The Watchtower — June 1, 1994

Why Be Interested in Religion?

IN EVERY country on the face of the earth, there is interest in religion. On the other hand, there are also many who say quite frankly that they have no interest in religion. But did they always feel that way?

The human makeup is such that a person is not really content with only material things. Humans need spirituality. Day-to-day existence that is built around obtaining merely physical necessities, with occasional periods of recreation, does not fully satisfy a person’s inmost needs. Unlike animals, humans want to know, ‘What is the purpose of life?’ ‘This brief life, which includes much that is beautiful but also much that is ugly, is this all there is?’ Have you not asked questions like these?

Yet, many millions of people who are alive today grew up in surroundings that discouraged any meaningful interest in religion. That influence may have come from their parents, from teachers, from peers, or even from the government.

Skalabrino, a young man from Albania, explained that under Communist rule the people were taught that there is no God. Furthermore, it was dangerous for them to talk about religion; doing so could lead to imprisonment. Yet, in 1991, when in Switzerland as a refugee, he was given the opportunity to study the Bible. He accepted. Why?

Well, in Albania he had heard that there was such a book as the Bible, but he did not really know anything about it. Thus, at the outset it may not primarily have been a desire to understand the Bible that motivated him. While he was told that he would be studying about God’s purpose for mankind and the earth, he also saw it as an opportunity to improve his use of the local language. Quickly, though, he found that what he was learning satisfied a deep-seated spiritual yearning on his part. His heart was warmed by God’s promise of a new world where peace would prevail, a world in which people could live forever and enjoy an abundance of all the things necessary for life. His interest was heightened when he learned that he and his family could be part of this new world. Unable to keep the good news to himself, he phoned his family back in Albania to share it with them.

Aleksei, who lives in Russia, was also surprised at the effect that accurate knowledge of the Bible could have on a person’s life. Overwhelmed with problems and unable to find a satisfying explanation of the purpose of life, he planned to commit suicide. First, though, he went to Finland to visit a friend. En route on the train, he spoke about his problems to some fellow passengers. Among them was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who urged him to study the Bible because it gives solutions to such problems. He was skeptical. On the return trip, he had a similar experience. This time it was another Witness who spoke up and told him that she used to have the same sort of problems but that the Bible had helped her to overcome these. She too encouraged him to study the Bible. When he arrived home, the phone rang. It was another friend, who was studying with the Witnesses and was very happy. The man was beginning to realize that perhaps the Bible really could provide what he needed, but he knew that without help he could not understand it. He agreed to have a regular home Bible study with Jehovah’s Witnesses, and he began to attend their meetings. It did not take him long to understand why those who mold their lives around what the Bible teaches are so happy, even though they too face problems that are common to mankind.

With insight into the human makeup, Jesus Christ stated: “Man cannot live on bread alone.” (Matthew 4:4, The New English Bible) He also said: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.” (Matthew 5:3) Their happiness comes because they are keenly aware of their need, take proper steps to satisfy it, and experience God’s blessing. However, our spiritual need is not satisfied simply by joining a church or attending some religious services. Religion that is largely ritualistic may have emotional appeal, but does it provide realistic solutions to the problems of life? Even though a religion advocates certain basic precepts that are sound, if it fails to come to grips with the real purpose of life, will it satisfy your spiritual need? Of even greater concern, will practicing such a religion lead to a good relationship with God? Without that, true contentment will be lacking.

In this regard many people are searching for something they have not yet found.

[Picture on page 3]

Will your spiritual needs be truly satisfied by joining a church?

[Picture on page 4]

Many have found that when they understand the Bible, life takes on new meaning

Their Search for the Right Religion

EVER since childhood some people have searched for satisfying answers to their questions about life. When young, they may have attended religious services. But many of them found that neither the answers given nor the church ritual really helped them to cope with the problems of life.

They may say that they still belong to the religion of their parents, although they seldom attend religious services. According to a bishop of the Church of England, theirs is a residual faith. They have put religion on the back burner. Others, disgusted with the hypocrisy that they see in religious circles, have rejected religion altogether. Yet, their questions about life persist.

Why Some Have Serious Doubts

Most people know that many churches have agencies to help the homeless, to distribute food to the unfortunate, and to sponsor cultural events. But almost daily they also hear news reports of violence and bloodshed rooted in religion not only among non-Christians but also among those who profess to be Christians. Should it surprise us if they doubt that groups involved in such violence are practicing the right religion?

Many with a religious background used to think that orphanages sponsored by churches were a fine thing. In recent years, however, they have been appalled as priests in one place after another have been charged with sexually abusing the children put in their charge. At first people thought that only a few priests were to blame. Now some of them wonder whether something is fundamentally wrong with the church itself.

A few, such as Eugenia, were at one time deeply involved in their religion. As a youth in Argentina, she was among those who made pilgrimages to worship the Virgin of Itatí. For 14 years she lived in a convent as a nun. Then she left to become part of an international religiopolitical group that advocated immediate, radical change of the social and economic structures of society by revolutionary means. As a result of what she saw and experienced, she lost faith and confidence in God. She was not really searching for a religion she could believe in. What she wanted was a way to bring justice to those who were poor​—yes, and a friend she could trust.

Others observe what is going on in the churches and have kept their distance. An atheist whose views were published in 1991 in the magazine Sputnik candidly said: “I cannot see any essential difference between the attributes of pagan and Christian mythology.” As an example, he described a procession in which priests in gold-embroidered robes slowly carried a sarcophagus with a mummy through the streets of Moscow. It was the body of “an Orthodox Christian saint” that was being moved from a museum to a church, and it reminded the writer of priests and mummies in ancient Egypt. He recalled, too, that while those sharing in the procession in Moscow believed in “the Christian Trinity,” the Egyptians had also worshiped a triad of gods​—Osiris, Isis, and Horus.

That same writer referred to the Christian concept of love​—“God is love,” and “love thy neighbour”—​as finding no parallel in pagan Egypt. But he observed: “Brotherly love has failed to triumph in the world, even in that part of it which calls itself the Christian world.” And he followed that up with comments about the bad fruitage from the church’s insistence on being involved in affairs of the State. What he saw did not move him to feel that the churches of Christendom offered what he was seeking.

In contrast, others have found satisfying answers but not in Christendom’s churches.

She Learned the Truth About the Dead

Magdalena, who is now 37 years old, lives in Bulgaria. After her father-in-law died in 1991, she was very despondent. Again and again she asked herself, ‘Where do the dead go? Where is my father-in-law?’ She went to church, and she prayed before an icon at home, yet she got no answers.

Then one day a neighbor phoned to invite her to his home. A young man who was studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses was visiting the neighbor. She listened as he spoke about God’s Kingdom and His purpose to make the earth a paradise where people could live forever in happiness. On the table was the book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth. Using it, the young man directed her attention to the Bible text at Ecclesiastes 9:5, which says: “As for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all.” That evening she read more. She learned that the dead have not gone on to another life in heaven or in hell; they are conscious of nothing, as if in a sound sleep. Gladly she accepted the invitation to attend a meeting of the local congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. After the meeting she agreed to a regular study of the Bible. Having observed at the meeting the way that prayers were offered to Jehovah, she too began to pray to Jehovah for help in conquering a deeply ingrained weakness. When her prayer was answered, she knew that she had found the right religion.

They Found Life That Has Meaning

André had grown up in a strongly Catholic home in Belgium and had served as an assistant to the local priest. However, during that time, he saw things that undermined his respect for the church. As a result, he was a Catholic in name only.

For 15 years he had played professional soccer. On one occasion when his team played a tournament in Italy, they were invited to an audience with the pope. There was nothing spiritually upbuilding about that visit, and the worldly wealth that surrounded the pope upset André. His doubts about the church deepened. His own private life was unhappy because of two broken marriages. The world situation frustrated him. In 1989 he wrote in his diary: ‘What is the meaning of all the stupid things going on around us?’ He found no answers from his religion.

In 1990, when André was working as a soccer coach in Iceland, Iiris, a missionary of Jehovah’s Witnesses, contacted him. He accepted literature and invited the missionary to return. She returned with her husband, Kjell. When they finally were able to sit down and talk with André, it was obvious that he was deeply interested in understanding the Bible. His wife, Ásta, shared his interest. In the middle of the day, he had three hours between his coaching sessions, and they decided to use that time for a Bible study. “I feel more refreshed by studying the Bible than by just resting,” he said. Gradually the Bible answered their questions. Slowly their faith in Jehovah and his Kingdom grew. The Bible’s glorious promises of a peaceful new world, a world free from “all the stupid things going on,” became a reality to them. Both André and Ásta are now sharing their newfound faith with others.

