1, 2. How can Romans 5:12 help us?

ROMANS 5:12 says: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” This is one of the verses we know very well and one we often use when we teach people about the Bible.

² That verse is used many times in the books What Does the Bible Really Teach? and What Can the Bible Teach Us? When we study chapters 3, 5, and 6 with our children and others, we will likely read Romans 5:12. We might use this verse to help them understand why the earth is not a paradise, why we need the ransom, and why we die. But this verse can also help all of us to deepen our gratitude for our relationship with Jehovah. It can help us to be more determined to please him and to keep looking forward to the things he has promised us.

3. What must we remember about our situation?

³ Sadly, we are all sinners. We make mistakes every day. But Jehovah is merciful. He knows that we are imperfect, and he is willing to forgive us. (Psalm 103:13, 14) Jesus told us that we must ask God to forgive our sins. (Luke 11:2-4) When Jehovah forgives mistakes we made in the past, we do not have to keep thinking about them. Let us examine how Jehovah is able to forgive us.

HOW JEHOVAH CAN FORGIVE US

4, 5. (a) What helps us to understand Romans 5:12? (b) What does “undeserved kindness” mean?

⁴ The book of Romans, especially chapter 6, helps us to understand how Jehovah can forgive our sins. In chapter 3, we learn that “all have sinned.” Then Paul explains: “It is as a free gift that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness through the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23, 24) The Greek word here translated “undeserved kindness” gives the idea of doing something very kind without expecting anything in return, something unearned and unmerited.

⁵ One scholar explained that the Greek word often refers to what God and Christ have done to save mankind from sin and death. So the New World Translation in English translates this Greek word “undeserved kindness.” Let us see what God has done for us and how his undeserved kindness benefits us now and gives us a hope for the future.

6. Who can benefit from God’s undeserved kindness, and how?

⁶ Because Adam sinned, sin and death have affected every imperfect human who has ever lived. That is why the Bible says that “by the trespass of the one man death ruled as king.” But Jehovah showed great undeserved kindness and provided a way to rescue all mankind by means of “the one person, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:12, 15, 17) “Through the obedience of the one person many will be made righteous.” And they can look forward to “everlasting life through Jesus Christ.”​—Romans 5:19, 21.

7. Why was God’s gift of the ransom both kind and undeserved?

⁷ Think about this: Jehovah did not have to give his Son as a ransom. But he showed great kindness by providing a means to save us from sin and death. None of us deserve what God and Jesus did for us. How grateful we are that they have made it possible for us to be forgiven and to live forever! May we show God how thankful we are by the way we live our life.

THANKFUL FOR GOD’S UNDESERVED KINDNESS

8. What attitude must we reject?

⁸ We know that God is willing to forgive sins, even serious ones. But we should never use Jehovah’s undeserved kindness as an excuse to do something wrong and think, ‘Jehovah will forgive me.’ In the first century, even while some of the apostles were still alive, there were some Christians who had that attitude. (Read Jude 4.) Today, we need to be careful that we are not influenced by others and little by little begin to think that way.

9, 10. How were Paul and others set free from sin and death?

⁹ Paul told Christians that it would be wrong to think that if they continued sinning, God would still forgive them. Paul said that they should reject this thinking because they had “died with reference to sin.” (Read Romans 6:1, 2.) What did he mean?

¹⁰ By means of the ransom, God forgave the sins of Paul and other Christians in the first century. Jehovah anointed them with holy spirit to be his sons. If they remained faithful, they would live in heaven and rule with Christ. Since they were still alive on earth, though, how had they “died with reference to sin”? Paul used a comparison to show that their way of life had changed completely. He said that after Jesus died, he was resurrected as an immortal spirit. That is why death was “no longer master over him.” In a similar way, it was as if the Christians too had died. Their lives had changed completely because they no longer allowed their sinful desires to control them. From then on, they did their best to live in a way that pleased God. They were “dead with reference to sin but living with reference to God by Christ Jesus.”​—Romans 6:9, 11.

11. How have Christians today “died with reference to sin”?

¹¹ What about us? How have we “died with reference to sin”? In the past, we may have done many wrong things without realizing how Jehovah viewed our actions. We were like “slaves to uncleanness and lawlessness,” that is, “slaves of sin.” (Romans 6:19, 20) But when we learned from the Bible how God wants us to live, we made changes in our lives, dedicated ourselves to him, and got baptized. We had a strong desire to obey Jehovah and to live in a way that would please him. We “were set free from sin,” and we “became slaves to righteousness.”​—Romans 6:17, 18.

12. What choice does each of us have to make?

¹² Yet, we still have a choice. Paul said: “Do not let sin continue to rule as king in your mortal bodies so that you should obey their desires.” (Romans 6:12) Either we can give in to our sinful thoughts and desires or we can control them. Ask yourself: ‘Do I let my wrong desires grow so strong that I do what is bad? Or do I reject them immediately?’ If we are deeply grateful for God’s undeserved kindness, we will do our best to please him.

YOU CAN FIGHT SIN

13. Why can we be confident that we can do what is right?

¹³ In the first century, some people in Corinth who were thieves, homosexuals, adulterers, idolaters, and drunkards came to know and love Jehovah, and they changed. They felt ashamed of what they used to do. (Romans 6:21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Christians in Rome also needed to make similar changes. Paul told them: “Neither go on presenting your bodies to sin as weapons of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, also your bodies to God as weapons of righteousness.” (Romans 6:13) Paul was sure that they could do what was right and continue to benefit from God’s undeserved kindness.

