Exclusive Devotion

“I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion.”—Ex. 20:5, NW.

1. Why may man’s Maker rightly require exclusive devotion from every human?

JEHOVAH, the living God, has the right to demand exclusive devotion. He is the Maker of man and of the earth upon which man lives. All mankind should bring glory and praise to this One, the only Sovereign Ruler, for he himself said: “I am Jehovah, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise unto graven images.” (Isa. 42:8, AS) Jehovah himself reveals that he first made the earth. Then from earth’s dust he created our first parents, Adam and Eve, and placed them in Eden, a paradise home. Jehovah told these two persons to fill the earth, subdue it, and make the whole globe a paradise for their offspring. These two disobeyed God. They preferred to follow the words of another creature, joining him in his rebellion against Jehovah. For rebelling, Adam was sentenced to death. (Gen. 3:19) “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men.” (Rom. 5:12, NW) Mankind, still in the loins of their first parents, thus became subjects of the “god of this world,” Satan the Devil.

2. How and when will the disputed issue of Jehovah’s sovereignty be settled?

² Today mankind lives on this earth, not by right, but by the undeserved kindness of the true God. Not until he chooses to do so will the Almighty God interfere with the false god, the ruler of this world, Satan. Already nearly six thousand years have passed since the rebellion in Eden; still Jehovah has allowed that first disrespectful creature (now Satan) to remain. However, Jehovah will not tolerate Satan’s disrespect forever for predictively he said: “For this cause I have kept you in existence, for the sake of showing you my power and in order to have my name declared in all the earth.” (Ex. 9:16; Rom. 9:17, NW) The time for final settling of this issue as to who rules supreme has now come. Jehovah will receive exclusive devotion from all free creation when the false god, Satan, is abyssed in “the war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Armageddon.—Rev. 16:13-16; 20:1-3, NW.

3, 4. (a) What steps have already been taken for settling the disputed issue? (b) How may prudent persons now avoid making a fatal mistake?

³ Students of the Bible have knowledge of God’s purposes, and they know that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to lay down his life as a perfect sacrifice in order to redeem mankind from death. This was done 1,923 years ago. Jesus proved himself worthy of being Jehovah’s vindicator, and in 1914 Christ Jesus was placed in a position to rule. His first act in establishing the kingdom of his Father was to cast the Devil with all of his demon hordes out of heaven down to the earth, and with that done we now are very near to “the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” Then Jehovah will show his sovereign power and prove that all devotion is exclusively his. Persons who love righteousness have given to the Sovereign Ruler exclusive devotion. We are living in wonderful days when God-given prophecies about the end of this system of things are having fulfillment. All persons should acquaint themselves with the Bible, read it, study it and get accurate knowledge of it. “For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment and there is a fiery jealousy that is going to consume those in opposition.” (Heb. 10:26, 27, NW) By right thinking, by thinking the way God teaches us to think, we shall be happy to give exclusive devotion to the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. There will be no fear of the expected judgment.

⁴ The system of things in which mankind now find themselves keeps them in a very morbid state of mind. Concerning the future, many have no hope. Such live only in the present, saying: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we are to die.” (1 Cor. 15:32, NW; Isa. 22:13) Men are hateful, lustful, selfish—believing the only way to gain happiness is by conquest of others. They seek this false happiness through conquest in business, in politics, in religion; and often whole nations try to conquer other nations. This world and its people are devoted to selfishness. This will lead to world destruction. There must be a change, and there will be.

5. Mankind’s present and past ways of worship prove what?

⁵ Today men worship themselves or other men in high places. They make of themselves idols and love to have it so. People today are no better in this respect than those of centuries gone by. History shows us the worship of stone gods, goddesses, four-footed animals, fish, birds. All kinds of creatures have been carved in wood or stone, then put on pedestals for people to prostrate themselves before. Even God’s chosen people, the Israelites, bowed themselves down before images made of metal, stone or wood; and what was the result? Here is Jehovah’s command through Moses: “You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve them, because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the iniquity of fathers upon sons down to the great-grandsons and great-great-grandsons in the case of those who hate me.” (Ex. 20:5, NW) The whole world knows that it has chosen gods to worship other than Jehovah; and today mankind, wittingly or unwittingly, are against the Sovereign Ruler.

6. How has Satan’s activity affected Jehovah and earth’s inhabitants?

⁶ There is one archenemy of Jehovah, Satan the Devil, whom the Scriptures call “the god of this system of things.” (2 Cor. 4:4, NW) That false god wants to turn every person’s heart and mind away from Jehovah God, to hate him even as Satan and his demons hate Jehovah. The Devil has done and is doing everything conceivable to blind the minds of unbelievers and he puts forth strenuous effort to mislead and blind believers too. He wants all men to worship any object, no matter how degrading, selfish and loveless. He will go to any limits to debauch mankind. But no matter what maneuvers the Devil makes, no matter how loud the propaganda to praise men and worship them, and no matter how severe the pressure of persecution on true followers of Jehovah’s enthroned Christ, the true God still demands of his genuine worshipers exclusive devotion For Jehovah’s witnesses there is no room for compromise. They must not bow down to any other gods or serve them. If they do they die, for Jehovah will not tolerate any worship of men or idols.

