1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

utterance, but did not guide into the understanding of God'sword; for, "not unto themselves, but unto us they did ministerthe things which are now reported unto you by them that havepreached the Gospel unto you, with the Holy Spirit sent downfrom Heaven. 1 Pet. 1:12.The Spirit given to Jesus without measure, (John 3:34,) andgiven by measure to all his disciples and members, (John 1:16)is the spirit of adoption (into the divine family and nature),whereby we cry, "Father, Father," i.e., we recognize God as ourFather in two senses-- first, as our creator as natural men, evenas Adam was called the Son of God, (Luke 3:38), and now byour adoption into the divine family he becomes our Father inthat divine sense. Until Jesus, no man could enter into therelation to God of adopted sons, partakers of the divine nature,because all were sinners, and God could not receive sinners assons. When "the man Christ Jesus presented himself as a being,holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, in whom wasno sin," he was acceptable with the Father, and when he offeredhis perfect natural life for ours, according to the will of God, itwas acceptable. The Father accepted of his sacrifice--the natural,and as a gift, gave to him the spiritual, divine nature--life andbody, which he had laid aside when he took the human nature--life and body. Now, when Jesus made the covenantR182 : page 6to lay down his humanity as our ransom, he received the divineadoption and the spirit without measure, and the witness of hisrelationship came at once, (Luke 3:22), for a voice from heavensaid: "Thou art my beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased."(Luke 3:22.)Thus was our head anointed with the oil of gladness. Now, werethe disciples also so anointed and given the comfort andguidance of the Spirit? No; not while Jesus lived. Why? Weanswer, for the same reason that the prophets could not receiveit thus. They were sinners in God's sight, part of the fallenhuman family, and the ransom for their forfeited life was notpaid until "Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death (on thecross) for every man."Were the disciples, believers, then received as justified, pure,sinless in God's sight the moment Jesus died? We answer thatthe price of our ransom was then paid, but that in God's plan,Jesus must first present in the Father's presence the evidence ofHis death--our redemption. "Him therefore hath God highlyexalted and given a name above every name," that the gift of thedivine nature should come through him to his body (the church),for God hath committed all judgment unto the Son," and "hathgiven him power over all flesh that He should give eternal life toas many as thou hast given him." He must first receive againfrom the Father, the fullness of the divine nature before He