Magdalena, André, and Ásta feel confident that they finally found the right religion. Eugenia too, after trying to solve the world’s problems through political means, eventually found among Jehovah’s Witnesses the religion that seemed to her to be the right one. But what is it that really determines whether a religion is the right one? Please see the following material.

[Picture on page 7]

A regular study of the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses is helping over five million people in their search for satisfying answers

Have You Found the Right Religion?

“The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this.”​—JAMES 1:27.

1, 2. (a) In the thinking of many people, what determines whether theirs is the right religion? (b) What ought to be seriously considered in judging religion?

WE LIVE in an era when many people are content to give religion a relatively small corner of their lives. They may attend some religious services, but few do so regularly. Most people do not hold the view that all other religions are wrong and that theirs is right. They may simply feel that their religion is right for them.

² In view of this, does the question, Have you found the right religion? simply mean, Have you found a religion that you like? What determines what you like? Your family? Your associates? Your own feelings? How seriously have you considered God’s view of the matter?

How Can We Know God’s Viewpoint?

3. (a) If we are to know God’s viewpoint, what must be available to us? (b) What questions should we ask as to why we personally believe that the Bible is from God?

³ If we are to know what God himself thinks, then there must be some revelation from him. The Bible is the most ancient book claiming to be inspired of God. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) But can it truthfully be said that this book, in contrast with all others, contains God’s message for all humankind? How would you answer that question, and why? Is it because your parents held that view? Is it because of the attitude of your associates? Have you examined the evidence yourself? Why not do that now, using the following four lines of evidence?

4. As to availability, what indicates that the Bible, rather than some other book, is from God?

⁴ Availability: A message that is truly from God and that is for the entire human family should be available to them. Is that true of the Bible? Consider this: The Bible, the whole or some part, is now published in upwards of 2,000 languages. According to the American Bible Society, nearly a decade ago the languages in which the Bible was printed made it available to some 98 percent of the world’s population. As pointed out by the Guinness Book of World Records, the Bible is by far “the world’s most widely distributed book.” This is what we would expect of a message from God that is meant for people of all races and nations and language groups. (Compare Revelation 14:6.) There is no other book in the world that has a record anything like it.

5. Why is the historical foundation of the Bible significant?

⁵ Historicity: Careful examination of Biblical narratives brings to light another way in which the Bible is distinct from other books that claim to be holy. The Bible contains historical facts, not unprovable legends. Irwin Linton, who as a lawyer was accustomed to analyzing what was required as proof in a court of law, wrote: “While romances, legends and false testimony are careful to place the events related in some distant place and some indefinite time, . . . the Bible narratives give us the date and place of the things related with the utmost precision.” (For examples, see 1 Kings 14:25; Isaiah 36:1; Luke 3:1, 2.) To people who turn to religion not for escape from reality but for truth, this is an important consideration.

6. (a) How does the Bible really help a person with the problems of life? (b) In what three ways does the Bible assist a person to cope with harsh realities?

⁶ Practicality: Those who seriously examine the Bible soon realize that its commands and principles are not designed to exploit them. Instead, these outline a way of life that brings benefit to those who closely adhere to them. (Isaiah 48:17, 18) The comfort that it offers to those in distress is not hollow, based on empty philosophies. Rather, it helps people to cope with the harsh realities of life. How? In three ways: (1) by giving sound counsel on how to deal with difficulties, (2) by explaining how to receive the loving support that God gives to his servants now, and (3) by revealing the marvelous future that God has in store for those who serve him, giving them sound reasons for confidence in his promises.

7. (a) Using scriptures cited in the footnote, explain the Bible’s answer to one of the major issues that concern people today. (b) Show how the Bible’s counsel safeguards us or helps us to cope with a stressful situation.

⁷ Though the Bible’s counsel is frequently not popular among those who reject authority and pursue a life of self-indulgence, many have come to realize that such a life has not brought them genuine happiness. (Galatians 6:7, 8) The Bible gives straightforward answers to questions about abortion, divorce, and homosexuality. Its counsel is a safeguard against drug and alcohol abuse and against contracting AIDS through contaminated blood or sexual promiscuity. It shows us how to have happy families. It provides answers that enable a person to cope with the most stressful situations in life, including rejection by close family members, catastrophic illness, and the death of a loved one. It helps us to discern our priorities so that our lives are filled with meaning instead of regret.a

8, 9. (a) What prophecy impresses you personally as proof of the Bible’s inspiration? (b) What do the prophecies in the Bible prove as to their origin?

⁸ Prophecy: The Bible is unique as a book of prophecy, a book that tells what will occur in the future, and it does so in detail. It foretold the destruction of ancient Tyre, the fall of Babylon, the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the rise and fall of the kings of Medo-Persia and Greece, and numerous events in the life of Jesus Christ. It also foretold in detail world conditions that have developed in this century, and it explains their significance. It shows how the problems that overwhelm human rulers will be solved, and it identifies the Ruler who will bring lasting peace and true security to humankind.b​—Isaiah 9:6, 7; 11:1-5, 9; 53:4-6.

⁹ Significantly, the Bible presents the ability to foretell the future accurately as a test of Godship. (Isaiah 41:1–46:13) The One who can do it or who can inspire others to do it is not a mere lifeless idol. He is not simply a devout human. He is the true God, and the book that contains such prophecy is his Word.​—1 Thessalonians 2:13.

Are All Who Use the Bible Right?

10, 11. As shown by Jesus, although a clergyman may use the Bible, what may make the religion he advocates worthless?

¹⁰ Is it reasonable​—more important, is it Scriptural—​to conclude, then, that all religious groups that profess to use the Bible teach the true religion? Is everyone who carries or quotes the Bible practicing the right religion?

¹¹ Many of the clergy, although they have the Bible, use religion as a means to glorify themselves. They dilute pure truths with traditions and human philosophies. Is their worship acceptable to God? To religious leaders in first-century Jerusalem who were doing just that, Jesus Christ aptly applied God’s declaration through the prophet Isaiah, saying: “This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me. It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.” (Matthew 15:8, 9; 23:5-10) Clearly, religion of that sort is not the true religion.

12, 13. (a) How can the conduct of church members help a person to determine whether theirs is the right religion? (b) How will God view our worship if we choose as associates those whom he rejects? (2 Chronicles 19:2)

¹² What if the fruitage produced by the teachings of certain religions, as manifest in the lives of their members who are in good standing, is rotten? In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned: “Be on the watch for the false prophets . . . By their fruits you will recognize them. . . . Every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit.” (Matthew 7:15-17) It is true that individuals may do wrong and need correction. But the situation is different when church members, even the clergy, indulge in fornication and adultery, fighting, drunkenness, greediness, lying, spiritism, worship of idols​—any or all of these things—​yet no discipline is administered, and those who continue in this course are not excluded from the congregation. The Bible clearly states that those who practice such things should be expelled from the congregation; they will have no place in God’s Kingdom. (Galatians 5:19-21) Their worship is not pleasing to God, nor will our worship please God if we choose as associates those whom he rejects.​—1 Corinthians 5:11-13; 6:9, 10; Revelation 21:8.

¹³ It is clear that not all groups that claim to use the Bible practice the true religion that it describes. What, then, does the Bible set out as identifying marks of the true religion?

Identifying Marks of the True Religion

14. (a) On what are all teachings of the true religion based? (b) How do Christendom’s teachings regarding God and the soul stand up to this test?

¹⁴ Its teachings are based firmly on the inspired Scriptures. “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight.” (2 Timothy 3:16) But where does the Holy Bible speak of Christendom’s Trinity? And where does the Bible teach, as the clergy do, that humans have a soul that survives the death of the physical body? Have you ever asked a clergyman to show you those teachings in your Bible? The New Encyclopædia Britannica states: “Neither the word Trinity nor the explicit doctrine appears in the New Testament.” (1992, Micropædia, Volume 11, page 928) And the New Catholic Encyclopedia admits: “Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective.” (1967, Volume XIV, page 299) As for Christendom’s concept of a soul that separates from the body at death, church scholars admit that they borrowed the idea from Greek philosophy. However, true religion does not set aside Bible truth for human philosophy.​—Genesis 2:7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Ezekiel 18:4; John 14:28.