7, 8. (a) Why is obedience to Jehovah essential? (b) What results of obedience and of disobedience may we profitably compare?

⁷ The life that Jehovah gave to man in the very beginning was a gift, and man, by being obedient to his Maker, was free to use this life to praise and worship Jehovah and so maintain his own life. Obedience to his Maker was essential. The doing of the Sovereign’s will is required of every person living on earth and of every creature in the universe. God’s Son, Christ Jesus, gained eternal life through obedience, thus showing exclusive devotion to Jehovah. The Israelites, on their long trek through the wilderness after they were brought out of the land of Egypt, many times failed in their worship of God. But throughout all of this period Jehovah God was very merciful toward faithless Israel. There were occasions, one after another, that would have given Jehovah just reason to destroy the whole nation. However, for his own name’s sake and because of the promise he had made to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, he kept on dealing with them as his chosen people. For centuries those stiff-necked Jews went their way and continued to bow down to other gods, forgetting the true worship of the One who gave them their daily needs, and by their actions said: “Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of Jehovah, and he delighteth in them.” (Mal. 2:17, AS) About a thousand years after being delivered from Egypt the Israelites actually used these words, showing how corrupt the nation had become. Can anyone think that the only true God of the universe can allow such disrespect to go on forever?

⁸ Later, in Paul’s day, the situation was even worse, and he sized up humankind in this manner: “Although asserting they were wise, they became foolish and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into something like the image of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed creatures and creeping things. Therefore God in keeping with the desires of their hearts gave them up to uncleanness, that their bodies might be dishonored among them, even those who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and venerated and rendered sacred service to the creation rather than the One who created, who is blessed forever. Amen.”—Rom. 1:22-25, NW.

ARE TODAY’S PEOPLE BETTER?

9, 10. How does the worship practiced by so-called heathen peoples compare with that of Christendom?

⁹ Today some humans may think they have advanced since the days of the Roman Empire, or that they are not like the Israelites, the Greeks or the Egyptians. But are the people today any better in their thinking and in their worship? Look at the so-called heathen nations. They still bow down before their gods of wood, stone and metal. But the Christian nations—surely they are better! On the contrary, they too are still bowing down before crosses, altars and images or dolls supposed to be “the virgin” and other “saints.” Not only in religious practice do we find men, women and children bowing down before their own handmade images and pictures of dictators but we find many worshiping statues of great men, heroes of war, and praying before “eternal” flames or a monument for an “unknown soldier”! Are they not worshiping the dead, who they claim have died, not in vain, but to “make the world safe for democracy”?

¹⁰ Have these millions of men and women who have died in world wars made the world safe for democracy or for any of mankind? No; today Christendom bows low and honors her war dead, just like millions of so-called heathens who for centuries have been worshiping all their dead ancestors. Today, in Christendom, men and women seriously trust in carnal weapons and in strong men whom they see, and they actually worship such leaders. This is the world of today. Wherein do they worship the true and living God, Jehovah? Many claim that all this ancestor and image worship, regardless of what it is, brings one closer to God. But does it? To which deity does it bring you closer—to the “god of this world,” Satan the Devil, or to the Sovereign Ruler, the living God, Jehovah?

11, 12. Why is true worship timely today?

¹¹ Today mankind is worshiping idols just as much as did the ancient Israelites and the pagans of olden time. Jehovah rejected his chosen people because they were not giving him exclusive devotion. Today Jehovah God will be casting off a whole world, yes, most of more than two billion now living, because they willfully choose not to recognize the Sovereign Ruler. (Jer. 25:32, 33, AS) It is time for everyone to turn to the living God, Jehovah, to study his Word, and to learn his way of life eternal. This “whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one,” said John. (Matt. 13:19; John 12:31; 1 John 5:19, NW) In the very beginning Satan was successful in misleading Eve and through her to trip up Adam and to turn them both away from true worship. The wise counsel of Jehovah’s spokesmen of the past and present he has given “that we may not be overreached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his designs.”—2 Cor. 2:11, NW.

¹² Today the world is under the influence and guidance of “the god of this world,” who has blinded the hearts and minds of the people in it. He has blinded them so that they will not see who is the Sovereign Ruler of the universe or understand his purposes. That wicked one does not want man to live; he wants him to perish in Jehovah’s ‘war at Armageddon.’ Mankind, by continuing in their works of the flesh—which are “fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritism, hatreds, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these”—will go on to the day of destruction. That is exactly what the Devil wants. “Those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom.”—Gal. 5:19-21, NW.

