p. 5 | The True Israel by J. O. CORLISS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · May 13, 1915

The True Israel

By J. O. CORLISS

The Age-to-Come Doctrine — No. 10

The True Israel

J. O. CORLISS

Pastor Russell freely admits the uselessness of any attempt to harmonize his views of gospel equity with the general ideas held by the Christian world. But he is so sure of his own ground of faith as to aver that no other system of theology even attempts “to harmonize in itself with every statement of the Bible,” while his own scheme, according to his claim, perfectly agrees with every inspired text. See “Studies in the Scripture,” Vol. I, page 348.

This apparent self-satisfied bias is not so strange to those who understand his methods of Scripture interpretation. That his integrity may not suffer reproach, he takes pains to have it distinctly recorded that “whenever a literal interpretation would do violence to reason, and also place the passage in direct antagonism to plain statements of Scripture, such passage should be considered figurative.” See Volume II, page 144. This citation makes it clear that the author believes some Scriptures antagonize others, and that human reason must sit in judgment in any case as to which text must lose its literal meaning in order to harmonize with the other or others with which it appears in conflict.

But does it not seem strange that one who claims so much for his Scripture views, should find such clashing inspired sentiments as to require some of them to be humanly symbolized to constitute a harmonious whole? No Bible student will deny that the precious volume contains symbolic utterances. But for all these inspired prophecies which deal in figurative speech, uniform rules have been established in the Word of God itself by which to apply these expressions. No such definite system, however, is followed by Pastor Russell; for in the simplest and plainest language used by Christ and the apostles, he finds words to which he gives meanings that no rule of interpretation can establish, and which wrest them from the subject of the context—and this simply to make them fit some theory he is trying to establish.

On this point, however, space forbids that more than one example out of many be cited. Pastor Russell concludes that the Adventists are sadly misled when teaching that literal fire will accomplish the destruction of the world. The use made of that word by Peter, it is affirmed, was intended only as a symbol of the renovation of present-day customs in human society. See Volume II, page 162. Yet in Volume I, page 110, when speaking of the burning of Sodom, he there gives the word fire its literal interpretation. The common mind is hardly able to see why the word should be literal in one case and figurative in the other, except it be for some predetermined purpose.

On the other hand, Pastor Russell declines to see anything emblematic in New Testament references to the name of Israel. Dealing with Paul’s treatise on Israel’s blindness, in the eleventh chapter of Romans, he insists that the casting away of that people was but a temporary expedient, until the fulfillment of Gentile opportunities, when that unfortunate nation will again become the heaven-favored people. In other words, he teaches that their limitations are confined only to the time when the bride of Christ has been selected, that is, “when the Deliverer (Head and body) being complete, divine favor will return to fleshly Israel, and the glorious Deliverer will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.”

By this he would teach that the selection of the “bride of Christ” is the choosing of an elect company who will be received by Christ at his coming. These are to constitute the “body of Christ” who will then assist the Master in turning away ungodliness from Jacob in Israel’s second probation. In this way, he says, all Israel will be saved. See Volume I, page 300. But this is not all; for, carrying out this same thought in anticipation, he says, on page 298: “Ultimately every blessing promised to Israel, except those pertaining to the elected classes, will have not only its actual fulfillment in that people, but also its antitypical fulfillment in all the families of the earth.”

If the meaning is apparent on the face of this language, it would be difficult to learn what more the most ardent Universalist could ask to confirm his faith in the complete salvation of the entire race. Of course, in saying so much, it was necessary to explain away the literal rendering of Christ’s words in Luke 13: 24-28, which was quite fully noticed in last week’s paper, under the title of “The Nature of God’s Sealing Work.” But this was supposed to be one of the Scripture statements which do “violence to reason,” and was therefore necessarily made subject to the rule of symbolic interpretation. There is one other text, however, that must have been overlooked in this conclusion about all the families of the earth receiving salvation with Israel in a second probation. It will be remembered that the Saviour spoke of a certain class who would “go away into everlasting punishment,” while the righteous would be enjoying eternal life. Matt. 25: 46. This scripture is so plain that to believe the Bible at all, one is forced to receive this text as meaning just what it says.

But while denying the conclusion reached that fleshly Israel, and “all the families of the earth” with them, are sure of salvation, regardless of their life records, we cheerfully indorse the thought of the apostle that “all Israel shall be saved.” Rom. 11: 26. Yet in considering this statement it is well to study the line of reflection which led to that deduction. This entire chapter, it will be noticed, is given to a lament on account of Israel’s false course, and a direct warning to Gentiles, who have been awarded the privileges discarded by the Israelites in the gospel economy, saying that should the Gentiles pursue a similar course as their predecessors, they, too, will be cut off.

Referring definitely to this fall of Israel from God’s grace, and the adoption of Gentiles to supply the defect, the apostle says that his effort is designed to bring about the possible salvation of some of his lost people. See verses 14, 15. From this it appears that he had no hope of saving all of them. The salvation of even a portion of them would be like bringing the dead to life. They, as former branches of God’s own olive tree, had been broken off, and the Gentiles, being but branches of a previously wild, unfruitful olive, had been grafted onto the original tree in place of the several limbs, and were thus enjoying the fatness of the true olive root, as had before been the pleasure of those now cast off. Being thus made members of the Israelitish body, for purely spiritual considerations alone, they were therefore warned that, as the former members of fleshly Israel had lost their spiritual standing through unbelief, so they, too, would be “cut off” if unbelief were indulged by them.

True, on such ground, discarded Israel might, upon repentance and faith, rejoin the ancient family tree, but otherwise they would forever remain outcasts. So long, indeed, as fullness of time would be granted to the Gentiles, but no longer, blinded Israel would stand on an equal footing with the Gentiles to connect with God’s great family tree, and partake of its life-giving root. However, when the fullness of Gentile times is measured off, then all such hope will forever be gone, because the places made vacant by Israel’s backslidings will have been filled, and those in possession of the positions, whether Jews or Gentiles, will be counted as Israel. Hence, in view of this fact the apostle adds, “And so [after this manner] all Israel shall be saved.”

This would be entirely legitimate because, God being no respecter of persons (Acts 10: 34), he has no higher regard for fleshly Israel than for those of another nation. It was with this in mind that the Lord enlightened Peter to see that “in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” True, certain promises were made to Abraham and his seed, that through these all families of the earth might be blessed. Gen. 12: 3. To this end, Christ died that these promised blessings might come on the Gentiles through him as the Seed of Abraham. Gal. 3: 13-16. So Abraham was to be not only the father of Israel’s fleshly tribes, but also the “father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised.” Rom. 4: 11-13. Gal. 3: 29.

This view not only harmonizes all references to the Abrahamic promises, but obviates, as well, the alleged necessity for fleshly Israel to have a new probationary life at the coming of Christ. Let the Word of the living God be the reader’s meat and drink, rather than fanciful conclusions which are unwarranted by the teachings of Inspiration.