15. (a) How does the Bible identify the One who alone is to be worshiped? (b) How do true worshipers feel about drawing close to Jehovah?

¹⁵ The true religion advocates worship of only the one true God, Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 4:35; John 17:3) Paraphrasing Deuteronomy 5:9 and De 6:13, Jesus Christ firmly stated: “It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.” (Matthew 4:10) Consistent with that, Jesus made his Father’s name known to his disciples. (John 17:26) Has your religion taught you to worship Jehovah? Have you come to know the Person identified by that name​—his purposes, his activities, his qualities—​so that you feel you can confidently draw close to him? If yours is the true religion, the answer is yes.​—Luke 10:22; 1 John 5:14.

16. What does faith in Christ mean to those who practice the true religion?

¹⁶ An important part of worship that is pleasing to God is faith in his Son, Jesus Christ. (John 3:36; Acts 4:12) This does not mean simply believing that he lived or that he was an outstanding person. It includes appreciation of what the Bible teaches regarding the value of the sacrifice of Jesus’ perfect human life and recognition of his position today as heavenly King. (Psalm 2:6-8; John 3:16; Revelation 12:10) If you are associated with those who practice the true religion, you know that in everyday life they put forth a conscientious effort to obey Jesus, to imitate his example, and to share personally and zealously in the work that he assigned to his disciples. (Matthew 28:19, 20; John 15:14; 1 Peter 2:21) If that is not true of those with whom you worship, you need to look elsewhere.

17. Why are true worshipers careful to keep unspotted by the world, and what does that include?

¹⁷ True worship is not tainted by involvement in politics and worldly conflicts. (James 1:27) Why not? Because Jesus said regarding his followers: “They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.” (John 17:16) Jesus did not meddle in politics, and he restrained his followers from resorting to carnal weapons. (Matthew 26:52) Those who take to heart what God’s Word says ‘do not learn war anymore.’ (Isaiah 2:2-4) If any religion with which you have even a nominal affiliation does not fit that description, it is time to break off ties with it.​—James 4:4; Revelation 18:4, 5.

18. (a) What does John 13:35 identify as an outstanding characteristic of the true religion? (b) How might you help someone to determine which group conforms to John 13:35?

¹⁸ The true religion teaches and practices unselfish love. (John 13:35; 1 John 3:10-12) Such love is not just spoken about in sermons. It actually draws together in genuine brotherhood people of all races, all economic groups, all languages, all nations. (Revelation 7:9, 10) It sets true Christians apart from the world around them. If you have not already done so, attend meetings at a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well as their larger conventions. Watch them as they work together to build one of their Kingdom Halls. Observe how they treat both elderly ones (including widows) and young people (including those who have only one parent or none at all). (James 1:27) Compare what you observe with what you have seen in any other religion. Then ask yourself, ‘Who practices the true religion?’

19. (a) What solution to humankind’s problems does the true religion advocate? (b) What should the members of the group holding the true religion be doing?

¹⁹ The true religion advocates God’s Kingdom as the lasting solution to the problems of humankind. (Daniel 2:44; 7:13, 14; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:4, 5) Do any of Christendom’s churches do that? When is the last time that you heard a clergyman explain God’s Kingdom and what the Scriptures show that it will accomplish? Does the organization to which you belong encourage you to talk to others about God’s Kingdom, and if so, does the membership as a whole share in doing it? Jesus did such witnessing; his early disciples did. You too can have the privilege of sharing in this activity. It is the most important work being done on the face of the earth today.​—Matthew 24:14.

20. In addition to identifying the right religion, what must we do?

²⁰ Though there are thousands of religions, the Bible quickly helps us to cut through the confusion in order to identify the true one. But we need to do more than identify it. It is vital that we practice it. What this involves will be considered at greater length in our next article.

[Footnotes]

How Would You Answer?

◻ In identifying the right religion, whose viewpoint is most important?

◻ What four lines of evidence point to the Bible as God’s Word?

◻ Why are not all religions that use the Bible acceptable to God?

◻ What are six identifying marks of the one right religion?

[Box on page 10]

Jehovah’s Witnesses . . .

◆ Base all their teachings on the Bible.

◆ Worship the one true God, Jehovah.

◆ Live in harmony with their faith in Jesus Christ.

◆ Are not involved in politics and worldly conflicts.

◆ Seek to manifest unselfish love in everyday life.

◆ Advocate God’s Kingdom as the lasting solution to mankind’s problems.

[Picture on page 9]

THE BIBLE​—what indicates that it contains God’s message for all humankind?

Responsibility Goes With Knowing the Right Religion

“Happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!”​—LUKE 11:28.

1. Once they identify the right religion, what kind of people build their lives around it?

IT IS not sufficient simply to identify the right religion. If we are lovers of what is right and true, once we have found it, we will build our lives around it. The true religion is not merely a mental philosophy; it is a way of life.​—Psalm 119:105; Isaiah 2:3; compare Acts 9:2.

2, 3. (a) How did Jesus emphasize the importance of doing God’s will? (b) What responsibility rests upon everyone who knows the right religion?

² Jesus Christ emphasized the importance of doing what God has shown to be His will. In concluding what has come to be known as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made known that not all who addressed him as Lord (thus professing to be Christians) would enter the Kingdom; only those doing the will of his Father would. Others, he said, would be rejected as “workers of lawlessness.” Why lawlessness? Because as the Bible states, failure to do God’s will is sin, and all sin is lawlessness. (Matthew 7:21-23; 1 John 3:4; compare Romans 10:2, 3.) A person may know the right religion, he may commend those who teach it, and he may speak well of those who practice it, but he also has the responsibility to apply it in his own life. (James 4:17) If he accepts that responsibility, he will find that his life will be enriched, and he will experience joy that can come in no other way.

³ In the preceding article, we considered six of the identifying marks of true religion. Each of those not only helps us to identify the right religion but also presents us personally with challenges and opportunities. How so?

How Do You Respond to God’s Word?

4. (a) As newer ones begin to associate with Jehovah’s Witnesses, what do they soon observe as to the Witnesses’ use of the Bible? (b) How does being well fed spiritually affect Jehovah’s servants?

⁴ As Jehovah’s Witnesses study the Bible with newly interested ones, many of these newer ones quickly discern that what is being taught is from the Bible. In answer to their questions, they are not referred to church creeds, to human traditions, or to the opinions of prominent people. God’s own Word is the authority. When they go to the Kingdom Hall, they observe that there too the Bible is the principal textbook. It does not take sincere seekers of truth long to realize that a major factor in the joy that they see among Jehovah’s Witnesses is the fact that they are well fed spiritually from God’s Word.​—Isaiah 65:13, 14.

5. (a) What challenge is presented to those who observe Jehovah’s Witnesses? (b) How can they share in the joy of the Witnesses?

⁵ If you recognize this, how do you react to it? If you get the sense of it, you cannot rightly be simply a passive observer, nor should you want to be. The Bible shows that those who are “hearers only” but not “doers of the word” are ‘deceiving themselves with false reasoning.’ (James 1:22) They deceive themselves because they fail to recognize that regardless of what they may say, their failure to obey God shows that they do not really love him. A profession of faith that is not backed up by works is a dead faith. (James 2:18-26; 1 John 5:3) In contrast, the one who is moved by love for Jehovah to be “a doer of the work” will be “happy in his doing it.” Yes, as Jesus Christ explained, “happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!”​—James 1:25; Luke 11:28; John 13:17.

6. If we truly appreciate God’s Word, what opportunities will we personally endeavor to take hold of?

⁶ That joy will deepen as you grow in knowledge of God’s will and apply the further things that you learn. How much effort will you put forth to study God’s Word? Tens of thousands of individuals who were illiterate have worked hard to learn to read, doing this specifically so that they could read the Scriptures and teach them to other people. Others get up early every morning so that they can spend some time each day reading the Bible and Bible-study helps, such as The Watchtower. As you personally do consecutive reading of the Bible or look up scriptures cited in other study material, take careful note of Jehovah’s laws and commandments, and seek to discern the many principles that are there for our guidance. Meditate on what each portion reveals about God, his purpose, and his dealings with humankind. Allow time for this to mold your heart. Consider whether there are ways in which you can apply the Bible’s counsel more fully in your own life.​—Psalm 1:1, 2; 19:7-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:1.

