THE CHRIST OF THE FUTURE-KINGDOM ADVOCATES
One of the great evils of the future-kingdom advocates is their idea as to the Christ. When I first read Pastor Russell’s idea of the Christ, I was astonished, but later I found that others had adopted his idea. Mr. Russell says: “Thus the saints of the gospel age are an anointed company—anointed to be kings and priests unto God (2 Cor. 1:21; 1 Pet. 2:9); and together with Jesus, their chief and Lord, they constitute Jehovah’s Anointed—the Christ.” (“The Divine Plan of the Ages,” pages 81, 82.) Also “The Christ includes all anointed of the Spirit.” Now note the following from “The Book of Revelation,” by R. H. Boll: “That the man-child of chapter 12:5 is none other than the Christ; but not the individual Christ alone, but his body, the church, also, seen as connected with him.” Page 44: “This mystic man-child is not simply the Child that was born at Bethlehem, but the Christ as including both himself, the head, and the church, his spiritual body, which is one with him.” In the estimation of these writers the Christ is composed of Jesus and the church. If a person espouses that theory, he should make his confession as comprehensive and extensive as his faith. If he says, “I believe that Jesus is the Christ,” his confession is not full. To fully confess his faith in the Christ, he must say: “I believe that Jesus and his church is the Christ.” That is evident to any one who will read carefully what these writers say. Read the quotation again. Now, shall we revise our confession to make it fit this future-kingdom idea?