Object of first woe

From the old writings by the Melbourne Bible Students we like to quote:

Fornication in Delirium (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The object of the first woe, as well as of the second, is stated in Revelation 9: 20, 21, to have been the punishment of the professed Christian Church for idolatry, murders, sorceries, fornication, and thefts. Without endorsing either the doctrine of predestination or fatalism which made God could and did use them to check the hypocrisy and sin of His professed people. In this connection it is worthy of note that when one nation is used to punish another it is not necessarily the better of the two; for the conquering nation itself is usually afterwards dealt with in its turn because it does not repent of its own evil practices and false religious conceptions.

“20 And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not {1} worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk: {1) See marginal note on Re 3:9} 21 and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” (Revelation 9:20-21 ASV)

– The New Covenant Advocate, August, 1915

God sanctifies by sending the Spirit and the truth, by corrective discipline (Heb. 12), and by giving us the association of brethren likewise under His care and instruction. – But, if we do not cooperate, the sanctification is interfered with. For example, one of the greatest evils in the world is drunkenness. If we have been delivered from that fault, and then continue to make boon companions of those who drink to excess, we can expect nothing less than that we should fall again into the sin from which we were once delivered. Similarly with other evils mentioned in Scripture— fornication, idolatry, covetousness, hatred, envy, etc, etc. Our own safety requires us to co-operate in our own sanctification by keeping away from people and places which have a retarding effect upon our growth in grace and holiness.

Separated from people and places of evil—so far, so good. We have still need to be kept from indulging the evil in our own dispositions. This too is accomplished by the influence of the spirit and the word of Truth; and in this also we must co-operate earnestly if we desire the sanctification to proceed satisfactorily.
Cleanse yourselves, says the apostle —

“Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1 ASV)

– The New Covenant Advocate, June 1917

Our Lord further expounded the higher view of marriage than that embodied in the Jewish Law, “by saying—

“And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, {1} except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: {2} and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery. {1) Some ancient authorities read [saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress] as in Mt 5:32. 2) The following words, to the end of the verse, are omitted by some ancient authorities.}” (Matthew 19:9 ASV)

The Sinaitic MS. omits the words “and whoso” to “adultery.” The same thought is, however, expressed in Luke 16: 18, according to the Sinaitic as well as other ancient MSS.
In Mark 10:- 11, the adultery committed in such a case is said to be against the wife put away. The wife is definitely wronged by being put away, and still more definitely wronged if her former husband marries another.
In Mark 10: 12 the same principle is enunciated in regard to a woman who puts away her husband and marries another, though there was, so far as we have found, no provision in the Jewish law sanctioning the putting away of the husband by the wife.
But it is likely it was practised nevertheless, since at times the whole nation fell into a state of apostasy and idolatry, and in morals sank to the level of the heathen round about them.

– The New Covenant Advocate, December 1919

The sap, or spirit, nourishing the vine of the earth, is “earthly, sensual, devilish.” It produces “confusion and every evil work.” (James 3: 15, 16.) Says the apostle Paul (Galatians 5) —

“19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, {1} parties, {1) Gr [heresies]} 21 envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I {1} forewarn you, even as I did {1} forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. {1) Or [tell you plainly]}” (Galatians 5:19-21 ASV)

All this vile fruit is the production of the spirit of the present evil world surging through the vine of the earth. Says another apostle (1 John 2) —

“15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17 ASV)

“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 ASV)

– The New Covenant Advocate,January 1939

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Preceding articles:

Hebraic Roots Bible 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – Flee fornication and be joined to our Master

Nazarene Commentary 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – Flee from Immorality

Gainsayers In Apostolic Days

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Additional reading:

1. Subcutaneous power for humanity 2 1950-2010 Post war generations
2. No time for immorality
3. Disscusion Questions
4. Stronger than anything that wants to destroy
5. To be chained by love for another one

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