Is Your Devotion to Jehovah Complete?

7. (a) How has the Trinity doctrine influenced people’s efforts to worship God? (b) What may happen when a person learns the truth about Jehovah?

⁷ To millions of people, it has been a relief to learn that the true God is not a Trinity. The explanation “it is a mystery” never satisfied them. How could they draw close to a God who was incomprehensible? As a result of that teaching, they tended to ignore the Father (whose name they never heard in church) and to worship Jesus as God or to direct their worship to Mary (whom they were taught was the “Mother of God”). But their hearts responded with pleasure when one of Jehovah’s Witnesses opened the Bible and showed them God’s personal name, Jehovah. (Psalm 83:18) A Venezuelan woman was so elated at being shown the divine name that she literally hugged the young Witness who shared that precious truth with her and agreed to have a home Bible study. When such people learn that Jesus spoke of his Father as “my God and your God” and that Jesus addressed his Father as “the only true God,” they realize that what the Bible teaches about God is not incomprehensible. (John 17:3; 20:17) As they come to know Jehovah’s qualities, they feel drawn to him, begin to pray to him, and want to please him. What is the result?

8. (a) Because of their love for Jehovah and their desire to please him, what have millions of persons done? (b) Why is Christian baptism vitally important?

⁸ During the past ten years, 2,528,524 persons on six continents and on scores of islands have dedicated their lives to Jehovah and then symbolized this dedication by water baptism. Were you one of them, or are you now preparing to be baptized? Baptism is an important milestone in the life of every true Christian. Jesus commissioned his followers to make disciples of people of all the nations and to baptize them. (Matthew 28:19, 20) It is also noteworthy that it was immediately following Jesus’ own baptism that Jehovah himself spoke from the heavens, saying: “You are my Son, the beloved; I have approved you.”​—Luke 3:21, 22.

9. To maintain an approved relationship with Jehovah, what is required on our part?

⁹ An approved relationship with Jehovah is something to be cherished. If you have entered into such a relationship by dedication and baptism, avoid anything that would impair it. Do not allow anxieties of life and concern over material things to push it into a secondary place. (1 Timothy 6:8-12) Truly live in harmony with the counsel of Proverbs 3:6: “In all your ways take notice of [Jehovah], and he himself will make your paths straight.”

How Deeply Does Christ’s Love Affect You?

10. Why does our worshiping Jehovah not cause us to ignore Jesus?

¹⁰ Proper appreciation for Jehovah as the only true God, of course, does not cause a person to ignore Jesus Christ. On the contrary, Revelation 19:10 says: “The bearing witness to Jesus is what inspires prophesying.” From Genesis to Revelation, the inspired prophecies provide details regarding the role of Jesus Christ in Jehovah’s purpose. As a person becomes acquainted with those details, a fascinating picture emerges that is free from the distortions and misconceptions that have resulted from Christendom’s false teachings.

11. How did learning what the Bible really teaches about God’s Son affect one woman in Poland?

¹¹ Grasping the truth about God’s Son can have a profound effect on a person. That was the case with Danuta, a woman in Poland. She had been in touch with Jehovah’s Witnesses for eight years, enjoyed what they taught, but was not making true worship her way of life. Then she received a copy of the book The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, which presents the life of Christ in an easy-to-understand manner.a Late in the evening, she opened the book, intending to read just one chapter. Not until dawn, however, when she had completed the book, did she put it down. She burst into tears. “Jehovah, forgive me,” she implored. As a result of what she had read, she saw more clearly than ever before the love shown by Jehovah and his Son. She realized that for eight years she had been ungratefully turning away from the help that God had been patiently extending to her. In 1993 she was baptized in symbol of her dedication to Jehovah on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ.

12. How does accurate knowledge of Jesus Christ affect our lives?

¹² “Accurate knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” is associated with being an active and fruitful Christian. (2 Peter 1:8) To what extent will you have a part in such activity, sharing the Kingdom message with others? The amount that individuals are able to do is affected by many circumstances. (Matthew 13:18-23) Some circumstances we cannot change; others we can. What will motivate us to identify and make the changes that can be made? The apostle Paul wrote: “The love the Christ has compels us”; in other words, the love that he showed in laying down his life in our behalf is so outstanding that as our appreciation for it grows, our own hearts will be deeply moved. As a result, we realize that it would be most unfitting for us to keep on pursuing selfish goals and living largely to gratify self. Instead, we adjust our affairs to give first place to the work that Christ taught his disciples to do.​—2 Corinthians 5:14, 15.

Separate From the World ​—To What Extent?

13. Why should we want no part of a religion that has made itself part of the world?

¹³ It is not difficult to see the record made by Christendom and other religions because they want to be part of the world. Church funds have been used to finance revolutionary activity. Priests have become guerrilla fighters. Day after day, newspapers feature reports about religious factions in various parts of the earth that are fighting one another. Their hands are dripping with blood. (Isaiah 1:15) And worldwide the clergy continue to try to manipulate the political scene. True worshipers have no part in this.​—James 4:1-4.

14. (a) What must we personally avoid if we are going to keep separate from the world? (b) What can help us to avoid being ensnared by worldly attitudes and practices?

¹⁴ But separateness from the world involves more than that. The world is characterized by the love of money and what money can buy, the desire for personal prominence, and an incessant pursuit of pleasure, along with such things as lack of genuine concern for others, lying and abusive speech, rebellion against authority, and failure to exercise self-control. (2 Timothy 3:2-5; 1 John 2:15, 16) Because of our own imperfection, we may at times in some way reflect certain of those traits. What can help us in our struggle to avoid such snares? We need to remind ourselves who is behind all of it. “The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19) No matter how enticing a certain course may appear, no matter how many other people live that way, when we see Jehovah’s chief adversary, Satan the Devil, back of it, we realize how ugly it really is.​—Psalm 97:10.

How Far Does Your Love Reach?

15. How did unselfish love that you observed help you to identify the right religion?

¹⁵ When you first began to associate with Jehovah’s Witnesses, the love manifest among them no doubt appealed to you because of its contrast to the spirit of the world. Emphasis on unselfish love sets the pure worship of Jehovah apart from all other forms of worship. It may be that this is what convinced you that Jehovah’s Witnesses are indeed practicing the right religion. Jesus Christ himself said: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”​—John 13:35.

16. What opportunities may there be for us individually to widen out in our love?

¹⁶ Does that quality also identify you as one of Christ’s disciples? Are there ways in which you can widen out in your showing of love? Without a doubt all of us can. There is more to it than friendliness to others at the Kingdom Hall. And if we were to extend love only to those loving us, how different would we be from the world? “Above all things, have intense love for one another,” the Bible urges. (1 Peter 4:8) Toward whom might we show greater love? Is it a Christian brother or sister whose background is different from ours and whose way of doing certain things irritates us? Is it someone who, as a result of illness or old age, has not been able to attend the meetings regularly? Is it our marriage mate? Or is it, perhaps, our aging parents? Some who were doing well in manifesting the fruits of the spirit, including love, felt as if they were learning these all over again when they were confronted with the very difficult situations that can arise in giving almost total care to a family member who had become severely disabled. Even when faced with these circumstances, of course, our love should also reach beyond our own household.

Kingdom Witnessing​—How Important to You?

17. If we have personally benefited from visits by Jehovah’s Witnesses, what should we now feel moved to do?

¹⁷ An important way in which we show love for our fellowmen is by witnessing to them about God’s Kingdom. Only one group of people is doing this work that Jesus foretold. (Mark 13:10) These are Jehovah’s Witnesses. We have personally benefited by it. Now it is our privilege to help others. If we share God’s view of the matter, this work will be prominent in our lives.

18. How might our reading of the book Jehovah’s Witnesses​—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom influence our own share in Kingdom witnessing?

¹⁸ The thrilling account of how the Kingdom message has been carried to the most remote parts of the earth during these last days is told in the book Jehovah’s Witnesses​—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom. If it is available in your language, do not fail to read it. And as you do, take special note of all the ways in which individuals have shared in giving a witness about the Kingdom. Are there some whose example you can imitate? There are many opportunities open to all of us. May our love for Jehovah move us to make good use of them.

