distress at its worst. The human family will not die off. It will not be killed off. There will be those of the human family who will emerge from the world distress and pass into a righteous new order in which suchlike world distress will never rise again. We have Almighty God’s own word for that. Our now living with full faith in that divine word will prepare the way for us to be saved out of the world distress. That salvation is at hand!​—Matthew 24:21, 22; Nahum 1:9.

Chapter 18

On Whose Side Are We When World Distress Climaxes?

1. (a) Only by what means will the absolute destruction of the present wicked earthly system of things come about? (b) Why is watchfulness important for all of us?

THE world distress that has gripped the man-made system of things since the year 1914 C.E. has caused incalculable damage. But it has not brought about the dissolution of the political “superior authorities” and of human society organized under such political authorities. (Romans 13:1; Titus 3:1) Symbolically speaking, the old “heavens” and “elements” and “earth and the works in it” are still with us. The absolute dissolution or destruction of such age-old things will be brought about only by the “presence of the day of Jehovah.” Although all Biblical and historical indications are that it is at hand, yet “Jehovah’s day will come as a thief.”​—2 Peter 3:10-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:2.

2. Having in mind that there would still be anointed Christians on earth when Jehovah’s day arrives, what admonition did the apostle Peter write?

² The sure evidence from the Bible is that the final members of the congregation of the Kingdom joint heirs of Christ would still be here on earth when Jehovah’s day arrives upon this system of things. This fact the apostle Peter took into account. That is why, after describing the effect of that “day” upon the symbolic old “heavens,” “elements” and “earth,” the apostle added this admonition: “Hence, beloved ones, since you are awaiting these things, do your utmost to be found finally by him spotless and unblemished and in peace. Furthermore, consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul according to the wisdom given him also wrote you, speaking about these things as he does also in all his letters. In them, however, are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unsteady are twisting, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”​—2 Peter 3:14-16.

3. In line with that admonition, what have the remnant of spiritual Israel done so as to keep “spotless and unblemished and in peace”?

³ Since they are still awaiting Jehovah’s day and its destruction upon this ungodly system of things, the final members of the remnant of spiritual Israel are doing their utmost to be found spotless, unblemished and peaceful in the sight of the Supreme Judge, the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. Despite all the increasing pressures from this distressed world, they hold to the “pure religion and undefiled”; they hold to the pure “form of worship” by keeping themselves without spot from the unclean world. (James 1:27, AV; NW) They refuse to worship the political “wild beast” and its man-made “image,” the United Nations. (Revelation 13:1-15; 15:2-4) They keep from being stained with bloodguilt, for they keep strictly neutral and nonparticipating with respect to the sanguinary wars of nations and political parties of this world. They copy Jesus Christ their Leader in being no part of this world.​—John 15:19; 17:14, 16.

4. How has it worked out that the “patience of our Lord” has meant “salvation”?

⁴ They obey the exhortation of the apostle Peter: