”Christendom.” Some who would indignantly resent the utter and absolute slavery of individual conscience and judgment, required by Romanism, are quite willing to be bound themselves, and anxious to get others bound, by the creeds and dogmas of one or another of the Protestant sects. True, their chains are lighter and longer than those of Rome and the Dark Ages. So far as it goes, this surely is good—reformation truly—a step in the right direction—toward full liberty—toward the condition of the Church in the apostolic times. But why wear human shackles at all? Why bind and limit our consciences at all? Why not stand fast in the full liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free? Why not reject all the efforts of fallible fellowmen to fetter conscience and hinder investigation?—not only the efforts of the remote past, of the Dark Ages, but the efforts of the various reformers of the more recent past? Why not conclude to be as was the apostolic Church?—free to grow in knowledge as well as in grace and love, as the Lord’s “due time” reveals his gracious plan more and more fully?
Surely all know that whenever they join any of these human organizations, accepting its Confession of Faith as theirs, they bind themselves to believe neither more nor less than that creed expresses on the subject. If, in spite of the bondage thus voluntarily yielded to, they should think for themselves, and receive light from other sources, in advance of the light enjoyed by the sect they have joined, they must either prove untrue to the sect and to their covenant with it, to believe nothing contrary to its Confession, or else they must honestly cast aside and repudiate the Confession which they have outgrown, and come out of such a sect. To do this requires grace and costs some effort, disrupting, as it often does, pleasant associations, and exposing the honest truth-seeker to the silly charges of being a “traitor” to his sect, a “turncoat,” one “not established,” etc. When one joins a sect, his mind is supposed to be given up entirely to that sect, and henceforth not his own. The sect undertakes to decide for him what is truth and what is error; and he, to be a true, staunch, faithful member, must accept the decisions of his sect, future as well as past, on all religious matters, ignoring his own individual thought, and avoiding personal investigation, lest he grow in knowledge, and be lost as a member of such sect. This slavery of conscience to a sect and creed is often stated in so many words, when such a one declares that he “belongs” to such a sect.
These shackles of sectarianism, so far from being rightly esteemed as shackles and bonds, are esteemed and worn as ornaments, as badges of respect and marks of character. So far has the delusion gone, that many of God’s children would be ashamed to be known to be without some such chains—light or heavy in weight, long or short in the personal liberty granted. They are ashamed to say that they are not in bondage to any sect or creed, but “belong” to Christ only.
Hence it is that we sometimes see an honest, truth-hungry child of God gradually progressing from one denomination to another, as a child passes from class to class in a school. If he be in the Church of Rome, when his eyes are opened, he gets out of it, probably falling into some branch of the Methodist or Presbyterian systems. If here his desire for truth be not entirely quenched and his spiritual senses stupefied with the spirit of the world, you may a few years after find him in some of the branches of the Baptist system; and, if he still continues to grow in grace and knowledge and love of truth, and into an appreciation of the liberty wherewith Christ makes free, you may by and by find him outside of all human organizations, joined merely to the Lord and to his saints, bound only by the tender but strong ties of love and truth, like the early Church. 1 Cor. 6:15,17; Eph. 4:15,16
The feeling of uneasiness and insecurity, if not bound by the chains of some sect, is general. It is begotten of the false idea, first promulgated by Papacy, that membership in an earthly organization is essential, pleasing to the Lord and necessary to everlasting life. These earthly, humanly organized systems, so different from the simple, unfettered associations of the days of the apostles, are viewed involuntarily and almost unconsciously by Christian people as so many Heaven Insurance Companies, to some one of which money, time, respect, etc., must be paid regularly, to secure heavenly rest and peace after death. Acting on this false idea, people are almost as nervously anxious to be bound by another sect, if they step out of one, as they are if their policy of insurance has expired, to have it renewed in some respectable company.
But no earthly organization can grant a passport to heavenly glory. The most bigoted sectarian (aside from the Romanist) will not claim, even, that membership in his sect will secure heavenly glory. All are forced to admit that the true Church is the one whose record is kept in heaven, and not on earth. They deceive the people by claiming that it is needful to come to Christ through them—needful to become members of some sectarian body in order to become members of “the body of Christ,” the true Church. On the contrary, the Lord, while he has not refused any who came to him through sectarianism, and has turned no true seeker away empty, tells us that we need no such hindrances, but could much better have come to him direct. He cries, “Come unto me”; “take my yoke upon you, and learn of me”; “my yoke is easy and my burden is light, and ye shall find rest to your souls.” Would that we had given heed to his voice sooner. We would have avoided many of the heavy burdens of sectism, many of its bogs of despair, many of its doubting castles, its vanity fairs, its lions of worldly-mindedness, etc.
