You can live forever in paradise on earth (1982)

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You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth (1989 edition)

Source: jw.org

Contents

Title Page/Publishers’ Page

Contents

Living Forever Not Just a Dream

An Enemy of Everlasting Life

Your Religion Really Matters

God—Who Is He?

Is the Bible Really from God?

Jesus Christ—Sent by God?

Why We Are Here

What Happens at Death?

What Kind of Place Is Hell?

Wicked Spirits Are Powerful

Why Has God Permitted Wickedness?

You Are Involved in a Vital Issue

God’s Government of Peace

Who Go to Heaven, and Why?

Becoming a Subject of God’s Government

God’s Government Begins Its Rule

Christ’s Return—How Seen?

“The End of the World” Is at Hand!

After Armageddon, a Paradise Earth

Resurrection—for Whom, and Where?

Judgment Day and Afterward

Identifying the True Religion

God’s Visible Organization

Are We Under the Ten Commandments?

For Satan’s World, or God’s New System?

The Fight to Do What Is Right

How to Gain Help Through Prayer

Getting Along with One Another in Love

Making a Success of Family Life

What You Must Do to Live Forever

“Continue in the Things That You Learned”

Title Page/Publishers’ Page

Title Page/Publishers’ Page

You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth

It is the hope of this book’s publishers that you will be among those of whom the Bible says: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”—Psalm 37:29.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations in this book are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, New Edition of 1981.

Contents

Contents

Page Chapter

7 1 Living Forever Not Just a Dream

16 2 An Enemy of Everlasting Life

25 3 Your Religion Really Matters

34 4 God—Who Is He?

47 5 Is the Bible Really from God?

57 6 Jesus Christ—Sent by God?

69 7 Why We Are Here

76 8 What Happens at Death?

81 9 What Kind of Place Is Hell?

90 10 Wicked Spirits Are Powerful

99 11 Why Has God Permitted Wickedness?

105 12 You Are Involved in a Vital Issue

112 13 God’s Government of Peace

120 14 Who Go to Heaven, and Why?

127 15 Becoming a Subject of God’s Government

134 16 God’s Government Begins Its Rule

142 17 Christ’s Return—How Seen?

148 18 “The End of the World” Is at Hand!

155 19 After Armageddon, a Paradise Earth

166 20 Resurrection—for Whom, and Where?

175 21 Judgment Day and Afterward

184 22 Identifying the True Religion

191 23 God’s Visible Organization

203 24 Are We Under the Ten Commandments?

208 25 For Satan’s World, or God’s New System?

217 26 The Fight to Do What Is Right

225 27 How to Gain Help Through Prayer

231 28 Getting Along with One Another in Love

238 29 Making a Success of Family Life

250 30 What You Must Do to Live Forever

Living Forever Not Just a Dream

Chapter 1

Living Forever Not Just a Dream

1, 2. Why is it hard to believe that people can live forever in happiness on earth?

HAPPINESS on earth—it does not seem possible to enjoy it even for a short time. Sickness, aging, hunger, crime—to mention only a few problems—often make life miserable. So, you may say, to talk about living forever in paradise on earth is to close your eyes to the truth. You may feel that it is a waste of time to talk about it, that living forever is just a dream.

2 No doubt most people would agree with you. So, then, why can we be so sure that you can live forever in paradise on earth? Why can we believe that everlasting life is not just a dream?

WHY WE CAN BELIEVE

3. What shows that God wants humans to be happy on earth?

3 We can believe because a Supreme Power, Almighty God, prepared the earth with everything needed to satisfy what we want. He made the earth just perfect for us! And he created man and woman in the best way for them to enjoy life to the full in this earthly home—forever.—Psalm 115:16.

4. What have scientists learned about the human body that shows it was made to live forever?

4 Scientists have long known about the human body’s power to renew itself. By wonderful means the body cells are either replaced or repaired, as the need may be. And it seems that this process of self-renewal should go on forever. But it does not, and this is something that scientists cannot explain. They still do not fully understand why people grow old. They say that, under right conditions, humans should be able to live forever.—Psalm 139:14.

5. What does the Bible say about God’s purpose for the earth?

5 Yet, is it really God’s purpose that people live happily on earth forever? If it is, then everlasting life is not just a wish or a dream—it is sure to come! What does the Bible, the book that tells of God’s purposes, say about the matter? It calls God “the Former of the earth and the Maker of it,” and adds: “He the One who firmly established it, who did not create it simply for nothing, who formed it even to be inhabited.”—Isaiah 45:18.

6. (a) What are conditions like on earth today? (b) Is this the way God wants it to be?

6 Does it seem to you that the earth is now inhabited in the way that God meant it to be? True, people are living in practically all parts of the earth. But are they living together happily as a united family, in the good way their Creator meant for them? Today the world is divided. There is hatred. There is crime. There is war. Millions of people are hungry and sick. Others have daily worries about housing, work and expenses. And none of these things bring honor to God. Evidently, then, the earth is not being inhabited in the way Almighty God originally meant it to be.

7. What was God’s purpose for the earth when he created the first human couple?

7 After creating the first human couple, God placed them in an earthly paradise. He wanted them to enjoy life on earth forever. His purpose for them was to spread their paradise over all the earth. This is shown by his instructions to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:28) Yes, God’s purpose was, in the course of time, to have the entire earth brought under the control of a righteous human family all living together in peace and happiness.

8. Although the first couple disobeyed God, why can we be sure that God’s purpose for the earth did not change?

8 Although the first human couple disobeyed God, thus proving to be unfit to live forever, God’s original purpose did not change. It must be fulfilled! (Isaiah 55:11) The Bible promises: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.” (Psalm 37:29) Often the Bible tells of God’s arrangement to give humans who serve him everlasting life.—John 3:14-16, 36; Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 21:3, 4.

THE DESIRE TO LIVE—WHERE?

9. (a) What desire do people normally have? (b) What does the Bible mean when it says ‘God has put eternity into their minds’?

