Jehovah Blesses the Loyal Ones

“O you lovers of Jehovah, hate what is bad. He is guarding the souls of his loyal ones.”​—Ps. 97:10.

1. Why does Jehovah have the right to expect loyalty from us, and what actions does he have the right to take?

BY VIRTUE of being the Creator of all living things in heaven and on earth, Jehovah is the supreme King and only true God. The Bible speaks of him as being “King to time indefinite.” (Jer. 10:10) Does he not, then, have the right to require loyalty from his subjects whom he created? (Eph. 4:24) Is it not only reasonable for him to execute sanctions upon disloyal ones but to bless those who are loyal? Do not human rulers do the same?

2. To whom do most people think their primary loyalty should go? Why is this wrong?

² Of the more than three billion (three thousand million) people on earth today, comparatively few give any thought to their obligation to be loyal to the Great Sovereign, Jehovah God. Nearsightedly they see only the nationalistic human government that is immediately over them. They think that loyalty to that government must come before all else. At its demand they are willing to violate the laws of God, doing what is bad in his eyes. But is this not a warped perspective of superiors? It is like employees in a business viewing the authority of supervisors as being above that of the owner. The authority of human rulers is not greater than that of the One who is King over all.

3. How did some men in the first century demonstrate their loyalty to God?

³ Back in the first century of our Common Era a group of men showed the correct perspective when a body of human rulers made demands on them that involved disobedience to the Supreme Sovereign. They showed their loyalty to him by their reply, saying: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) In a big issue such as this it may not be difficult for a person to be loyal to God, but how about seemingly small things? How about things that may appear innocent but that can lead one to even more serious acts of disloyalty?

4. What thoughts does the word “loyalty” convey?

⁴ The word “loyalty” conveys the thought of faithful adherence and devotion to a ruler or a leader. It also carries the thought of devotion to something or someone as well as trueness to any person or persons to whom one owes fidelity. In the Hebrew part of the Bible the Hebrew word for “loyalty” has reference to kindness. Yet it contains more than the thought of tender regard or kindness stemming from love, though it includes this so that the Hebrew word is often translated as “loving-kindness” or “loyal love.” It is kindness that lovingly attaches itself to an object until its purpose in connection with that object is fulfilled, and is such as God expresses toward his servants and that they express toward him. Thus it can be seen that loyalty can be two-way. It can be shown by subjects for a ruler and by a ruler for his subjects. Regarding Jehovah, it is written at 2 Samuel 22:26: “With someone loyal you will act in loyalty.” This has proved true, as he has never failed to fulfill a promise to loyal servants.

KING OF ISRAEL

5. How did Jehovah manifest loyalty to the Israelites?

⁵ By looking back at the ancient nation of Israel we can see how God acted loyally with respect to it. That nation had a unique relationship with him. By a strong hand he had delivered the people from slavery in Egypt and brought them safely to the foot of Mount Sinai in Arabia. There he made a covenant or agreement with them, something he had not done with any other national group. He gave them a code of laws and ruled them as their invisible King. Regarding this unusual relationship, Moses said to them: “It is you Jehovah your God has chosen to become his people, a special property, out of all the peoples that are on the surface of the ground.” (Deut. 7:6) Thus he was the real King of Israel. Jehovah also manifested his loyalty to them by giving them victories over enemy nations that were more populous and mightier than they.​—Deut. 9:1-3.

6. What did he expect from them, and how did he make this clear to them?

⁶ Jehovah properly expected them to manifest loyalty to him by not seeking after other gods. This was clearly set out in the laws he gave them. The first of the famous Ten Commandments states: “I am Jehovah your God, who have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves. You must not have any other gods against my face.” (Ex. 20:2, 3) It would be a serious act of disloyalty to him, their God and King, for anyone in the nation to turn to the worship of foreign gods.

7. How was loyalty brought to the attention of the Israelites on the plains of Moab?

⁷ Many years later when they were on the plains of Moab preparing to enter the land that God had promised them, Moses warned of sanctions that their invisible King would bring upon them if they should act in a disloyal way. Among other things, he said: “Cursed will you be in the city, and cursed will you be in the field.” (Deut. 28:16) He also mentioned the blessings that would come upon them by being loyal.​—Deut. 28:1-14.