Many, however, born in the various sects, or transplanted in infancy or childhood, without questioning the systems, have grown free in heart, and unconsciously beyond the limits and bounds of the creeds they acknowledge by their profession and support with their means and influence. Few of these have recognized the advantages of full liberty, or the drawbacks of sectarian bondage. Nor was the full, complete separation enjoined until now, in the harvest time.
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[Meleti: I had wanted to present the article without coloring whatever conclusions the reader might draw from it. However, I felt compelled to add the boldface to the one paragraph, because it seems to me that it hits very close to home. Please forgive this indulgence.]
What an amazing article .Russell did what God wanted him to do. Expose the religious leaders and reject denominations (sects)
A lone voice in the wilderness despite his faults…
Very inspiring!
Caution, bro Russell, from the very start, taught (til his death) that the new covenant was not for Christians but only for the fleshly Jews who would be alive when Christ reveals himself to them in the future. After that, then (according to Russell) the new covenant would apply to Christians and also to the rest (non fleshly Jews) of humanity. This teaching is not founded upon Scripture for Jesus (a Judean) right before his death, had already brought in the new covenant when he demonstrated how he wanted his followers to celebrate his death. when passing the cup (before… Read more »
Hi Sheila.
It’s an interesting comment. I’m not certain I understood your initial caution. The article is not promoting the idea that Russell had the truth any better than the GB do today, but rather drawing attention to a particular aspect of his theology regarding organization.
Nevertheless your points about his view of the New Covenant are of interest. Do you have references to support those points? I’d like to do some more research on that.
Apollos
Hi,
What year exactly did Russell start claiming to be a channel ?
What was his last real book?
What was his teaching on this point
We who are sealed are a royal priesthood. I Believe that rulership may limited to only Apostles of Christ .
There are many Abodes!
ZIONS Watch Tower AND HERALD OF CHRISTS PRESENCE. PITTSBURGH, PA., OCTOBER, 1883. NO. 3. OUR SECT. Webster defines sect to mean “A part cut off,” “Hence a body of persons who have separated from others by virtue of some special doctrine, or set of doctrines, which they hold in common.” Since we hold to a set of doctrines delivered to the saints by Jesus and the Apostles, and since we separate and cut ourselves off from all other religious jurisdiction and control, therefore it follows that we are a SECT. We “separate from sinners” and “have no fellowship with the… Read more »
I thoroughly enjoyed this discussion, and was amazed that something Russell wrote 100 years ago could be so relevant today. I was reading an article from the November 1884 Watchtower entitled “The Episcopal Church.” The 19th paragraph of that article opens up this way: “One trouble that seems to beset many is this, They have become so accustomed to a fixed doctrinal fence of narrow limits on every side, that to place them in the green pastures of truth with its wide range of liberty, bounded only by the great fence of God’s Word, alarms them, and they fear lest… Read more »
While not perfect one thing I can appreciate is Russell stated he claimed no special revelation or vision for his teachings and no special authority on his own behalf. He stated that he did not seek to found a new denomination, but instead intended merely to gather together those who were seeking the truth of God’s Word during this harvest time. Meleti made a good point earlier about even if people branched off and started new congregations there would still be issues that would arise which I agree but I will still admit… part of me would love to be… Read more »
I too yearn for an environment where mutual respect and freeness of speech are the norm. Small bible study groups would be the ideal. The Devil will always try to work his way in, which is to be expected and indeed was foretold to happen. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try and keep trying. Otherwise, the exhortation to “oppose the Devil and he will flee from you” would have no meaning. It seems that he enters by taking advantage of the human need to lead or be led. There would naturally be those who take the lead, but they… Read more »
Joseph R. Claimed to be a channel of God. I believe in Pastor Russell’s later years he stamped his work with the gal:8stamp
Meleti Vivlon, nothing could be truer than what you said: “The organization was blessed—by virtue of those comprising it, not the other way round.” While I have the greatest respect for many associated in our midst, the true are the lowly and modest as stated in Micah 6:8 (quoted by emilyjeffs.) Perhaps the time is coming upon us all to know the spirit of Christ molding our hearts, and that his words in Matthew 24:23-28 apply more now than ever—especially concerning those who have risen to the top in this hierarchy pointing to itself as directed by Jehovah and Christ.… Read more »
Meleti- I just wanted to check and make sure you are ok. You have been on quite the journey as seen here in your blog and it can’t be easy knowing where we come from.