9 We can truly be happy that it is God’s purpose that we live forever. For think: If you had to decide, on what date would you choose to die? You cannot pick one, can you? You do not want to die, and neither does any other normal person who has a measure of health. God made us with the desire to live, not the desire to die. Regarding the way God made humans, the Bible says: “He has even put eternity into their minds.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, Byington) What does this mean? It means that ordinarily people desire to live on and on, without dying. Due to this desire for an endless future, men have long searched for a way of staying young forever.

10. (a) Where is it man’s natural desire to live forever? (b) Why can we be confident that God will make it possible for us to live forever on earth?

10 Where is it that humans normally want to live forever? It is where they have become used to living, here on earth. Man was made for the earth, and the earth for man. (Genesis 2:8, 9, 15) The Bible says: “He [God] has founded the earth upon its established places; it will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever.” (Psalm 104:5) Since the earth was made to last forever, then man also should live forever. Surely a loving God would not create humans with a desire to live forever and then not make it possible for them to fulfill that desire!—1 John 4:8; Psalm 133:3.

THE KIND OF LIFE YOU DESIRE

11. What does the Bible say to show that people can live forever in perfect health?

11 Look at the following page. What kind of life are these people enjoying? Would you like to be one of them? Why, yes, you say! Look how healthy and youthful they appear! If you were told that these people had already lived thousands of years, would you believe it? The Bible tells us that the old will become young again, the sick will be made well and the lame, blind, deaf and speechless will have all their ailments healed. When he was on earth Jesus Christ performed many miracles by healing sick people. By doing this he was showing how, in this glorious time not far off, all who are living will be restored to perfect health.—Job 33:25; Isaiah 33:24; 35:5, 6; Matthew 15:30, 31.

12. What conditions do we see in these pictures?

12 See what a lovely garden home this is! As Christ promised, it is truly a paradise, similar to the one lost by the disobedient first man and woman. (Luke 23:43) And note the peace and harmony that exist. People of all races—the black, the white, the yellow—are living as one family. Even the animals are peaceful. See the child playing with the lion. But there is no cause for fear. In this regard the Creator declares: “With the kid the leopard itself will lie down, and the calf and the maned young lion and the well-fed animal all together; and a mere little boy will be leader over them. . . . And even the lion will eat straw just like the bull. And the sucking child will certainly play upon the hole of the cobra.”—Isaiah 11:6-9.

13. What will be gone from the earth when God’s purposes are carried out?

13 In the paradise that God purposes for humans, there will be every reason to be happy. The earth will produce plenty of good things to eat. No one will ever go hungry again. (Psalm 72:16; 67:6) Wars, crime, violence, even hatred and selfishness, will be things of the past. Yes, they will be gone forever! (Psalm 46:8, 9; 37:9-11) Do you believe that all of this is possible?

14. What makes you believe that God will bring an end to suffering?

14 Well, consider: If you had the power, would you bring to an end all the things that cause human suffering? And would you bring about the conditions for which the human heart longs? Of course you would. Our loving heavenly Father will do just that. He will satisfy our needs and desires, for Psalm 145:16 says of God: “You are opening your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing.” But when will this occur?

GRAND BLESSINGS ARE NEAR

15. (a) What will the end of the world mean for the earth? (b) What will it mean for bad people? (c) What will it mean for those who do God’s will?

15 To make possible these fine blessings on earth, God promises to bring to their end both wickedness and those who cause it. At the same time, he will protect those who serve him, for the Bible says: “The world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.” (1 John 2:17) What a change that will be! The end of the world will not mean the end of our earth. Rather, as happened at the worldwide flood in Noah’s day, it will mean the end only of bad people and their way of living. But those who are serving God will survive the end. Then, on an earth made clean, they will enjoy freedom from all who want to hurt and oppress them.—Matthew 24:3, 37-39; Proverbs 2:21, 22.

16. What events were foretold for the “last days”?

16 But someone may say: ‘Conditions are getting worse, not better. How can we be sure this grand change is near?’ Jesus Christ foretold many things that his future followers should watch for so that they would know it was God’s time to bring an end to the world. Jesus said that the last days of this system would be marked by such things as major wars, food shortages, great earthquakes, increasing lawlessness and a growing loss of love. (Matthew 24:3-12) He said there would be “anguish of nations, not knowing the way out.” (Luke 21:25) Also, the Bible further says: “In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Are not these the very conditions that we are now experiencing?

17. What have thinking persons been saying about conditions today?

17 Many persons who study world events say that a great change is in the making. For example, the editor of the Miami, U.S.A., Herald, wrote: “Anyone with half a logical mind can put together the cataclysmic events of the past few years and see that the world is at a historic threshold. . . . It will change forever the way men live.” In a similar vein, the American writer Lewis Mumford said: “Civilization is going downhill. Very definitely. . . . In the past when civilizations went downhill, it was a relatively local phenomenon. . . . Now, with the world more closely knit and held together by modern communications, when civilization goes downhill, the whole planet goes down.”

18. (a) What do world conditions show about the future? (b) What will replace present-day governments?

18 The very conditions in the world today show that we are now living at the time when the destruction of this entire system of things is due to happen. Yes, very soon now God will cleanse the earth of all who would ruin it. (Revelation 11:18) He will remove present-day governments to make way for his righteous government to rule all the earth. It is this Kingdom government for which Christ taught his followers to pray.—Daniel 2:44; Matthew 6:9, 10.

19. If we want to live forever, what must we do?

19 If you love life and want to live forever on earth under God’s rule, then you must hurry to take in accurate knowledge of God, his purposes and his requirements. Jesus Christ said in prayer to God: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3) What a joy it is to know that we can live forever—that it is not just a dream! But to enjoy this fine blessing from God we need to learn about an enemy who is trying to keep us from realizing this blessing.

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Did God intend the world to be like this?

[Full-page picture on page 11]

An Enemy of Everlasting Life

Chapter 2

An Enemy of Everlasting Life

1. Since happiness and peace are not often enjoyed, what questions arise?

HAPPINESS on earth—nearly everyone wants it. Then why are so many unhappy? What is wrong? Since almost everybody wants peace, why do nations go to war and why do people hate one another? Is there some guiding force that moves them to do these bad things? Could it be that a common invisible power controls the nations?

