(Jer. 23:3, 4) Thanks to Jehovah and his purpose this has been accomplished, not through a Roman Catholic Ecumenical Council or a religious program of interfaith, but by slashing through the traditions of men and by a complete withdrawal of people from the corrupting influence of sectarianism. It has meant a drawing together of people following apostolic methods and instruction.

¹⁵ Today, Jehovah’s visible theocratic organization has been restored. “‘Look! There are days Coming,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and I will raise up to David a righteous sprout. And a king will certainly reign and act with discretion and execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel itself will reside in security.’” (Jer. 23:5, 6) Under the direction of Christ Jesus, Jehovah’s enthroned heavenly King, the Christian congregation on earth has again become apostolic in arrangements and methods of activity, adjusted to the needs of our modern day. This has made for unity, harmony, peace and working effectiveness within the ranks of true Christians. Does the organization you look to for spiritual guidance follow this theocratic pattern? Consider seriously these questions.

16, 17. By what practices in the apostolic congregation can Jehovah’s visible organization be identified today?

¹⁶ Do those taking the lead in your organization accept the Bible as God’s Word, inspired by him as a revelation of his purpose and a book of instructions to direct us in the right way? Jesus did so, and taught his disciples to do likewise. (John 8:31, 32; 17:17; Ps. 119:105) Does the organization you look to provide regular assemblies for study of God’s Word? First-century Christians were so assisted. (Heb. 10:25; Matt. 18:20; Rom. 16:5) Does it insist upon complete unity of doctrine and thought within the congregation? Jesus’ early disciples did. (1 Cor. 1:10-13; Jas. 3:16, 17) Is a theocratic procedure followed in making appointments to service positions? It was in the early congregation. (Acts 6:1-6; 14:23; 20:28) Do all associated with your organization put Kingdom interests first in their lives? Jesus taught his disciples to do so. (Matt. 6:33) Do they recognize their privilege and responsibility to preach from house to house? Those of the early apostolic congregation did. (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 5:42; 20:20; 1 Cor. 9:16) Do they preach the good news of God’s kingdom? Jesus said they would. (Matt. 24:14) When faced with opposition, do they refuse to compromise the message of the Kingdom? The early congregation did. (Acts 4:19, 20; 5:29-32) Do all receive and accept counsel through the governing body? It is a stabilizing responsibility that the first Christians recognized. (Acts 2:42; 16:4, 5; Heb. 13:17) Do those charged with the responsibility of the organization work diligently to maintain it in a clean condition? The apostles of Jesus never lagged in this regard. (1 Cor. 5:1-5, 13; 1 Tim. 5:19-21) Is there a genuine love manifested among those in your congregation? Jesus said it would be a mark of the true congregation.​—John 13:35.

¹⁷ Viewing the organization from a different position now, does the one you support make a distinction between “clergy” and “laity”? Such distinctions were unheard of among early Christians. (Matt. 23:8-12; 20:25-28; 1 Pet. 5:2, 3) Is financial support of your organization handled on a strictly voluntary basis? The early congregation never solicited funds. (Acts 11:29, 30; 2 Cor. 9:5-7) Is your organization active in world affairs? Jesus and his apostles refused to become a part of this world. (John 17:16, 17; Jas. 4:4) Do those associated with your organization seek political positions or reforms? Those in the early congregation had a more permanent hope centered in God’s kingdom. (2 Pet. 3:13, 14) Do national or racial barriers exist within your organization? There were none in first-century congregations. (Gal. 3:28; Rev. 7:9) Is discrimination practiced? Early Christians abided by the principle that “there is no partiality with God” but his “will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.”​—Rom. 2:11; 1 Tim. 2:4; Jas. 2:1-4.