WHO GIVE EXCLUSIVE DEVOTION?

13. What essential requirements for New World living may now be recognized, and by whom?

¹³ Today upon earth there is a New World society of men, women and children who are determined to give exclusive devotion to the true God, Jehovah. They are done with the works of the flesh, for they have been washed clean in the blood of Jehovah’s faithful Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph. 1:5-7, NW) Now they must bring forth ‘fruitage of the spirit, which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.’ (Gal. 5:22, 23, NW) These sound principles of right living may and must be followed by anyone desiring now to survive and enjoy the approval of the Sovereign Ruler. By making the mind over, that is, by thinking now as Jehovah wants you to think, by thinking beneficially, uprightly, you surely will equip and prepare yourself for New World living. Every person who survives the “war of the great day of God the Almighty” will have proved to his fellows, as well as to himself and to the true God, that he or she really wants to be obedient to Jehovah, giving him exclusive devotion and joyfully worshiping him in his new world of righteousness forever.

14, 15. (a) Why has Almighty God selected certain humans to become his Son’s associates in heaven? (b) Who comprise the “one fold” under Jehovah’s one Shepherd?

¹⁴ The issue of sovereignty—Who rules supreme?—must be settled; but Jehovah chooses his own time. In many centuries now past he has proved that integrity-keeping persons can be faithful even under extreme adversity. He has proved this by all kinds of men and women from every nation, kindred and tongue. When Jesus Christ was upon earth nineteen hundred years ago he opened up the way for willing ones of mankind to be reconciled to Almighty God. A new nation was being created that would truly bring glory and honor to Jehovah God. That nation, consisting of 144,000 and called the “little flock” (Luke 12:32), Jehovah destined to become joint heirs with Christ Jesus in his heavenly kingdom to rule and reign with him for a thousand years. “Furthermore,” Paul wrote to them, “it is you God made alive though you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you at one time walked according to the system of things of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience. Yes, among them we all at one time conducted ourselves in harmony with the desires of our flesh, doing the things the flesh and the thoughts willed, and we were naturally children of wrath even as the rest. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with the Christ, even when we were dead in trespasses—by undeserved kindness you have been saved—and he raised us up together and seated us together in the heavenly places in union with Christ Jesus, that in the coming systems of things there might be demonstrated the surpassing riches of his undeserved kindness in his graciousness toward us in union with Christ Jesus. By this undeserved kindness, indeed, you have been saved through faith; and this not owing to you, it is God’s gift.”—Eph. 2:1-8, NW.

¹⁵ Exclusive devotion Jehovah God is being given by all of these, for they “are being built up together into a place for God to inhabit by spirit.” (Eph. 2:22, NW) Now even more people of all nations, kindreds and tongues are coming to worship Jehovah. Indeed, a “great crowd” are manifesting themselves in these days along with the remnant or remaining ones of the “little flock.” These all are brought into one fold under Jehovah’s one Shepherd, Christ Jesus. These “other sheep,” as the Bible calls them (John 10:16), know too that Jehovah their God is a God exacting exclusive devotion, and that he will not tolerate any rivalry; therefore they have separated themselves from the world. All in the “one fold” heed Jesus’ statement that he was in the world but not a part of it (John 17:14-16), and: “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his [Jehovah’s] righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.”—Matt. 6:33, NW.

16. Why is it necessary now for every human to recognize Jehovah’s sovereignty?

¹⁶ Seeking first the kingdom of God demands of one exclusive devotion to Him. The now-established kingdom of God vindicates Jehovah’s name and word. About forty years ago its first operation or act was to cast the Devil from his position of rival in heaven. (Isa. 14:12, AS; Rev. 12:9, NW) Now Satan and his invisible hordes can operate only in earth’s vicinity. Here, too, their ousting is due. Here, too, the issue of sovereignty or unrivaled rulership Jehovah’s now-established kingdom will settle. (Isa. 9:7; Dan. 2:44, AS) “I Jehovah your God am a God not tolerating rivalry.” (Ex. 20:5, NW, margin) Jehovah will not give his glory to any other person. His principles of truth and righteousness will be carried out. From now on, in the mind of every living creature, universe-wide, his identity as the Supreme Sovereign and his name Jehovah must stand alone! (Isa. 2:11; Hab. 2:20, AS) “You must not bow down to another god, because Jehovah is exclusively devoted to his name. He is a God exacting exclusive devotion.”—Ex. 34:14, NW; Fenton.

“LET YOUR NAME BE SANCTIFIED”

17, 18. What claims of Jehovah should every human creature properly recognize today?