14, 15. What should we ask ourselves?

¹⁴ It is similar today. Some of our brothers and sisters may have lived like those in Corinth. But after coming to know Jehovah, they changed. It was as if they were washed clean. To please Jehovah, all of us made changes in our lives. Even now we want to show that we are grateful for God’s undeserved kindness. So we are determined to fight our wrong desires and use our lives to serve Jehovah.

¹⁵ Of course, we must avoid committing the serious sins that some in Corinth had committed. We cannot keep doing such things and at the same time expect God to show us his undeserved kindness and forgive us. But what about sins that some may consider to be less serious? Are we determined to do our best to obey Jehovah in everything?​—Romans 6:14, 17.

16. How do we know that we must avoid sins that are not mentioned at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11?

¹⁶ Think of the apostle Paul. He wrote: “I am fleshly, sold under sin. For I do not understand what I am doing. For I do not practice what I wish, but I do what I hate.” (Romans 7:14, 15) Although he was not doing the things mentioned at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul admitted that he still sinned. He wanted to please Jehovah, so he fought against doing wrong things. (Read Romans 7:21-23.) May we imitate his example and do all we can to be obedient to Jehovah.

17. Why do you want to be honest?

¹⁷ For example, we know that to serve Jehovah we must be honest. (Read Proverbs 14:5; Ephesians 4:25.) We do not want to be like Satan, who is “the father of the lie.” And we remember that Ananias and his wife died because they lied. So we do not lie. (John 8:44; Acts 5:1-11) But honesty means much more than not telling lies. If we are truly grateful for God’s undeserved kindness, we will also be honest in other ways.

18, 19. What does it mean to be honest?

¹⁸ A person could be dishonest without telling a lie. For example, Jehovah told the Israelites: “You must not steal, you must not deceive, and you must not deal falsely with one another.” Why did they need to do this? Jehovah said: “You should be holy, because I, Jehovah your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2, 11) Although we may not tell a lie, if we make others believe something that is not true, we are being dishonest.

¹⁹ For example, a man tells his boss or those who work with him that he needs to leave work early because he has a medical appointment. But this is not the real reason. He wants to leave early on his vacation. His “medical appointment” is actually just a quick visit to the pharmacy or to the doctor’s office to pay a bill. Is he being honest, or is he deceiving others? The man led others to believe something that was not true. At times, people deceive others to get something they want or to avoid punishment. But we obey Jehovah, who said: “You must not deceive.” We want to do what he says is right and holy.​—Romans 6:19.

20, 21. If we are grateful for God’s undeserved kindness, what else must we avoid?

²⁰ Of course, we avoid adultery, drunkenness, and other serious sins. Yet more than that, we want to avoid anything that would displease Jehovah. For example, we not only avoid sexual immorality, but we also avoid entertainment that is immoral. Not only do we not get drunk, but we also do not drink to the point where we are almost drunk. We may need to try very hard to resist temptations like these, but it is possible.

²¹ We make it our goal to do as Paul said: “Do not let sin continue to rule as king in your mortal bodies so that you should obey their desires.” (Romans 6:12; 7:18-20) It is true that we cannot avoid all sin. But when we fight against every kind of sin, we show that we are truly grateful for the undeserved kindness that God and Christ have shown us.

22. What reward can we look forward to if we are truly grateful for Jehovah’s undeserved kindness?

²² Jehovah has forgiven our sins and can continue to forgive them. How grateful we are for his undeserved kindness! So let us work hard to avoid doing things that he says are wrong, even if others do not consider them to be sins. What reward can we look forward to if we do so? Paul said: “Now that you were set free from sin and became slaves to God, you are producing your fruit in the way of holiness, and the end is everlasting life.”​—Romans 6:22.

1, 2. Why are anointed Christians interested in Romans chapter 8?

YOU may have read Romans 8:15-17 during the time of the Memorial of Jesus’ death. Those verses explain how anointed Christians know that they have the hope of living forever in heaven. Romans 8:1 speaks of the anointed as “those in union with Christ.” But does Romans chapter 8 apply only to the anointed? Or can it also help those who hope to live forever on earth?

² Romans chapter 8 was written mainly for the anointed. They receive “the spirit” as ones “waiting for adoption as sons, the release from [their fleshly] bodies.” (Romans 8:23) In the future, they will be God’s sons in heaven. Jehovah has forgiven their sins on the basis of the ransom. He has declared them righteous so that they can be his sons.​—Romans 3:23-26; 4:25; 8:30.

3. Why should those who hope to live forever on earth also study Romans chapter 8?

³ However, earlier in the book of Romans, Paul wrote about a man who was not anointed but who was still considered to be righteous by Jehovah. This was Abraham. That faithful man lived long before Jesus gave his life as a ransom. (Read Romans 4:20-22.) Today, Jehovah can also consider to be righteous those faithful Christians who have the hope of living forever on earth. They too can benefit from the counsel given in Romans chapter 8.

4. When we read Romans 8:21, what should we ask ourselves?

⁴ At Romans 8:21, we find Jehovah’s guarantee that his new world will come and that humans will be set free from sin and death. This verse says that they will enjoy “the glorious freedom of the children of God.” Do you see yourself in that new world? Let us discuss what we need to do to live there.

