²³ “Do not marvel, brothers, that the world hates you. We know we have passed over from death to life, because we love the brothers. He who does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a manslayer, and you know that no manslayer has everlasting life remaining in him. By this we have come to know love, because that one surrendered his soul [or, life] for us; and we are under obligation to surrender our souls [or, lives] for our brothers.”—1 John 3:11-16, NW, margin.

24. Instead of breaking hearts and wounding, what must they now do?

²⁴ The spirit of Jehovah God is upon his witnesses for them to “preach good tidings unto the meek” and to “bind up the brokenhearted”, rather than to break hearts by carnal combat. Now when the river of life-saving truth is flowing forth from the throne of God’s established kingdom, his witnesses must be like trees whose leaves are “for the healing of the nations” and “for medicine”, rather than wounding the nations. (Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:18; Rev. 22:2; Ezek. 47:12) This is the “surpassing way” of love, the love of God with all that a person has and the love of one’s neighbor as oneself.—1 Cor. 12:31–13:7, NW.

25. In what respects, then, are Jehovah’s witnesses proved consistent?

²⁵ All the foregoing is only a partial statement of the case of Jehovah’s witnesses, which they have made to boards, officials and courts having the responsibility under the law of the land to determine whether they shall be granted the rights given to conscientious objectors and ministers. But enough has been said to prove to such boards and officials and all others that Jehovah’s witnesses are consistent in their claim. They are not pacifists, but are ministers and conscientious objectors on Scriptural grounds. In taking this stand the boards have been enabled to see that Jehovah’s witnesses stay neutral toward this world and that they remain God’s ministers and ordained preachers of the good news of his kingdom under Christ, with Scriptural and conscientious objection to their participation in worldly war in any form.

John the Baptist, Forerunner of Jesus

THE accurate Foreteller of events, Almighty God, declared over four hundred years before the birth of John the Baptist: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come.” (Mal. 4:5, AS; Luke 1:17) And before that, more than 700 years prior to John’s birth, Jehovah announced that this Elijahlike one would be as “the voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God”. (Isa. 40:3, AS; Matt. 3:3) It was therefore no mere accident, or according to natural processes, that John the Baptist was born some six months prior to Jesus. In fact, John’s birth was as miraculous as that of the promised child Isaac, for both his parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, were past the normal age of producing children.—Luke 1:18.