once a week, that day would be a convenient one to do it. Talking about God’s purposes with one’s neighbors is another fine way to use this day.—Rom. 10:10.

In view of these Scriptural facts, if you have been taught by your church that the Almighty God requires you to observe a weekly sabbath day to gain his approval, you have not been told the truth. Instead of leading you in the way of the truth, it is misleading you and binding you to religious falsehood. Would it not be better to follow the truth that Jesus said would “set you free”?—John 8:32.

Keep Free to Follow Our Fine Shepherd

THE Lord Jesus promised his disciples: “If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” All true followers of his have been made free by the truth of God’s Word. This freedom, however, is not an unlimited freedom. Only Jehovah God can and does enjoy that. But all of God’s faithful servants can enjoy a relative freedom, a freedom to do what is right and freedom from false religion, from the fear of man and, among other things, freedom from enslavement to sinful practices.—John 8:31, 32.

Christian freedom also needs to be relative because Christians are members of God’s organization. Every organization has certain requirements that must be met by those belonging to it. Otherwise, instead of a common harmonious effort to realize the purpose of the organization, there would be confusion and a frustrating of purposes. Most fittingly, the Bible is an organizational book. Its Hebrew Scriptures were entrusted to an organization, the nation of Israel, and its Christian Greek Scriptures were directly written either to the Christian congregation or to individual Christians.

The Christian congregation itself is an organization, in which certain ones take the lead, such as overseers and ministerial assistants. Concerning these, Christians are counseled: “Remember those who are taking the lead among you . . . and as you contemplate how their conduct turns out imitate their faith. Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will render an account.”—Heb. 13:7, 17.

These might be said to be substituting for the “fine shepherd,” Jesus Christ (John 10:11), and were foretold by Jehovah’s prophet: “I will raise up over them shepherds who will actually shepherd them; and they will be afraid no more.”—Jer. 23:4.a

Having gained this freedom, all of Christ’s followers must be diligent to keep free to follow our Fine Shepherd. In particular does this mean to be on guard lest they become ensnared because of the imperfect and selfish and weak inclinations of the flesh. Among these is love of ease, or laziness. Unless Christians put forth a real effort to combat this tendency it can easily become a bondage that will keep them from doing all they could and should in the way of personal study, meeting attendance and field ministry. They must exert themselves vigorously if they would keep zealously free.—Luke 13:24.

And then there is the snare of materialism, the love of money or of the fine things that money can buy. A fine home luxuriously furnished, or a high-priced motorcar, can give one pleasure and pride of possession. But if the acquiring of such fine things interferes with our keeping free to follow our Fine Shepherd, then are they not the fruits of materialism?

The apostle Paul gives good counsel in this regard, which is ever so much more pertinent in our day than it was in his: “Moreover, this I say, brothers, the time left is reduced. Henceforth let those . . . making use of the world [be] as those not using it to the full; for the scene of this world is changing.” (1 Cor. 7:29, 31) Just as a runner must strip off all unnecessary clothing if he would win the race, so Christians today must keep free from the burdens of the materialistic world as far as possible if they would follow the Fine Shepherd into the new order of things.—1 Cor. 9:24-27; 2 Pet. 3:13.

Love for Jehovah, as well as for our neighbor, requires that we “put off every weight” in order to keep free to follow the example set by Jesus Christ. Look how full-time pioneer ministers, missionaries, those having gone to serve where the need for Christian ministers is greater and those serving at Bethel homes often have left behind many fine material things in order to imitate the apostles, who, as Peter said, left all to follow Jesus. And what blessings, what joys are theirs as they thus serve!—Heb. 12:1; Mark 10:28-30.

So let each dedicated Christian ask himself: “Am I keeping myself free to follow the Fine Shepherd?” And, “Can I make myself available for increased privileges of service, such as those of the pioneer ministry or Bethel service?”

[Footnotes]

Questions From Readers

● Is it proper for a Christian who is engaged to be married to break off that engagement?—A. H., U.S.A.

Marriage is a gift from God that can bring happiness and fulfillment to an individual; yet it also brings serious responsibilities, so it should not be taken lightly. While in some places parents still arrange the betrothal of their offspring, in many societies a single adult is allowed the freedom to select a mate. If two Christians in this latter situation agree or promise to marry, they can be expected, under normal circumstances, to keep their word.

Before a person agrees to a thing, he should give it the forethought the matter demands. Then when he gives his word, he can follow Jesus’ advice to “let your word Yes mean Yes, your No, No.” (Matt. 5:37) Special solemn oaths are not needed by Christians in order to make their words believable. When one says something, he should mean it.

So when two Christians have reached an agreement that they are going to marry, their word should stand. No special public statement or act is usually needed, though often such is made. In discussing “Breach of Promise of Marriage,” American Jurisprudence, Volume 8, pages 849 and 850, said: “No particular form of words is necessary to give rise to the [betrothal]; it is sufficient that the minds of the parties have met and that the engagement is mutually agreed upon.”

Of course, it is not an engagement when a proposal only has been made, but not accepted. The same legal book said: “The promise by one party without a corresponding promise to him is only an offer of marriage and not a contract [engagement].” (Page 849) Thus when we speak of an engagement, we mean a mutual agreement involving the honest word of both parties.

Engagement was considered so serious among the Hebrews that a betrothed woman was spoken of as the man’s wife, though, of course, he could not have relations with her until they actually were married. (Gen. 29:21; Matt. 1:18, 19) The engaged woman had a legal standing different from an unengaged virgin. (Ex. 22:16, 17; Deut. 22:23-29) This highlights the importance of the engaged state.

Are there, though, any things that would justify the one-sided breaking of an engagement? It would be a very rare situation that would justify a mature Christian’s one-sidedly doing so. Fraud or concealment of vital facts might justify ending an engagement. Let us give two examples: A woman deliberately concealed the fact that she was not Scripturally free to marry, and she accepted the proposal of a man who had made limited inquiry about her marital state. If later he learned that she was not yet in position to marry, he would be justified in canceling the engagement. In fact, he would be Scripturally obliged to do so. (Matt. 5:32) Or if a man willfully lied to cover facts so that a woman would accept his proposal, her learning of the facts and of his lying might lead her to end the engagement. (Col. 3:9) In these cases, the spiritually older men responsible to guard the moral purity of the Christian congregation would want to know of such dishonesty so steps could be taken to protect other Christians.

In other cases, where a valid reason does not exist, the one-sided breaking of an engagement would indicate instability and immaturity. Obviously, that sort of person could not be put before the congregation as an example of