“Stay by These Things”

“Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Stay by these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.”—1 Tim. 4:16.

1. What is the only worth-while work, and how did Jesus and the apostles demonstrate this?

DOING the divine will and sticking to this course is the only worth-while work. In the time of Jesus Christ it was recognizable that this teacher was doing a worth-while work. He was awake to his privileges of service. He was preaching the good news of Jehovah’s kingdom. He knew that that was the divine will. He stuck to his work from the time of his baptism in the river Jordan by John until his death. He preached incessantly. He taught diligently. He healed the sick both in mind and in body. He found many faithful Jews who would be his disciples. He kept his twelve apostles close to him and trained them daily, and he showed them how to stick to their divinely given work of preaching the Kingdom good news. These faithful Jews were looking for the Messiah, and now they had found him in Christ Jesus and they stayed with him.

2, 3. (a) How did Jesus answer the rich young man who asked him what good he must do in order to get everlasting life? (b) Wherein lay the real secret in gaining everlasting life, and why did Jesus counsel him to ‘sell his belongings’?

² There were many other persons that recognized Jesus’ devotion to Jehovah. One in particular was a rich man who said: “Teacher, what good must I do in order to get everlasting life?” (Matt. 19:16) How many millions of people have asked that same question since then? Living is such a natural desire. One does not want to die. Jesus had often demonstrated that he had the power to give people a more abundant life. He healed the sick, he opened the blind eyes, he even raised the dead from the tombs. He spoke of everlasting life as being within their reach and said that it could easily be had if people would only follow him and live according to his teachings. This particular rich man had observed the Ten Commandments from his youth up, but just how could he get the eternal life he desired? Jesus told him: “If, though, you want to enter into life, observe the commandments continually.” (Matt. 19:17) To the query, “Which ones?” Jesus continued: “‘Why, You must not murder, You must not commit adultery, You must not steal, You must not bear false witness, Honor your father and your mother, and, You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ The young man said to him: ‘I have kept all these; what yet am I lacking?’ Jesus said to him: ‘If you want to be complete, go sell your belongings and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven, and come be my follower.’ When the young man heard this saying, he went away grieved, for he was holding many possessions.”—Matt. 19:18-22.

³ This grieved rich man was told: “Sell your belongings and give to the poor.” What a price to pay for life! But is one’s life not worth it? However, there was more to it than just that. Did he hear what the Great Teacher of the divine will said in addition: “Be my follower”? That was the real secret in getting everlasting life. First of all, do not be burdened down with the cares of this world, so that you can walk unburdened in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, preaching the good news of the kingdom of the heavens. Certainly if one were occupied with preaching the good news he would not have time for the care of so many possessions as this rich man had. Neither then, nor now, could a true follower of Christ Jesus be burdened down with so many cares of this old world. If it was necessary for the rich man to dispose of his possessions and follow Christ nineteen hundred years ago to be a Christian, how much more is it true now that an individual who wants to follow Christ Jesus and do Kingdom work must free himself of the anxieties of this present way of living? Christ is no longer with us on earth to give us personal counsel, but Jehovah God has seen to it that his words and those of his faithful followers were written down for the admonition and the learning of us upon whom the end of this system of things would come.

4. What does Christ expect of his followers when he makes his thieflike return, and what does that mean for them?

⁴ The Scriptures show us that Christ has come the second time, invisibly, and when Jesus gave the Revelation to John he pointed out that he, Christ Jesus, was to come also as a thief just before the battle of God Almighty, known as Armageddon. Jesus expects that at that time those who have declared themselves to be Christians will be on duty and be awake and on guard, watching their Kingdom duties. He has the right to expect them to be walking in his footsteps, doing the same thing he advised the rich man to do, “be my follower.” Being a Christian is a full-time occupation, no vacation periods, no change of religion, no stopping for a while. When one really walks in the footsteps of Christ Jesus he will not give all his time to the commercial business of life. The Christian wants to please the one who called him to be his disciple and that means giving Christ and his work first attention.

5. (a) In what way does the apostle Paul illustrate the position of those who are active in Christ’s service? (b) What experiences had Paul had that helped him appreciate what it meant to be a soldier, and how should we view the matter today?

⁵ Paul put the matter very plainly and forcefully, saying that Christians are employed in Christ’s service as soldiers. All Christians must be single-minded. They must look to and obey the one who called them to be soldiers. Being in Christ’s employ and following him, there is only one thing they can do: “As a right kind of soldier of Christ Jesus take your part in suffering evil. No man serving as a soldier involves himself in the commercial businesses of life, in order that he may meet the approval of the one who enrolled him as a soldier.” (2 Tim. 2:3, 4) A soldier of Christ Jesus does not and can not divide his interests. He does not try to run a selfish commercial business and at the same time be a soldier. When one is hired as a soldier, that is his work, and when one is assigned to guard the interests of the king he does not go to sleep. The Christian stays in his assignment. He is awake to his responsibilities. Paul, the former Saul of Tarsus, knew what it meant to be a soldier. When Saul was sent out to persecute the Christians he had an assignment and did it. He followed out orders. When he was converted to be a follower of Christ Jesus and was named Paul he also determined to be a right kind of soldier in the Christian army, putting on the full suit of armor provided by God, suffering any trials or difficulties that would arise because of being a soldier. If to be a Christian in the days of Paul it was necessary to be a faithful and alert soldier, certainly today nothing less is required. Jesus stated it so clearly to the rich man, “Sell your belongings . . . be my follower”; and Paul made it just as plain when he said: “No man serving as a soldier involves himself in the commercial businesses of life.” So how should one who calls himself a Christian today look at the matter? Not differently. He should stay by the things he has learned, be an honest follower, not a hypocrite.

NO CHANGE IN REQUIREMENTS TODAY

6. In spite of the changes in the ways of living and the religious practices of the world, what can be said of the divine requirements for our day, but what is sadly lacking in Christendom?