¹⁷ Jehovah cannot tolerate any other name to stand equal with his. He is above all. At one time he was alone, with all the power and authority in the whole universe. This supremacy he never has given and never will give to another. Everything that was made, created, brought forth, given life, was at the instance of this One, Jehovah. Creation is his work. He is the source of all life. He can create and destroy when he desires. But Jehovah, the eternal One, from everlasting to everlasting, is the creative God who wishes other persons to enjoy life; hence he gives life as a gift. (Ps. 90:1-17, AS) In Jehovah’s doing so, however, he requires that his creature must recognize him as Sovereign Ruler and give him exclusive devotion. There is no room for competition or rivalry. When Jehovah created man and woman he did not create them to be worshiped. They were to be the worshipers. Jehovah is in the position of a potter. He makes the clay of the ground into a form for his pleasure. The clay on the potter’s wheel is subject to his fingers. It is for the potter to decide the kind of vessel to make—what it will look like, the glory it shall have, whether it should be one of great beauty or just one for common use. After the potter has made many beautiful specimens and set them upon his shelf for people to see, the persons looking at the work of the artist do not worship or praise the vessel. Honor or glory is not given to what is created; but the complimentary remark, the praise, goes to the one that formed the vessel. We should think a person quite unbalanced who stood before a piece of pottery, praising it and glorifying it; but if he spoke complimentary words to its creator we could understand his expression.

¹⁸ Jehovah is the potter. He is the maker. He has produced these beautiful creatures upon earth. He shaped them. He formed them. He gave them their loveliness and made them attractive. He did more. He gave them life. It is Jehovah, then, who is to be complimented. He is the one who should receive the adoration, exclusive devotion. We are the things made. We glorify our Maker, in the same way that the vessel of a potter would bring honor to its creator. It is Jehovah God that has brought us into existence. He is the one to whom credit is due. He does not need to tolerate any rivalry, nor will he.

‘WALK NOT AFTER OTHER GODS’

19, 20. (a) What is indicated by any human creature’s desire for praise? (b) What examples of disrespect toward Jehovah serve as warnings to us?

¹⁹ In these days of great selfishness and striving among nations and people there are too many individuals that want praise rather than to give praise. In requiring praise they become rivals of God. The Devil told Eve that ‘if you eat of this tree of knowledge of good and evil you will be like God.’ This idea is still instilled in man, and man wants to be worshiped, even though he is nothing—just dust of the ground, clay formed into a beautiful creature by the Sovereign Ruler of the universe and given life by that Creator. But the living creature does not want to praise his Creator. He becomes proud, haughty, self-important; and it is not long until he begins to tell God wherein He is wrong. It is a common thing to read in newspapers the comments of Christendom’s clergy, and to see how they criticize the Bible, God’s Word. Many clergymen have written books on “higher criticism,” going so far as denying the ransom sacrifice of Christ Jesus. They claim to be Christians but deny Christ himself as the Son of God. How could such be Christian?

²⁰ Other clergymen of Christendom go so far as to call Jehovah a “bully,” thus bringing the Sovereign Ruler of the universe to a low, despicable position in the minds of those whom this One created. All of this is done to bring disrespect to the Sovereign Ruler and to bring praise to the one who was created, a man. Christendom and its representatives are not giving exclusive devotion to Jehovah. They are interested in their own aims, their own nation, their national wars; even believing that Catholics and Protestants in one country are more blessed, more greatly favored, than Catholics and Protestants in another country. Where is their unity, their brotherly love? Is it just vain words?

21. For what other reasons is exclusive devotion to Jehovah of first importance now?

²¹ There is only one true God, and one people living upon this earth, all from God’s original creation; and in his due time all will be of one nation, having one God. He will not tolerate rivalry. His kingdom will endure forever. All mankind who refuse to get in line with true worship will be annihilated, destroyed, there being no place in his universe for rebels. “You must not walk after other gods, any gods of the peoples who are all around you, (for Jehovah your God in your midst is a God exacting exclusive devotion,) for fear the anger of Jehovah your God may blaze against you and he must annihilate you from off the surface of the ground.” (Deut. 6:14, 15, NW) This statement is so definite and positive: “You must never have any other gods against my face,” or, as the margin says, “You must never have any other gods in defiance of me.” (Deut. 5:7, NW) But still there are many persons today who worship this world and this system of things, all of which is in defiance of God’s righteous kingdom. On the one hand, they pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10); and, on the other hand, they go forward and support the United Nations organization, which is definitely set against God’s enthroned King Christ Jesus. Religionists have supported and keep on supporting today’s United Nations and yesterday’s League of Nations. Indeed they went so far as to say that this “League” was the political expression of God’s kingdom. Is it not plain to see that they are setting up something of their own in defiance of Jehovah?

‘Choose Whom You Will Serve’

1, 2. As to their respective ways of thinking, how do today’s world leaders and the witnesses of Jehovah differ?