19. How are we benefited when we accept the responsibility that goes with knowing the right religion?

¹⁹ When we thus apply ourselves to the doing of Jehovah’s will, we find the answer to the question, What is the meaning of life? (Revelation 4:11) No longer are we groping, left with a feeling of emptiness. There is no career to which you can devote yourself that will bring greater contentment than will the wholehearted applying of yourself to the service of Jehovah God. And what a grand future it holds out! An eternity of satisfying life in his new world, where we will be able to use our faculties to the full in harmony with the loving purpose for which God created humankind.

[Footnotes]

How Would You Answer?

◻ Why is it vital for a religion to accept the Bible as God’s Word and honor Jehovah as the true God?

◻ What does true religion teach as to Jesus’ role as Ransomer?

◻ Why should Christians keep separate from the world and practice unselfish love?

◻ What role does Kingdom witnessing have in right religion?

[Pictures on page 16]

Baptism is a vital step in accepting the responsibilities of true worship. Each month, some 25,000 worldwide take that step

Russia

Senegal

Papua New Guinea

U.S.A.

[Pictures on page 17]

Sharing Bible truth with others is part of true worship

U.S.A.

Brazil

U.S.A.

Hong Kong

They Set an Example for Us

AS TOLD BY CRAIG ZANKER

For eight years my wife, Gayle, and I have been pioneers, full-time ministers of Jehovah’s Witnesses. For the last six, we have been serving among the Aboriginal population in Australia’s outback. We are simply following the fine example set for us by my parents and grandparents.

LET me tell you especially about my grandparents. We have always affectionately called them Opa and Oma, the Dutch equivalent of grandpa and grandma. My grandpa, Charles Harris, is still serving zealously in Melbourne, where he has lived for nearly 50 years.

Learning Bible Truths

Opa was born in a small town in Tasmania, Australia’s island state. In 1924, when he was 14, his father bought a sailor’s sea chest at an auction. It turned out to be a real treasure chest, spiritually speaking, for it contained a set of books written by the first president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Charles Taze Russell.

Apparently Opa’s father was not especially interested in the books, but Opa began to read them and immediately recognized that they contained vital Bible truths. So he set out to find the International Bible Students, representatives of the book’s publishers who are now known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. He wanted to talk to them so that he could receive further explanations of the Bible truths he was learning.

After many inquiries he found three elderly women who were active in teaching others. They had a tremendous impact on young Charles. Eventually, in 1930, he made a dedication to Jehovah God and was baptized in water. He resigned his job as a butcher and traveled north to Sydney, where he received an assignment as a full-time evangelizer.

Pioneering in Australia

Over the next few years, Charles’ preaching territories included the Sydney seaside suburb of Bondi as well as rural areas in the state of New South Wales. Then he was assigned to Perth, Western Australia, thousands of miles away on the other side of the continent. For six months he witnessed in the business territory of Perth, and then, along with two other pioneers, he was assigned to the wide-open spaces of northwestern Australia.

The preaching assignment of this threesome​—Arthur Willis, George Rollsten, and Charles—​was an area four times the size of Italy! The population was sparse, the countryside barren, and the heat intense. At times it was necessary to travel more than 300 miles [500 km] between ranches, known as cattle stations. The vehicle they used was dilapidated, even by 1930 standards, but they had strong faith and lots of determination.

The narrow, potholed dirt roads were crisscrossed by camel tracks, and here and there the fine dust (called bulldust) concealed dangerous tree stumps. No wonder the car springs often broke. The rear axle fractured on two occasions, and the tires were cut many times. The pioneers often made sleeves from old tires and bolted them with roof bolts to the inside of the existing tires in order to continue their journey.

When I was just a young lad, I asked Opa what encouraged them to keep on going under such difficult conditions. He explained that in their isolation there was a closeness to Jehovah. What was at times a physical hardship, he said, became a spiritual blessing.

Without any hint of superiority or self-righteousness, Opa expressed amazement that so many people seem overly concerned with accumulating material possessions. “Life,” he reminded me, “is far better traversed with as little baggage as possible. If Jesus was willing to sleep under the stars when necessary, then we should be happy to do the same if our assignment requires it.” (Matthew 8:19, 20) And, indeed, he and his companions did.

Invited to a Foreign Field

In 1935, Opa received a new preaching assignment​—to witness to islanders of the South Pacific. With a crew of six others, he sailed on the Watch Tower Society’s 52-foot [16 m] sailboat Lightbearer.

One time, while in the Coral Sea north of Australia, the auxiliary engine of the Lightbearer broke down. There was no wind whatsoever, so they were stranded many miles from land. Although there was danger of shipwreck on the Great Barrier Reef, Opa was impressed by the exquisite serenity. “The sea was like a mill pond,” he wrote in his diary. “I will never forget the setting of the sun each evening on that calm sea. The sight was so beautiful that it is engraved on my memory for all time.”

Happily, before they drifted onto the reef, the wind returned, and they sailed safely under canvas into Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, where they had the engine repaired. From Port Moresby they sailed to Thursday Island and then on to Java, a large island of Indonesia. Opa developed a deep love for this country that has been described as “a string of pearls strung across the equator.” At the time, Indonesia was a Dutch colony, so grandpa learned both Dutch and Indonesian. The literature he offered in his preaching activity, however, was in five languages: Dutch, Indonesian, Chinese, English, and Arabic.

Opa was very successful in placing Bible literature. Once Clem Deschamp, who was in charge of the Watch Tower depot in Batavia (now Djakarta), was called before a Dutch officer who had been closely monitoring our preaching work. “How many people do you have working down there in East Java?” the officer inquired.

“Only one,” replied Brother Deschamp.

“Do you expect me to believe that?” barked the officer. “You must have quite an army of workers down there, judging by the amount of your literature being distributed everywhere!”

Opa feels that was one of the most satisfying compliments of his life. But he surely deserved it, since it was not unusual for him to place between 1,500 and 3,000 pieces of literature each month.

Marriage, a Ban, and War

In December 1938, Opa married a young Indonesian woman named Wilhelmina, who became my grandmother. Oma, or grandma, was kind, gentle, industrious, and soft-spoken. I know, for during my childhood she was my closest friend.

After their marriage Opa and Oma continued their pioneer service together. By then the other crew members of the Lightbearer had either dispersed to other parts of the world or returned home. But Opa had made Indonesia his home, and he was determined to stay.

As World War II approached, the Dutch government ruling Indonesia, and acting under pressure from the clergy, began to place restrictions on the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses, eventually banning our work. So the preaching was done with difficulty, using only the Bible. In almost every town Opa and Oma visited, they were hauled before officials and interrogated. They were treated like criminals. Not long after the ban came, Oma’s brother-in-law was jailed for his stand of Christian neutrality. He died in a Dutch prison.

Opa and Oma lived in a truck with a caravan body built onto it. Using this mobile home, they preached all over Java. In 1940, as the threat of Japanese military invasion loomed, they were blessed with a daughter, who became my mother. They named the baby Victory, after the title of the lecture given two years earlier by the then president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, J. F. Rutherford. They continued pioneering right through the time of the baby’s birth.

Early in 1942, Opa, Oma, and Victory were on a Dutch freighter returning from Borneo when a loud gun blast from a Japanese destroyer was heard. All the lights went out, and people screamed. In this way the war came into my family’s lives. Although they made it back to port safely, the Japanese invaded Java only a few days later, and a Dutch officer disclosed the whereabouts of Opa and Oma to Japanese soldiers.

When the Japanese found them, they were stripped of their possessions, right down to little Victory’s toys, and were taken to two different concentration camps. Victory was allowed to stay with Oma, and Opa did not see them for the next three and a half years.

Life in Concentration Camps

During his internment, Opa was transferred from town to town​—from Surabaja to Ngawi, to Bandung, and finally to Tjimahi. These constant moves were to thwart any attempt of an organized escape plan. The prisoners were mainly Dutch, with a few British and some Australians. While in the camps, Opa learned the barbering trade, a skill he occasionally still employs. The only religious book he was allowed to keep was the Bible​—his King James Version.

Meanwhile, Oma and Victory were also being moved from camp to camp. In these camps women were called upon by the camp commandant to serve outside for “social services.” For some reason, however, Oma was never chosen. Later she learned that the women were taken out to serve as prostitutes for Japanese soldiers.

Since Japanese soldiers did not favor female children, Oma always kept Victory dressed as a boy and kept her hair cut short. The name Victory caused big trouble when the camp commandant wanted to know what the name signified​—Victory for the Imperial Japanese Army or Victory for the Americans?

“Victory for God’s Kingdom over all earthly governments!” my grandmother replied proudly.