⁶ Today a Christian must be just as faithful and devoted to his call to service as Christ was to his, the apostles were to theirs and the early Christians to theirs. There is no difference in the requirements for Christians today. They must still stay awake and be alert on duty and carry out their responsibilities. True, this generation is far removed from the days of Christ, nineteen hundred years in fact. The ways of living have changed. The ideas and philosophies of men and the customs of the people have proved to be quite different. Christendom has moved along with the times and does not want to be old-fashioned. Too many clergymen of today have become modernists and have rejected the Bible, saying that the story of Noah and the creation of Adam and Eve are just myths, and that Christ’s dying on the torture stake was not necessary for salvation. The simple faith of Christ Jesus and of the disciples of Christ is a thing wanting throughout all Christendom. But the Bible has not changed since the days of the apostles. The divine will has not changed for the Christian. Jehovah is not one to change. His truth remains forever! So today to be a Christian, one must “be my follower.” Paul was one, but the rich man went away grieved at how to be one. Paul spoke of a falling away that would take place. He said that “the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith.” (1 Tim. 4:1) Today that great falling away from walking in the footsteps of Christ Jesus is at its height. It was so important for Paul to say to the Christians of his time: “Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Stay by these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.” This is even more applicable today. No individual professing to be a Christian can brush aside the teachings of Christ. The Holy Bible is God’s Word. Jesus believed it and lived it. Every professed follower of his must pay constant attention to himself and to Christ’s teachings so that he may stay awake to his privileges of service.

7. (a) What vital message is this the time to preach, and how has Christendom failed in this respect? (b) How do true followers of Christ Jesus feel about God’s kingdom, its establishment and their obligation in relation to it?

⁷ Nineteen hundred years after Jesus introduced the wonderful message of the kingdom of the heavens it must still be preached. It is still the only hope for mankind. Jesus taught his followers to pray: “Let your kingdom come. Let your will come to pass, as in heaven, also upon earth.” (Matt. 6:10) While Christendom repeats these words in chant and song and sometimes in read prayers, her religionists do not believe it. If they did they would preach it. True followers of Christ Jesus—and Jehovah’s witnesses prove to be such—are still preaching the good news of God’s kingdom as the only hope for mankind and they believe it with all their heart, mind, soul and strength, and they are on the watch as to the time when God’s established kingdom with all its powerful heavenly force will strike at Armageddon. As Christians Jehovah’s witnesses feel their responsibility to look after their Kingdom preaching, not just to the end of the times of the Gentiles, but to the end of all the nations of the Devil’s organization. Whether the world of mankind will take time to find out the importance of the day in which they are living or not, makes no difference. Christ Jesus has come into his kingdom. By him Jehovah reigns. God’s kingdom rules! And the reason the religionists of Christendom have not been declaring his good news is that they are asleep. The warning of the world’s end as being near has been given around the world, and especially in Christendom. We are living in the last days of this system of things and Jehovah’s witnesses, being true to their assignment, have let the world know in all principal languages that God’s kingdom rules and the world’s end is near. Christendom is not left ignorant of the times in which we are living.

8. (a) What interest demonstrated by the apostles of Christ Jesus has Christendom failed to show? (b) In what manner will this old world come to its end, but what work did Jesus say would be done first?

⁸ The apostles of Christ Jesus were very much concerned about the times and the condition of world affairs when Christ would make his second appearance. But Christendom and its religious leaders do not show interest in this matter. “While [Jesus] was sitting upon the mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, saying: ‘Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the consummation of the system of things?’” (Matt. 24:3) Jesus described clearly the conditions that would exist in the world when the whole system of things would be ending together in a “consummation.” It would not be going down in little bits of pieces, or sections, but this combined ending would “come in upon all those dwelling upon the face of all the earth.” In the very days of the ‘ending together of the system of things,’ Jesus said, “this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for the purpose of a witness to all the nations, and then the accomplished end will come.”—Matt. 24:14.

9. What things that Jesus said would mark the “beginning of pangs of distress” have we seen fulfilled in our day, and, despite the world’s hatred, what course of action have Jehovah’s witnesses taken?

⁹ Jesus gave a composite sign, showing many things that would occur, nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom, food shortage, earthquakes in one place after another, all of these things together being the “beginning of pangs of distress.” As far as real Christians are concerned, he stated: “Then people will deliver you up to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name.” (Matt. 24:9) How true this has been! But despite the hatred, Jehovah’s witnesses have been alert, awake, on guard and have seen to it that God’s kingdom was preached and that the warning was given to Christendom and to all the world of mankind concerning these last days. They have not slowed down in this announcement either, nor will they do so until the accomplished end comes.

10. When is it that Revelation 16:15 has its fulfillment, and why do you so answer?

¹⁰ Jehovah’s witnesses do not want to find themselves asleep just before the complete end when, all together, this system of things will go down. They appreciate what Christ Jesus said, at Revelation 16:15: “I am coming as a thief. Happy is the one that stays awake and keeps his outer garments, that he may not walk naked and people look upon his parts of shame.” Being awake, taking care of one’s responsibilities and preaching the good news right up to the complete end at the battle of Armageddon is an essential thing for a Christian. The December 15, 1958, issue of The Watchtower gives the reader a clear and detailed explanation of this text and shows without question that it is just prior to the battle of Armageddon when this scripture has its fulfillment. As the context shows, the three unclean inspired expressions that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, the mouth of the wild beast and the mouth of the false prophet are in fact “expressions inspired by demons” and have a lot to say. With all of this talk they “go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, . . . And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har–Magedon.” It is when this great gathering work reaches its peak for this final battle that Christ Jesus comes “as a thief,” showing great interest in those who are on guard duty in his temple organization. It is at the same time when this system of things in all its wickedness has been gathered together for the purpose of being brought to a complete end at the “war of the great day of God the Almighty” that this scripture finds application. While this gathering of the nations is going on, Jehovah’s gathered people, the remnant and the other sheep, hear Christ Jesus say, “Look!” Yes, he gains their attention and they hear him say: “I am coming as a thief. Happy is the one that stays awake and keeps his outer garments, that he may not walk naked and people look upon his parts of shame.”—Rev. 16:15.

CHRISTENDOM ASLEEP

11. What happens to those who are indifferent toward their service within Jehovah’s spiritual temple?

¹¹ It is a terrible thing for a person to be indifferent toward his privilege of service, his assignment as a guard within the spiritual temple of Jehovah, and to be found asleep. He deserves to be beaten, stripped of his garments and have people look upon his shame.