2. What crimes in history cause many to wonder whether an evil, unseen power may be controlling humans?

2 Many have wondered about this when they have considered the terrible cruelty of mankind—the fearful gases used in warfare to choke and burn persons to death, as well as the napalm bombs and the atomic bombs. Also, consider the flamethrower, the concentration camps, the mass murder of millions of helpless people, such as in Cambodia in recent years. Do you think that all these evils simply happened by chance? While man is capable on his own of committing terrible deeds, when you consider the gross wickedness of his acts, does it not seem that he has been influenced by an evil, invisible power?

3. What does the Bible say about the rulership of the world?

3 There is no need to guess at the matter. The Bible clearly shows that an intelligent unseen person has been controlling both men and nations. In the Bible, Jesus Christ calls this powerful one “the ruler of this world.” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) Who is he?

4. What did the Devil show Jesus, and what offer did he make to him?

4 To help us to find out who he is, think about what happened at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry here on earth. The Bible tells us that after Jesus was baptized he went into the wilderness where he was tempted by an unseen creature called Satan the Devil. Part of that tempting is described this way: “Again the Devil took him along to an unusually high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him: ‘All these things I will give you if you fall down and do an act of worship to me.’”—Matthew 4:8, 9.

5. (a) What shows whether all world governments are the Devil’s property? (b) According to the Bible, who is “the god of this system of things”?

5 Think about what the Devil offered Jesus Christ. It was “all the kingdoms of the world.” Did all these worldly governments really belong to the Devil? Yes, for how else could he have offered them to Jesus? Jesus did not deny that they were Satan’s, which he would have done if Satan did not own them. Satan is really the unseen ruler of all the nations of the world! The Bible plainly says: “The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19) God’s Word, in fact, calls Satan “the god of this system of things.”—2 Corinthians 4:4.

6. (a) What does this information about Satan’s rulership help us to understand? (b) What would Satan like to do to us, so what must we do?

6 This information helps us to understand why Jesus said: “My kingdom is no part of this world.” (John 18:36) It also helps us to understand why nations hate and try to destroy one another when it is the desire of all normal persons to live at peace. Yes, “Satan . . . is misleading the entire inhabited earth.” (Revelation 12:9) He would like to mislead us too. He does not want us to receive God’s gift of everlasting life. So we have to fight to keep from being influenced by him to do what is bad. (Ephesians 6:12) We need to know about Satan and how he works in order to resist his efforts to mislead us.

WHO THE DEVIL IS

7. Why can we not see the Devil?

7 Satan the Devil is a real person. He is not merely the evil in all mankind, as some persons may believe. Of course, humans cannot see the Devil, for the same reason that they cannot see God. Both God and the Devil are spirit persons, forms of life higher than humans and unseen to our eyes.—John 4:24.

8. Why do many persons believe that God created the Devil?

8 ‘But if God is love,’ someone may ask, ‘why did he make the Devil?’ (1 John 4:8) The fact is, God did not create the Devil. ‘Yet if God created everyone,’ a person may say, ‘he must have created the Devil. Who else could have? Where did the Devil come from?’

9. (a) What kind of persons are the angels? (b) What do the words “devil” and “satan” mean?

9 The Bible explains that God created many, many spirit persons similar to himself. In the Bible, these spirits are called angels. Also, they are called “sons of God.” (Job 38:7; Psalm 104:4; Hebrews 1:7, 13, 14) God created them all perfect. Not one of them was a devil, or a satan. The word “devil” means slanderer and the word “satan” means opposer.

10. (a) Who made Satan the Devil? (b) How might a good person make himself a criminal?

10 The time came, however, when one of these spirit sons of God made himself the Devil, that is, a hateful liar who speaks bad things about another. He also made himself Satan, that is, an opposer of God. He was not created that way, but later became that kind of person. To illustrate: A thief is not born a thief. He may have come from a good family, having honest parents and law-abiding brothers and sisters. But his own desire for what money can buy is what may have caused him to become a thief. How, then, did one of God’s spirit sons make himself Satan the Devil?

11. (a) What purpose of God did a rebellious angel know about? (b) What desire did this angel have, and what did it lead him to do?

11 The angel that became the Devil was present when God created the earth and later the first human couple, Adam and Eve. (Job 38:4, 7) So he would have heard God tell them to have children. (Genesis 1:27, 28) He knew that after a while the whole earth would be filled with righteous people worshiping God. That was God’s purpose. However, this angel thought a great deal of his own beauty and intelligence and wanted to receive for himself the worship that would be given to God. (Ezekiel 28:13-15; Matthew 4:10) Instead of putting this wrong desire out of his mind, he kept thinking about it. This led to his taking action to obtain the honor and importance he desired. What did he do?—James 1:14, 15.

12. (a) How did this angel speak to Eve, and what did he tell her? (b) How did this angel become Satan the Devil? (c) What is a wrong view regarding the appearance of the Devil?

12 The rebellious angel used a lowly serpent to speak to the first woman, Eve. He did this much as a skilled person can make it seem as if a nearby animal or a dummy figure is talking. But it was really this rebellious angel, the one called in the Bible “the original serpent,” who was speaking to Eve. (Revelation 12:9) He said that God was not telling her the truth, and was holding back from her knowledge that she should have. (Genesis 3:1-5) This was a hateful lie and it made him a devil. He thus became also an opposer of God, or a Satan. As you can see, it is wrong to think of the Devil as a creature with horns and a pitchfork who oversees some underground place of torment. He is really a very powerful, but wicked, angel.

SOURCE OF WORLD TROUBLES

13. (a) How did Eve respond to the Devil’s lie? (b) What claims did the Devil make?

13 The lie the Devil told Eve worked just as he planned. She believed it and so disobeyed God. And she was able to get her husband to break God’s law also. (Genesis 3:6) The Devil’s claim was that humans can get along without God. He argued that people can rule themselves successfully, without God’s help. The Devil also claimed that he could turn away from God all those who would be the offspring of Adam and Eve.