HOW strange it is that today’s world leaders have not heeded the words of Joshua! For Joshua served the same God the leaders of Christendom claim to be serving. He said: “‘Fear Jehovah and serve him with integrity and in truth and remove the gods that your forefathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt, and serve Jehovah. Now if it is bad in your eyes to serve Jehovah, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve, whether the gods that your forefathers who were on the other side of the River served or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are dwelling. But as for me and my household, we shall serve Jehovah.’ At this the people answered and said: ‘It is unthinkable on our part to abandon Jehovah so as to serve other gods.’” (Josh. 24:14-16, NW) But though the world leaders do not think that way, that is the way Jehovah’s witnesses think. At some time in their lives every one of the New World society of Jehovah’s witnesses was a part of the old world. But they no longer are going to serve the gods east of the Euphrates River, that is, the gods of Babylon, or the gods of Egypt, which put their trust in military strength. Instead, Jehovah’s witnesses have heeded the words: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.”—Rev. 18:4, NW.

² The “other sheep” realize Jehovah, their God, brought them up out of Babylon. They willingly came and will not “abandon Jehovah so as to serve other gods.” They see the triumphant kingdom of Jehovah God already established in the heavens, and they see Satan the “god of this world” has been cast down to earth, and they understand the present woe among inhabiters of earth because the Devil has come down to them. Soon the Devil and his whole demonic organization will be abyssed because of not giving exclusive devotion to the Sovereign Ruler of the universe, Jehovah.

3-5. (a) One having chosen to dedicate himself to Jehovah, what other steps of obedience then are rightly taken? (b) May one properly question the need for water immersion, and why do you so answer?

³ Men and women who want to live, not die, must give to Jehovah exclusive devotion. Each of such must willingly choose to dedicate his life to Jehovah’s service and follow his commandments. By following the commandments of God he proves that he loves God. He shows obedience to the will of God. “If you observe my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have observed the commandments of the Father and remain in his love.” (John 15:10, NW) This means all Jehovah’s commandments. Some individuals want to choose which commandments they will keep. For example, one will say it is not necessary to be baptized and symbolize his dedication of himself to Jehovah God. He feels that as long as he is associated with Jehovah’s witnesses he will gain Jehovah’s blessing and be taken into the new world of righteousness. He feels: ‘I don’t want to be tied up so tightly with any organization; so I will not be baptized; I’ll go witnessing, but I’ll keep myself free.’ It is not a matter of being tied with an organization. Rather, if you want to live, it is a matter of giving exclusive devotion to Jehovah God. One refusing to be baptized thinks baptism will obligate him and place greater responsibilities upon him. Remember, he already has the responsibility when he has the knowledge. One cannot bargain with God. If he wants life, he gives exclusive devotion to Jehovah God; he keeps God’s commandments and he walks in the footsteps of Christ Jesus and gladly is baptized as an open, public confession of his dedication.

⁴ Sometimes a visiting circuit servant finds a congregation of fifty-five publishers, all going out regularly every month, preaching the good news of the Kingdom and joyfully serving. But on checking the records he finds that twenty of the fifty-five have not been baptized. He wonders why and makes inquiry. He finds that they think that if they symbolize their dedication to Jehovah God too great a responsibility will be put upon them. Ask yourself, Do they really love Jehovah? Are they interested in exclusive devotion to him, or do they want to keep one foot in the old world and one in the new? When Jehovah set out a course of action for his Son, namely, to be baptized in water, then certainly that course of action must be followed by everyone that wants to live eternally in God’s new world. No individual decides whether baptism is right or wrong. A person dedicating himself to Jehovah God and wanting life in the new world must know it is compulsory to be baptized. Some privately think of it as a silly formalism, but in effect such say that they are wiser than God. They flippantly conclude that this being baptized is old-fashioned! Even some might say: “Well, that is the only point I disagree on; otherwise, I accept God’s Word.” When further examining, you will find he disagrees also on many other simple things, putting himself in the position of a critic, criticizing the Creator. And here he, the critic, is only a vessel. Has the one created a right to question, criticize or find fault with what the Sovereign Ruler demands of any one of his creatures? (Rom. 9:20, NW) When Jehovah shows water baptism is a symbol of our dedication, then that is what every Christian should want to do.

⁵ Was it not said by Jesus: “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. And, look! I am with you all the days until the consummation of the system of things”? (Matt. 28:19, 20, NW) Any individual who wants to live and gain Jehovah’s favor must be humble before Jehovah God and recognize the provision that his Son made for his redemption, and at the same time carry out His commandments. That is why Peter said: “Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get your sins blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the person of Jehovah and that he may send forth the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven, indeed, must contain within itself until the times of restoration of all things of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets of old time. In fact, Moses said: ‘Jehovah God will produce for you from among your brothers a prophet like me. You must listen to him according to all the things he speaks to you. Indeed, any soul that does not listen to that Prophet will be completely destroyed from among the people.’” (Acts 3:19-23, NW) Listen, then; for these commands are not too much for any creature.

