Your word is a lamp to my foot (1967)

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"Your Word Is a Lamp to My Foot"

Is a Lampto My Foot"

"Your word is a lamp to my foot, and a light to my roadway." Ps. 119:105.

COPYRIGHT, 1967 by WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA

First Edition 600,000 COPIES

PUBLISHERS WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC.

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.

Made in the United States of America Dedicated to the

"Father of the Celestial Lights," who is the divine Giver of the "lamp" for our foot and

in whose lighted roadway we should walk by full dedication and water baptism in the footsteps of Jesus Christ

Scriptural quotations in this book are taken from the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, unless otherwise indicated.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

1 Basic Teachings of the Bible 5

2 An Organization Based on God's Word 40

3 Congregation Meetings 44

4 Your Field Ministry 70

5 Reporting Your Field Ministry 103

6 Mature Christian Brothers to Help You 114

7 Forming New Congregations 152

8 Traveling Overseers 156

9 Financing the Preaching Work 168

10 Keeping the Congregation Clean 170

11 Opportunities to Share in

Special Privileges of Service 186

12 Endurance Needed to Gain Everlasting Life ... 208

CHAPTER 1

Basic Teachings of the Bible

EHOVAH GOD has lovingly provided his written Word the Bible to reveal himself to mankind. In it he tells us of the things that he has done, his purposes for the future and what we must do to walk in harmony with his will. If you are to be one of Jehovah's Christian witnesses, these are things that you should know so that you can properly represent God before your fellowmen.

The Bible plainly states that God's will is for people to "come to an accurate knowledge of truth." (1 Tim. 2:4) Such knowledge is necessary in order to walk in a way that pleases Jehovah. That is why the apostle Paul, who was deeply interested in the spiritual welfare of other people, wrote on one occasion: "We . . . have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual discernment, in order to walk worthily of Jehovah to the end of fully pleasing him." (Col. 1:9, 10) Are you equipped with such accurate knowledge?

To teach others about God and to walk worthily of Jehovah yourself, you need to be equipped with knowledge. That is why we strongly recommend that anyone who plans to get baptized come to an accurate knowledge of at least the basic teachings of the Bible first. This is in harmony with Jesus' instructions to make disciples of people and then to baptize them. (Matt. 28:19) A disciple is one who learns and accepts the teachings of another.

Have you learned and accepted the fundamental teachings set out in the Bible?

We believe that you will be greatly aided to do so if you read the books "Things in Which It Is Impossible for God to Lie" and Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God (or, if they are not available in your language, other recent publications of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society that cover similar material). In this way you will find out what the Bible teaches, what Jehovah's Christian witnesses advocate and the responsibilities that you are accepting when you get baptized.

Before each assembly of Jehovah's Christian witnesses, at which arrangements are made for immersion of those who qualify, your congregation overseer will check to ascertain whether there are any associated with the congregation who are planning to get baptized. If there are, he will ask them if they have read the publications mentioned in the preceding paragraph. If they have not yet done so, he will urge them to complete that reading before they are baptized. He will also arrange to have a series of meetings with these candidates for immersion to review the information that follows under this heading "Basic Teachings of the Bible." This will help them to be sure that they really understand these important matters and it will assure the congregation that those who get baptized really know what is involved in being one of Jehovah's Christian witnesses and that they Scripturally qualify for immersion.

Baptism is an important step in your life, and not one to be taken lightly. If you plan to be immersed, you should arrange your personal affairs so that you do not miss any of these preliminary meetings for baptismal candidates. In preparation, it would be wise to review the questions on the following pages and read the material that is provided in answer.

Also, look up any scriptures that are cited but not quoted. Do not try to memorize answers. The important thing is to be sure that you understand each point, that you believe it and that you are able to express it clearly. Analyze how each thought affects your own life. Keep in mind that the reason for learning these truths well is so that you can "walk worthily of Jehovah to the end of fully pleasing him."

The material outlined on pages 7 to 40 will be divided between three or more sessions, at the discretion of the congregation overseer. He will conduct at least one of the sessions himself, and, if he chooses to do so, he may arrange for the other sessions to be presided over by other members of the congregation committee or other mature brothers designated by him. These meetings are not meant to embarrass anyone, but to give each one opportunity to express the things that he sincerely believes. The apostle Paul said there should be "an interchange of encouragement among you, by each one through the other's faith, both yours and mine." (Rom. 1:12) These meetings provide a fine opportunity for some of the appointed servants to become well acquainted with you and, in turn, for you to come to know them so that you feel free to approach them. If there are any points that you do not fully understand, do not hesitate to say so. These brothers will be glad to help.