14. Why did God not destroy Satan right away?

14 Of course, God could have destroyed Satan right away. But that would not have answered the questions that Satan had raised, questions that could stay in the minds of the angels who were watching. So God allowed time for Satan to try to prove his claims. With what results?

15, 16. (a) What has the passing of time proved with regard to the Devil’s claims? (b) What event is near at hand?

15 The passage of time has proved that humans cannot rule themselves successfully without God’s help. Their attempts have failed completely. The people have suffered terribly under the governments of men, which, as the Scriptures show, have been controlled from behind the scenes by the Devil. Also, God’s allowing time has clearly shown that Satan has not been able to turn all persons away from worshiping God. There have always been some who have remained faithful to God’s rulership. You can read in the Bible, for example, that Satan tried, without success, to stop Job from serving God.—Job 1:6-12.

16 Thus the claims of the Devil have been proved false. He most certainly deserves destruction for having started a wicked rebellion against God. Happily, we have now reached the time for God to bring Satan’s rule to an end. Describing the first step in doing this, the Bible tells of an important battle in heaven, which, of course, was not seen or heard by people on earth. Read carefully the following Bible account:

17. (a) How does the Bible describe the war in heaven? (b) What was its result to those in heaven, and to those on earth?

17 “War broke out in heaven: Michael [who is the resurrected Jesus Christ] and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. ‘On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.’”—Revelation 12:7-9, 12.

18. (a) When did the war in heaven take place? (b) What has been occurring on earth since Satan was “hurled down”?

18 When did this war in heaven take place? The evidence shows that it happened around the time of World War I, which began in 1914. As the Revelation points out, Satan was removed from the heavens at that time, which means we have been living in his “short period of time” since then. Thus, these are the “last days” of Satan’s world. The increasing of lawlessness, the fear, the wars, the food shortages, the diseases and other distressing conditions we have been experiencing are proof of this fact.—Matthew 24:3-12; Luke 21:26; 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

19. (a) What is Satan now trying hard to do? (b) What would it be wise for us to do?

19 Since Satan knows his “short period of time” is about up, he is trying harder than ever before to keep persons from serving God. He wants to take as many persons as he can down into destruction with him. With good reason the Bible describes him as a roaring lion that is looking for someone to eat. (1 Peter 5:8, 9) If we do not want to be caught by him, we need to learn how he attacks and also the ways in which he misleads people.—2 Corinthians 2:11.

HOW SATAN MISLEADS PEOPLE

20. (a) How successful has Satan’s attack been? (b) Why could we expect that often his schemes would appear innocent, even beneficial?

20 Do not think that Satan’s methods of getting people to follow him are always easy to see. He is a master at fooling people. His methods over the thousands of years have, in fact, been so clever that today many people do not even believe that he exists. To them wickedness and evil are simply normal conditions that will always be. Satan operates much like modern-day crime leaders who put on the front of being respectable, but who, behind the scenes, do very wicked things. The Bible explains: “Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14) Thus we can expect that his schemes for misleading people would often appear innocent, even beneficial.

21. What is one scheme that Satan has used?

21 Recall that Satan posed as a friend to Eve. Then he tricked her into doing what she thought would be for her own good. (Genesis 3:4-6) It is the same today. For example, through his human representatives Satan cunningly encourages people to put the interests of human governments even above their service to God. This has given birth to the spirit of nationalism, resulting in terrible wars. In recent times Satan has moved people to bring forth various schemes in their search for peace and security. One of these is the United Nations. But has this created a peaceful world? Far from it! Rather, it has proved to be a means of turning the people’s attention away from God’s arrangement for bringing peace to mankind, his incoming kingdom under Jesus Christ, the “Prince of Peace.”—Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 6:9, 10.

22. What knowledge does Satan not want us to have?

22 If we are to receive everlasting life, we need accurate knowledge about God, his King-Son and his kingdom. (John 17:3) You can be sure that Satan the Devil does not want you to have this knowledge, and that he will do all in his power to stop you from getting it. How will he do this? One way is by seeing to it that you receive opposition, perhaps in the form of ridicule. The Bible tells us: “All those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.”—2 Timothy 3:12.

23. (a) How might Satan even use friends and relatives to discourage us? (b) Why should you never give in to opposition?

23 It may be that even close friends or relatives will tell you that they do not like your examining the Scriptures. Jesus Christ himself even warned: “Indeed, a man’s enemies will be persons of his own household. He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and he that has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:36, 37) Relatives may try to discourage you, doing so in all sincerity because they do not know the wonderful truths found in the Bible. But if you give up a study of God’s Word when opposition comes, how will God view you? Also, if you give up, how will those friends and loved ones be helped by you to understand that accurate knowledge of the Bible is of life-or-death importance? Your staying with the things you learn from God’s Word may in time influence them likewise to learn the truth.

24. (a) What other ways does the Devil use to keep people from taking in life-giving knowledge? (b) How important do you feel it is to study God’s Word?

24 On the other hand, Satan may be responsible for tempting you to share in some immoral activity, which is displeasing to God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Or it may be that he will cause you to feel that you are too busy to study the Bible. But when you think about it, could there ever be anything more important than obtaining this kind of knowledge? Do not allow anything to stop you from gaining this knowledge that can lead to your receiving everlasting life in paradise on earth!

25. If we continue to oppose the Devil, what will he not be able to do to us?

25 The Bible urges: “Oppose the Devil.” If you do this, “he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) Does this mean that if you resist Satan’s attack he will give up and no longer cause you trouble? No, he will try over and over again to get you to do what he wants. But if you keep on opposing him, he will never be able to get you to take a course in opposition to God. So, be diligent to get the all-important knowledge of the Bible and practice what you learn. This is vital in order to prevent you from being deceived by another of Satan’s means for misleading people, false religion.

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Could Satan have offered Christ all these world governments if they were not his?

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This thief was not born a thief, just as the Devil was not created a “devil”

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War in heaven ended with Satan and the demons being hurled down to earth. You are now feeling the effects

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There may be opposition to your continued study of the Bible

Your Religion Really Matters

Chapter 3

Your Religion Really Matters

1. What do some persons believe about religion?

‘ALL RELIGIONS are good,’ many people say. ‘They are simply different roads leading to the same place.’ If this were true, your religion would not really matter, for it would mean that all religions are acceptable to God. But are they?