“SETTING THE MIND ON THE FLESH”

5. What situation did Paul describe at Romans 8:4-13?

⁵ Read Romans 8:4-13. In the eighth chapter of Romans, Paul described two different kinds of people, those who live “according to the flesh” and those who live “according to the spirit.” Some think that Paul was describing those who were not Christians and those who were. But here Paul was writing to Christians, those who were “called to be holy ones.” (Romans 1:7) So both those who lived “according to the flesh” and those who lived “according to the spirit” were Christians. How were they different from one another?

6, 7. (a) What are some meanings of the word “flesh” in the Bible? (b) How is the word “flesh” used at Romans 8:4-13?

⁶ When the Bible uses the word “flesh,” it can refer to various things. Sometimes it means the actual flesh of our body. (Romans 2:28; 1 Corinthians 15:39, 50) It can also refer to a family relationship. For example, the Bible says that Jesus was “from the offspring of David according to the flesh,” and Paul called the Jews his “relatives according to the flesh.”​—Romans 1:3; 9:3.

⁷ So, what did Paul mean when he spoke about those who live “according to the flesh” at Romans 8:4-13? To find the answer, we can look at Romans 7:5. There Paul wrote: “When we were living according to the flesh, the sinful passions that were awakened by the Law were at work in our bodies.” Here Paul explained that people who live “according to the flesh” are those who are focused on and follow their own sinful desires, doing whatever they want.

8. Why did Paul need to warn anointed Christians against living “according to the flesh”?

⁸ Why did Paul warn anointed Christians against living “according to the flesh”? And why do all Christians today need this warning? Because any faithful servant of God could begin to make his own desires the main thing in his life. For example, Paul wrote that some brothers in Rome were slaves “of their own appetites.” By this he could have meant that sex, food, or other pleasures were the most important things in their lives. (Romans 16:17, 18; Philippians 3:18, 19; Jude 4, 8, 12) And for a time, there was a situation in the congregation in Corinth in which a brother was having an immoral relationship “with his father’s wife.” (1 Corinthians 5:1) Clearly, those early Christians needed Paul’s warning about living “according to the flesh.”​—Romans 8:5, 6.

9. What is Romans 8:6 not talking about?

⁹ This warning also applies today. Even a person who has served Jehovah for many years could begin to live “according to the flesh.” So, was Paul saying that we should never think about things such as food, employment, recreation, or romance? Of course not. These are normal things in life. Even Jesus enjoyed food and fed others. He also realized that he needed rest. And Paul wrote that in marriage, sexual relations have an important place.

10. What does the expression “setting the mind on” mean?

¹⁰ What did Paul mean by the expression “setting the mind on”? The Greek word that Paul used refers to focusing all one’s thoughts and plans on something. One scholar explained that this expression refers to those who “are most deeply interested in, constantly talk about,” and focus most on their own selfish desires. They allow those desires to control how they live.

11. What are some things that could become too important to us?

¹¹ The Christians in Rome needed to examine themselves and find out what they were setting their minds on. Was it “the things of the flesh”? Today, we too need to think about what is most important to us. What is our favorite thing to talk about? What do we really love to do? Some may realize that they are constantly thinking about trying different types of wine, decorating their home, buying new clothes, investing money, or planning vacations. These things are not wrong. They may be normal things in our life. For example, even Jesus provided wine at a wedding, and Paul advised Timothy to have “a little wine” for his health. (1 Timothy 5:23; John 2:3-11) But wine was not the most important thing in their lives. What about us? What is our main interest in life?

12, 13. Why should we be careful about what we focus on?

¹² Paul warned: “Setting the mind on the flesh means death.” (Romans 8:6) What did he mean by this? If we live “according to the flesh,” we could lose our relationship with Jehovah now and lose our life in the future. But this does not have to happen. A person can change. Remember the immoral man in Corinth who had to be disfellowshipped? He changed and stopped following his immoral desires. Once again, he served Jehovah in a clean way.​—2 Corinthians 2:6-8.

¹³ That man was an extreme example of living “according to the flesh,” and yet even he was able to change. So if a Christian today has begun to follow his sinful desires instead of Jehovah’s standards, he too can change. Remembering Paul’s warning can motivate us to make any changes we need to make.

“SETTING THE MIND ON THE SPIRIT”

14, 15. (a) What did Paul recommend we set our mind on? (b) What does “setting the mind on the spirit” not mean?

¹⁴ After Paul talked about the dangers of “setting the mind on the flesh,” he explained: “Setting the mind on the spirit means life and peace.” What a wonderful reward we can have!

¹⁵ But “setting the mind on the spirit” does not mean that a person is not in touch with reality. It does not mean that someone thinks and talks about only Jehovah or the Bible. For example, God’s servants in the first century lived normal lives. They enjoyed food and drink, got married, raised families, and had jobs.​—Mark 6:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:9.

16. What was the most important thing in Paul’s life?

¹⁶ But Paul and other early Christians did not let these normal activities become the most important things in their lives. For example, we know that Paul earned a living by making tents. But his job was not the most important thing in his life. The most important thing in Paul’s life was serving God. Paul was focused on the preaching and teaching work. (Read Acts 18:2-4; 20:20, 21, 34, 35.) The brothers and sisters in Rome needed to imitate Paul, and so do we.​—Romans 15:15, 16.

17. What are the benefits of setting our “mind on the spirit”?

¹⁷ What will our life be like if we focus on serving Jehovah? Romans 8:6 states: “Setting the mind on the spirit means life and peace.” Doing that includes letting our mind be directed by Jehovah’s spirit and learning to think as he thinks. Jehovah promises us a happy and satisfying life now and eternal life in the future.

