THERE have been attempts in the past, on the part of some, to deny the existence of the Youthful Worthies as a class of God’s consecrated, non-spirit begotten people here in the end of the Age. Part of their argument has been based on the denial of Tentative Justification as now operating. Let us first describe the difference between Tentative and Vitalized Justification. In the former God reckons the merit of Christ as imputed to and for a believer, whereas it is not actually so imputed. In the latter God actually had Christ’s merit imputed for and to a believer whose consecration God was about to accept by the begettal of the Spirit. Among others, the following Scriptures prove Tentative Justification: (1 Corinthians 1: 30; 7: 14) (Romans 12: 1; 8: 29, 30) (Leviticus 9: 9, 12, 18). The following, among others, treat of Vitalized Justification: (Hebrews 9: 24; 10: 14) (James 2: 14-26) (1 John 2: 2) (1 Corinthians 6: 11). 

Tentative Justification furnished a basis for the Old Testament Faithful to have such relations with God as resulted in their qualifying for their Millennial rewards and service. Similar results for the Youthful Worthies and the Consecrated Epiphany Campers are now possible from the same kind of Justification. The Scriptures prove that the Ancient Worthies had Tentative, not Vitalized Justification, as the following facts prove: (1) Their justification was of a kind in which the satisfaction of Justice did not take place; (2) that they lived and died under the Adamic sentence; (3) that they were justified to fellowship only; (4) that their trial was of faith and obedience only, proved by Samson’s case especially, and not of love; and (5) that their trial for life, unlike that of the Vitalizedly Justified, who have been tried for life in this life, was not in this life; but is to be in the Millennium (Hebrews 11: 40). None of these five facts have been true of those who were Vitalizedly Justified – the Little Flock and the Great Company.

The Grace Covenant

Upon what basis could God deal with the Ancient Worthies, since their justification was not to life, and they have remained under the Adamic sentence? We answer, God dealt with them by a Grace Covenant (Romans 4: 13-16) (Galatians 3: 18). This Grace Covenant operated toward them as an unconditional promise, made possible through their Tentative Justification (Romans 4: 13-16), in view of the fact that a Ransom would some day satisfy Justice and cancel the Adamic sentence for them. Thus He arranged in their interests as Millennial works: (1) the application of the Ransom as a seal of the New Covenant for the cancellation of their Adamic sentence; (2) their awakening from the dead; and (3) their reward, not everlasting life, for which they must first stand trial, and that under the New Covenant (Hebrews 11: 40), but human perfection and princeship (Hebrews 11: 39, 35) (Psalm 45: 16). The Youthful Worthies and the Consecrated Epiphany Campers likewise have a standing of fellowship with God and a trial of faith and obedience, but not a standing in a trial for life.

What made the Old Testament Faithful available for Ancient Worthiship was Tentative Justification, consecration and faithfulness in their trial of faith and obedience, in view of a future application of the Ransom for them. And what now makes the Unbegotten Consecrated available for Youthful Worthiship and Consecrated Epiphany Campership is the same three things, in view of a future application of the Ransom for them. In other words, through Tentative Justification God has given these three classes, in view of the future application of the Ransom for them, an opportunity to gain a reward that will glorify His name.

No Advocate or Mediator Needed for Non-Spirit Begotten Consecrated

Another argument that has been lodged against the existence of the Youthful Worthies and the Consecrated Epiphany Campers is that no fallen human being can stand before God without a Mediator or an Advocate, hence they reason that there can be no way of qualifying for either class before the New Covenant is in operation; because they are under neither an Advocate nor a Mediator. This argument, however, falls to the ground when we reason that God entered into covenant relation with the Ancient Worthies as such, without a Mediator or Advocate. That covenant relationship was made possible in virtue of their Tentative Justification, which God’s Wisdom planned for, and which His Love gave to them before they would or could obtain the blessings that Divine Justice estopped them from receiving until the Ransom would be applied for them (Hebrews 11: 39, 40). Hence under the same conditions God could have covenant dealings with the Youthful Worthies and the Consecrated Epiphany Campers without an Advocate or Mediator.

The last argument against the existence of the Youthful Worthies and the Consecrated Epiphany Campers that we will consider is that the doctrine of the three Covenants, typed by Abraham’s three wives, forbids there being such classes before the inauguration of the New Covenant; because they are not children of antitypical Sarah or Hagar. True, they are not children of the Sarah, or of the Hagar Covenant; but neither were the Ancient Worthies. This argument is false because certain earthly features of the Oath-Bound Covenant (Genesis 22: 16-18) operated between God and the Ancient Worthies, and is the Covenant that is now operating between God and the Youthful Worthies and the Consecrated Epiphany Campers. It operates now toward these classes because they are “of the faith of Abraham” (Romans 4: 16), and “they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham” (Galatians 3: 9).