2. (a) How did the Pharisees treat Jesus? (b) Whom did the Pharisees claim as their father?

2 When Jesus Christ walked the earth, there was a religious group known as the Pharisees. They had built up a system of worship and believed it had God’s approval. Yet, at the same time, the Pharisees were trying to kill Jesus! So Jesus told them: “You do the works of your father.” In answer they said: “We have one Father, God.”—John 8:41.

3. What did Jesus say about the father of the Pharisees?

3 Was God really their father? Did God accept their form of religion? Not at all! Even though the Pharisees had the Scriptures and thought they were following them, they had been misled by the Devil. And Jesus told them so, saying: “You are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, . . . he is a liar and the father of the lie.”—John 8:44.

4. How did Jesus view the religion of the Pharisees?

4 Clearly, the religion of the Pharisees was false. It served the interests of the Devil, not God. So rather than viewing their religion as good, Jesus condemned it. He said to those religious Pharisees: “You shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men; for you yourselves do not go in, neither do you permit those on their way in to go in.” (Matthew 23:13) Because of their false worship, Jesus called those Pharisees hypocrites and poisonous snakes. Because of their bad course, he said that they were on the way to destruction.—Matthew 23:25-33.

5. How did Jesus show that the many religions are not simply different roads leading to the same place?

5 So Jesus Christ did not teach that all religions are simply different roads leading to the same place of salvation. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it.” (Matthew 7:13, 14) Because they fail to worship God in the right way, most persons are on the road to destruction. Only a few are on the road leading to life.

6. What can we learn from a look at the worship of the nation of Israel?

6 A look at the way God dealt with the nation of Israel makes it clear how important it is to worship God in the way that he approves. God warned the Israelites to keep away from the false religion of the nations round about them. (Deuteronomy 7:25) Those people sacrificed their children to their gods, and they engaged in unclean sex practices, including homosexuality. (Leviticus 18:20-30) God commanded the Israelites to avoid these practices. When they disobeyed and worshiped other gods, he punished them. (Joshua 24:20; Isaiah 63:10) So their religion really did matter.

FALSE RELIGION TODAY?

7, 8. (a) What position did religion take during the world wars? (b) How do you think God feels about what religion has done during wartime?

7 What about the hundreds of religions today? Probably you agree that many things done in the name of religion are not approved by God. During the recent world wars, which millions of persons now living survived, the religions on both sides encouraged their people to kill. “Kill Germans—do kill them,” said the bishop of London. And, on the other side, the archbishop of Cologne told Germans: “We command you in the name of God, to fight to the last drop of your blood for the honor and glory of the country.”

8 So Catholics killed Catholics with the approval of their religious leaders, and Protestants did the same. Clergyman Harry Emerson Fosdick admitted: “Even in our churches we have put the battle flags . . . With one corner of our mouth we have praised the Prince of Peace and with the other we have glorified war.” How do you think God feels about a religion that claims to do his will but glorifies war?

9. (a) How have many people felt about the crimes committed by members of different religions? (b) When religion makes itself part of the world, what must we conclude?

9 Because of the crimes committed in the name of God by the members of many different religions throughout history, millions of persons today have turned away from God and Christ. They blame God for the terrible religious wars, such as those between Catholics and Muslims called the Crusades, the wars between Muslims and Hindus, and the wars between Catholics and Protestants. They point to the murder of Jews in the name of Christ, and the cruel Catholic inquisitions. Yet, even though the religious leaders responsible for such horrible crimes claimed God as their Father, were they not just as much children of the Devil as were the Pharisees whom Jesus condemned? Since Satan is the god of this world, should we not expect that he also controls the religions practiced by people of the world?—2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9.

10. What are some things done in the name of religion that you do not approve of?

10 No doubt there are many things done in the name of religion today that you do not think are right. Often you may hear about people who have very immoral ways of life, but who are respectable members of churches. You may even know about religious leaders who have a very bad way of life, but who are still accepted as good religious leaders in their churches. Some religious leaders have said that homosexuality and having sex relations without being married are not wrong. But you may know that the Bible does not say that. In fact, God had his people of Israel punished with death because they practiced such things. For the same reason he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. (Jude 7) Soon he will do the same to all modern-day false religion. In the Bible, such religion is represented as a prostitute because of its immoral relations with the “kings of the earth.”—Revelation 17:1, 2, 16.

WORSHIP THAT GOD APPROVES

11. What is required if our worship is to be acceptable to God?

11 Since God does not approve of all religions, we need to ask: ‘Am I worshiping God in the way that he approves?’ How can we know if we are? It is not any man, but God, who is the judge of what is true worship. So if our worship is to be acceptable to God, it must be firmly rooted in God’s Word of truth, the Bible. We should feel the same way as the Bible writer who said: “Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar.”—Romans 3:3, 4.

12. Why did Jesus say that the worship of the Pharisees was not approved by God?

12 The first-century Pharisees did not feel that way. They set up their own beliefs and traditions and followed these rather than God’s Word. With what result? Jesus told them: “You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition. You hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about you, when he said, ‘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 15:1-9; Isaiah 29:13) So if we want God’s approval, it is necessary that we make sure that what we believe is in agreement with the teachings of the Bible.

13. What did Jesus say we must do to be approved by God?

13 It is not enough for us to say we believe in Christ and then do what we think is right. It is absolutely necessary that we find out what God’s will is on the matter. Jesus showed this in his Sermon on the Mount when he said: “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will.”—Matthew 7:21.

14. Why might Jesus regard us as “workers of lawlessness” even though we were doing “good deeds”?

14 We could even be doing what we believe to be “good deeds,” and be doing these in the name of Christ. Yet all of these would be of no value if we failed to do God’s will. We would be in the position of the ones Christ next mentions: “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:22, 23) Yes, we can be doing things that we think are good—and for which other humans may thank us and even praise us—but if we fail to do what God says is right we will be regarded by Jesus Christ as “workers of lawlessness.”