18. How can we have peace when we set “the mind on the spirit”?

¹⁸ What did Paul mean when he said that “setting the mind on the spirit” can bring us peace? Everyone wants peace, especially peace of mind, but very few find it. Thanks to Jehovah, we can have true peace of mind. We can also have peace with those in our family and those in the congregation. Since we are imperfect, at times we will have problems with our brothers and sisters. When that happens, we follow Jesus’ advice: “Make your peace with your brother.” (Matthew 5:24) Remember that your brother or sister also serves Jehovah, “the God who gives peace.”​—Romans 15:33; 16:20.

19. What unique kind of peace can we enjoy?

¹⁹ If we set our “mind on the spirit,” we will also have peace with God. The prophet Isaiah wrote: “You [Jehovah] will safeguard those who fully lean on you; you will give them continuous peace, because it is in you that they trust.”​—Isaiah 26:3; read Romans 5:1.

20. Why are you thankful for the advice in Romans chapter 8?

²⁰ Whether we hope to live forever in heaven or on earth, all of us can benefit from the wise words found in Romans chapter 8. We are thankful that the Bible encourages us to focus on serving Jehovah rather than on our own desires. We know that by setting our “mind on the spirit,” we can have a marvelous reward. Paul wrote: “The gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.”​—Romans 6:23.

1, 2. (a) Why do we experience anxiety? (See opening picture.) (b) What will we consider in this article?

TODAY, Satan “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone.” (1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:17) As a result, life is stressful, and even God’s servants experience anxiety. God’s servants in the past also had anxious moments. For example, the Bible says that King David sometimes felt anxious. (Psalm 13:2) And the apostle Paul experienced “anxiety for all the congregations.” (2 Corinthians 11:28) But what can we do when we are overwhelmed by anxiety?

² Our loving heavenly Father helped his servants in the past to find relief from anxiety, and he wants to do the same for us today. The Bible urges us: “Throw all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) How, though, can you do that? We will consider four ways. You can (1) pray, (2) read and meditate on God’s Word, (3) let Jehovah’s holy spirit help you, and (4) talk to someone you trust about how you feel. As we examine these four ways, try to find areas where you would like to improve.

“THROW YOUR BURDEN ON JEHOVAH”

3. How can you “throw your burden on Jehovah”?

³ The first way we can throw our anxiety on Jehovah is through sincere prayer. When you are anxious, your loving heavenly Father wants you to express your deepest feelings to him. The psalmist David begged Jehovah: “Listen to my prayer, O God.” In the same psalm, David also said: “Throw your burden on Jehovah, and he will sustain you.” (Psalm 55:1, 22) After you have done all you can to solve a problem, heartfelt prayer to Jehovah will help more than worrying. But how does prayer work? How can it help us avoid feeling overwhelmed by anxiety?​—Psalm 94:18, 19.

4. When we are anxious, why is prayer so important?

⁴ Read Philippians 4:6, 7. How does Jehovah respond to our heartfelt and persistent prayers? He can help us to feel calm and to avoid negative thoughts and feelings. Instead of our having anxiety and fear, God helps us to have the deepest inner peace we could ever experience. Many of our brothers and sisters have felt this calmness. That can be your experience too. “The peace of God” can help you overcome any challenge! You can fully trust in Jehovah’s promise: “Do not be anxious, for I am your God. I will fortify you, yes, I will help you.”​—Isaiah 41:10.

INNER PEACE FROM GOD’S WORD

5. How can God’s Word help you to find inner peace?

⁵ A second way to find inner peace is by reading and meditating on Bible verses. Why is this important? The Bible is God’s Word. It includes wise and practical advice from our Creator. No matter when you feel anxious, you can think deeply about God’s thoughts and meditate on how his advice can strengthen you. This can help you overcome, reduce, or even avoid anxiety. Jehovah specifically linked reading his Word with being “courageous and strong” and not being “struck with terror or fear.”​—Joshua 1:7-9.

6. How can Jesus’ words benefit you?

⁶ In God’s Word, we read about how Jesus spoke to people. They loved listening to him because his words were comforting and refreshing, especially to those who were weak or depressed. (Read Matthew 11:28-30.) Jesus was very concerned about how others felt. (Mark 6:30-32) Just as Jesus promised to help the apostles who traveled with him, he will help us today. We do not need to be with Jesus in order to benefit. As our King in heaven, Jesus continues to show love for us. So when you are anxious, you can be sure that he will be there for you and help you at the right time. Jesus gives us hope and courage, which help us to overcome anxiety.​—Hebrews 2:17, 18; 4:16.

QUALITIES THAT COME FROM GOD’S SPIRIT

7. How do we benefit from God’s holy spirit?

⁷ Jesus promised that our Father will give us holy spirit when we ask for it. (Luke 11:10-13) How will this third way of reducing anxiety help us? God’s holy spirit, or active force, helps us to develop the positive qualities that our almighty God has. (Colossians 3:10) In the Bible, these qualities are called “the fruitage of the spirit.” (Read Galatians 5:22, 23.) When we develop these good qualities, our relationships with others will improve, and we will avoid situations that could cause anxiety. Let us see how the fruitage of the spirit will help us in specific ways.

8-12. How can the fruitage of God’s holy spirit help you?

⁸ “Love, joy, peace.” When you treat others with respect, you will find that you have less anxiety. How so? When you show brotherly love, tender affection, and honor, you can often avoid situations that cause you to have negative feelings such as anger, frustration, and stress. This will make it easier to maintain peace with others.​—Romans 12:10.