As punishment for refusing to say, “Victory for the Imperial Japanese Army,” Oma and her five-year-old daughter were forced to stand straight and at attention for eight hours under the blazing tropical sun. No shade, no water, no sitting, no slouching forward. But with Jehovah’s help they survived this dreadful ordeal.

A year after Oma’s internment, the camp commandant said to her that her husband had died! She sadly placed Opa’s picture in the bottom of her battered suitcase and continued on, despite her grief.

Prison-camp life was hard. Daily rations for each person consisted of one cup [250 cc] of tapioca for breakfast, seven ounces [190 gm] of bread made from sago for lunch, and for the evening meal, one cup [250 cc] of cooked rice in a watery vegetable soup. Because of such meager rations, malnutrition was common, and victims of dysentery died daily.

During Opa’s internment, he suffered from pellagra and nutritional edema (starvation sickness). Oma also nearly died, since she often gave her food to Victory to prevent the little girl from starving to death. Cruelty and starvation became constant companions. They were able to survive only by keeping close to their God, Jehovah.

I remember well one of Opa’s favorite sayings: “Freedom is being in harmony with the Divine One, Jehovah.” Thus, Opa considered himself to be free in a real sense even while enduring harsh imprisonment. The love that he and Oma had for Jehovah certainly helped them to ‘endure all things.’ (1 Corinthians 13:7) That close relationship with God is what Gayle and I now seek to maintain.

Freedom and a Remarkable Reunion

Finally, World War II ended in 1945. Not long after Japan’s surrender, Opa was being transported by train. En route from Djakarta to Bandung, the train was stopped by Indonesian soldiers. Although hostilities with the Japanese had ceased, the Indonesians were fighting to obtain independence from the Dutch. Opa was so surprised to be suddenly taken off the train that he forgot to speak English and instead started speaking in Dutch. To the Indonesians, Dutch was the language of the enemy, and the enemy was to be killed.

Fortunately, while the soldiers were searching Opa, they found his Australian driver’s license, which he had forgotten all about. Happily, the Indonesians were not at war with Australia. To this day, Opa regards the discovery of the license that proved his Australian citizenship as divine intervention, for at that very stop only hours later, those same troops killed 12 Dutchmen who were passing through on the train.

Shortly after this incident, Oma and Victory were waiting for transport from the war-torn regions. As they sat by the roadside, an endless line of trucks carrying soldiers and civilians went by. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, the line came to a halt. Oma happened to glance into the open back of the closest truck, and there, to her astonishment, sat an emaciated man whom she recognized immediately. It was her husband! No words could convey the emotion of their reunion.

Back in Australia

When grandfather returned with his family to Australia in 1946, after living in Indonesia for 11 years, life for them was not easy. They returned as war refugees​—destitute, malnourished, and regarded with suspicion by many locals. Oma and Victory had to bear the full brunt of racial prejudice against Asian immigrants. Opa had to work hard and for long hours to care for his family and provide them with a home. Despite these hardships, they endured and survived with their spirituality intact.

Now, over 48 years later, Opa lives in Melbourne, where he still shares in the house-to-house ministry. He has seen Victory and her children embrace the truth, dedicate their lives to Jehovah, and each, in turn, enter the full-time pioneer service.

Des Zanker, who became my father, and Victory were baptized in the early 1950’s, and Des became a member of the Australia Bethel family in 1958. After he married Victory, who was serving as a special pioneer, they pioneered for a while and then were invited into the traveling ministry. Then I came along, and they had to leave the traveling work to rear me. Yet, after 27 years, Dad is still pioneering.

Early in 1990, Oma died peacefully at home, in the very same house in which my mother was reared. I too was reared in this same Melbourne house, and so were my younger brother and sister. It has been a real blessing for our family to share a house together. Sometimes it was tight quarters, but I cannot remember ever worrying about it. Even during the first four years of our marriage, my wife, Gayle, fitted in there somewhere and loved it. When we finally left for our new assignment, I cried. I had received so much support and love in that house.

Now, though, Gayle and I have cause for abundant joy, for we are able to do what my parents and their parents before them did. When we left home, we found comfort in our reason for going, which was to do Jehovah’s will in the full-time service. We are trying hard to follow the fine example of our faithful forebears, who found similar comfort when working in tough assignments, when in extreme poverty, and even when held for years in Japanese concentration camps.​—2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.

Opa has always found solace in the inspired words of King David to Jehovah: “Your loving-kindness is better than life.” (Psalm 63:3) It has always been my grandfather’s intense desire to enjoy that loving-kindness eternally. It is the desire of his entire family to share it with him.

[Picture on page 21]

Oma and Opa Harris

[Picture on page 23]

Craig Zanker (rear), with his wife, parents, and younger brother and sister

Kingdom Proclaimers Report

God Is Not Partial

OVER 1,900 years ago, the apostle Peter witnessed to the army officer Cornelius, saying: “For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34, 35) Cornelius manifested a fear of God and a love of righteousness. He accepted the witness given by Peter and became a Christian.

The same principle holds true today​—God is not partial. We note this from an experience from Germany. The report says:

“In our congregation’s territory, there is a large Russian army barracks. In 1989, shortly after the Berlin Wall fell, the elders asked if any of the publishers knew the Russian language. Some of us did, and we went to work in this territory, which has proved to be a real joy. The following is one of many experiences.

“I was with an unbaptized publisher (who has since been baptized) when we spoke to a commander. The commander listened to what we had to say and then invited us to speak to his soldiers. He said that they must hear about God and the Bible too, so we made an appointment to come back.

“We asked a sister who speaks Russian fluently to go with us as interpreter. In the clubroom of the barracks, we set up a literature table and were able to speak to 68 soldiers and answer their questions. Afterward they gladly accepted 35 books and nearly 100 magazines. As we left the clubroom, we saw small groups discussing the literature.

“We made an appointment to return on July 4, 1992. Upon our arrival at 10:50 a.m., the guard at the barracks gate told us that the soldiers were expecting us. A major took us into the clubroom, and we found that a lady, who had previously received literature from us for the library, had announced our coming by placing placards in the barracks. Three brothers gave short talks about our worldwide work and showed why we can have confidence in the Bible. Then we entertained questions from the audience, giving answers from the Bible. Among the questions was, What is the position of Jehovah’s Witnesses on military service, and are any of them soldiers? This gave the unbaptized publisher who had accompanied me previously an opportunity to describe his 25-year career in the East German military, the last years as an air-force captain. He related how he had learned about God and the Bible and now wanted to become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The soldiers were impressed by what they heard. Within seven minutes all the literature that we had brought was in the hands of the soldiers, and many wanted Bibles. At a bookstore we were able to obtain seven Russian Bibles, which they appreciated receiving. It was a real joy to give these spiritually hungry ones Bible information, and we hope they will act on it.”

Truly, God is not partial. Through his Word he appeals to honesthearted people whoever and wherever they may be. He invites them to learn of him and his Son, Jesus Christ, and many from all walks of life are doing that.​—John 17:3.

Gilead Graduates Find “More Happiness in Giving”

ON SUNDAY, March 6, 1994, the world headquarters Bethel family of Jehovah’s Witnesses and guests gathered for a festive occasion​—the graduation of the 96th class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. In his introductory comments, program chairman Karl F. Klein, who has served on the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses for nearly two decades, told the 46 students: “Jesus said that there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving. So it will be in your missionary assignment​—the more you give, the happier you will be.”​—Acts 20:35.

Parting Words of Admonition

A series of talks to the students followed. Leon Weaver, a member of the Service Department Committee, developed the theme “Endurance Glorifies Jehovah.” All of us face trials. (2 Corinthians 6:3-5) “When we’re under pressure,” noted Brother Weaver, “it’s so easy to rely on ourselves.” However, he reminded the students: “Whatever you must face in the way of human trials, Jehovah has an interest in it. He will never allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear.”​—1 Corinthians 10:13.

“Always Cherish Your Assignment” was the title of the next talk, given by Lyman Swingle of the Governing Body. The Israelites did not always choose where they would live and what they would do. Each tribe was allotted a portion of land, and the Levites were assigned specific duties to perform. Similarly, many in special full-time service today​—such as missionaries and Bethel family members—​do not decide for themselves where they will live and what work they will do. What if one experiences feelings of uncertainty about one’s assignment? “If you look intently at the Chief Agent of our faith, Jesus, and consider his example closely, you will not give out,” said Brother Swingle.​—Hebrews 12:2, 3.

