Speaking truth in 😍 love

Speaking the truth in love … grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ—Eph. 4: 15.

THE Truth is always to be spoken humbly and lovingly, but nevertheless fearlessly. Those who are true disciples of Jesus Christ "walk in the light, as he is in the light." "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked" (1 John 1:7; 2:6; Eph. 5:8).

Thus they become "established in the present truth" (2 Pet. 1:12; Col. 2:7), and enjoy the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to those who really believe on Him and hold to His Word of Truth: "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31, 32). 

As we study God's Word and are thus enabled more and more to renounce Satan's errors and to come into the unity of the faith, we are activated by God's holy Spirit and desire to share the beauties of God's great Plan of salvation with others. God tells us "He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully" (Jer. 23:28). The true servant of God is not at liberty to preach anything but the Truth. If he is a professed minister of the Gospel when the Truth reaches him, he is not to continue to preach error just because the congregation he is serving does not want the Truth.

Such a faithful servant of God by his uncompromising attitude most likely would lose his standing and his honor among men. But all this is not to be considered, for he would gain instead the greater favor and blessing of the Lord.

In order to be a servant pleasing to the Lord, one who can be effectively used of Him, one must speak the Truth in love. When one has just entered the family of God, less should reasonably be expected of him than after he has been for some time in the family. We as God's children are to grow in the likeness of our dear Elder Brother, our Pattern, our Head (Rom. 8:29). We are to "grow up into him in all things." We are to recognize that He is the Head of the Church, and that if we are to conform our lives to Him, we must be developed along the lines of His character and example. 

People can't change the truth but the truth can change people.

LEVITES - TYPE AND ANTITYPE

My dear Brethren; –  Grace and peace through our Beloved Master!

“And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of the firstborn among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine.... I am the Lord” – Num. 3:12,13. With this terse statement by Jehovah God was laid the foundation for the first system of an organized religious system for God's faithful people. Previously, the head of each house was mainly his own priest; he built his altars, and offered his own sacrifices for himself and for his house. (See Gen. 22:9) But, with the call of the Levites things would be decidedly differ­ent; and as time developed the religious routine did indeed become most pronouncedly different.

As all Bible Students know, the Levites were the descendants of Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob –  the “thirteenth” tribe of Israel. This oddity developed when they were called out from among their brethren to perform the various services of the newly‑formed religious system that was to regulate them after their deliver­ance from bondage in Egypt. Thenceforth, the names of Joseph and Levi were no longer counted among the twelve tribes, these two having been supplanted by the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh. Here comes the logical query, Why were the Levites thus chosen and separated out from among the other tribes? The episode in Ex. 32:25-­29 may give us the answer: “When Moses saw that the people were naked... then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him .... Moses said, Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord (margin).” But now that the Levites had been separated from their brethren, they in turn experienced a distinct cleav­age into priests and Levites. “Thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death,” the Lord had told Moses (Num. 3:10 – see also Num. 18:1‑8). Then in turn Aaron's house was given two clear separations – Aaron the high priest, and his four sons, Eleazar, Ithamar, Nadab and Abihu, as the underpriests (Ex. 28:1‑2). Each of these had their specialized services to perform; and the rebellion of Nadab and Abihu from their proper place had brought about their death (Lev. 10:1‑8), leaving then but two underpriests, Eleazar and Ithamar, the elder of which was to advance to the office of high priest as a matter of succession, and the same with his eldest son after him – much the same as the kingship in England and other monarchies. None of the Levites –  Priests or lesser Levites – were to have any inheritance in Canaan land when Israel took over there: “Unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance.” (Josh. 13:33)

Just how pronounced was the distinction between priests and lesser Levites is set forth in Num. 3:9: “Thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons; they are wholly given unto him.” (See also Num. 8:19) When we consider the service of the Tabernacle and all the ceremonial features related thereto, it becomes clearly apparent that it would have been impossible for Aaron and his sons to perform even a small part of it; thus, the necessity for the help of the lesser Levites – a point that will have consideration in viewing the antitype of this arrangement.

Were the six days of creation literal days of twenty-four hours each

The word "day" as used in the Scriptures, signifies a fixed period of time. We read of a forty year day; "the day of temptation in the wilderness." (`Heb. 3:8,9`.) Again, we have the Scriptural statement that "One day with the Lord is as a thousand years." (`2 Pet. 3:8`.) A year is frequently spoken of as a day; as, "I have appointed thee each a day for a year." (`Eze. 4:6`.) Furthermore the entire Gospel Age is called "The day of salvation." –`2 Cor. 6:2`. When considering the statements of Genesis respecting the six creative Days or periods, or epochs, we should not limit our thoughts to a twenty-four hour day, but examine the subject and see what period of time is signified.