⁹ “Patience, kindness, goodness.” The Bible says: “Become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another.” (Ephesians 4:32) When we follow that advice, we will have peaceful relationships with others, and we will prevent situations that could cause us anxiety. Also, it will be easier to deal with situations that arise because of our imperfection.

¹⁰ “Faith.” Today, we are often anxious about money and material things. (Proverbs 18:11) How can we avoid this type of anxiety? We must follow the apostle Paul’s counsel to be “content with the present things.” Strong faith in Jehovah will help us to trust that he will lovingly provide the things we need. He has promised: “I will never leave you, and I will never abandon you.” That is why we can say like Paul: “Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”​—Hebrews 13:5, 6.

¹¹ “Mildness, self-control.” Think how practical and helpful it is for you to show mildness and self-control. These qualities will prevent you from doing or saying things that could cause you anxiety, and you will benefit by avoiding “malicious bitterness, anger, wrath, screaming, and abusive speech.”​—Ephesians 4:31.

¹² You need humility in order to trust in “the mighty hand of God” and to “throw all your anxiety on him.” (1 Peter 5:6, 7) If you are humble, Jehovah will support you and take care of you. When you recognize what you can do and what you cannot do, you will not rely on yourself. You will have less anxiety because you will rely on God.​—Micah 6:8.

“NEVER BE ANXIOUS”

13. What did Jesus mean when he said: “Never be anxious”?

¹³ At Matthew 6:34 (read), we find Jesus’ wise advice: “Never be anxious.” This advice may seem impossible for us to apply. But what did Jesus mean? We have already learned that David and Paul felt anxious at times. Jesus did not mean that one who serves God would never feel anxious. Instead, Jesus was helping his disciples to understand that unnecessary, or extreme, anxiety does not solve problems. There will be challenges each day, so Christians should not add more anxiety by thinking about past or future problems. How can Jesus’ advice help you to reduce severe anxiety?

14. Like David, how can you reduce anxiety?

¹⁴ Sometimes people are anxious because of mistakes they made in the past. They may feel extreme guilt about what they did, even though it was many years ago. At times King David felt overwhelmed because of his mistakes. He admitted: “My anguished heart makes me groan aloud.” (Psalm 38:3, 4, 8, 18) In that situation, David did something very wise. He trusted in Jehovah’s mercy and forgiveness. And David then felt happy knowing that God had forgiven him.​—Read Psalm 32:1-3, 5.

15. (a) What else do we learn from David? (b) What can you do to reduce anxiety? (See the box “Some Practical Ways to Reduce Anxiety.”)

¹⁵ At other times, you may be anxious about the present. For example, when David wrote Psalm 55, he was afraid he would be killed. (Psalm 55:2-5) Still, he did not let anxiety destroy his confidence in Jehovah. David begged Jehovah to help him with his problems, but he knew that it was also important to do something about his situation. (2 Samuel 15:30-34) You can learn a lesson from David. Instead of allowing anxiety to overwhelm you, do what you can to solve the problem and trust that Jehovah will care for you.

16. How can the meaning of God’s name strengthen your faith?

¹⁶ Sometimes a Christian may feel anxious about possible future problems. But you do not need to worry about things that have not yet happened. Why not? Because many times, things do not turn out to be as bad as we thought they would. Also, remember that there is no situation that God cannot control. His very name is understood to mean “He Causes to Become.” (Exodus 3:14) So we do not need to worry about the future, because God’s name shows that all of his purposes for humans will be fulfilled. You can be sure that God will bless his faithful ones and help them to reduce their anxiety about the past, the present, and the future.

SPEAK WITH SOMEONE YOU TRUST

17, 18. How can good communication help you when you feel anxious?

¹⁷ A fourth way you can find help when you feel anxious is by having open and honest communication with someone you trust. Your marriage mate, a close friend, or an elder in the congregation may be able to help you understand your situation better. The Bible tells us: “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up.” (Proverbs 12:25) The Bible also says: “Plans fail when there is no consultation, but there is accomplishment through many advisers.”​—Proverbs 15:22.

¹⁸ Our congregation meetings further help us to reduce anxieties. At the meetings each week, you spend time with your brothers and sisters, who care about you and want to encourage you. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) Such “an interchange of encouragement” will strengthen you and make it easier for you to overcome any anxiety.​—Romans 1:12.

YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH

19. Why can you be confident that your relationship with God will strengthen you?

¹⁹ An elder in Canada learned how important it is to throw his anxiety on Jehovah. He has a very stressful job as a schoolteacher and student adviser, and he also has a medical condition that causes anxiety. What has helped him to be strong? Above all, he works hard to strengthen his relationship with Jehovah. True friends have also been very helpful to him during difficult times, and he is open and honest with his wife about his feelings. Additionally, fellow elders and the circuit overseer helped him to consider his situation from Jehovah’s viewpoint. Also, a doctor helped this brother to understand his medical condition, and he was able to make changes to his schedule and find time to relax and exercise. Gradually, he learned how to control his situation and his feelings. When there are things that he cannot control, he relies on Jehovah to help him.

20. (a) How can we throw our anxiety on God? (b) What will we discuss in the next article?

²⁰ In this article, we have learned how important it is to throw our anxiety on God by praying to Jehovah and by reading his Word and meditating on it. We also learned how important it is to let Jehovah’s holy spirit help us, to talk to someone we trust, and to attend Christian meetings. In the next article, we will learn how Jehovah helps us by giving us the hope of a reward.​—Hebrews 11:6.