6. How is understanding gained?

⁶ There may be things that a person does not understand, things that just now are not entirely clear. But the light shines more and more until the perfect day. (Prov. 4:18, RS) The more one studies God’s Word and the more one lives by the commandments of God, the more he sees how reasonable it is; and life eternal is within his grasp. God’s Word is more than common sense. It is wisdom from on high. Follow it.

‘NOT OF THIS WORLD’

7, 8. What right attitude toward “this world” is maintained by one dedicated to Jehovah?

⁷ Jehovah’s witnesses are peaceful, wanting only to be exclusively devoted to Jehovah’s kingdom work. They know their position on earth is to represent God and him alone. Worldly governments do not want their constituents to be neutral as far as this world is concerned. However, when one gives exclusive devotion to Jehovah God he will not be mixed up with this world’s politics, religions or commercial movements. While in the world he is not a part of it. All so minded seek first the kingdom of heaven and Jehovah’s righteousness, and then all other things will be added to them.—Matt. 6:33, NW.

⁸ Today’s Christian minister cannot live according to the moral code of the old world, wherein it winks its eye at adultery and fornication, thinks it is smart to be drunk. Forgetting and forsaking fine counsel Jehovah has set forth in his Word, more and more persons have become delinquent. Also, more worried have become each nation’s leaders concerning the delinquency. Now any violation of God’s Word shows disrespect for the Sovereign Ruler and his enthroned Christ. Wickedness of the world as described by Jude warns us how it might infiltrate into the congregation of God. And concerning those who try to corrupt the true followers of Christ he said: “These men are murmurers, complainers about their lot in life, proceeding according to their own desires, and their mouths speak swelling things, while they are admiring personalities for the sake of their own benefit.” (Jude 16, NW) Such, of course, are not giving exclusive devotion to Jehovah God; and the scripture tells us that we cannot mingle ourselves with people of this kind or worship their gods or serve them, “for fear the anger of Jehovah your God may blaze against you and he must annihilate you from off the surface of the ground.”—Deut. 6:15, NW.

SLAVE OR MASTER?

9, 10. (a) How may we describe the exclusiveness of Jehovah? (b) What right and wrong attitudes toward Jehovah are exemplified for us by Christ Jesus and Satan?

⁹ Exclusive devotion to Jehovah God is a very serious requirement. Let us consider it now from Jehovah’s viewpoint. “Exclusive” means keeping others out, or excluding. It means single or sole, or singly devoted. No one can be included in God’s position. He is exclusive. Everyone else stays outside this most honored position that he only can hold. He is alone in his exalted place in the universe. He will not include anyone else with himself. His glory he does not share with another. Christ Jesus appreciated the very exclusive position his Father held in the universe; and on this point Paul wrote: “Christ Jesus, who, although he was existing in God’s form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God. No, but he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men. More than that, when he found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake.” (Phil. 2:5-8, NW) Again Jesus himself said: “I am going my way to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am.”—John 14:28, NW.

¹⁰ Satan the Devil chose to try to push Jehovah God out of this exclusive position; and, of course, Satan has not given to Jehovah exclusive devotion, for he seriously considers being like the Most High, and he has put it into the minds of all creation that they should be as God, knowing good and evil; in other words, that they should be judges, deciding what is right and wrong in the universe. So we often find clergymen disputing, challenging, the Word of God, claiming portions of the Bible are just fairy tales; and thus they have set themselves up as God, qualified to question and dispute with Almighty God. What pride!

11, 12. (a) What is included in genuine worship of Jehovah? (b) How are love of God and love of neighbor comparable?

¹¹ A humble person, devoted to Jehovah, would be filled with zeal and piety. “Devotion” means an eager inclination or a strong attachment; an ardent love or affection for one. Devotion has to do with one’s religiousness. Today one who understands true religion carries on genuine worship, even as Jesus predicted: “The hour is coming, and it is now, when the genuine worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for such kind to worship him.” (John 4:23, NW) Anyone giving Jehovah God exclusive devotion will not allow anything else to break into that devotion or to mar it. Jehovah cannot tolerate it; therefore the individual should not let anything interfere. One’s devotion to Jehovah God must be filled with love. It must be an ardent love, a single love to Jehovah God—not a love that can be divided with someone else.