Together, now, let us review these basic teachings of the Bible, one at a time, and let us try to understand and also to express in our own words what these scriptures mean to us.

Who is the true God?

The Bible answers: "That people may know that you, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth." (Ps. 83:18) "Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah." (Deut. 6:4; Mark 12: 29) "God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth."

(John 4:24) [Consider how this differs from local popular beliefs, whether of Christendom or of other religions.]

What kind of God is Jehovah?

"God is love." (1 John 4:8) "The Rock, perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he." (Deut. 32:4) "O the depth of God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable his judgments are and past tracing out his ways are!" (Rom. 11:33) "O Lord Jehovah! Here you yourself have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. The whole matter is not too wonderful for you yourself." (Jer. 32:17) "No man has seen God at any time; the only-begotten god who is in the bosom position with the Father is the one that has explained him." (John 1:18) "Jehovah went passing by before his face and declaring: 'Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, preserving loving-kindness for thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin, but by no means will he give exemption from punishment.'" (Ex. 34:6, 7) "Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance." (2 Pet. 3:9) "Before the mountains themselves were born, or you proceeded to bring forth as with labor pains the earth and the productive land, even from time indefinite to time indefinite you are God." (Ps. 90:2)

What does the Bible mean when it says that Jehovah requires our exclusive devotion?

"In reply Jesus said to him: 'It is written, "It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service."'" (Luke 4:8) "You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is on the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth. You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve them, because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion." (Ex. 20:4, 5) How will Jehovah God sanctify his name?

How can we have a share in it?

"I will bring myself into judgment with him, with pestilence and with blood; . . . And I shall certainly magnify myself and sanctify myself and make myself known before the eyes of many nations; and they will have to know that I am Jehovah." (Ezek. 38:22, 23) "You must pray, then, this way: 'Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.'" (Matt. 6:9) "Jehovah of armies—he is the One whom you should treat as holy." (Isa. 8:13) "I have glorified you on the earth . . . I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world." (John 17:4, 6) "Maintain your conduct fine among the nations, that, in the thing in which they are speaking against you as evil-doers, they may as a result of your fine works of which they are eyewitnesses glorify God in the day for his inspection." (1 Pet. 2:12) [Consider how one's conduct reflects on Jehovah's name.]

Who is Jesus Christ?

"In answer Simon Peter said: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'" (Matt. 16:16)

What is Jesus' position in relation to Jehovah God?

"You heard that I said to you, I am going away and I am coming back to you. If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going my way to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am." (John 14:28) "He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him. Also, he is before all other things and by means of him all other things were made to exist." (Col. 1:15-17) "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. 2:5) "Keep this mental attitude in you that was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he was existing in God's form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God. No, but he emptied himself and took a slave's form and came to be in the likeness of men. More than that, when he found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake.

For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground, and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:5-11)

Why did Jesus die a sacrificial death?

"The Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many." (Matt. 20:28) "We behold Jesus, who has been made a little lower than angels, crowned with glory and honor for having suffered death, that he by God's undeserved kindness might taste death for every man. . . that through his death he might bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death, that is, the Devil; and that he might emancipate all those who for fear of death were subject to slavery all through their lives." (Heb. 2:9, 14, 15) "The next day he beheld Jesus coming toward him, and he said: 'See, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29)

How is the ransom an expression of God's love for mankind?

"God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8) "By this the love of God was made manifest in our case, because God sent forth his only-begotten Son into the world that we might gain life through him. The love is in this respect, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent forth his Son as a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:9, 10) "God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

How does the ransom affect us as individuals?

"By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his undeserved kindness." (Eph. 1:7) "My little children, I am writing you these things that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one.

And he is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world's." (1 John 2:1, 2) "He that exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; he that disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him." (John 3:36)

What is the holy spirit?

"God's active force was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters." (Gen. 1:2) "You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the most distant part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) "Now while the day of the festival of Pentecost was in progress they were all together at the same place, and suddenly there occurred from heaven a noise just like that of a rushing stiff breeze, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. And tongues as if of fire became visible to them and were distributed about, and one sat upon each one of them, and they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak with different tongues, just as the spirit was granting them to make utterance." (Acts 2:1-4)

How can we benefit from the operation of that spirit today?

"If you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those asking him!" (Luke 11:13) "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness." (2 Tim. 3:16; see also 2 Peter 1:21.) "Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own Son." (Acts 20:28)

Whose ideas are recorded in the Bible? Does that mean that God personally spoke or wrote it all? Is all of it true?

"All Scripture is inspired of God." (2 Tim. 3:16) "Indeed, that is why we also thank God incessantly, because when you received God's word, which you heard from us, you accepted it, not as the word of men, but, just as it truthfully is, as the word of God, which is also at work in you believers."

(1 Thess. 2:13) "You know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. For prophecy was at no time brought by man's will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit." (2 Pet. 1:20, 21) "Sanctify them by means of the truth; your word is truth." (John 17:17)

Why should we pray?

"The end of all things has drawn close. Be sound in mind, therefore, and be vigilant with a view to prayers." (1 Pet. 4:7) "Then he went on to tell them an illustration with regard to the need for them always to pray and not to give up." (Luke 18:1) "Pray for one another . . . A righteous man's supplication, when it is at work, has much force." (Jas. 5:16)

To whom should we pray?

"If you ask the Father for anything he will give it to you in my name. . . Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be made full." (John 16:23, 24) "To my sayings do give ear, O Jehovah; do understand my sighing. Do pay attention to the sound of my cry for help, O my King and my God, because to you I pray." (Ps. 5:1, 2)

About what is it proper to pray?

"No matter what it is that we ask according to his will, he hears us." (1 John 5:14) "Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God." (Phil. 4:6) "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ giving thanks always for all things to our God and Father." (Eph. 5:20) "You must pray, then, this way: 'Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth. Give us today our bread for this day; and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the wicked one.'" (Matt. 6:9-13)

What is the kingdom of God?

"I kept on beholding in the visions of the night, and, see there! with the clouds of the heavens someone like a son of man happened to be coming; and to the Ancient of Days he gained access, and they brought him up close even before that One.

And to him there were given rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him. His rulership is an indefinitely lasting rulership that will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be brought to ruin." (Dan. 7:13, 14) "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite." (Dan. 2:44) "Jesus answered: 'My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews. But, as it is, my kingdom is not from this source.'" (John 18:36) "They sing a new song, saying: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will rule as kings over the earth." (Rev. 5:9, 10)

When Christ returns, is it visibly as a man, or how?

"When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne." (Matt. 25:31) "Christ died once for all time concerning sins, a righteous person for unrighteous ones, that he might lead you to God, he being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit." (1 Pet. 3:18) "In the house of my Father there are many abodes. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going my way to prepare a place for you. Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that where I am you also may be. A little longer and the world will behold me no more, but you will behold me, because I live and you will live." (John 14:2, 3, 19)

How can people know when his second presence takes place?

Read in your copy of the Bible the entire chapters of Matthew 24, 25; Mark 13; Luke 21; Daniel 4; Revelation 6.

What does it mean to 'seek first the kingdom'?

"Stop storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal. Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. . . No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot slave for God and for Riches. . . . So never be anxious and say, 'What are we to eat?' or, 'What are we to drink?' or, 'What are we to put on?' For all these are the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. For your heavenly Father knows you need all these things. Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you." (Matt. 6:19-33) "So, then, because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus. For the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Indeed, consider closely the one who has endured such contrary talk by sinners against their own interests, that you may not get tired and give out in your souls." (Heb. 12:1-3) "When they got to him he said to them: 'You well know how from the first day that I stepped into the district of Asia I was with you the whole time, slaving for the Lord with the greatest lowliness of mind and tears and trials that befell me by the plots of the Jews; while I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were profitable nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house. But I thoroughly bore witness both to Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.'" (Acts 20: 18-21) "This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come." (Matt. 24:14)

What is God's purpose for the earth?

"God blessed them and God said to them: 'Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.'" (Gen. 1:28) "Jehovah .

. . the Creator of the heavens, He the true God, the Former of the earth and the Maker of it, He the One who firmly established it, . . . did not create it simply for nothing, [he] formed it even to be inhabited." (Isa. 45:18) "As regards the heavens, to Jehovah the heavens belong, but the earth he has given to the sons of men." (Ps. 115:16) "Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth." (Matt. 6:10)

How will this purpose be realized?

"In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite." (Dan. 2:44) "Evildoers themselves will be cut off, but those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth. And just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; and you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace. The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it." (Ps. 37:9-11, 29)

What conditions will prevail on earth in God's new system of things?

"There are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell." (2 Pet. 3:13) "I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: 'Look! the tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be any more. The former things have passed away.'" (Rev. 21:1-4) "'They will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage.

They will not build and someone else have occupancy; they will not plant and someone else do the eating. For like the days of a tree will the days of my people be; and the work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full. They will not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for disturbance; because they are the offspring made up of the chosen ones of Jehovah, and their descendants with them. And it will actually occur that before they call out I myself shall answer; while they are yet speaking, I myself shall hear. The wolf and the lamb themselves will feed as one, and the lion will eat straw just like the bull; and as for the serpent, his food will be dust. They will do no harm nor cause any ruin in all my holy mountain,' Jehovah has said." (Isa. 65:21-25) "There must go forth a twig out of the stump of Jesse; and out of his roots a sprout will be fruitful. And upon him the spirit of Jehovah must settle down, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of mightiness, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah; and there will be enjoyment by him in the fear of Jehovah. And he will not judge by any mere appearance to his eyes, nor reprove simply according to the thing heard by his ears. And with righteousness he must judge the lowly ones, and with uprightness he must give reproof in behalf of the meek ones of the earth. And he must strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the spirit of his lips he will put the wicked one to death. And righteousness must prove to be the belt of his hips, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. And the wolf will actually reside for a while with the male lamb, and 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 the cow and the bear themselves will feed; together their young ones will lie down. And even the lion will eat straw just like the bull. And the sucking child will certainly play upon the hole of the cobra; and upon the light aperture of a poisonous snake will a weaned child actually put his own hand. They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea."

(Isa. 11:1-9) "He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces. And the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for Jehovah himself has spoken it." (Isa. 25:8) "The earth itself will certainly give its produce; God, our God, will bless us." (Ps. 67:6) "Come, you people, behold the activities of Jehovah, how he has set astonishing events on the earth. He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons he burns in the fire." (Ps. 46:8, 9)

What is the urgent work that the Bible sets out for all Christians at this time?

"This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come." (Matt. 24:14) "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things." (Matt. 28:19, 20) "Through him let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name." (Heb. 13:15)

In what manner is this work to be done?

"I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were profitable nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house." (Acts 20:20) "According to Paul's custom . . . he reasoned with them from the Scriptures." (Acts 17:2) "Preach the word, be at it urgently." (2 Tim. 4:2) "Now Jesus, tired out from the journey, was sitting at the fountain just as he was. The hour was about the sixth. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. . . . Jesus said to her: 'Everyone drinking from this water will get thirsty again. Whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty at all, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water bubbling up to impart everlasting life.' The woman said to him: 'Sir, give me this water, so that I may neither thirst nor keep coming over to this place to draw water.'" (John 4:6-15) [Overseer will outline arrangements congregation has made to assist all to share in the field ministry at times that fit their personal circumstances.]

Is this work done in our own strength?

"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the power beyond what is normal may be God's and not that out of ourselves." (2 Cor. 4:7) "For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me." (Phil. 4:13) "The Lord stood near me and infused power into me, that through me the preaching might be fully accomplished and all the nations might hear it." (2 Tim. 4:17)

Why are Christians called Jehovah's witnesses?

" 'You are my witnesses,' is the utterance of Jehovah, 'even my servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and have faith in me, and that you may understand that I am the same One. Before me there was no God formed, and after me there continued to be none. I—I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no savior. I myself have told forth and have saved and have caused it to be heard, when there was among you no strange god. So you are my witnesses,' is the utterance of Jehovah, 'and I am God.'" (Isa. 43:10-12) "Jesus Christ, 'the Faithful Witness,' 'The first-born from the dead,' and 'The Ruler of the kings of the earth.'" (Rev. 1:5)

Who or what is the "faithful and discreet slave" ?

"Have no fear, little flock, because your Father has approved of giving you the kingdom. Let your loins be girded and your lamps be burning, and you yourselves be like men waiting for their master when he returns from the marriage, so that at his arriving and knocking they may at once open to him. Happy are those slaves whom the master on arriving finds watching! . . . You also, keep ready, because at an hour that you do not think likely the Son of man is coming.' Then Peter said: 'Lord, are you saying this illustration to us or also to all?' And the Lord said: 'Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time? Happy is that slave, if his master on arriving finds him doing so!

I tell you truthfully, He will appoint him over all his belongings.'" (Luke 12:32, 35-44; see also Matthew 24:45-47.) "You are my witnesses, . . . my servant." (Isa. 43:10)

Why is it beneficial to attend the meetings arranged by the congregation?

"Let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you behold the day drawing near." (Heb. 10:24, 25) "One isolating himself will seek his own selfish longing; against all practical wisdom he will break forth." (Prov. 18:1) "I am longing to see you, . . . that there may be an interchange of encouragement among you, by each one through the other's faith, both yours and mine." (Rom. 1:11, 12)

Why is personal study important in the life of a Christian?

"Now the latter were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11) "This book of the law should not depart from your mouth, and you must in an undertone read in it day and night, in order that you may take care to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way successful and then you will act wisely." (Josh. 1:8)

Who is the Devil? What is his origin?

"Now the serpent proved to be the most cautious of all the wild beasts of the field that Jehovah God had made. So it began to say to the woman: 'Is it really so that God said you must not eat from every tree of the garden?' At this the woman said to the serpent: 'Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat. But as for eating of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God has said, "You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it that you do not die." At this the serpent said to the woman: 'You positively will not die. For God knows that in the very day of your eating from it your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad.'" (Gen. 3:1-5) "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."

(Rev. 12:9) "Put on the complete suit of armor from God that you may be able to stand firm against the machinations of the Devil; because we have a fight, not against blood and flesh, but . . . against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places." (Eph. 6:11, 12)

Against what spiritistic practices employed by the Devil and his demons does the Bible warn us?

"There should not be found in you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead." (Deut. 18:10, 11) "As we were going to the place of prayer, a certain servant girl with a spirit, a demon of divination, met us. She used to furnish her masters with much gain by practicing the art of prediction." (Acts 16:16) [List practices that are prevalent in your locality.]

How can we protect ourselves against the influence of these wicked spirits?

"Subject yourselves, therefore, to God; but oppose the Devil, and he will flee from you." (Jas. 4:7) "Put on the complete suit of armor from God that you may be able to stand firm against the machinations of the Devil . . . On this account take up the complete suit of armor from God, that you may be able to resist in the wicked day and, after you have done all things thoroughly, to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore, with your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and with your feet shod with the equipment of the good news of peace. Above all things, take up the large shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the wicked one's burning missiles. Also, accept the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, that is, God's word, while with every form of prayer and supplication you carry on prayer on every occasion in spirit." (Eph. 6:11-18) Why has God permitted wickedness to continue until now?

Why has God permitted wickedness to continue until now?

"What shall we say, then? Is there injustice with God? Never may that become so! For he says to Moses: 'I will have mercy upon whomever I do have mercy, and I will show compassion to whomever I do show compassion.' So, then, it depends, not upon the one wishing nor upon the one running, but upon God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: 'For this very cause I have let you remain, that in connection with you I may show my power, and that my name may be declared in all the earth.' So, then, upon whom he wishes he has mercy, but whom he wishes he lets become obstinate. . . . God, although having the will to demonstrate his wrath and to make his power known, tolerated with much long-suffering vessels of wrath made fit for destruction, in order that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory." (Rom. 9:14-23; see also Job 1:9-12; 2:4-6.) "Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. Furthermore, consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul according to the wisdom given him also wrote you." (2 Pet. 3:9, 15)

By what means will God destroy the wicked?

'He cried out with a strong voice, saying: "She has fallen! Babylon the great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a lurking place of every unclean exhalation and a lurking place of every unclean and hated bird! For because of the passion-arousing wine of her fornication all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the traveling merchants of the earth became rich due to the power of her shameless luxury.' . . . 'For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind. That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong.'" (Rev. 18: 2-5, 8) "I saw the heaven opened, and, look! a white horse. And the one seated upon it is called Faithful and True, and he judges and carries on war in righteousness.

And out of his mouth there protrudes a sharp long sword, that he may strike the nations with it, and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron. He treads too the press of the wine of the anger of the wrath of God the Almighty. And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage the war with the one seated on the horse and with his army. And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who render worship to its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulphur. But the rest were killed off with the long sword of the one seated on the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth. And all the birds were filled from the fleshy parts of them." (Rev. 19:11, 15, 19-21) "I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he seized the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he hurled him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, that he might not mislead the nations any more until the thousand years were ended. After these things he must be let loose for a little while. Now as soon as the thousand years have been ended, Satan will be let loose out of his prison, and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea. And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulphur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet already were." (Rev. 20:1-3, 7, 8, 10)

What is the human soul? Can it die?

"Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man came to be a living soul." (Gen. 2:7; see also 1 Corinthians 15:45.) "Look! All the souls—to me they belong. As the soul of the father so likewise the soul of the son—to me they belong. The soul that is sinning—it itself will die." (Ezek. 18:4) "Indeed, any soul that does not listen to that Prophet will be completely destroyed from among the people." (Acts 3:23)

What is sin?

"Everyone who practices sin is also practicing lawlessness, and so sin is lawlessness." (1 John 3:4) "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23)

How did we all become sinners?

"Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned." (Rom. 5:12)

Is there any human who is not a sinner?

"If we make the statement: 'We have no sin,' we are misleading ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8) "There is no man that does not sin." (1 Ki. 8:46)

What should be our attitude toward the committing of sins?

"Do not let sin continue to rule as king in your mortal bodies that you should obey their desires. Neither go on presenting your members to sin as weapons of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, also your members to God as weapons of righteousness. For sin must not be master over you, seeing that you are not under law but under undeserved kindness." (Rom. 6:12-14)

What is death?

'He said to them: "Lazarus our friend has gone to rest, but I am journeying there to awaken him from sleep.' Therefore the disciples said to him: "Lord, if he has gone to rest, he will get well.' Jesus had spoken, however, about his death. But they imagined he was speaking about taking rest in sleep. At that time, therefore, Jesus said to them outspokenly: "Lazarus has died.'" (John 11:11-14) "The living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, neither do they any more have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotten. All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol, the place to which you are going." (Eccl. 9:5, 10) "In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken.

For dust you are and to dust you will return." (Gen. 3:19)

Why do people die?

"The wages sin pays is death." (Rom. 6:23) "In Adam all are dying." (1 Cor. 15:22)

What future hope for life is there for one who dies?

"I have hope toward God, which hope these men themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous." (Acts 24:15) "Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment." (John 5:28, 29) "The sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Hades gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds." (Rev. 20:13)

How many from among mankind will be in heaven with Christ?

"I saw, and, look! the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the older persons; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth." (Rev. 14:1, 3; see also 7:4-8.)

What will they do there?

"You made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will rule as kings over the earth." (Rev. 5:10) "I saw thrones, and there were those who sat down on them, and power of judging was given them. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed with the ax for the witness they bore to Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had worshiped neither the wild beast nor its image and who had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for a thousand years. Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for a thousand years."

(Rev. 20:4, 6)

Are Christians under the law covenant with its requirements of sabbath keeping and sacrifice?

"Christ is the end of the Law, so that everyone exercising faith may have righteousness." (Rom. 10:4) "The Law has become our tutor leading to Christ, that we might be declared righteous due to faith. But now that the faith has arrived, we are no longer under a tutor." (Gal. 3:24, 25) "Therefore let no man judge you in eating and drinking or in respect of a festival or of an observance of the new moon or of a sabbath; for those things are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Christ." (Col. 2:16, 17)

Why must lying be avoided?

"The Devil . . . did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie." (John 8:44) "There are six things that Jehovah does hate; yes, seven are things detestable to his soul: lofty eyes, a false tongue, and hands that are shedding innocent blood, a heart fabricating hurtful schemes, feet that are in a hurry to run to badness, a false witness that launches forth lies, and anyone sending forth contentions among brothers." (Prov. 6:16-19) "As for . . . all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This means the second death." (Rev. 21:8)

What is the Christian view of stealing?

"Let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a busybody in other people's matters." (1 Pet. 4:15) "Let the stealer steal no more, but rather let him do hard work, doing with his hands what is good work, that he may have something to distribute to someone in need." (Eph. 4:28)

What is the Christian view of drunkenness?

"What! Do you not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, . . nor greedy persons, nor drunkards . . will inherit God's kingdom." (1 Cor. 6:9, 10) "Ministerial servants should likewise be serious, .

. . not giving themselves to a lot of wine." (1 Tim. 3:8)

What is God's law concerning blood?