8. What incentive did the Israelites have to be obedient and loyal?

⁸ The Israelites had, in what God had done for them, a very real incentive for continuing in the way of obedience and loyalty to him. He had delivered them from Egyptian slavery and had provided for their every need during their forty years in the wilderness. He gave them miraculous manna for food, provided them with water, gave them a sanitary code that protected their health, and even prevented their shoes and clothing from wearing out during that period.​—Deut. 29:5.

9. How did the Moabites and Midianites react to the presence of the Israelites on the plains of Moab?

⁹ Toward the close of their forty years in the wilderness they were attacked by the Amorites under the leadership of the kings Sihon and Og. Jehovah aided Israel in vanquishing these enemies. (Deut. 2:32-36; 3:1-13) The Moabites noted this victory and became very fearful, especially when they saw the vast encampment of the Israelites spread out over the plains of Moab. They felt a “sickening dread of the sons of Israel.” (Num. 22:1-3) The nomadic Midianites were also worried, and so their older men (elders) consulted with the older men of the Moabites. The latter observed: “Now this congregation will lick up all our surroundings like the bull licking up the green growth of the field.” (Num. 22:4) Events thus developed that would cause a seemingly small thing to become a serious test of Israelite loyalty to Jehovah, their King.

BALAK PLOTS AGAINST ISRAEL

10. Why did Balak seek the help of Balaam, and what was his plea?

¹⁰ Knowing that they could not gain a military victory over the Israelites without divine help, Balak, the king of the Moabites, sought the help of Balaam, a man who lived in the distant town of Pethor, evidently in the upper Euphrates valley near Haran. Although not an Israelite, Balaam had some knowledge and recognition of Jehovah the true God. Balak and his Midianite allies sent a delegation to Balaam requesting him to come and curse the Israelites. They conveyed Balak’s plea: “Now do come, please; do curse this people for me, for they are mightier than I am. Perhaps I may be able to strike them and I may drive them out of the land; for I well know that the one whom you bless is a blessed one and the one whom you curse is cursed.” (Num. 22:6) Balaam turned down the request after inquiring of Jehovah, saying: “Go to your country, because Jehovah has refused to let me go with you.”​—Num. 22:13.

11. How did Balaam reveal the motivation of his heart?

¹¹ A second delegation of more honorable messengers was sent by Balak. They offered Balaam rich rewards if he would come and execrate Israel. Despite the fact that, upon the visit of the first delegation, God had told Balaam not to go, Balaam again sought permission to go, being moved by his greedy desire for the rich reward. Jehovah permitted Balaam to make his own decision to do what was in his heart, but when Balaam chose to go with the delegation, He was displeased and sent His angel to offer resistance. This angel said: “Look! I​—I have come out to offer resistance, because your way has been headlong against my will.” (Num. 22:22-32) Disregarding this evidence of Jehovah’s displeasure, Balaam continued to do what was in his heart when the angel said he could go with the men.​—2 Pet. 2:15, 16; Jude 11.

12. (a) Describe the results of Balaam’s efforts to curse the Israelites. (b) What alternate plan did he present to Balak and the Midianite elders?

¹² After arriving in Moab, Balaam made three attempts to curse Israel, but each time Jehovah caused Balaam to pronounce a blessing. Understandably King Balak was furious. “It was to execrate my enemies that I called you, and, look! you have blessed them to the limit these three times.” (Num. 24:10) This further evidence of God’s displeasure over Balaam’s desire to curse Israel did not diminish Balaam’s greedy desire for the reward. He now reasoned with Balak and also with the Midianite rulers that if they could cause the Israelites to become disloyal to Jehovah, then Jehovah himself would curse them. Balaam suggested that they entice the Israelites into engaging in sex worship of Baal of Peor. (Num. 31:16) Regarding this, Revelation 2:14 says that Balaam “went teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication.” It was a clever scheme.