1, 2. (a) How are love and faith connected? (b) What questions will we consider?

OUR Father, Jehovah, promises to bless his loyal servants. This is one way that Jehovah shows his love for us, and we love him “because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) As our love for Jehovah grows, our faith in him becomes stronger and we are more convinced that Jehovah will reward those whom he loves.​—Read Hebrews 11:6.

² Jehovah is a rewarder! It is an important part of who he is and what he does. So our faith in God is not complete unless we are convinced that he will reward those who earnestly seek him. Why is that? Because “faith is the assured expectation of what is hoped for.” (Hebrews 11:1) Faith means having the absolute confidence that God will bless his loyal ones. How, though, does the hope of a reward benefit us? How has Jehovah rewarded his servants in the past and in the present? Let us see.

JEHOVAH PROMISES TO BLESS HIS SERVANTS

3. What promise do we read at Malachi 3:10?

³ Jehovah God has promised to reward his faithful servants. He invites us to give him our best and to trust that he will bless us. Jehovah says: “Test me out, please.” He continues: “See whether I will not open to you the floodgates of the heavens and pour out on you a blessing until there is nothing lacking.” (Malachi 3:10) We show our thankfulness for this offer when we accept Jehovah’s invitation to test him out.

4. Why can we trust Jesus’ promise found at Matthew 6:33?

⁴ Jesus promised his disciples that if they put the Kingdom first, God would support them. (Read Matthew 6:33.) Jesus could say that because he knew that God’s promises always come true. (Isaiah 55:11) So we too can be sure that if we show complete faith in Jehovah, he will keep this promise: “I will never leave you, and I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5) This promise of Jehovah helps us trust Jesus’ words found at Matthew 6:33.

5. Why is Jesus’ reply to Peter encouraging to all of us?

⁵ The apostle Peter once asked Jesus: “We have left all things and followed you; what, then, will there be for us?” (Matthew 19:27) Jesus did not correct Peter for asking that question. Instead, Jesus told his disciples that they would be rewarded for their sacrifices. The apostles and other faithful ones will rule with Jesus in heaven in the future. But Jesus also said that even now there are rewards: “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit everlasting life.” (Matthew 19:29) All of Jesus’ followers can find fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and children in the congregation today. That is certainly much more valuable than anything we have sacrificed for God’s Kingdom.

“AN ANCHOR FOR THE SOUL”

6. Why does Jehovah promise to reward his servants?

⁶ In addition to enjoying many wonderful blessings now, we look forward to even greater blessings in the future. (1 Timothy 4:8) Jehovah promises to reward his faithful servants, and knowing this helps us to endure difficult times. By being absolutely convinced that Jehovah “becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him,” we can remain faithful.​—Hebrews 11:6.

7. How is hope like an anchor?

⁷ In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “Rejoice and be overjoyed, since your reward is great in the heavens, for in that way they persecuted the prophets prior to you.” (Matthew 5:12) Some of God’s servants will receive a reward in heaven. And others will receive the reward of everlasting life on a paradise earth. That is also reason to “rejoice and be overjoyed.” (Psalm 37:11; Luke 18:30) But for all of us, our hope can be “an anchor for the soul, both sure and firm.” (Hebrews 6:17-20) Just as an anchor keeps a ship secure during a storm, our strong hope can help us to remain stable. It can give us the strength to endure difficult times.

8. How does our hope reduce anxiety?

⁸ Our hope can help to reduce feelings of anxiety. Just as balm can soothe our skin, God’s promises can calm our anxious heart. It is comforting to know that Jehovah will take care of us when we throw our burden on him. (Psalm 55:22) We can have complete confidence that God can do “more than superabundantly beyond all the things we ask.” (Ephesians 3:20) Jehovah will help us, not just abundantly or superabundantly, but “more than superabundantly”!

9. How can we be sure to receive Jehovah’s blessing?

⁹ To receive the reward, we need to have complete faith in Jehovah and be obedient to his directions. Moses told the nation of Israel: “Jehovah will surely bless you in the land that Jehovah your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, but only if you strictly obey the voice of Jehovah your God and carefully observe all this commandment that I am giving you today. For Jehovah your God will bless you just as he has promised you.” (Deuteronomy 15:4-6) Are you absolutely convinced that Jehovah will bless you if you continue to serve him faithfully? You have good reason for such confidence.

JEHOVAH WAS THEIR REWARDER

10, 11. How did Jehovah reward Joseph?

¹⁰ The Bible was written for our benefit. In it we find many examples of how God rewarded his faithful servants in the past. (Romans 15:4) Joseph was an excellent example of this. First, his brothers sold him as a slave. Later, his master’s wife falsely accused him and he was sent to an Egyptian prison. When Joseph was in prison, was he separated from Jehovah? Not at all! The Bible says: “Jehovah continued with Joseph and kept showing loyal love to him,” and “Jehovah was with Joseph and Jehovah made whatever he did successful.” (Genesis 39:21, 23) Even through those difficult times, Joseph waited patiently on his God.

¹¹ Years later, Pharaoh released Joseph from prison, and this humble slave became the second most powerful ruler in Egypt. (Genesis 41:1, 37-43) When Joseph and his wife had two sons, “Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, for he said, ‘God has made me forget all my trouble and all the house of my father.’ And he named the second one Ephraim, for he said, ‘God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.’” (Genesis 41:51, 52) Jehovah rewarded Joseph’s loyalty, and he was able to save both the Israelites and the Egyptians from famine. And Joseph knew that it was Jehovah who had rewarded him and blessed him.​—Genesis 45:5-9.