12, 13. What recently published statements show how sleepily indifferent Christendom is to the presence of Christ Jesus, in contrast to the fiery zeal and wakefulness of those who are true Christian witnesses?

¹² The newspaper The Advocate, which is the official publication of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark and of the Diocese of Paterson in New Jersey, had something to say under the heading “Arise, Ye Who Sleep,” and in this article we can see just how sleepy Christendom is and how religionists are not alert to the signs of the times, nor to the presence of Christ Jesus, nor to the preaching of the good news. But this paper also recognizes that there is a group that is wide awake and filled with fiery zeal and that there is no complacency or indifference among them. The Advocate says:

When we went to school and studied our catechism, we learned that there are three divisions to the Catholic Church: (1) The Church Triumphant; (2) The Church Suffering; and (3) The Church Militant. With a great deal of justification we might add a fourth division and call it the Church Dormant or the Church Complacent. The people who make up this group are men and women who should in fact be members of the Church Militant, but who seemingly have forgotten the meaning of the word. They are apparently asleep at the switch and nothing seems to bother them. . . . The fantastic story of the Jehovah’s Witnesses attracted world-wide attention during their recent convention in New York. Here was a group of religious-minded people who numbered about 800,000 throughout the entire world. Their doctrine is weird and strange. But they managed to get 250,000 members to their convention. Most people cannot understand what it is that attracts these people, but the fact remains that there is something which brings out this phenomenal attendance.

What they do have is a fiery zeal; there is no complacency or indifference among them, and sacrifice does not deter them. Every one of these people pledges himself to work 12 hours a week at the conversion of his fellow men.

If we had such zeal and perseverance among the rank and file of our Catholic people, we could transform the face of the earth. A famous Catholic preacher once said: “Judged by human, business standards, the Catholic Church is a colossal failure. After 20 centuries two-thirds of the human race is still pagan.”—The Advocate, September 19, 1958.

¹³ The Catholic organization admits they are found asleep. Their unchristian nakedness is exposed. They are not zealous for God’s kingdom, nor are they putting forth any effort at all to preach it. And how about the Protestants? The Litchville Bulletin of North Dakota had this listing in the Want Ads column of its newspaper: “LOST—Over 100 members of the Lutheran Parish. Not seen since Easter. Please return to the North LaMoure, Litchville, or Hastings Lutheran Churches on Sunday morning. No questions will be asked. Pastor Bob Harrison.”

14. How has Christendom’s nakedness been exposed, and why?

¹⁴ What would Christ Jesus do if he came to visit these Catholic and Protestant organizations, representatives of Christendom? He would take off their outer garments and he would expose them and let the people walk naked so that others could see their parts of shame. But this has already been done before the eyes of true Christians. Christendom’s nakedness has been exposed to them. She has neglected the work and failed the people. She has denied the Bible. She does not teach its principal message, that the kingdom of the heavens is at hand, nor does she magnify the great name of the God of the universe, Jehovah. But so much for Christendom. What about the true Christians themselves?

15. What strong admonition, recorded at Luke 21:34-36, does Christ give his followers?

¹⁵ This is no time for Christians to be lax and indifferent. We definitely are living in the last days of this system of things, and in the twenty-first chapter of Luke, where Jesus is describing in detail the composite sign, he gives this very strong admonition to his followers. If the reader claims to be his follower, then listen to his words: “Pay attention to yourselves that your hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day be instantly upon you as a snare. For it will come in upon all those dwelling upon the face of all the earth. Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication that you may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur, and to hold your position before the Son of man.” (Luke 21:34-36) Here again, we have the expression “pay attention to yourselves.” Why? What could happen? One could easily be weighed down with the cares of this world, the eating and the drinking and the anxieties of life. Or, as the footnote of the New World Translation says: “anxieties over livelihood.”

16. What further advice did Jesus give to aid his followers to avoid becoming weighed down with the anxieties of life, and what is the truly important matter for our attention?

¹⁶ In the time of Jesus he admonished his faithful followers not to be so much concerned about the things of one’s livelihood, “as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear.” (Matt. 6:25) They should be “seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness.” (Matt. 6:33) Is not that what he was telling the rich young man? Get rid of all these things that have made you rich. Give them to the poor, these things whereby you were making your livelihood, and follow me. The important thing is ‘seeking first the kingdom and God’s righteousness.’ In the prayer that Jesus taught his apostles to pray he said: “Give us today our bread for this day.” He did not ask for any more. With food, clothing and shelter we should be content, along with our godly devotion. So never be weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life. And why not? If these become the important things in one’s life, the principal reason for living, as they were in the life of the rich man, then we are not going to have time for walking in the footsteps of Christ Jesus, following him. We cannot be a soldier of Christ Jesus if it is the eating and drinking and the anxieties of life that we are interested in and if we are going to be weighed down with commercial businesses of life in order to get these things in abundance. The two do not go together.

STAYING AWAKE DURING THE CONSUMMATION

17. What is required of each one if he is to succeed in escaping destruction with this present evil world?

¹⁷ Describing living in these last days, in the twenty-first chapter of Luke, Jesus says the complete end will happen so suddenly that that day will be instantly upon us as a snare. Then what is going to happen? Jesus said that it will come in upon all those dwelling upon the face of the earth. He is not making any exceptions. So his very strong advice to the apostles and, of course, to Christians today was: “Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication that you may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur, and to hold your position before the Son of man.” Truly there is a way of escape from going down executed in the battle of the great day of God the Almighty. The way of escape is in staying awake, living as a Christian, making supplication before God. Then you may succeed in escaping all these troubles and distresses that will come upon the Devil’s system of things at one time, completely wiping it out, the political system, the religious system, the commercial system, and abyssing the demons who control this world and even the Devil himself. Being on guard as a Christian at God’s spiritual temple and staying awake there will mean, too, that you will hold your approved position before the Son of man. He will preserve you alive through the battle of Armageddon, which destroys this present evil world, into God’s new world of righteousness.

18. Why was the world destroyed in Noah’s day, and what fine example did Noah and his household set for those living in this time of the end?

¹⁸ This will not be the first time that a world is destroyed. It happened before in the days of Noah, “when the patience of God was waiting in Noah’s days, while the ark was being constructed, in which a few people, that is, eight souls, were carried safely through the water.” (1 Pet. 3:20) Jehovah had good cause for destroying the people that lived in Noah’s day. They paid no attention to God, nor to the message that God had Noah preach to them concerning the end of that world. But they were given to eating and drinking and having a good time, feasting, thinking of just themselves and their own anxieties of life. They were truly weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking. Jesus tells us that it would be very similar in our day just before the battle of Armageddon to what it was in Noah’s day: “For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. For as people were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.” (Matt. 24:37-39) This flood came upon all those dwelling upon the face of the earth during Noah’s day: Identical to what is going to happen at the battle of Armageddon. Christians cannot be asleep. Jesus said, ‘Happy is the one that stays awake and keeps his outer garments.’ Noah was not asleep as to his building of the ark. He kept busy at construction. In addition he kept preaching. With him were his three sons and their wives and Noah’s own wife; all of them kept busy with Noah, and when the flood came they were ready, they were awake, they were in the ark with all the animals and they were preserved alive out of the world that was, into a cleansed earth. Noah and his family stayed on the watch, worked and were ready when the rains came. It pays to stay awake! You do not lose your outer garments of God’s ministry.

19. The Christians in the first century had received what warning about Jerusalem, and so what course did they pursue that demonstrated their wakefulness?

¹⁹ If Noah had not stayed by the things that were committed into his care, he would not have saved himself, and others also, his loved ones. The only sensible thing to do now is stay awake and take care of the responsibilities that fall upon one, just as the early Christians did when destruction was about to befall Jerusalem. Many years before the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70 (A.D.), the Christians had received warning through the prophecy that Jesus gave them. “Furthermore, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then understand that the desolating of her has drawn near. Then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains, and let those in the midst of her withdraw, and let those in the nearby regions not enter into her, because these are days for meting out justice that all the things written may be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:20-22) Shortly after the days of Pentecost many persons gained a knowledge of the truth, dedicated themselves to Jehovah’s service and were baptized. In fact, in one day 3,000 persons were baptized. There must have been many assembly places within Jerusalem where God’s people met and studied the Word of God together and prepared themselves for their preaching activity. But all this time while they were studying the Bible they were on the watch, they were awake to the critical situations that were prophesied by Christ Jesus, when Jerusalem would be in for destruction. So in the year 66, when the armies of Rome surrounded the city, it certainly must have brought to their attention that destruction was imminent. When these armies moved away for a short season, all the Christians in Jerusalem fled to the mountains, out of the city gates, over the hills of Galilee, down into the Jordan valley and across the river to Gilead, to the mountains where there was safety. When one is warned, why stay at the place where destruction is going to happen? Why be asleep at this crucial time, when one should be awake and on duty? Those early Christians were awake to their responsibilities. They wanted to preserve their lives so they could continue to preach the good news of the Kingdom after the destruction of Jerusalem. They did.

20. What that demonstrates their spiritual wakefulness is true of Jehovah’s witnesses today?

²⁰ While Christendom is exposed to true Christians today because of not having on its outer garments, and this is due to falling asleep to Christian privileges of service, Jehovah’s witnesses world-wide continue to preach God’s kingdom and pay attention to the divine will. They see to it that those coming within Jehovah’s sanctuary for worship are clean, just as the guard protected the temple of Jehovah when on night watch to see that nothing unclean got in to pollute the temple or to steal from it. In these last days the Kingdom interests have been committed into the care of the “faithful and discreet slave” class, and now joining with them is a “great crowd” of “other sheep” coming from all nations, kindreds and tongues, and these, too, have been given the privilege of guarding these Kingdom interests by preaching even to the ends of the earth. This great crowd now numbering well over 770,000 ministers of the Kingdom are not being weighed down by overeating and heavy drinking and the anxieties of this life. They are alerted to the fact that Christ Jesus will come at Armageddon as a thief, suddenly, instantly, and that when this destruction comes to the earth it will affect all those dwelling upon the face of the earth. So they keep awake, and hold their position before the Son of man, guarding the Kingdom interests, keeping on their ministerial garments, showing that they appreciate their responsibilities. By having on these garments they prove that they have been favored by Jehovah God and have been retained in Jehovah’s holy service in his sanctuary.

Who Really Can Be Saved?

1. Whom do the Scriptures identify to be the “light of the world,” and how does this light affect the judgment of mankind?

THE person that does right and seeks truth will come into the light. John the Baptist introduced the Jews to the one who became the “light of the world.” John the Baptist “came for the purpose of a witness, in order to bear witness about the light, that people of all kinds might believe through him.” (John 1:7) John knew that the light of the world was Christ Jesus. (John 8:12) Jesus, having instructed his disciples concerning truth, said to them: “You are the light of the world.” (Matt. 5:14) So true Christians today are the only light there is. People of all walks of life should examine themselves and ask themselves the questions, “Am I afraid of the light? Am I afraid of truth?” Jesus puts it squarely to everyone: “Now this is the basis for judgment, that the light has come into the world but men have loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were wicked. For he that practices vile things hates the light and does not come to the light, in order that his works may not be reproved. But he that does what is true comes to the light, in order that his works may be made manifest as having been worked in harmony with God.”—John 3:19-21.

2. How is it possible for men to be saved?

² The rich man who came to Jesus seeking life was not seeking truth. He turned away from the opportunity of following Jesus and went to look after his riches. One must really love truth and light in order to work in harmony with God. This is what the disciples of Christ were seeking to do, and Jesus said to his disciples: “Truly I say to you that it will be a difficult thing for a rich man to get into the kingdom of the heavens.” “When the disciples heard that, they expressed very great surprise, saying: ‘Who really can be saved?’ Looking them in the face, Jesus said to them: ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matt. 19:23, 25, 26) One who does the divine will of the heavenly Father will find that it is possible for men to be saved. God makes it possible. He made it possible by sending his only-begotten Son into the world that whosoever believed on him and exercised faith in him might get everlasting life. (John 3:16) If one believes in the Son then he is going to follow his teaching. He is going to walk in his footsteps. He is going to be a minister. It means service, hard work, and keeping at it. Keeping at it means being on the watch continually.