TEST OF LOYALTY

13. (a) At what weak point did Balaam plan to strike? (b) How had this weakness already caused their loyalty to God to be tried by seemingly small things?

¹³ By following Balaam’s plan, the Moabites and Midianites would be striking at a weak point of the Israelites, their fleshly desires. This weakness had already caused them trouble. On one occasion during their trek through the wilderness they yearned for certain types of foods they had enjoyed while in Egypt. It was a matter not of their being hungry, but of their succumbing to their fleshly desire for types of food they liked. They were dissatisfied with what God had provided them, and so they complained: “Who will give us meat to eat? How we remember the fish that we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers and the watermelons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic! But now our soul is dried away. Our eyes are on nothing at all except the manna.” (Num. 11:4-6) This ungrateful expression brought Jehovah’s anger upon them as it was a rejecting of his provisions. On another occasion they disrespectfully spoke of the manna as “contemptible bread.” (Num. 21:5) Something as small as food was able to cause them to complain against their invisible King. Balaam planned to use this fleshly weakness, which would seem like a small thing, to lead them into a serious act of disloyalty to God.

14. Describe how Balaam may have presented his plan to the Moabites and Midianites.

¹⁴ When presenting his plan to Balak and his allies, Balaam may have spoken something like this: ‘Look, please, how beautiful are the women of Moab and of Midian. And in their dances they are most alluring and seductive. And, is it not so that the Israelites have been in the wilderness for forty years and has not their God given them only manna to eat? Could it not be that they will look upon the produce of the land with hungry eyes? If, now, the women of Moab and Midian were to extend their hospitality, might not these wilderness wanderers be ready for a real banquet of the best food and wine of Moab? Let them sit down to eat and drink. Let them taste the tempting dishes of Moab, and let their spirits be warmed with the heady wine of Midian. When they have become accustomed to the practice, then the women will know how to draw them into having relations with them, and let Israel bow down to the gods of Moab.’

15, 16. (a) In what way may some of the Israelite men have reasoned when they received the invitation extended by the Moabite and Midianite women? (b) Why was their reasoning dangerous?

¹⁵ When the beautiful Moabite and Midianite women extended the invitation to the Israelite men to come to their festival, it no doubt seemed to the men as an innocent expression of hospitality. They may have reasoned in this manner: ‘What harm could there be in accepting the kind hospitality of the Moabites and Midianites? There would be no harm in sharing food and wine. The dances would be relaxing entertainment. Certainly, after the hard fight we had with the Amorites, we are entitled to some relaxation.’ Such reasoning would be dangerous rationalizing of actions that would put them in a very precarious situation.

¹⁶ It would seem like a small thing to accept the hospitality of the Moabites and Midianites and to eat their tempting variety of delicious foods. But there was the matter of bad associations. These people were pagan sex worshipers who engaged in licentious rites as part of their worship of Baal, including ceremonial prostitution. Repeated association with such people, especially in the relaxed atmosphere of a festival, was not safe. The good food and the generous quantities of wine would create a lighthearted spirit and lower resistance to what is bad in God’s eyes. Under these circumstances, would not Israelite men be enticed by the sight of scantily clad women of great beauty sensuously dancing before their banquet tables? Would they not succumb to the seductive invitation of these women to participate with them in the licentious rites of Baal worship? Thus bad associations would lead them into serious acts of disloyalty to their God and King.​—Ex. 34:12-15; Hos. 4:11.

17. (a) What made the festivals more than just food and drink? (b) How did they ensnare the Israelites who attended them?

¹⁷ The festivals of those pagan peoples were religious in every aspect. Their music, dances and licentious rites were all part of their Baal worship. The dances their women performed in honor of their gods were intended to excite the sexual passions of those present. Those Israelite men who participated in this festival did indeed succumb to the enticements placed before them. Like a bull led to the slaughter they were led by their fleshly desires first to a seemingly innocent festival and then to lewd and idolatrous conduct, all of which was sin against God. (Prov. 7:22) “The people started to have immoral relations with the daughters of Moab. And the women came calling the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people began to eat and to bow down to their gods.”​—Num. 25:1, 2.