IDENTIFYING THE THEOCRATIC ORGANIZATION

18. What mark of the true visible organization did Jesus identify, and what reward did he say he would give?

¹⁸ Those in the apostolic organization did not fulfill these requirements for the Christian congregation in just a token way. They viewed their position in Jehovah’s chosen visible channel as sacred and would allow nothing to jeopardize their standing with God. They had no fear of this world. (Matt. 10:26-28) Their only concern was to provide for the safety and well-being of the flock of God. Jesus pointed to this mark of the true visible organization in connection with a detailed prophecy relating to this time of the end He said: “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings.”​—Matt. 24:45-47.

19. What must those who recognize Jehovah’s visible organization accept?

¹⁹ Evidences are now conclusive that Jesus Christ was enthroned in heaven in 1914 C.E. and that he accompanied Jehovah to his temple in 1918 C.E., when judgment began with the house of God.a (1 Pet. 4:17) After cleansing those belonging to this house who were alive on earth, Jehovah poured out his spirit upon them and assigned them the responsibility of serving as his sole visible channel, through whom alone spiritual instruction was to come. Those who recognize Jehovah’s visible theocratic organization, therefore, must recognize and accept this appointment of the “faithful and discreet slave” and be submissive to it.

20, 21. Who today are charged with the responsibility of representing Jehovah’s King, and what record provides their recommendation?

²⁰ Today those thus charged with this grand privilege and responsibility are called Jehovah’s witnesses, and have been since 1931. As a group they have been separated more and more from the sectarianism of Christendom from the 1870’s onward. Since 1879 the Watch Tower magazine has been used by this collective group to dispense spiritual food regularly to those of this “little flock” of true Christians. (Luke 12:32) In 1884 they formed a legal servant, a corporation, called Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society, now known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. By 1919, having survived the fiery trials of World War I, this “faithful and discreet slave” class was no novice organization. True, the apostles were no longer in its midst, but they had left behind written instructions as part of Jehovah’s great Record Book. Additionally, the modern-day members of this 1900-year-old Christian congregation had received from the days of the apostles onward a rich heritage of Christian loyalty and integrity, long and patient suffering of persecution, abiding faith in Jehovah’s precious promises, confidence in the leadership of its invisible Lord and King, Jesus Christ, and obedience to its centuries-old commission to be witnesses in all the earth.​—Acts 1:6-8.

²¹ In this spiritually mature condition they well qualify as those “who will actually shepherd them; and they will be afraid no more, neither will they be struck with any terror, and none will be missing,” because “a king will certainly reign and act with discretion and execute justice and righteousness in the land.” Find freedom and security in their midst. Read the article that follows to learn how.

Following Faithful Shepherds with Life in View

1. How and why must faith be proved to receive the gift of life?

JEHOVAH’S purpose to provide freedom and everlasting life on earth for obedient mankind is already well under way. It is reaching a crucial stage of development in our generation with impending destruction of this present system of things and with the beginning of Christ’s thousand-year reign of peace that will immediately follow. But none of us will receive life without putting forth some effort. Not that salvation comes by works alone. James, in writing to the first-century Christian congregation, said: “Faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself. Indeed, as the body without breath is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (Jas. 2:17, 26) This means we must prove our faith by our course of action, by the things we do. It means that righteous requirements of the King Jesus Christ must be met.

2. What campaign is now in progress, and to what does its effectiveness testify?

² Even now, through his visible theocratic organization on earth, Jehovah is providing a campaign of spiritual instruction that is searching out those of our generation of honest heart toward God and changing over their lives to bring them into conformity with his reign of righteousness under his King. The effectiveness of this campaign in growing numbers and spiritual advancement is an evidence that present unhappy, fearful conditions will terminate with this old system and the righteousness of Christ’s reign will cover the earth. What will your position be when that time comes?

3. What consistent course must we follow to be complete in accepting Jehovah’s visible organization?

³ Make haste to identify the visible theocratic organization of God that represents his king, Jesus Christ. It is essential for life. Doing so, be complete in accepting its every aspect. We cannot claim to love God, yet deny his Word and channel of communication. We cannot accept