15. Why is the course taken by people in ancient Beroea a wise one for us to follow?

15 Since many religions today are not doing God’s will, we cannot simply assume that the teachings of the religious organization we are associated with are in agreement with God’s Word. The mere fact that the Bible is used by a religion does not of itself prove that all the things it teaches and practices are in the Bible. It is important that we ourselves examine whether they are or not. Persons in the city of Beroea were commended because, after the Christian apostle Paul preached to them, they checked the Scriptures to make sure that the things he was telling them were true. (Acts 17:10, 11) The religion that is approved by God must agree in every way with the Bible; it will not accept certain parts of the Bible and reject other parts.—2 Timothy 3:16.

SINCERITY ALONE NOT ENOUGH

16. What did Jesus say to show that sincerity alone is not enough for a person to be approved by God?

16 But someone may ask: ‘If a person is sincere in his beliefs, won’t God approve of him even if his religion is wrong?’ Well, Jesus said he would not approve of “workers of lawlessness” even though they believed they were doing what was right. (Matthew 7:22, 23) So sincerity alone would not be approved by God either. Once Jesus told his followers: “The hour is coming when everyone that kills you will imagine he has rendered a sacred service to God.” (John 16:2) Such killers of Christians might sincerely believe that they were thereby serving God, but clearly they were not. God does not approve of what they did.

17. Even though Paul was sincere, what did he do before becoming a Christian?

17 Before he became a Christian, the apostle Paul helped in the murder of Stephen. Later, he looked for ways to kill more Christians. (Acts 8:1; 9:1, 2) Paul explained: “To the point of excess I kept on persecuting the congregation of God and devastating it, and I was making greater progress in Judaism than many of my own age in my race, as I was far more zealous for the traditions of my fathers.” (Galatians 1:13, 14) Yes, Paul was sincere, but that did not make his religion right.

18. (a) What was Paul’s religion when he persecuted Christians? (b) Why did Paul and others in his day need to change their religion?

18 At the time, Paul was a member of the Jewish religious system, which had rejected Jesus Christ, and so it, in turn, was rejected by God. (Acts 2:36, 40; Proverbs 14:12) So to gain God’s approval Paul needed to change his religion. He also wrote of others who had “a zeal for God”—who were sincere but were not approved by God because their religion was not based on accurate knowledge of God’s purposes.—Romans 10:2, 3.

19. What shows that the truth will not allow for different kinds of religious doctrine?

19 The truth will not allow for all the different kinds of religious doctrine in the world. For example, either humans have a soul that survives the death of the body or they do not. Either the earth will last forever or it will not. Either God will bring wickedness to an end or he will not. These and many other beliefs are either right or wrong. There cannot be two sets of truth when one does not agree with the other. One or the other is true, but not both. Sincerely believing something, and practicing that belief, will not make it right if it really is wrong.

20. With regard to religion, how may we follow the correct “road map”?

20 How should you feel if proof is given that what you believe is wrong? For example, say that you were in a car, traveling for the first time to a certain place. You have a road map, but you have not taken time to check it carefully. Someone has told you the road to take. You trust him, sincerely believing that the way he has directed you is correct. But suppose it is not. What if someone points out the error? What if he, by referring to your own map, shows that you are on the wrong road? Would pride or stubbornness prevent you from admitting that you are on the wrong road? Well, then, if you learn from an examination of your Bible that you are traveling a wrong religious road, be willing to change. Avoid the broad road to destruction; get on the narrow road to life!

DOING GOD’S WILL NECESSARY

21. (a) In addition to knowing the truth, what is necessary? (b) What will you do if you learn that God does not approve of certain things you are doing?

21 It is important to know the truths of the Bible. Yet this knowledge is worthless if you do not worship God in truth. (John 4:24) Practicing the truth, doing God’s will, is what counts. “Faith without works is dead,” the Bible says. (James 2:26) To please God, then, your religion must not only be in full agreement with the Bible but also be applied in every activity of life. Therefore, if you learn that you are doing what God says is wrong, will you be willing to change?

22. What benefits may we enjoy now and in the future, if we practice true religion?

22 There are great blessings in store for you if you do God’s will. Even now you will benefit. Practicing true religion will make you a better person—a better man, husband or father, a better woman, wife or mother, a better child. It will produce in you godly qualities that will cause you to stand out among others because you do what is right. But even more, it will mean that you will be in position to receive the blessings of everlasting life in happiness and perfect health on God’s paradise new earth. (2 Peter 3:13) There is no question about it—your religion really does matter!

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Were the religious leaders who were trying to kill Jesus serving God?

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Most persons are on the broad road to destruction, Jesus said. Only a few are on the narrow road to life.

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“They publicly declare they know God, but they disown him by their works.”—Titus 1:16.

In Word

In Deed

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Because of difference of religion, Paul shared in the stoning of Christ’s disciple Stephen

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If you were on the wrong road, would pride or stubbornness prevent you from admitting it?

God—Who Is He?

Chapter 4

God—Who Is He?

1. (a) What gods have been worshiped by people? (b) What distinction does the Bible make between “gods” and “God”?

WORLDWIDE there are many gods worshiped. In the Shinto, the Buddhist, the Hindu and the tribal religions there are millions of gods. Gods such as Zeus and Hermes were worshiped in the days of Jesus’ apostles. (Acts 14:11, 12) So the Bible agrees that “there are many ‘gods,’” but it also says that “there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are.” (1 Corinthians 8:5, 6) If you were asked, ‘Who is this God?’ what would you say?

2. What different views do people have of God?

2 ‘He is the Lord,’ many answer. Or they may say: ‘He is a Spirit in heaven.’ A dictionary calls God: “The Supreme Being.” When asked: ‘What is God’s name?’ some persons answer, ‘Jesus.’ Others do not think of God as a person, but as a powerful force that is present everywhere. And some even doubt whether there is a God. Can we be sure he exists?