"Every moving animal that is alive may serve as food for you. As in the case of green vegetation, I do give it all for you. Only flesh with its soul—its blood you must not eat." (Gen. 9:3, 4; see also Deuteronomy 12:15, 16.) "The holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to you, except these necessary things, to keep yourselves free from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good health to you!" (Acts 15:28, 29) [List local practices that are affected by this law.]

What does the Bible say about such practices as fornication, adultery and sexual relations with another person of the same sex? May a person who is engaging in such practices be baptized?

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritism, hatreds, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these. As to these things I am forewarning you, the same way as I did forewarm you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God's kingdom." (Gal. 5:19:21) "Let marriage be honorable among all, and the marriage bed be without defilement, for God will judge fornicators and adulterers." (Heb. 13:4) "Therefore God, in keeping with the desires of their hearts, gave them up to uncleanness, that their bodies might be dishonored among them, even those who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and venerated and rendered sacred service to the creation rather than the One who created, who is blessed forever. Amen. That is why God gave them up to disgraceful sexual appetites, for both their females changed the natural use of themselves into one contrary to nature; and likewise even the males left the natural use of the female and became violently inflamed in their lust toward one another, males with males, working what is obscene and receiving in themselves the full recompense, which was due for their error."

(Rom. 1:24-27) "Deaden, therefore, your body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite, hurtful desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of those things the wrath of God is coming. In those very things you, too, once walked when you used to live in them. But now really put them all away from you, wrath, anger, injuriousness, abusive speech, and obscene talk out of your mouth. Do not be lying to one another. Strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One who created it." (Col. 3:5-10) "This, therefore, I say and bear witness to in the Lord, that you no longer go on walking just as the nations also walk in the unprofitableness of their minds, while they are in darkness mentally, and alienated from the life that belongs to God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the insensibility of their hearts. Having come to be past all moral sense, they gave themselves over to loose conduct to work uncleanness of every sort with greediness. But you did not learn the Christ to be so, provided, indeed, that you heard him and were taught by means of him, just as truth is in Jesus, that you should put away the old personality which conforms to your former course of conduct and which is being corrupted according to his deceptive desires; but that you should be made new in the force actuating your mind, and should put on the new personality which was created according to God's will in true righteousness and loyalty." (Eph. 4:17-24)

Why is moral cleanness of all persons in Jehovah's organization important to every one of us?

"Many will follow their acts of loose conduct, and on account of these the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively." (2 Pet. 2:2) "Beloved ones, though I was making every effort to write you about the salvation we hold in common, I found it necessary to write you to exhort you to put up a hard fight for the faith that was once for all time delivered to the holy ones. My reason is that certain men have slipped in who have long ago been appointed by the Scriptures to this judgment, ungodly men, turning the undeserved kindness of our God into an excuse for loose conduct and proving false to our only Owner and Lord, Jesus Christ."

(Jude 3, 4; see also Joshua 7:1-26.)

What action does the congregation take when a person in its midst proves himself to be a persistent and unrepentant violator of God's commandments?

"In my letter I wrote you to quit mixing in company with fornicators, not meaning entirely with the fornicators of this world or the greedy persons and extortioners or idolaters. Otherwise, you would actually have to get out of the world. But now I am writing you to quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do you not judge those inside, while God judges those outside? 'Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.'" (1 Cor. 5:9-13)

If a person in weakness commits a serious sin, but he wants help to be restored to Jehovah's favor, what action should he take?

"Let him call the older men of the congregation to him, and let them pray over him, greasing him with oil in the name of Jehovah. And the prayer of faith will make the indisposed one well, and Jehovah will raise him up. Also, if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him." (Jas. 5:14, 15) "Brothers, even though a man takes some false step before he is aware of it, you who have spiritual qualifications try to restore such a man in a spirit of mildness, as you each keep an eye on yourself, for fear you also may be tempted." (Gal. 6:1) "He that is covering over his transgressions will not succeed, but he that is confessing and leaving them will be shown mercy." (Prov. 28:13) "My sin I finally confessed to you, and my error I did not cover. I said: 'I shall make confession over my transgressions to Jehovah.' And you yourself pardoned the error of my sins." (Ps. 32:5) "My little children, I am writing you these things that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one. And he is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world's." (1 John 2:1, 2) What Christian quality should outstandingly characterize our relationship with our spiritual brothers and with the members of our own families?