¹² On Exodus 34:14 the translation of the French (Abbé Drioux Version, 1884) puts it this way: “God wants to be loved uniquely”—that is, he wants to be loved in a class by himself, singularly. When upon earth Christ Jesus mentioned two commandments. First, said he, you must love the Father with all your heart, mind, soul and strength; secondly, Love your neighbor as yourself. Here again this puts Jehovah God in a singular or unique position, exclusive, separated from all other love. He is outstanding and in a position alone, as Sovereign. Love goes directly to him without any sharing of that love. That is exclusive devotion. The similar second commandment is that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Although this love takes in a greater sweep, embracing humankind, who in turn can love us, yet no one human becomes exclusive in this unselfishness on our part. Our love for neighbor can include all mankind. But as to the Creator, he alone claims and rightly is given exclusive devotion. Loving our neighbor as we individually love ourselves is not exclusive, though proper. We do not worship the neighbor, but just show love. With Jehovah our love involves worship, service, obedience; and in this he tolerates no rivalry.

13, 14. How is this comparison made clearer by Jesus? and how may we benefit by understanding it now?

¹³ Jesus showed the principle of this individual love, for he was very well acquainted with his Father, so well acquainted that he could say, when one knew the Son he also knew the Father. “Jesus said . . . ‘No one comes to the Father except through me. If you men had known me, you would have known my Father also.’” Setting forth the principle of exclusive devotion to Jehovah God and his kingdom, Jesus also pointed out that greater love for the Kingdom and the vindication of Jehovah’s name is more important than the love of neighbor. The creature’s only approach to the heavenly Father now is through the Son; therefore Jesus said: “Everyone, then, that acknowledges his belief in me before men, I will also acknowledge my belief in him before my Father who is in the heavens.” And, then, to show how great must be this love for the Father that is shown through the Son, Jesus says: “He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and he that has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me.”—John 14:6, 7; Matt. 10:32, 37, 38, NW.

¹⁴ After Jehovah’s ‘war at Armageddon’ all survivors will know him and give him their first love. Even today Jehovah’s witnesses must give him such love through the Son, Christ Jesus; and that puts us in a unique relationship with our Creator, for ‘he is a God that wants to be loved uniquely.’ “The Father is looking for such kind to worship him.” That worship will be with spirit and truth, and it will be exclusive. There is no one else involved in this love and worship; hence it stands alone.

15. Scripturally, how is the position of a slave properly viewed?

¹⁵ When one is so exclusively devoted, it suggests another unique relationship between the two, that of master and slave. Jehovah is the Master because he is the Creator, the Owner; and it is required of the creature or owned one to do the will of his Master. Jehovah is the exclusive and sole owner of the creature. He made him. Jehovah God arranged for his Son to purchase the human family; so the scripture says: “You were bought with a price; stop becoming slaves of men.” (1 Cor. 7:23, NW) In his letter to the Corinthians Paul set forth a very interesting discussion about slaves: “In whatever state each one was called, let him remain in it. Were you called a slave? Do not let it worry you, but if you can also become free, rather seize the opportunity. For anyone in the Lord that was called a slave is the Lord’s freedman: likewise he that was called a free man is a slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; stop becoming slaves of men. In whatever condition each one was called, brothers, let him remain in it associated with God.”—1 Cor. 7:20-24, NW.

16. One’s choice to be a slave of Jehovah today denotes what?

¹⁶ In early Christian times it did not make any difference to God or Christ Jesus if people were free men or slaves. They could still be called to the high position of joint heirship with Christ Jesus in heavenly glory. But no matter what condition they found themselves in, bond or free, such became slaves of Christ; and it was only in that manner that they could become associated with God. Now, too, the person who comes to Jehovah and dedicates himself through Christ Jesus to Jehovah’s service makes himself God’s slave. In this action the Christian is not hypocritical but sincerely pleased to give exclusive devotion to the Sovereign Ruler and to carry out the will of the Father, just as the Son showed obedience to the commandments of his Father. This slavelike relationship comes from the heart. It is the dedicated one’s innermost desire. In his heart he has the proper inclination toward God. For him it is natural to want to obey the true God. It is such an individual’s deliberate choice to be a slave. It is the dedicated person’s preference to put himself in this slavelike relationship to the rightful Master, Jehovah.

“SLAVE TO TIME INDEFINITE”

17, 18. (a) Anciently, in Israel, why might one become a “slave to time indefinite”? (b) What wholesome lessons may today’s Christian minister draw from this ancient practice?

¹⁷ In days of ancient Israel sometimes it became necessary for the Hebrew to sell himself into slavery. God’s Word tells us: “In case you should buy a Hebrew slave, he will be a slave six years, but in the seventh he will go out as one set free without charge. If he should come in by himself, by himself he will go out. If he is the owner of a wife, then his wife must go out with him. If his master should give him a wife and she does bear him sons or daughters, the wife and her children will become her master’s and he will go out by himself. But if the slave should insistently say, ‘I really love my master, my wife and my sons; I do not want to go out as one set free,’ then his master must bring him near to God and must bring him up against the door or the doorpost and his master must pierce his ear through with an awl and he must be his slave to time indefinite.”—Ex. 21:2-6, NW.