GOD REALLY EXISTS

3. How does a house come into existence?

3 When you look at a beautiful building, have you ever wondered who the builder was? If someone told you that no one had built the building, but that it had simply come into existence by itself, would you believe it? Of course not! As a Bible writer said: “Every house is constructed by someone.” Everyone knows that. Well, then, can we not accept the logical conclusion of the Bible writer: “He that constructed all things is God”?—Hebrews 3:4.

4. How did the many billions of stars come into existence?

4 Consider the universe with its billions of billions of stars. Yet all of them move in the heavens according to laws that keep them in perfect relation to one another. “Who has created these things?” was a question asked long ago. The answer given makes sense: “It is the One who is bringing forth the army of them even by number, all of whom he calls even by name.” (Isaiah 40:26) Surely it would be foolish to think that the billions of stars just made themselves, and, without any direction, formed the great star systems that move with such marvelous order!—Psalm 14:1.

5. (a) What chance is there that, by themselves, the pieces could come together to make a meat chopper? (b) What does this show about our universe?

5 This highly organized universe could not have just come about by itself. An intelligent Creator with great power was needed. (Psalm 19:1, 2) A businessman who was asked why he believed in God explained that in his factory it takes two days for a girl to learn how to put the 17 parts of a meat chopper together. “I am merely a plain manufacturer of cutlery,” he said. “But this I do know, that you can shake the 17 parts of a meat chopper around in a washtub for the next 17 billion years and you’ll never have a meat chopper.” This universe, including the many forms of life on earth, is so much more complicated than a meat chopper. If such a machine requires a skilled maker, we can be certain that an Almighty God was needed to create all things. Should not credit go to him for what he has done?—Revelation 4:11; Acts 14:15-17; 17:24-26.

GOD A REAL PERSON?

6. Why can we be sure that God is a real person?

6 While most people say they believe in God, many do not think of him as a real person. Is he? Well, it can be seen that where there is intelligence there is a mind. For example, we may say, ‘I cannot make up my mind.’ And we know that where there is a mind there is a brain in a body of a definite shape. So, then, the great mind responsible for all creation belongs to the great Person, Almighty God. Although he does not have a material body, he has a spiritual one. A spirit person has a body? Yes, the Bible says: “If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one.”—1 Corinthians 15:44; John 4:24.

7. (a) What shows that God has a place where he lives? (b) What shows that he has a body?

7 Since God is a person with a spiritual body, he must have a place to live. The Bible tells us that the heavens are God’s “established place of dwelling.” (1 Kings 8:43) Also, we are told that “Christ entered . . . into heaven itself, now to appear before the person of God for us.” (Hebrews 9:24) Some humans will be rewarded with life in heaven with God, at which time they will receive spirit bodies. They will then see God, the Bible says, and also be like him. (1 John 3:2) This, too, shows that God is a person, and that he has a body.

8, 9. (a) How can the example of an electric power plant show God’s far-reaching power? (b) What is God’s holy spirit, and what can it do?

8 But someone may ask: ‘If God is a real person who lives at a certain place in heaven, how can he see everything that happens everywhere? And how can his power be felt in every part of the universe?’ (2 Chronicles 16:9) The fact that God is a person in no way limits his power or greatness. Nor should it lessen our respect for Him. (1 Chronicles 29:11-13) To help us to understand this, consider the far-reaching effects of an electric power plant.

9 A power plant has a certain location in or near a city. But its electricity is distributed over all that area, providing light and power. It is similar with God. He is in the heavens. (Isaiah 57:15; Psalm 123:1) Yet his holy spirit, which is his invisible active force, can be felt everywhere, over all the universe. By means of his holy spirit God created the heavens, the earth and all living things. (Psalm 33:6; Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30) To create these things, God did not need to be present in body. He can send out his spirit, his active force, to do whatever he wants even though he is far away. What a marvelous God!—Jeremiah 10:12; Daniel 4:35.

THE KIND OF PERSON GOD IS

10. What is one way in which we can get to know God?

10 Is God the kind of person we would grow to love if we got to know him well? ‘Perhaps so,’ you may say, ‘but since we cannot see God, how can we get to know about him?’ (John 1:18) The Bible shows one way when it says: “For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship.” (Romans 1:20) So the things that God has created can help us to understand what God is like, if we really examine them and think about them.

11. What can we learn about God from the things he has made?

11 As we have seen, a look at the starry heavens surely tells us of God’s greatness and tremendous power! (Psalm 8:3, 4; Isaiah 40:26) Then consider the earth. God placed it in the heavens so it gets just the right amount of heat and light from the sun. And consider the water cycle. The rain falls to water the earth. The water runs into the rivers, which flow into the seas. The sun lifts the water from the seas as vapor, which falls as rain to water the earth again. (Ecclesiastes 1:7) There are so many marvelous cycles that God put into operation to provide food, shelter and all things that man and animals need! And what do all these wonderful things tell us about the kind of person God is? That he is a God of great wisdom and that he is most generous and cares for his creations.—Proverbs 3:19, 20; Psalm 104:13-15, 24, 25.

12. What does your own body teach you about God?

12 Consider your own body. It obviously was made to do more than just live. It was marvelously designed really to enjoy life. (Psalm 139:14) Our eyes can see not just in black and white but in color, and the world is filled with a wealth of colors to enjoy. We can smell and taste. So eating is not merely a necessary function; it can be delightful. Such senses are not absolutely necessary for life, but they are gifts from a loving, generous, thoughtful God.—Genesis 2:9; 1 John 4:8.

13. What do you learn about God from his way of dealing with humans?

13 A look at God’s dealings with humankind also shows what kind of God he is. He has a strong sense of justice. He does not show favoritism to certain races of people. (Acts 10:34, 35) He is also merciful and kind. The Bible says of his dealings with the nation of Israel, whom he delivered from slavery in Egypt: “He was merciful; . . . he kept remembering that they were flesh.” Yet the Israelites often were disobedient, and that made God sad. As the Bible says: “They would make him feel hurt . . . and they pained even the Holy One of Israel.” (Psalm 78:38-41; 103:8, 13, 14) On the other hand, when his servants are obedient to his laws, God rejoices. (Proverbs 27:11) Also, God describes how he feels when his servants are made to suffer by enemies: “He that is touching you is touching my eyeball.” (Zechariah 2:8) Are you not moved to love a God who has such affection for lowly, insignificant humans of all races and peoples?—Isaiah 40:22; John 3:16.

