13, 14. (a) How will a Christian properly represent God’s sovereignty in studying with interested ones? (b) What important duty of overseers is shown by the apostle Paul’s words to Timothy and to the elders of the city of Ephesus?

¹³ A good Christian will represent God’s sovereignty properly when he studies with others, by making effort to teach these people all that he can, as Jesus directed: “Make disciples . . . teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19, 20)

Paul said to the overseers in Ephesus: “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.” He met these men while doing public witnessing. He did not teach them merely to the point of baptism. Rather, he “thoroughly bore witness” to them until they had a real understanding of God’s purpose, his sovereignty exercised through Christ and their relationship to it. He also said to them: “I have not held back from telling you all the counsel of God.”​—Acts 20:20, 21, 27.