Leonard Pearson, of the Watchtower Farms Committee, followed with the subject “Remain Focused.” He said: “You can have the best camera, the most beautiful subject, an ideal setting, and still get poor results​—if your camera is not in focus.” Like a wide-angle lens, our view must include the worldwide preaching being done. We should never lose sight of the big picture. “Those who focus on themselves will be unhappy in their assignments,” said Brother Pearson. “Those who focus on Jehovah and on the work he has given them to do will succeed.”

“So Much to Be Thankful For” was the title of the next talk, given by John E. Barr, another member of the Governing Body. “Never lose your feeling of thankfulness to Jehovah,” Brother Barr admonished the students. “It is one of the greatest sources of contentment, no matter what assignment you have.” A thankful attitude impelled David to write: “The measuring lines themselves have fallen for me in pleasant places. Really, my own possession has proved agreeable to me.” (Psalm 16:6) “You have such a treasured possession in feeling close to Jehovah in your daily life,” said Brother Barr. “Jehovah will never take that relationship away from you as long as you keep looking upon it as something very agreeable that you are thankful for.”

Gilead instructor Jack Redford was next to speak, on the theme “How Will You Use Your Tongue?” What wreckage thoughtless speech can cause! (Proverbs 18:21) How can the tongue be brought under control? “You must first train your mind,” answered Brother Redford, “because the tongue reflects the mind and the heart.” (Matthew 12:34-37) Jesus provided a sterling example; he used his tongue to magnify Jehovah’s name. “Today there is a famine for hearing the words of Jehovah,” Brother Redford told the class. “You know those words. You have ‘the tongue of the taught ones.’ So always let your tongue be guided by a mind and a heart that are fully dedicated to Jehovah.”​—Isaiah 50:4.

The importance of prayer was stressed in the talk “Are You Walking as in Jehovah’s Presence?” Ulysses Glass, registrar of the school, noted: “If a father worked hard to support his family but never spoke to them and never made expressions of endearment, his family might well conclude that his motive was one of unpleasant duty rather than love. So it is with us. We may be busy in God’s service. But if we do not pray, then we are merely dedicated to a work rather than to a loving heavenly Father.”

Theodore Jaracz, of the Governing Body, spoke on the theme “Why Multitudes Are Associating With God’s People.” Each year hundreds of thousands flock to Jehovah’s organization. (Zechariah 8:23) What identifies Jehovah’s Witnesses as God’s people? First, they accept the entire Bible as God’s Word. (2 Timothy 3:16) Second, they are politically neutral. (John 17:16) Third, they bear witness to God’s name. (John 17:26) Fourth, they display self-sacrificing love. (John 13:35; 15:13) With these credentials, we can boldly ‘declare abroad the excellencies of the one that called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.’​—1 Peter 2:9.

After these stirring talks, all 46 students received diplomas. They are assigned to 16 lands around the globe.

A Varied Afternoon Program

In the afternoon an abbreviated Watchtower Study was conducted by Donald Krebs of the Bethel Committee. Then the graduates presented a program entitled “Wisdom Keeps Crying Aloud in the Very Street.” (Proverbs 1:20) They reenacted rewarding experiences that they had had in both street and business witnessing. Truly, Jehovah blesses those who muster up courage to preach informally. “I like to think of us as sickles in the hands of angelic reapers,” said one graduate. “The sharper our skills, the more work those angels can use us to do.” (Compare Revelation 14:6.) The student program also included a slide presentation that took the audience on an educational tour of Bolivia, Malta, and Taiwan​—three of the lands to which graduates from this class have been sent.

Next, Wallace and Jane Liverance​—missionaries for 17 years—​were interviewed. In October 1993 they were invited to Watchtower Farms, where Brother Liverance now serves as one of the Gilead instructors.

A four-scene presentation followed, entitled “Honoring Worthy Ones in Their Older Years.” As people age, fears of becoming useless and abandoned may gnaw at their self-confidence. (Psalm 71:9) This touching presentation showed how all in the congregation can support such faithful older ones.

After a closing song and prayer, all 6,220 in attendance at the Jersey City Assembly Hall and satellite halls felt refreshed. Our prayers are with the graduates in their new assignments. May they continue to experience the greater happiness that comes from giving.

[Box on page 26]

Class Statistics

Number of countries represented: 9

Number of countries assigned to: 16

Number of students: 46

Average age: 33.85

Average years in truth: 16.6

Average years in full-time ministry: 12.2

[Box on page 27]

Spotlight on Malta

CHRISTENDOM muzzled Bible truth in Malta for many years. The last Gilead missionaries to be sent there, Frederick Smedley and Peter Bridle, graduated from the eighth class back in 1947. However, they were arrested and expelled from Malta shortly after they arrived. The 1948 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses reports: “These two missionaries have spent as much time in the courts and with the officials of the land as they have in performing their ministerial duties, just because of the opposition of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. The priests say that Malta belongs to the Catholics and everyone else must get out.” Now, some 45 years later, four missionaries from the 96th class of Gilead have been assigned to Malta.

[Picture on page 26]

96th Graduating Class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead

In the list below, rows are numbered from front to back, and names are listed from left to right in each row.

(1) Ehlers, P.; Giese, M.; Sellman, S.; Zusperregui, J.; Rowe, S.; Jackson, K.; Scott, T. (2) Liehr, T.; Garcia, I.; Garcia, J.; Fernández, A.; Davidson, L.; Liidemann, P.; Gibson, L.; Juárez, C. (3) Fouts, C.; Pastrana, G.; Claeson, D.; Fernández, L.; Walls, M.; Dressen, M.; Pastrana, F.; Burks, J. (4) Burks, D.; Scott, S.; Jackson, M.; Mauray, H.; Juárez, L.; Zusperregui, A.; Brorsson, C.; Rowe, C. (5) Sellman, K.; Liidemann, P.; Davidson, C.; Mauray, S.; Walls, D.; Dressen, D.; Schaafsma, G.; Liehr, S. (6) Claeson, T.; Gibson, T.; Giese, C.; Ehlers, D.; Fouts, R.; Schaafsma, S.; Brorsson, L.

“Jesus Christ Is Lord”​—How and When?

“THE LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” This is the translation of Psalm 110:1 according to the King James Version. Who is “the LORD” here, and to whom is he speaking?

A more accurate translation of the Hebrew text quickly answers the first question. “The utterance of Jehovah to my Lord is: . . . ” Thus, “LORD” in capital letters refers to the almighty God, Jehovah himself. Although the King James Version acknowledges the divine name by using “LORD” as opposed to “Lord,” it was not the first to confuse these titles, for the ancient Greek Septuagint, translated from the Hebrew, used “Lord” for Jehovah in its later copies. Why? Because the title “Lord” was substituted for the divine name, the Tetragrammaton (יהוה). Says scholar A. E. Garvie: “Use of the title Lord [kyʹri·os] is most easily and probably explained from the use of that title in the Jewish synagogue instead of the covenant name Yahveh [Jehovah], when the Scriptures were being read.”

The Bible identifies Jehovah as the “Sovereign Lord.” (Genesis 15:2, 8; Acts 4:24; Revelation 6:10) He is also called “the true Lord” and “the Lord of the whole earth.” (Exodus 23:17; Joshua 3:13; Revelation 11:4) Who, then, is the other “Lord” of Psalm 110:1, and how did he come to be recognized as “Lord” by Jehovah?

Jesus Christ as “Lord”

Jesus is addressed as “Lord” in the four Gospels, most often in Luke and John. In the first century C.E., the title was one of respect and courtesy, equivalent to “Sir.” (John 12:21; 20:15, Kingdom Interlinear) In Mark’s Gospel the term “Teacher,” or Rab·boʹni, is used more frequently in addressing Jesus. (Compare Mark 10:51 with Luke 18:41.) Even Saul’s question on the road to Damascus, “Who are you, Lord?” had this same general sense of polite inquiry. (Acts 9:5) But as Jesus’ followers came to know their Master, it is apparent that their use of the title “Lord” expressed much more than simple respect.

Following his death and resurrection but before his ascension to heaven, Jesus appeared to his disciples and made this startling announcement: “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth.” (Matthew 28:18) Then, on the day of Pentecost, under the influence of the poured-out holy spirit, Peter referred to Psalm 110:1 and said: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you impaled.” (Acts 2:34-36) Because of his faithfulness to the point of an ignominious death on a torture stake, Jesus was resurrected and given the highest reward. He then entered into his lordship in the heavens.

