Should We Continue to Be What We Are?

Are there valid reasons for making a change?

MANY persons seem to think that they should continue to be what they are, at least as far as religion is concerned. They will tell you that their parents and grandparents belonged to a certain religion, and they see no reason for making a change. In the field of personality, too, some will say in effect, “Take me as you find me.” They seem to proceed on the assumption that God made them as they are, and that there is therefore no need to change.

But what do you think about the matter? Is theirs a wise view? Do you not agree that there is room for all of us to make changes for the better?

In many of the ordinary matters of life we make changes. For example, now that you are an adult, you do not accept every idea expressed by older persons with the same faith as when you were a young child. When they make statements today, you probably weigh in your mind the accuracy of their statements, and you choose to agree or disagree. Continually you gain more knowledge and experience, and so you are better equipped to reach conclusions that are based on facts. In school you doubtless learned things that were not known when your grandparents went to school. If the information is accurate, then you would not want to ignore it and cling to the idea taught to a previous generation.

WHY A RELIGIOUS CHANGE?

Even in the field of religion there are reasons for at least considering a change in viewpoint. Many persons are the product of a religious organization that took them in hand at infancy, shielded them carefully from any teaching other than its own, and prescribed exactly what they must believe. They were indoctrinated, as were their parents and grandparents, in a set of age-old traditions.

But now, an educated, awakened population is asking searching questions about church traditions, creeds, dogmas and rituals, and the answers are not always satisfactory. Church organizations are in a ferment, so great is the confusion of ideas. Church members took it for granted that such ideas as abstaining from meat on Fridays, praying to certain saints, and forbidding the clergy to marry were rooted and grounded in the Holy Scriptures. Now, however, they learn that they can eat meat on Fridays, that some of the saints have been exposed as frauds, and they hear a continuing agitation on the part of priests in favor of marriage of the clergy.​—1 Tim. 4:1-3; Heb. 13:9.

Naturally, intelligent persons begin to wonder how many other religious teachings of their church can really stand up to a thorough examination with the help of the Bible. Would it be reasonable to shun any investigation of this kind, for fear that other awkward questions might arise, that one might discover more reasons for making a change in religious viewpoint? Surely such would not be the course of wisdom. The Christian apostle Paul recommended to fellow worshipers: “Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine.”​—1 Thess. 5:21.

When Jesus ministered among the Jews nineteen hundred years ago, most of them trusted in the fact that their religion had originated with God. They did not bother to check on the traditional teachings of their rabbis and compare them with the writings of Moses and the prophets. They could not see the need for them to make any change. With what result? Most of them perished or went into slavery when the pagan Romans overran and destroyed their nation.

On the other hand, a small remnant of the Jews heeded the message of Jesus and his disciples. They diligently compared his words with their own holy writings and found them to be true. So, when devastation came upon their land, upon Jerusalem and its temple, they were already safe beyond the borders of Judea, having heeded the warning of Jesus to flee at the appointed time. (Luke 21:20-24) They did not foolishly insist on remaining what they were​—devotees of a God-given system of religion that had deteriorated to the point of being rejected by God.​—Matt. 23:37, 38.

SIMILAR SITUATION TODAY

As did the Jews back there, the adherents of Christendom’s religions today assume that they are God’s own people. They consider themselves to be highly favored beyond the peoples of so-called heathendom. They seem to think that because the words “God” and “Christ” are used frequently in their rites of worship everything will work out all right. In their ears, too, the warning message of God’s written Word, the Bible, is diligently sounded by modern-day followers in the footsteps of Jesus. From the Bible they are warned of impending destruction by God of all false religious systems and their adherents​—a message widely proclaimed by Jehovah’s witnesses—​yet the majority see no need for a change. They prefer to continue as they are.

True, many take the view that their college-educated clergymen should know more about the Scriptures than Jehovah’s witnesses. But is it not also true that when Jesus was on earth multitudes preferred to trust in professional religious leaders rather than to pay attention to the words of Jesus and his fishermen companions? With the lessons of history before you, there is no need for you to fall into the same error. You can at least pay attention and investigate.

In order to have God’s approval and blessing one must ‘keep testing whether one is in the faith.’ (2 Cor. 13:5) And that does not mean comparing one’s conduct with what is required of one by some religious organization. It means comparing one’s conduct with what the Bible clearly states to be the will of God. It is the Bible that can set all matters straight and assure you about your standing with God.​—2 Tim. 3:16, 17.

PERSONALITY CHANGE POSSIBLE

Not only in one’s religious thinking, but also in one’s entire personality, a change for the better can be made. And there are often good reasons for making such a change. One may be bad tempered, or given to loose living, or inclined to be dishonest, or proud, unwilling to accept counsel. As a child one may have been raised under the evil influence of people having one or more of those bad characteristics. But when the child grows up, moves out into society, and gains from experience, he need no longer stick to the same old view of things.

There is the experience of one young woman who was invited by one of Jehovah’s witnesses to have a Bible study in her home. She replied: “I would like that very much, but really I am no good. I am bad. I don’t think there is any hope for me.” She was urged to give the Bible study a try. It worked out well, for soon she was cleaning up her life, which had until then been immoral. She did not continue as she was. She became a keen student of the Bible, associated with Jehovah’s witnesses, and gained joy and satisfaction in life. She was no longer living merely to gratify her lust for sensual pleasures.

Such personality changes are not unusual or exceptional. Back in the time when the apostle Paul was preaching throughout the Mediterranean world, such changes were taking place. He wrote on one occasion, after referring to lawless persons, drunkards, revilers, fornicators, adulterers, and extortioners: “That is what some of you [Christians] were.” (1 Cor. 6:9-11) But they had made such a change in their personalities, with the help of God’s Word and spirit and godly associates, that they were now acceptable as followers of Jesus.

Of course, it is not easy to make such a change. It takes persevering in study and application of the principles learned from the Bible. And some religions do not encourage such study. In fact, people are given to understand that prayers offered by religious priests will make them right with God. So, the reasoning of some church members is, Why bother to make a change if atonement for sin can be had by paying regularly for prayers? That, however, is merely a tradition invented by men. The Bible teaches that there is but “one mediator between God and men, . . . Christ Jesus,” and so rules out the mediatorship of priests as being of any merit.​—1 Tim. 2:5.

So, rather than depending upon the long history of supposed sanctity attaching to a religious organization, or upon the alleged powers of its clergymen to make people right with God, how much better to accept the inspired counsel of the apostle Paul: “You should put away the old personality which conforms to your former course of conduct” and “you should be made new in the force actuating your mind, and should put on the new personality.” (Eph. 4:22-24) Yes, substituting God’s thoughts as found in the pages of the Bible for men’s thoughts and traditions is the way to be “made new” in the force actuating your mind.

If, in your present religious association, there is no encouragement to make a regular, progressive study of the Bible, why continue as you are? Why not make a change? You do want everlasting life in peace and happiness, do you not? Well, then, the way to such a worthwhile goal was expressed by Christ Jesus in clear and simple terms: “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) The only reliable source of this kind of knowledge is the Bible.

Study of the Scriptures in association with Jehovah’s witnesses you will find to be most rewarding. You will be helped to make genuine progress. You will get to know what God really expects of you. And as you conform your life to the Bible’s teachings your viewpoint on religion and your entire personality will undergo a decided change, a change for the better.

No, it is not wise to stand still, to make no progress, merely to continue to be what you are. Where adjustments will help to bring your life into harmony with the will of God, changes should be made.