12. How did Jesus remain faithful when he was tested?

¹² Jesus Christ also remained obedient to God through many tests, and Jehovah rewarded him. What helped Jesus to remain faithful? God’s Word explains: “For the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake, despising shame.” (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus certainly found joy in being able to sanctify God’s name. And Jesus was rewarded with his Father’s approval and many wonderful privileges. The Bible says that he “has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” We also read: “God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name.”​—Philippians 2:9.

JEHOVAH DOES NOT FORGET WHAT WE DO

13, 14. How does Jehovah feel about what we do for him?

¹³ We can be sure that Jehovah values everything we do to serve him. He understands when we are not sure of ourselves or when we doubt our own abilities. He cares deeply for us when we are anxious about our job or providing for our family. And he understands when we cannot do as much as we once did in his service because we are now sick or depressed. We can be completely confident that Jehovah values our faithfulness despite our problems.​—Read Hebrews 6:10, 11.

¹⁴ Remember, too, that Jehovah is the “Hearer of prayer.” We can be sure that when we pray to him, he will listen to us. (Psalm 65:2) “The Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort” will give us everything we need in order to stay close to him. At times he may use our brothers and sisters to do that. (2 Corinthians 1:3) Jehovah is pleased when we show compassion for others. “The one showing favor to the lowly is lending to Jehovah, and He will repay him for what he does.” (Proverbs 19:17; Matthew 6:3, 4) So when we are generous and help our brothers, Jehovah considers the good that we do as a loan made to him. And he promises to reward that kindness.

REWARDS NOW AND FOREVER

15. What rewards do you personally look forward to? (See opening picture.)

¹⁵ Anointed Christians have the hope of receiving “the crown of righteousness,” a reward from Jesus. (2 Timothy 4:7, 8) However, you are not less valuable to God if you have a different hope. Millions of Jesus’ “other sheep” eagerly look forward to the future reward of everlasting life on a paradise earth. There “they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”​—John 10:16; Psalm 37:11.

16. What comfort do we find at 1 John 3:19, 20?

¹⁶ Sometimes we may feel that we are not doing much in Jehovah’s service, or we may wonder whether Jehovah is pleased with what we do. We may even feel that we do not qualify to receive any kind of reward. But we should never forget that “God is greater than our hearts and knows all things.” (Read 1 John 3:19, 20.) When we serve Jehovah because of our faith and love for him, we can be sure that he will reward us, even if what we do may seem to us to be of very little value.​—Mark 12:41-44.

17. What are some of the rewards that we enjoy now?

¹⁷ Even in these last days of Satan’s wicked system, Jehovah is blessing his people. He makes sure that we receive an abundance of knowledge and peace as part of an international brotherhood. (Isaiah 54:13) Yes, as Jesus promised, Jehovah rewards us now with a loving family of brothers and sisters all over the world. (Mark 10:29, 30) Also, those who earnestly seek God are rewarded with great inner peace, satisfaction, and happiness.​—Philippians 4:4-7.

18, 19. How do Jehovah’s servants feel about the rewards they receive?

¹⁸ Jehovah’s servants around the world have experienced wonderful rewards from our Father. For example, Bianca from Germany says: “I cannot thank Jehovah enough for helping me with my worries and for being at my side each day. The world out there is chaotic and bleak. But as I work closely with Jehovah, I feel secure in his arms. Whenever I make personal sacrifices for him, he gives me back a hundredfold in blessings.”

¹⁹ Or consider 70-year-old Paula in Canada, who is severely limited by spina bifida, a serious condition of the spine. She says that just because her condition limits her ability to move, that does not mean her ministry is limited. She adds: “I take advantage of different forms of service, such as telephone and informal witnessing. For my own encouragement, I keep a notebook with scriptures and thoughts from our publications that I can consult from time to time. I call it ‘My Survival Notebook.’ Discouragement is temporary if we focus on Jehovah’s promises. Jehovah is always there to help us, regardless of our circumstances.” Your situation may be very different from that of Bianca or that of Paula. Yet, you can likely think of ways in which Jehovah has rewarded you and those around you. How good it is to think about how Jehovah is rewarding you at this time and how he will reward you in the future!

20. What can we look forward to if we continue to do our best to serve Jehovah faithfully?

²⁰ Never forget that your sincere prayers “will be richly rewarded.” You can be sure that “after you have done the will of God,” you will “receive the fulfillment of the promise.” (Hebrews 10:35, 36) So let us continue to strengthen our faith and do everything we can to serve Jehovah. We have the confidence that Jehovah will reward us!​—Read Colossians 3:23, 24.

BEFORE this happened, I was already interested in the truth. My mother had received some Bible publications, and I was fascinated by them. I especially liked the pictures. My father did not want my mother to talk to me about what she was learning. However, I was curious and asked questions, so she studied with me when my father was out of the house. As a result, I too decided that I wanted to dedicate my life to Jehovah. I was baptized in Blackpool, England, in 1943 when I was ten years old.

I START SERVING JEHOVAH

From that time on, my mother and I regularly went in field service together. Back then, we used phonographs to preach. They were big and heavy, weighing about four and a half kilos (10 pounds). Just imagine me, a young boy, trying to carry one of those!