Truth is truth.
That’s what you taught me! No matter the cost for Christ
My question is: should we stay in (and be spiritually distant?), and endure? Or should we go out and endure? I don´t know. Does anyone seen the District-Convention-DVD 2012 “Walk by faith not by sight” in more detail? There are many parallel to today, aren´t there? I think it´s prophetic. (sorry for my english 😉
Regards
You’ll know what to do when the time comes, B. There will be no choice.
It is fascinating observing the developments occurring on this blog. It is like watching the process happening in real time.
Thank You Rory!
You wrote/have written (?): “It is fascinating observing the developments occurring on this blog. It is like watching the process happening in real time.”
Oh Yes, it is. And it´s very good, that we all can “speak” about or observate it here.
I am inclined to agree simply because it is clear that Jesus has not judged those who claim to be his Christians yet. It certainly didn’t happen in 1914-1919 as the society now pathetically acknowledge. So that being the case, it must be that all making the claim ‘Christian’ will be judged individually.
I have come to the conclusion that all who believe in the messiah are gods children 1john 5:1 and the parable of the wheat and the weeds shows that there are good Christian’s in all christian organizations for who are we to judge, isn’t that Jesus and the angels job. Those that continue to think that there is only one way or one organization that’s spreading the good news about Christ and his kingdom, are they not possibly committing idolatry? And last but not least a scripture that has given me great pause is found at Luke 21:8 And he… Read more »
The angels are separating the Children of Christ not Children of Adam.
Beware of false messiahs. Many have Already Appeared and they are appointed to Be the son of Destruction .
It’s not to late ?? !be born again recieve the HS!! And live!! You have blasphemed and are excommunicated from Body of Christ.
Please show up at the Judicial Meetings that will be arraigned.
If you Disobey you Will suffer Maladection.
Agape but no Shalom until you Repent!
The kingdom of the Heavens….
Is Here.
The counterpoint to this is that Russell was forming some kind of organization himself, and indeed, a world-wide preaching campaign required one. Even if Rutherford hadn’t made his power grab, it seems likely that the organization would have eventually followed the usual curve. Still, his inadvertently prophetic description of our organization, and his counsel to get out, is unsettling to say the least. Where would we go, and how would we avoid simply cooling off and becoming ‘part of this world’? Until I find good answers to those questions, I’m not going anywhere.
I concur. Perhaps we need to rethink our understanding of Peter’s words at John 6:68. He didn’t say, ‘Where shall we go away to?’, but “To whom shall we go away to?” We are still defining out faith by membership in one of the many sects of Christianity when we should be defining it by loyalty to Christianity itself. That is the religion that Jesus started, with him as its head. Under Russell’s guidance, truth seekers emerged from the various faiths of his day and formed their own congregations, but they too believed some things which turned out to be… Read more »
This sums up perfectly what I’ve always wanted to hear but never have. THIS response right here gave me courage and new perspective I shall carry with me from now on. Thanks Meleti, sometimes words this this can inspire and redirect to proper thinking more than you know.