IS GOD JESUS OR A TRINITY?

14. What is the Trinity teaching?

14 Who is this wonderful God? Some persons say his name is Jesus. Others say he is a Trinity, although the word “trinity” does not appear in the Bible. According to the teaching of the Trinity, there are three persons in one God, that is, there is “one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” Many religious organizations teach this, even though they admit it is “a mystery.” Are such views of God correct?

15. How does the Bible show that God and Jesus are two separate persons who are not equal?

15 Well, did Jesus ever say that he was God? No, he never did. Rather, in the Bible he is called “God’s Son.” And he said: “The Father is greater than I am.” (John 10:34-36; 14:28) Also, Jesus explained that there were some things that neither he nor the angels knew but that only God knew. (Mark 13:32) Further, on one occasion Jesus prayed to God, saying: “Let, not my will, but yours take place.” (Luke 22:42) If Jesus were the Almighty God, he would not have prayed to himself, would he? In fact, following Jesus’ death, the Scripture says: “This Jesus God resurrected.” (Acts 2:32) Thus the Almighty God and Jesus are clearly two separate persons. Even after his death and resurrection and ascension to heaven, Jesus was still not equal to his Father.—1 Corinthians 11:3; 15:28.

16. Even though Jesus is referred to as “God,” what shows that he is not Almighty God?

16 ‘But isn’t Jesus called a god in the Bible?’ someone may ask. This is true. Yet Satan is also called a god. (2 Corinthians 4:4) At John 1:1, which refers to Jesus as “the Word,” some Bible translations say: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” But notice, Joh 1 verse 2 says that the Word was “in the beginning with God.” And while men have seen Jesus, Joh 1 verse 18 says that “no man hath seen God at any time.” (Authorized or King James Version) So we find that some translations of Joh 1 verse 1 give the correct idea of the original language when they read: “The Word was with God, and the Word was divine,” or was “a god,” that is, the Word was a powerful godlike one. (An American Translation) Clearly, Jesus is not Almighty God. In fact, Jesus spoke of his Father as “my God” and as “the only true God.”—John 20:17; 17:3.

17. How does the pouring out of holy spirit on Jesus’ followers prove that it is not a person?

17 As for the “Holy Spirit,” the so-called third Person of the Trinity, we have already seen that this is not a person but God’s active force. John the Baptizer said that Jesus would baptize with holy spirit, even as John had been baptizing with water. Hence, in the same way that water is not a person, holy spirit is not a person. (Matthew 3:11) What John foretold was fulfilled when, following the death and resurrection of Jesus, holy spirit was poured out on his followers gathered in Jerusalem. The Bible says: “They all became filled with holy spirit.” (Acts 2:4) Were they “filled” with a person? No, but they were filled with God’s active force. Thus the facts make clear that the Trinity is not a Bible teaching. Actually, long before Jesus walked the earth gods were worshiped in groups of three, or trinities, in places such as ancient Egypt and Babylon.

GOD’S NAME

18. (a) Is “God” the personal name of Almighty God? (b) What is his personal name?

18 No doubt everyone whom you know has a name. God also has a personal name to set him apart from all others. ‘Is not “God” his name?’ some may ask. No, for “God” is merely a title, just as “President,” “King” and “Judge” are titles. We learn God’s name from the Bible, where it appears about 7,000 times. For example, in the King James Version, Psalm 83:18 reads: “That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.” Also, God’s name is found in most Bibles at Revelation 19:1-6 as part of the expression “Alleluia” or “Hallelujah.” This means “praise Jah,” a shortened form of Jehovah.

19. (a) Why are some persons surprised to see God’s name in their Bible? (b) Where does the name appear in the King James Version?

19 Some persons are surprised to see God’s name in their Bible. This often is because their Bible is one that seldom uses God’s name. The King James Version, for example, uses the name “Jehovah” by itself only at Exodus 6:3, Psalm 83:18 and Isaiah 12:2 and Isa 26:4. However, when this Bible translates God’s name by the title “Lord” or “God,” it always puts this title in capital letters, as “LORD” and “GOD,” which sets it apart from the common words “Lord” and “God.” Note this at Psalm 110:1.

20. (a) Why has God’s name often not been used? (b) Should it be?

20 ‘But why,’ you may ask, ‘is God’s name not used in every place that it occurs in the original Bible text? Why are the titles LORD and GOD generally used in its place?’ In its preface the American Standard Version explains why it uses God’s name Jehovah, and why for a long time that name was not used: “The American Revisers, after a careful consideration, were brought to the unanimous conviction that a Jewish superstition, which regarded the Divine Name as too sacred to be uttered, ought no longer to dominate in the English or any other version . . . This personal name, with its wealth of sacred associations, is now restored to the place in the sacred text to which it has an unquestionable claim.” Yes, men who translated that Bible into English felt that the reasons why God’s name had been left out were not good. So they put it back into the Bible in its rightful places.

21. What does the Catholic Douay Version say about the name Jehovah?

21 There are those, however, that argue that the word “Jehovah” should not be used because it is not really the name of God. For example, the Catholic Douay Version, which does not use God’s name in its main text, says in its footnote to Exodus 6:3: “Some moderns have framed the name Jehovah . . . the true pronunciation of the name, which is in the Hebrew text, by long disuse, is now quite lost.”

22. (a) How is God’s name represented in the Hebrew language? (b) Why is there a problem of knowing how God’s name was originally pronounced?

22 Yes, as the Catholic Bible here says, God’s name does appear in the Hebrew text, Hebrew being the language in which the first 39 books of the Bible were written. The name is represented there by four Hebrew letters, YHWH. In ancient times the Hebrew language was written without vowels, letters such as a, e, i, o and u, which help us to give the proper sound to words. Therefore, the problem today is that we have no way of knowing exactly which vowels the Hebrews used along with the consonants YHWH.

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