By the time I was 14 years old, I already wanted to pioneer. My mother said that I should first speak to the servant to the brethren (now called a circuit overseer). He suggested that I try to learn a skill that could support me in the pioneer work. So I did that. After working for two years, I asked another circuit overseer about pioneering. He said, “Go for it!”

So in April 1949, my mother and I got rid of all our furniture and moved to Middleton, near Manchester, where we began pioneering. After four months, I selected a brother as my pioneer partner. The branch office suggested that we move to a congregation that had just been formed in Irlam. My mother pioneered with a sister in another congregation.

I was only 17 years old, but my pioneer partner and I were responsible for conducting meetings because there were only a few qualified brothers in the new congregation. Later, I moved to the Buxton Congregation, which had very few publishers and needed help. Those experiences prepared me for future assignments.

In 1951, I filled out an application to attend the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. Then, in December 1952, I was called to report for military service. I asked to be excused from serving in the military because I was a full-time minister, but the court did not accept my request and sentenced me to six months in prison. While there, I received my invitation to the 22nd class of Gilead. In July 1953, soon after my release, I boarded the ship called Georgic and traveled to New York.

As soon as I arrived, I attended the 1953 New World Society Assembly. I then traveled by train to South Lansing, New York, where the school was located. I had just left prison, so I had little money. When I got off the train, I took a bus to South Lansing, but I had to borrow the 25 cents for the fare from another passenger.

A FOREIGN ASSIGNMENT

In Gilead School we received wonderful training to help us to “become all things to people of all sorts.” (1 Corinthians 9:22) Paul Bruun, Raymond Leach, and I were assigned to the Philippines, but we had to wait several months for our visas. Then we traveled by ship to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. After that we sailed across the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal, and the Indian Ocean to Malaysia and then to Hong Kong. Finally, after 47 days at sea, we reached Manila on November 19, 1954.

There, we had to adjust to a new culture, a new country, and a new language. However, in the beginning, the three of us were assigned to a congregation in Quezon City, where many people spoke English. So after six months, we knew only a few words of Tagalog. Our next assignment would change that.

One day in May 1955, when we arrived home from field service, Brother Leach and I found some letters that said we were assigned as circuit overseers. I was only 22 years old, but in this assignment I would learn new ways to “become all things to people of all sorts.”

For example, I gave my first public talk as a circuit overseer outside a village store. At that time in the Philippines, public talks were actually given in public places! As I visited different congregations in the circuit, I gave talks in public gazebos, at markets, in front of public halls, on basketball courts, in parks, and often on city street corners. Once in San Pablo City, I could not give my talk at a public market because of the heavy rain. So I suggested to the responsible brothers that I give the talk in the Kingdom Hall. Afterward, the brothers asked if they could report this as a public meeting, since it was not held in a public place!

I always stayed in the homes of the brothers. Even though the homes were simple, they were clean. Many times my bed was a thin mat on a wooden floor. The only place to take baths was outside the house where everybody could see me, so I learned to bathe modestly. I traveled by bus and sometimes by boat to go to other islands. During all my years of service, I have never owned a car.

I learned Tagalog, even though I never took a language class. I did this by listening to brothers in the field service and at the meetings. The brothers wanted to help me learn, and I was thankful for their patience and their honest comments.

As time went by, I had to make more adjustments because of new assignments. In 1956, when Brother Nathan Knorr visited, we had a national convention. I was assigned to communicate with the news media. I had no experience with this, but others helped me to learn. Less than a year later, we had another national convention, and I served as the convention overseer. Brother Frederick Franz visited from world headquarters, and I learned a lot from him. When he gave the public talk, he wore a barong Tagalog, the traditional Filipino clothing. This made the local brothers very happy, and it taught me to be willing to adapt to people.

I needed to make more adjustments when I became a district overseer. In those days, we showed the film The Happiness of the New World Society. We almost always showed it outside in public places, so at times insects would bother us. The light of the projector attracted them, and they would get stuck in the projector. It was a lot of work to clean it afterward! It was not easy to organize these events, but it was satisfying to see people come and learn about Jehovah’s international organization.

Catholic priests in some areas pressured the authorities not to give us permits for assemblies. So that no one could hear the speaker, they would also ring the church bells whenever we had talks near their churches. Despite all of this, people continued to learn the truth, and many in those areas now worship Jehovah.

NEW ASSIGNMENTS, MORE ADJUSTMENTS

In 1959, I was assigned to serve at the branch office. I learned a lot from my experiences there. After a while, I was asked to visit other countries as a zone overseer. On one of these trips, I got to know Janet Dumond, a missionary in Thailand. We wrote letters to each other for some time, and later we got married. For 51 years we have happily served Jehovah together.

I have enjoyed visiting Jehovah’s people in 33 countries. I am very thankful that my earlier assignments helped me learn how to deal with people from different cultures and backgrounds! These visits helped me to understand clearly that Jehovah loves people of all kinds.​—Acts 10:34, 35.

WE ARE STILL ADJUSTING

It has been a joy for Janet and me to serve with the brothers in the Philippines, and we continue to serve at the branch office in Quezon City. There are ten times more publishers now than there were when I began serving here 60 years ago. Even after all these years, I still need to be ready to adjust to what Jehovah asks. For example, because of changes that have recently been made in the organization, we have had to be willing to make more adjustments.

We have done all we can to follow Jehovah’s direction, and this has been the most satisfying way to live. We have also tried to make any adjustments that were necessary in order to serve our brothers well. Yes, for as long as Jehovah wants us to, we are determined to be “all things to people of all sorts.”