¹⁸ Here we find a man in slavery, wholly devoted to his master, and he goes so far as to say: “I really love my master.” For a Christian, too, this is the right frame of mind to be in. Always he should see himself in the slavelike position, eager to serve the Master, Jehovah, who has given him life and all its blessings. No one should ever want to be free from Jehovah God, to go his own way. The Devil was the first one to hold this wrong desire and his end will be destruction.

19, 20. How does one’s freedom to choose appear here in our study?

¹⁹ Jehovah God rightfully demands exclusive devotion. But when this exclusive devotion is given to the Sovereign Ruler of the universe it must be given on the choice of the individual. He will not be forced to it. He must desire to give it, willingly, gladly. No one will drive him into this position or push him into the service of Jehovah God. But because of his study of God’s Word, his wanting to do Jehovah’s will, it is his inclination, his preference, to be in full harmony with God and God’s purposes and to be his slave, even as Jehovah’s Son Christ Jesus was delighted to do the commandment of his Father.

²⁰ One who has dedicated himself to Jehovah’s service certainly is like this Hebrew slave who is willing to be a slave to time indefinite. As to members of the New World society, this means for eternity. Jehovah so loved the world that he sent his only-begotten Son to this earth so that those on earth who choose to believe on him might have everlasting life. He arranged for his Son to purchase the human family. There are many who will refuse to recognize themselves as slaves and come under this purchase price and will choose to go their own way, but that way of theirs, which is the way of “this world,” will mean their death.—John 3:16; 1 John 2:17, NW.

21. Choosing to serve Jehovah brings what obligations?

²¹ “The memory of the righteous is blessed; but the name of the wicked shall rot.” (Prov. 10:7, AS) Those who refuse the ransom will die eternally and thus be annihilated, never having any existence. Just as Jehovah God recorded through his prophet Jeremiah: “They shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts.” (Jer. 51:57, AS) All persons who have dedicated their lives to the service of Jehovah God must realize that being a Christian is a serious thing; and, as expressed by Moses, “You must not take up the name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way, for Jehovah will not leave the one unpunished who takes up his name in a worthless way.” (Ex. 20:7, NW) One should not think that because he has dedicated himself to Jehovah God and was baptized in water, God now is obligated to do everything for him. God certainly will carry out his part of the agreement in blessing and caring for one; but the slave, who says that he will give exclusive devotion to Jehovah God, must also carry out his part of the arrangement. He must show that he is a slave, and an obedient one of the Sovereign Ruler. One’s life is dependent on his true, genuine worship, and ‘the Father is looking for such kind of worship,’ for he is “a God exacting exclusive devotion.”

“My Load Is Light”

1. How do Christendom’s supporters think of one’s becoming a footstep follower of Jesus?

MOST people in the world take the course of least resistance, and they follow the way of the great majority, which leads into sin and eventually death and annihilation. Some think that being a Christian is a very difficult task, and greater than they can bear in this wicked world. Many do not mind being “Christians,” so called, of Christendom, where they can practice all the self-indulgences, carrying on the lusts of the flesh as Christendom approves; and they feel that they are doing all right. But to be a real Christian, one who is walking in the footsteps of Christ Jesus, is considered in the minds of most people a hard thing to do. But how can we harmonize the supposedly difficult task of being a Christian with the expression of Christ Jesus, who said: “My load is light”? Let us see what Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and become my disciples, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for your souls. For my yoke is kindly and my load is light.”—Matt. 11:28-30, NW.

2, 3. (a) What does Jehovah require of his dedicated servants? (b) How did Jesus himself comply with that requirement and arrange for others to do so?

² Just what does Jehovah God require us as Christians to do? As we examine the Scriptures we find that the first thing is to preach the Triumphant Kingdom message throughout all the world for a witness to all nations. All people are able to talk in some language and express their feelings and their thoughts. And if one has a real, deep feeling of devotion to Jehovah God and has the mind of Jehovah as expressed in his Word, then he will preach good news to others. This in itself certainly is not a difficult task. Those of mankind who have been toiling and slaving in the Devil’s organization and have made themselves slaves to it Jesus invites to leave their loaded-down condition and come to him and be refreshed. Jesus does not ask you to take the yoke upon yourself and do all the work alone. The marginal rendering of this expression “Take my yoke” says, “Get under my yoke with me.” In other words, pull the same load and do the same thing that Jesus did when he was upon the earth. His assigned work was to preach to the lost sheep of Israel and get them in line for the blessings of God’s kingdom. Not only Jesus himself did such preaching but he sent his disciples out to the villages

Heaven Can Wait

J. J. Scherer, a Lutheran clergyman in Richmond, Virginia, for nearly 50 years, told a group of Roanoke ministers his view on going to heaven: “If tickets were offered me, one for a stay in heaven and the other in Virginia, I would choose the ticket to Virginia. I want to go to heaven—but not today.”—Dallas Times Herald, June 29, 1955.