3. What did Jesus’ disciples do after his ascension to heaven?

³ After Jesus left his disciples and ascended to the heavens, the eleven faithful apostles along with other disciples stuck together and stayed on the watch. When Pentecost arrived the holy spirit descended upon them and energized them to further activity. From then on nothing could stop them. They preached. The same holy spirit that energized the disciples then is working on true Christians today. The same active force or holy spirit from God is now stimulating his people to go ahead with the work of preaching the good news. Immediately after Pentecost for three and one half years the disciples traveled throughout Palestine preaching and gathering the remnant of the Jews who were seeking the Messiah. After that the divine will indicated that the message of salvation should go to all nations, kindreds and tongues; and so the disciples went to Asia Minor, Greece, Babylon, Italy and other parts of the world.

4. (a) What things do not deter real Christians from carrying out the responsibility to be teachers? (b) Who are now coming to the mountain of Jehovah, and what motivates them?

⁴ The command given to Christians was: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) Today nothing stops a real Christian from carrying out that responsibility, not even death itself. Even in these last days, when Christians see the gathering together of the great armies of the earth to the battle of Armageddon, they are not fearful, but they stay on the watch, looking after the things that Jehovah God has put in their care. Their big interest is the Kingdom interest, preaching the good news in all the world for a witness to all nations and gathering the other sheep. The “faithful and discreet slave” class is standing upon the mountain of God crying out to all who have an ear to hear to come and to take of the “water of life” freely. Today hundreds of thousands of persons are coming to the “mountain of Jehovah,” there to learn of his laws and his ways. They do appreciate his undeserved kindness, the gift of his beloved Son, for through him salvation is gained. They love the truth, and because of this they come to the light, Christ Jesus, and, having come, they want to do the works in harmony with God.—Isa. 2:2-4; Rev. 22:17.

5. In the face of persecution, what did Jesus’ disciples continue to do, and to what right course should that encourage true Christians in this time?

⁵ It is not going to be easy for a true Christian to stand out publicly declaring the good news, no more than it was for the early disciples, who stood in the synagogues and in the public forums declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus. For this, the Bible tells us, the disciples were flogged and frequently they were warned to quit preaching. Did the early Christians quit? No; for concerning the apostles it is reported: “Every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.” (Acts 5:42) Those apostles, though imperfect, stayed at their divinely assigned work. They did not pity themselves or make excuses for quitting because the going was hard. They were convinced that what they were doing was the right thing to do. Jesus did it. They had heard their teacher tell them what to do and what to say. They had the holy spirit backing them up now. This was no time for hesitancy, no time for fear. It was a time to keep awake and on the watch. It was then time to preach the good news of God’s kingdom, and it still is the time to preach, yes, now more than ever, because right now we are at the time when Christ Jesus comes as inspector of the guards. Happy is the one who stays awake and keeps his outer garments, so that he may not walk naked and have people look upon his parts of shame. Regardless of what Christendom does—and the evidence shows that Christendom has been asleep as far as looking after Kingdom interests is concerned, and has been stripped naked to Christian eyes—Jehovah’s witnesses must and will stay awake in these last days of the end of this system of things and preach. This is the time to do the divine will of gathering the “other sheep” from all nations, kindreds, tongues, religions and from all walks of life, rich or poor.—John 10:16.

STAYING BY THESE THINGS FOR SALVATION

6. Why is it so important to stay by these things, and how will the old world react?

⁶ It is so necessary for a Christian to stay by these things he was taught in his early Christian life. Paul said to Timothy: “Preach the word, be at it urgently in favorable season, in troublesome season.” (2 Tim. 4:2) Nothing may be allowed to separate a Christian from the love of God no matter how hard the opposition may be. It is no time to be sleepy or to relax or to be eating and drinking and be looking after the anxieties of this life. The persistence on the part of Christ Jesus in preaching God’s kingdom irritated the religious clergy of his day so much that they finally put him to death on the torture stake. They murdered him! The early Christians were just as persistent in their preaching, and by threats and imprisonments the Devil’s crowd of that day tried to get them to stop declaring the good news of Christ Jesus that he had taught them. This failed.

7-9. In what ways has the world tried to break down the faithfulness of Jehovah’s people, but what does a book published in the British Isles in 1957 have to say about the effectiveness of their methods?

⁷ The same religious crowd has been trying to silence Christians in these last days, influencing the political crowd to take action against Jehovah’s witnesses. The totalitarian rulers have tried brainwashing, concentration camps and Communist prisons. The rulers have tried to break down the faithfulness of some of Jehovah’s witnesses so that they would not continue in their service to God. However, when a Christian is determined to keep faithful and on the watch, all the brainwashing that is done will have no effect.

⁸ A book published in the British Isles in 1957, called Battle for the Mind, a Physiology of Conversion and Brainwashing, said: “Those reported as among the best able to preserve their standards and beliefs in the German concentration camps during World War two were members of the sect of Jehovah’s witnesses. This pacifist religious group has many strange beliefs, but these were implanted with such strength and certainty by their religious leaders as to remain operative when continued debilitation and psychological degraduation had reduced most other people of the highest ideals, but no specific loyalties, to accept the very lowest conception of individual and group morality. A safeguard against conversion is indeed a burning and obsessive belief in some other creed or way of life. History shows that well indoctrinated and trained soldiers can be just as brave and stubborn as Jehovah’s witnesses.”

⁹ So must all of Jehovah’s witnesses be today, all Christians, all true followers of Christ Jesus. Through this singleness of devotion to Jehovah through Christ Jesus they can be saved.

10, 11. (a) Where do Jehovah’s witnesses gain the strength needed to maintain exclusive devotion to Jehovah God? (b) Testifying to the fact that they “stay by these things” in the face of severe persecution, where is the largest single group of Jehovah’s witnesses outside the United States located today?

¹⁰ Where do Jehovah’s witnesses gain this strength? Not by anything within themselves. It is by acquiring power from God. Paul told Timothy: “You, therefore, my child, keep on acquiring power in the undeserved kindness that is in connection with Christ Jesus, and the things you heard from me with the support of many witnesses, these things commit to faithful men who in turn will be adequately qualified to teach others. As a right kind of soldier of Christ Jesus take your part in suffering evil.”—2 Tim. 2:1-3.

¹¹ Jehovah’s witnesses must stay alert daily by studying God’s Word, meeting with Jehovah’s people in the congregations, going from house to house preaching the good news. Today the German concentration camps have long been gone, but Jehovah’s witnesses remain, triumphant. The Communist concentration camps are still in operation, but Jehovah’s witnesses are growing rapidly behind the Iron Curtain, as the Yearbook report of Jehovah’s witnesses shows. The greatest single group of Jehovah’s witnesses outside the United States in any one country has been assembled behind the Iron Curtain despite all the brainwashing, propaganda and threats to annihilate and destroy God’s faithful servants.

12, 13. To what must all who will be found faithful pay particular attention, and how?

¹² No matter where anyone lives throughout the world, if he is going to remain a Christian and stay on the watch and be found faithful when Christ Jesus comes at Armageddon as a thief, then he must be paying constant attention to himself and to what he is teaching. The only way that he can do this is to stay close to Jehovah’s organization, study the divine will and live according to it, for if he stays by these things and does them he will save himself and those who listen to him.

¹³ There is the strength of Jehovah’s organization, faith in Jehovah God, in his beloved Son, Christ Jesus, and in his faithful promises. Christian minds must be filled with truth. And those who do the same thing that Timothy, an early Christian, did, ‘paying constant attention to himself and to his teaching, staying by these things, thus saving both himself and those who listened to him,’ will have the same reward as he did. It can be you, if you seek the Light, Christ Jesus, and do the divine will! Endurance brings happiness. Endurance brings reward. Accomplishment through faithful labor brings great joy and boundless happiness.

14. What did Jesus say his “food” was, and so what is the determination of Jehovah’s witnesses now?

¹⁴ Christians today work, are awake, really busy preaching. Even though while they are doing this work it means persecution for all, and death to some, still a Christian must always remember that Jesus said: “My food is for me to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34) So right up until the very end, to the finish of the battle of Armageddon, Jehovah’s witnesses will continue to be on the watch, staying awake, keeping their ministerial outer garments. They will stay at their assignment declaring the good news of God’s kingdom.

“Let All Your Affairs Take Place with Love”

1. In view of the delinquent condition of the world, how will the Christian conduct himself?

THESE are strenuous times, treacherous. Some people think they live in the peaceful part of the world, but the majority know that they live in a world where a war of destruction could break out at any moment. However, all of us live in a world of idolaters, fornicators, murderers, thieves, greedy persons, a truly delinquent world for young and old. So no matter where anyone lives he is going to be surrounded by difficulties. How will he conduct himself under these influences? For the Christian there is only one way. Paul stated it plainly when he said: “Let all your affairs take place with love.” (1 Cor. 16:14) Regardless of the other individual’s way of life, the Christian should deal with the other person unselfishly and kindly.

2, 3. (a) How is love manifest in one’s life? (b) While loving, why is the Christian no weakling, and how is this demonstrated in the life and ministry of Jehovah’s witnesses? (c) In spite of Paul’s counsel on the need for wakefulness, what has happened to Christendom, and why?

² When Paul defined love in 1 Corinthians the thirteenth chapter he had to compose quite a lengthy expression in order to make it comprehensive, to bring in everything involved in connection with love. He was definite that love is “long-suffering and obliging. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, does not get puffed up.” (1 Cor. 13:4) An individual having true love will not lose his self-control. He will keep on an even keel. That does not mean a Christian could not be firm, strong in his decisions. No, for Paul said: “Stay awake, stand firm in the faith, carry on as men, grow mighty. Let all your affairs take place with love.”—1 Cor. 16:13, 14.

³ Here is strong admonition for all those who are going to carry on their affairs in love that they stay awake and stand firm in the faith. There is no indefiniteness about that. The Christian must be a determined, positive, firm man, yet loving. He must feel the responsibility that goes with the duties of a minister of God. He is no weakling. He carries on like a man, like Christ Jesus, who “went on progressing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favor with God and men.” (Luke 2:52) While in the world and no part of it, just as Jesus was no part of the world, he is noticed because he is a publicity man, an announcer of the kingdom of God. But being Christian today does not mean running away from dangers or threats because of preaching, nor does it mean compromise. The Christian faces all kinds of trouble, even if it means his death. His Christian ministry is his work. Nothing can stop it. He must finish his work, and to do that takes love and firmness. Jehovah’s witnesses, Christians in today’s world, whether behind the Iron Curtain or in the neutral or in the Western bloc of nations, still stand firm in their faith, carry on as men. It is not easy to do, but they cannot back up and quit preaching because some government authority says they must stop talking about God’s kingdom. They love that kingdom, they have faith in it and they will act like men and carry out their ministerial work. This they have done in the past year, preaching the good news. As a theocratic organization Jehovah’s witnesses have been most aggressive in making known the kingdom of God. They fully appreciate that this is a time, not for sleep, but for watchfulness. It is a time to be awake. Paul was alert and said: “So, then, let us not sleep on as the rest do, but let us stay awake and keep our senses.” (1 Thess. 5:6) Christendom has admittedly gone to sleep, for it no longer preaches God’s kingdom but rather preaches that the United Nations is the only light of the world. What happened to their faith in Christ Jesus and his teachings? They put their faith in this old corrupt, dying world. So doing, Christendom has fallen asleep at the post of duty and she has been stripped naked, exposed to all who wish to observe her failure in looking after Kingdom interests. She certainly has no true ministerial garments on.

4. How are faith and love a protection to Christians and what things do they avoid?

⁴ Paul went on further to say: “For those who sleep are accustomed to sleep at night, and those who get drunk are usually drunk at night. But as for us who belong to the day, let us keep our senses and have on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation; because God assigned us, not to wrath, but to the acquiring of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:7-9) Here again we see emphasized the importance love plays in the life of a true Christian. His love and faith are a protection to him. This helps him to keep his senses, his balance, his self-control, and to feel his responsibility. His responsibility is always that of being a minister of the good news of the kingdom of God. As a representative of Christ he is not given to drunkenness, overeating and the anxieties of life, but he stays on the watch and takes care of his very important affairs in love.