I looked up the word religion in Webster’s online dictionary and one of the definitions that struck me as applicable to JW’s is as follows – “a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices.” I don’t believe Christ set up an “institutional system” that we need to go through to worship Him. He said “For my yoke is kindly and my load is light.” I would say the burdens placed on JW’s today could not be called kindly or light. And worse than that are the chains they have put on our minds and our free… Read more »
Organizations that start out challenging the status quo almost always end up preserving it, even if “it” is a new status quo, How ours might be “put back on the right course” is hard to say, but I would guess that it can’t be done from the outside. Even if we who want change were a majority, there is no mechanism by which we can demand one, much less effect one. The organization would have to take the first step. It could easily, for example, consult at least some of the elders before publishing revised understandings like those found in… Read more »
I believe they are on a course from which there is no turning back. Perhaps it is the fatalist in me, or the realist, but I believe Jehovah is allowing all this to happen as a means to test and refine hearts. I now believe–particularly after the July 15 WT–that this trend will continue and worsen. When Babylon is attacked, it will affect his people, the wheat in amongst the weeds. Rather than thinking of collective salvation, as an organization, I believe the message in Scripture is one of individual salvation. Perhaps, as Apollos has speculated, that is why Jesus… Read more »
I agree. The stage is perhaps being set for a different type of test than we have thus far imagined. HQ has always imagined that Jehovah would use it to dispense life-saving instructions when the end finally comes, but what if He doesn’t? What if the signs and wonders – or even angelic direction – make it clear to sincere Christians what they should do while leaving HQ out of the loop? Might the brothers at HQ resist such divine instructions on the basis that they didn’t come through God’s one and only channel? Might they counsel us to ignore… Read more »
Good point. The scriptural record shows that Jehovah has always used individuals who spoke under inspiration when he needed to reveal a course of action his people had to follow. There is no reason to believe he would depart from that standard. The Bible does say that in the last days, old men will dream dreams and young men will see visions. That hasn’t happened yet, but his words cannot be issued forth without returning to him fulfilled. Given the very tainted history of the Governing Body, it is hard to see how he would use that source to speak… Read more »
Hi Junachin
“I think I’ll … prepare for the meeting”
In context I wasn’t sure if you meant underlining your Jeremiah book, finding a highlight, etc, … or preparing for THE meeting per Amos 4:12 🙂
Apollos
Our history as an organization has trod a well worn path. It started out as a movement for freedom for throwing off the shackles which had impeded the free expression of thought in other churches. Gradually especially during Rutherford’s years and then later in Knorr’s years it became more and more like the churches which had caused the original movement. This had been the experience of many religious movements. Now in 2013 we are very far from our roots which started as a movement for Christian freedom. The organization as it exists now is very against any free thinking. It… Read more »
Good points Erick. The WT of today is more a reflection of Rutherford than Russell. Russell was anti- organisation and he was against using any religious title, hence the term ‘bible students’.
I spoke privately with an elder just a few days ago on a number of subjects, including what is termed ‘apostasy’. He admitted that it’s a pity that people are too afraid to even hint at questioning WT doctrine for fear of the consequences. Is this how it should be in Jehovah’s organisation (supposedly)?
JimmyG
I say hang onto that elder as a friend since unfortunately some are quick to toss that word around and to have an elder who is patient and wants to answer and not automatically panic… priceless.
I’ve said it before I kind of wish we would have kept the “bible students” and the student aspect the way we were at first instead of thinking more of ourselves. I now wonder like you and others is this why we’re trying to push Russell aside in our history.
C T Russell is no longer considered to be “our modern day founder.” The Society have gradually been easing away from him, and now, with the finality of their latest teachings on the faithful and discreet slave, they have succeeded in dropping him altogether. Russell has joined the ranks of the George Storrs and the Nelson Barbours. It could be, in years to come, that the Society will do the same thing with Joseph Rutherford – but until that time comes all they have managed to do is align themselves closely with a man who by all accounts…well, never mind.… Read more »
Hello,
sorry, my English is bad, but i read all the 6 “study of the scriptures” in 2010 / 2011. This part about the organizations was very good.
I searched for Truth although I am “in the truth” but i need “something”.
And now, after Jesus made me free in 2012 (but i´m still “in” “physical”, in a short time i will be out), i understand it complete.
Lovely regards.
Please TRUST in Jesus! (Ro 9:33; 10:11)
HE IS (!) the WAY, THE (!) TRUTH (!), the LIFE
This really flies in the face of what we’re now taught, doesn’t it? Our way is right, we have to toe the line, believe everything that comes to us through the literature, etc. I’m not sure why I’m only beginning to see this now even though I’ve been a Witness for over 40 years. I especially like this point: But if not, you must expect present truth to separate the tares from the wheat. And more, you must do your share in presenting these very truths which will accomplish the separation. Maybe Meleti is being used to do this very… Read more »
Wow…. Not sure what to do with this information or how to process this. I started to feel this way late last year which left me in a state of confusion. Like to hear how others feel about this.