"I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves." (John 13:34, 35) "Husbands, continue loving your wives, just as the Christ also loved the congregation and delivered up himself for it." (Eph. 5:25) "Recall the young women to their senses to love their husbands, to love their children." (Titus 2:4) "Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely if anyone has a cause for complaint against another. Even as Jehovah freely forgave you, so do you also. But, besides all these things, clothe yourselves with love, for it is a perfect bond of union." (Col. 3:13, 14)

In God's arrangement of things, who is the head of a married woman?

"You wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as it is becoming in the Lord." (Col. 3:18) "Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord, because a husband is head of his wife as the Christ also is head of the congregation, he being a savior of this body." (Eph. 5:22, 23)

Is the wife whose husband is not a believer freed from his headship?

"You wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, in order that, if any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives, because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conduct together with deep respect." (1 Pet. 3:1, 2) "A married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is alive; but if her husband dies, she is discharged from the law of her husband." (Rom. 7:2)

Who is responsible before God for the training and disciplining of children?

"You, fathers, do not be irritating your children, but go on bringing them up in the discipline and authoritative advice of Jehovah." (Eph. 6:4) "The one holding back his rod is hating his son, but the one loving him is he that does look for him with discipline." (Prov. 13: 24) "The rod and reproof are what give wisdom; but a boy let on the loose will be causing his mother shame."

(Prov. 29:15)

May a Christian have more than one living marriage mate?

"The overseer should therefore be irreprehensible, a husband of one wife." (1 Tim. 3:2) "'A man will leave his father and his mother and will stick to his wife, and the two will be one flesh' . . . So that they are no longer two, but one flesh." (Matt. 19:5, 6)

What is the only Scriptural basis for divorce that frees one to remarry?

"I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, and marries another commits adultery." (Matt. 19:9) "Everyone divorcing his wife, except on account of fornication, makes her a subject for adultery, seeing that whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." (Matt. 5:32)

Is it necessary for persons who are living together as husband and wife to have their marriage legally registered with the government?

"Let marriage be honorable among all, and the marriage bed be without defilement, for God will judge fornicators and adulterers." (Heb. 13:4) "Continue reminding them to be in subjection and be obedient to governments and authorities as rulers, to be ready for every good work." (Titus 3:1) "Now in those days a decree went forth . . . for all the inhabited earth to be registered . . . Of course, Joseph also went up from Galilee . . . to get registered with Mary, who had been given him in marriage." (Luke 2:1-5)

What is the fruitage of the spirit?

"The fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, selfcontrol." (Gal. 5:22, 23)

Is it reasonable to expect a Christian to manifest this fruitage in his life?

"Keep walking by spirit and you will carry out no fleshly desire at all. If we are living by spirit, let us go on walking orderly also by spirit." (Gal. 5:16, 25) Does that mean that we will be able to do this perfectly?

"Brothers, even though a man takes some false step before he is aware of it, you who have spiritual qualifications try to restore such a man in a spirit of mildness, as you each keep an eye on yourself, for fear you also may be tempted." (Gal. 6:1)

How should Christians view the shortcomings of fellow believers?

"Stop judging that you may not be judged; for with what judgment you are judging, you will be judged; and with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you. Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother's eye, but do not consider the rafter in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Allow me to extract the straw from your eye'; when, look! a rafter is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First extract the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to extract the straw from your brother's eye." (Matt. 7:1-5) "Let us not be judging one another any longer, but rather make this your decision, not to put before a brother a stumbling block or a cause for tripping. . . So, then, let us pursue the things making for peace and the things that are upbuilding to one another." (Rom. 14:13-19)

When personal difficulties arise between individuals, what is the Christian way to correct the situation?

"If your brother commits a sin, go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, in order that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector." (Matt. 18:15-17; see also verses 21-35.)

What does the Bible say about sharing with other religious groups in worship or any of the other activities in which they engage?

"Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what sharing do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial?

Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? And what agreement does God's temple have with idols? For we are a temple of a living God; just as God said: 'I shall reside among them and walk among them, and I shall be their God, and they will be my people.' "Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves," says Jehovah, "and quit touching the unclean thing"; "and I will take you in." "And I shall be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me," says Jehovah the Almighty.'" (2 Cor. 6:14-18) "I heard another voice out of heaven say: 'Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind.'" (Rev. 18:4, 5) "The things which the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers with the demons." (1 Cor. 10:20) "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. 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. 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." (Matt. 7:13, 14, 21-23) "Men will be . . . having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away." (2 Tim. 3:2, 5) [Consider changes that this may necessitate in one's life.]

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