5. How does the apostle Paul say that Christians should deport themselves, and why?

⁵ Paul also said: “Only behave in a manner worthy of the good news about the Christ, in order that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear about the things which concern you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul fighting side by side for the faith of the good news.” (Phil. 1:27) Can a true Christian do otherwise? No! He must behave in a manner worthy of the good news. So he shows real love and carries on all his affairs that way.

6. During the past year how many shared each month, on the average, as Jehovah’s witnesses in announcing that God’s kingdom rules, and in how many lands?

⁶ Jehovah’s witnesses have been declaring that “God’s kingdom rules.” This certainly is good news. At the great Divine Will International Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 253,922 persons heard what Jehovah’s witnesses believe concerning this kingdom of God, which is the only hope for mankind, and there Jehovah’s witnesses declared themselves as ministers of that kingdom. To see how determined they have been in their standing firm in one spirit and with one soul fighting side by side for the faith of the good news, all one needs to do is look at their year’s field service report. See pages 20-22. This report reveals that there were, on the average, 717,088 ministers preaching from house to house every month during the 1958 service year, conducting their affairs in love one toward the other. Not only toward Jehovah’s witnesses do they act respectably, but to all the world of mankind they feel the responsibility of showing love, and this they do by preaching. These ministers are to be found in 175 countries, islands of the seas, colonies, provinces, right around the world. Every month during the 1958 service year there were, on the average, 63,815 more of Jehovah’s witnesses preaching this good news than during the 1957 service year.

7. (a) What causes so many to associate with the New World society? (b) When they study the Scriptures what things do they learn, and how does this affect their course of conduct?

⁷ With all the trouble and distress in the world is it any wonder that so many people turn away from this old-world living to find something that will really bring them peace? And what was the attraction for them? God’s Word of truth. Jehovah’s witnesses have taken upon themselves the great responsibility of reaching all people world-wide with the comforting, cheerful message from God’s Word the Bible. Those persons showing a sheeplike disposition have pulled away from this old world and have associated themselves with the New World society, there to study and learn and come to an accurate knowledge of the truth. Whenever sheeplike persons do this, they are going to preach this same good news. Studying the Scriptures for a short time, they find that everything indicates that we are living in the last days of this system of things, the time just prior to the battle of Armageddon, and it is not long before they believe what Paul said to the Romans at chapter 13, Ro 13 verses 11 to 14: “Do this, too, because you know the season, that it is already the hour for you to awake from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than at the time when we became believers. The night is well along; the day has drawn near. Let us therefore put off the works belonging to darkness and let us put on the weapons of the light. As in the daytime let us walk in good behavior, not in revelries and drunken bouts, not in illicit intercourse and loose conduct, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not be planning ahead for the desires of the flesh.”

8. (a) Why are many now turning from the old world and its religious systems, but what new peak in number of proclaimers of the Kingdom good news was reached during 1958? (b) What good advice found at 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15 is followed by Jehovah’s witnesses, and with what result?

⁸ Persons seeking truth and righteousness can easily see that this whole world is planning ahead for the desires of the flesh. Christendom, with all its great religious organization, has not stopped the people from going down the broad way to destruction. In fact, Christendom has belittled the Bible and the great name of the One who inspired its writing. The Bible is the true guide for man. So many of those who have lived in Christendom and who had fallen asleep with her are awakening now and fleeing from the religious organizations. Yes, people are fleeing from both Christendom’s and heathendom’s religions. In fact, last year so many turned away from this sleepy condition in the world that during the year a new peak in number of proclaimers of the good news, to the total of 798,326, was reached. This is 81,425 more ministers than the peak number of publishers of the previous year, 1957. Why this tremendous influx into Jehovah’s witnesses’ organization? It is because people are finding salvation. Many people want to live with individuals who are really Christians, those who are letting all their affairs take place with love. They have found an organization that is following the good advice of Paul: “Now we request you, brothers, to have regard for those who are working hard among you and presiding over you in the Lord and admonishing you, and to give them more than extraordinary consideration in love because of their work. Be peaceable with one another. On the other hand, we exhort you brothers, admonish the disorderly, speak comfortingly to the depressed souls, support the weak, be long-suffering toward all. See that no one renders injury for injury to anyone else, but always pursue what is good toward one another and to all others.” (1 Thess. 5:12-15) Because Jehovah’s witnesses follow such instruction, it furnishes one of the reasons why the New World society is growing so rapidly. It is this spirit expressed by true Christians toward one another and to others that attracts good-will sheeplike people.

9. What does the report show as to the pioneer ministry, Branch offices and congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses world-wide?

⁹ A goodly number of those who have come into the organization during the last few years have gone into the full-time service, devoting all their energies to the preaching of the good news. In fact, we find 23,772 persons engaging in pioneer service. Some of these are missionaries away off in foreign lands, working in high mountains, in low deserts, in fertile green valleys, in large and in small cities. Others are special pioneers, working out from the eighty-five Branch offices scattered throughout the world, organizing interested ones into congregations where they could serve God. There are now 17,878 congregations, an increase of 995 over the previous year. In these congregations Jehovah’s witnesses are studying weekly, several times a week in fact, in home Bible studies, congregation book studies, Watchtower studies, all the information thus gained building up their minds so that they may be able to declare more clearly the good news. All this association and study aids them to stand shoulder to shoulder, fighting side by side and not compromising with this old world.

10, 11. What other aspects of the year’s service report show the extent to which Jehovah’s witnesses lovingly performed their ministry and the results that they experienced?