The apostle Paul confirmed Peter’s words when he wrote that God had “seated him [Christ] at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above every government and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this system of things, but also in that to come.” (Ephesians 1:20, 21) Jesus Christ’s lordship is above all other lordships, and it will continue on into the new world. (1 Timothy 6:15) He was exalted to “a superior position” and given “the name that is above every other name” so that everyone should acknowledge “that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11) The first part of Psalm 110:1 was thus fulfilled, and “angels and authorities and powers” were subject to Jesus’ lordship.​—1 Peter 3:22; Hebrews 8:1.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the expression “Lord of lords” applies only to Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:2, 3) But Peter under inspiration said of Christ Jesus: “This One is Lord of all others [or, “Lord of us all,” Goodspeed].” (Acts 10:36) He is indeed “Lord over both the dead and the living.” (Romans 14:8, 9) Christians readily acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Lord and Owner and willingly show him obedience as his subjects, bought with his most precious blood. And Jesus Christ has ruled as King of kings and Lord of lords over his congregation since Pentecost 33 C.E. But now, since 1914, he has been given kingly authority to rule in that capacity with his enemies placed as a ‘stool for his feet.’ The time was now ripe for him to ‘go subduing in the midst of them,’ all in fulfillment of Psalm 110:1, 2.​—Hebrews 2:5-8; Revelation 17:14; 19:16.

How, then, are Jesus’ words “all things have been delivered to me by my Father,” spoken before his death and resurrection, to be understood? (Matthew 11:25-27; Luke 10:21, 22) This is not such a sweeping statement as those already discussed. In both Matthew and Luke, the context reveals that Jesus was talking about knowledge hidden from worldly-wise ones but revealed through him because he “fully knows” the Father. When he was baptized in water and begotten as a spiritual Son of God, Jesus was able to recall his prehuman existence in heaven and all the knowledge that went with it, but this was something different from his later lordship.​—John 3:34, 35.

Distinguishing Jesus Christ as Lord

Some renderings of the Christian Greek Scriptures present a problem when translating quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures that clearly refer to the “LORD,” Jehovah God. Compare, for example, Luke 4:19 with Isaiah 61:2 in either the King James Version or The New Jerusalem Bible. Some people maintain that Jesus took over the title “Lord” from Jehovah and that Jesus in the flesh was really Jehovah, but this is a contention for which there is no Scriptural support. Jehovah God and his Son, Jesus Christ, are always carefully distinguished from each other in Scripture. Jesus made known his Father’s name and represented him.​—John 5:36, 37.

In the following examples, note the quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures as they appear in the Greek Scriptures. Jehovah God and his Anointed One, or Messiah, are both mentioned at Acts 4:24-27, which quotes from Psalm 2:1, 2. The context of Romans 11:33, 34 is clearly referring to God, Source of all wisdom and knowledge, with a quotation from Isaiah 40:13, 14. Writing to the Corinthian congregation, Paul repeats the quotation, “Who has come to know the mind of Jehovah?” and then adds: “But we do have the mind of Christ.” The Lord Jesus revealed to his followers Jehovah’s mind on so many important matters.​—1 Corinthians 2:16.

Sometimes a text in the Hebrew Scriptures refers to Jehovah, but by virtue of His delegation of power and authority, it is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Psalm 34:8, for example, invites us to “taste and see that Jehovah is good.” But Peter applies this to the Lord Jesus Christ when he says: “Provided you have tasted that the Lord is kind.” (1 Peter 2:3) Peter takes a principle and shows how it is true also of Jesus Christ. By taking in knowledge of both Jehovah God and Jesus Christ and acting upon it, Christians can enjoy rich blessings from both the Father and his Son. (John 17:3) Peter’s application does not make the Sovereign Lord Jehovah one person with the Lord Jesus Christ.​—See footnote to 1 Peter 2:3.

The relative positions of Jehovah God and his Son, Jesus Christ, are made very clear by the apostle Paul when he says: “There is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are, and we through him.” (1 Corinthians 8:6; 12:5, 6) Writing to the Christian congregation in Ephesus, Paul identified the “one Lord,” Jesus Christ, as being quite distinct from the “one God and Father of all persons.”​—Ephesians 4:5, 6.

Jehovah Supreme Over All

Since the year 1914, the words of Revelation 11:15 have proved true: “The kingdom of the world did become the kingdom of our Lord [Jehovah God] and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.” The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Volume 2, page 514) says: “When Christ has overcome every power (1 Cor. 15:25), he will submit himself to God the Father. Thus Jesus’ lordship will have achieved its goal and God will be all in all (1 Cor. 15:28).” At the end of his Millennial Reign, Christ Jesus hands back to his Father, Almighty God, the power and authority previously delegated to him. Hence, all glory and worship are rightly given to Jehovah, “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ.”​—Ephesians 1:17.

Although Jesus is now Lord of lords, he is never called God of gods. Jehovah remains supreme over all. In this way, Jehovah will be “all things to everyone.” (1 Corinthians 15:28) Jesus’ lordship gives him his rightful place as Head of the Christian congregation. Though we may see many powerful “lords” in high places in this world, we keep our confidence in the one who is Lord of lords. Yet, Jesus Christ, in his high and elevated position, still remains subject to his Father, “that God may rule over all.” (1 Corinthians 15:28, The Translator’s New Testament) What a fine example of humility Jesus has set for his disciples to follow, even as they acknowledge him as their Lord!

[Box on page 30]

“When the writers of the New Testament speak of God they mean the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. When they speak of Jesus Christ, they do not speak of him, nor do they think of him as God. He is God’s Christ, God’s Son, God’s Wisdom, God’s Word. Even the Prologue to St. John, which comes nearest to the Nicene Doctrine, must be read in the light of the pronounced subordinationism of the Gospel as a whole; and the Prologue is less explicit in Greek with the anarthrous [the·osʹ] than it appears to be in English.”​—“The Divinity of Jesus Christ,” by John Martin Creed.

Attend the “Godly Fear” District Convention!

Have you made plans yet to attend the 1994 “Godly Fear” District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses? Surely, you will benefit by being present all three days! With over 165 conventions scheduled in the United States alone, likely a convention will be held near where you live.

Certain fear can undermine courage and destroy hope; however, Friday morning’s keynote address will define godly fear and describe its many benefits. Indeed, the entire convention program will highlight these benefits.

Friday afternoon you will hear how godly fear can strengthen marriage and family life, as well as how it can help young ones remain steadfast in their loyalty to God. The afternoon session will conclude with the heartwarming presentation “Comfort for the Bereaved.” You will appreciate the practical information provided during that talk to help those who have lost loved ones in death.

Saturday’s program will show how godly fear can fortify our adherence to Jehovah’s direction regarding the congregation and our ministry. In the talk “Read God’s Word, the Holy Bible, Daily,” delegates will receive practical suggestions for reading and studying the Bible. Saturday’s program will conclude with the address on the interest-arousing theme “Jehovah’s Fear-Inspiring Day Is Near.”

A feature of Sunday’s program is the talk “There Will Be a Resurrection of the Righteous.” In the following discourse, “Saved Alive Through the Great Tribulation,” an explanation will be provided of Jesus’ marvelous promise regarding those who will never die at all.​—John 11:26.

Sunday morning’s session will conclude with the thought-provoking 40-minute drama entitled The Choices You Face. The audience will be brought back to Joshua’s day and will see portrayed his firm resolve to serve Jehovah. The fire test in the days of Elijah will also be presented, and lessons will be drawn from both these events that will help delegates demonstrate godly fear today. In the afternoon, the public discourse, “Why Fear the True God Now,” will be a convention highlight.

Make plans now to attend. To find the location nearest your home, contact the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses or write the publishers of this magazine. The June 8 issue of Awake! will also list the addresses of all convention locations in the United States, Canada, Britain, and Ireland.

[Picture Credit Line on page 32]

T. Rosenthal/​SUPERSTOCK

Would You Welcome a Visit?

Even in this troubled world, you can gain happiness from accurate Bible knowledge of God, his Kingdom, and his wonderful purpose for mankind. If you would welcome further information or would like to have someone call to conduct a free home Bible study with you, please write to Watchtower, 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York 11201, or to the appropriate address listed on page 2.