¹⁰ During the Memorial season there was a total of 1,171,789 persons who came together in these congregations, of which 15,037 were of the anointed, that is, believers that they are of the body of Christ and will be joint heirs with Christ Jesus in heavenly glory. The greater number believed that they are of the other sheep who will enjoy everlasting life here upon the earth. But, all together, they must stay awake, be on guard as to the Kingdom interests and show love for one another, letting all their affairs take place with love. These thousands of persons who are associating with Jehovah’s witnesses in such great numbers each year are not just curious religion hunters, looking for something new and different. They are sincere in wanting to know the truth and they find it in God’s Word and then they make a stand for it. They grow strong and carry on as men and are willing to defend their faith. They go so far as to dedicate their lives to the service of Jehovah God, giving him exclusive devotion, and 62,666 of those who associated themselves with Jehovah’s witnesses last year were baptized in water, completely immersed, showing their willingness to do the divine will. As readers of The Watchtower know, Jehovah’s witnesses are not the silent type. They are expressive in their belief, and in the twelve-month period of their service year they devoted 110,390,944 hours to preaching the good news that God’s kingdom rules. This is 10,255,928 more hours spent in the ministry than the previous year. They are anxious for the people to know the good things they know, and that is why during the year these witnesses of Jehovah obtained 1,255,047 new subscriptions for the magazines The Watchtower and Awake! and distributed individual copies in their many languages to the number of 86,498,251. In order for the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in its many printing plants to take care of the demand of its readers it was necessary for the printing plants to publish 86,141,119 copies of The Watchtower in fifty-one languages and 71,431,928 copies of the Awake! magazine in nineteen languages, making a grand total of 157,573,047 magazines published and shipped out. In addition, 4,381,504 Bibles and bound books and 14,125,528 booklets, thirty-two and sixty-four pages in size, were printed.

¹¹ But the love of Jehovah’s witnesses for the peoples of the world and their desire to bring them the message of salvation goes farther than just placing literature. Those 110,390,944 hours that they worked were spent, in part, in calling back on those who have shown interest, and so these 798,326 publishers of the Kingdom made 36,398,025 back-calls. In other words, Jehovah’s witnesses have gone back to persons’ homes where they have found interest and they have explained further the things they believe and have answered these peoples’ questions on Bible subjects. They have shown love to an even greater extent: they have gone back to these peoples’ homes week after week and have spent an hour at a time studying with the people from their Bibles of any translation, Catholic or Protestant, so that these people might learn the truth. How many clergymen do that with their parishioners? These studies Jehovah’s witnesses call home Bible studies. During every week of the year they conducted 508,320 such Bible studies. This is 95,271 more than they were conducting the year before. Think of the time that it takes to conduct that many Bible studies every week for a whole year. That alone would require more than 25,000,000 hours, and, in addition to that, much traveling time to and from the study is involved, but not counted. Would you not say that it takes love to do such kind of work? That is why Jehovah’s witnesses believe the expression of Paul when he said: “Let all your affairs take place with love.” Be interested in people, regardless of race, color, creed, whether it be in good season or in bad season.

12. How have those behind the iron Curtain demonstrated true Christian zeal, and what increase has been realized during the past year?

¹² As you study the chart on pages 20 to 22 of the activity of Jehovah’s witnesses you will see that those of Jehovah’s witnesses behind the Iron Curtain are working just as hard, if not harder, and are having better results in gathering the other sheep than Christians living in the Western bloc of nations or in neutral countries. Look at the report! It is most truly amazing! For eight countries behind the Iron Curtain there has been a 21-percent increase in the number of those taking their stand for the Kingdom. Whereas throughout the whole world the average is 9.8 percent. Who can say Christians are not men? Who can say that they are not willing to fight for truth and for righteousness? Who can say that they will not stay on guard and on duty and take up their ministerial responsibilities? Yes, true Christians of God, Jehovah’s witnesses, stay awake, stand firm in the faith, carry on as men and grow mighty. They have a responsibility and it is Jehovah who has placed it upon them. So with joy and gladness they press on in these last days, knowing that the end of this old system of things is near at hand and that Armageddon is not far distant. So they preach, and with greater zeal and effort than ever before in their lives. What a glorious year they have had! What joy has been theirs! What happiness of heart and mind they possess because they are letting all their affairs take place with love!

[Chart on page 20-22]

1958 SERVICE YEAR REPORT OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES WORLD-WIDE

(See bound volume)

Part 5—“Your Will Be Done on Earth”

Chapter 1 of the book “Your Will Be Done on Earth” posed the challenging question “Whose Will?” and proved that it was the irresistible will of Jehovah God that was to be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Moreover, this gladdening fact meant that this earth, man’s God-given habitation, was never to be destroyed, but it will be a grand experience for humankind to live on earth when the heavenly Father’s will is done here. We have now entered into the book’s second chapter, entitled “Why it Must Be Done on Earth.” Paragraph 6 has already said that “for the survival of man and animal on earth as an everlasting home” the supranational will of God the creator needs to be done here. The fact that it is the Creator’s will for the earth to stay in existence for eternity and remain inhabited can be proved from the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ to God the Creator: “Your kingdom come! Your will be done on earth as well as in heaven!” How so? Let us read on.

9. God’s kingdom will come and his will will be done because of what divine purpose concerning the earth?

⁹ Manifestly, God’s kingdom comes to earth and his will is then done on earth because it is his purpose for the earth to remain forever as part of the universal realm over which he is the King of eternity, the Most High Sovereign. God’s will being done here under his kingdom will make a delightful change on this earth. Why then destroy this territory of his kingdom? Why remove the people doing God’s will on earth from this territory of his kingdom? That is not what God will do, for he inspired wise King Solomon of old to write this proverb: “In the multitude of people there is an adornment of a king, but in the lack of population is the ruin of a high official.” (Prov. 14:28) It was because the first man did not keep on doing the will of his Creator that God sentenced him to die and return to the dust of the earth. (Gen. 3:17-19) When God’s will is done by the people on earth under God’s kingdom, he will give them the right to eternal life on this territory of his kingdom realm. For the sake of this he will preserve this earth to his everlasting glory as its Creator.

10. How does the model prayer prove that the coming of Christianity did not change matters for the earth?

¹⁰ Christendom, however, will argue through its priests and clergymen that the coming of Christianity changed matters for the earth. But how could that be so? Jehovah God used Jesus Christ as the very Leader in Christianity, and it was this Leader of Christianity himself that gave us the prayer for God’s kingdom to come and for God’s will to be done on earth as well as in heaven!