18. To what did the seemingly small thing of accepting the invitation ultimately lead when the Israelite revelers returned to their camp?

¹⁸ As predicted by Balaam, the anger of Jehovah rose up because of this badness and disloyalty on their part. He caused a deadly plague to sweep through the Israelite encampment, killing 23,000 people. (1 Cor. 10:8) Numbers, chapter twenty-five, does not specifically state how many idolaters were killed by the judges of Israel, but likely these were included in the round figure 24,000 plague victims, apparently 1,000 slain. Thus the accepting of an invitation to attend a seemingly innocent festival led to this calamity for those Israelites.

19. How was the scourge in the Israelite camp brought to an end, and in what words did Hosea remind the Israelites centuries later of the disloyalty that occurred here?

¹⁹ The scourge was finally brought to an end when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the high priest, ran a spear through Zimri and the Midianite woman Cozbi, whom he had brought into his tent for immoral relations. Very likely Zimri was a ringleader among the disloyal ones. Since ceremonial prostitution was part of Baal worship, Zimri might be viewed as bringing Baal worship into the encampment of Israel when he brought Cozbi into his tent and had sex relations with her there. (Num. 25:6-8) Centuries later Jehovah reminded the Israelites of this disloyalty to him when he caused his prophet Hosea to write: “They themselves went in to Baal of Peor, and they proceeded to dedicate themselves to the shameful thing, and they came to be disgusting like the thing of their love.”​—Hos. 9:10.

20. Why did Balaam’s scheme not succeed, and how did it backfire?

²⁰ Balaam’s scheme, while causing great damage to the Israelites, did not succeed, because loyal Israelites resisted the fleshly enticements to do what is bad in God’s eyes. The scheme actually backfired on the Midianites, for God commanded the loyal Israelites to strike them down. “Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Let there be a harassing of the Midianites, and you men must strike them, because they are harassing you with their deeds of cunning that they committed against you cunningly in the affair of Peor and in the affair of Cozbi the daughter of a chieftain of Midian, their sister who was fatally struck in the day of the scourge over the affair of Peor.’” (Num. 25:16-18) The Midianite cities and walled camps in the area were consigned to the fire. Five kings of Midian, all the males, and every female who had had sexual intercourse, as well as Balaam, were put to death. (Num. 31:1-20) The Moabites, who were descendants of Abraham’s nephew Lot, were not executed, but because of their part in the scheme God barred them from coming into the congregation of Jehovah, “even to the tenth generation . . . to time indefinite.”​—Deut. 23:3, 4.

LOYAL ONES BLESSED

21, 22. How was Phinehas an example of loyalty to Jehovah, and what can we learn from what happened to the disloyal ones?

²¹ Priest Phinehas proved to be one of the loyal ones, and for his quick action against Zimri and Cozbi he received commendatory mention. He tolerated “no rivalry at all” toward Jehovah’s worship, and this was “counted to him as righteousness.” For this he was given a covenant of peace with Jehovah that “must serve as the covenant of a priesthood to time indefinite for him and his offspring after him.”​—Num. 25:11-13; Ps. 106:30, 31.

²² It is the fine example of loyal Phinehas that we should want to follow today, not that of those who succumbed to fleshly desires. What happened to those disloyal ones serves as a warning example for us. (1 Cor. 10:11) It is an example of how the entertaining of wrong desires, even when seemingly small and insignificant, can lead to disaster.​—Jas. 1:14, 15.

23. How does the position of loyal Christians today parallel that of the loyal Israelites on the plains of Moab, and what blessings do they anticipate?

²³ As those Israelites, like Phinehas, who remained loyal to Jehovah were blessed with the privilege of entering the Promised Land, so Christians today who maintain loyalty to Jehovah can expect to receive the grand blessings God has in store for those loving him. They will enter the magnificent new era promised to come under the reign of his anointed King, Jesus Christ. “Of the increase of his government, and of peace, there will be no end.” He will rule “in justice and in righteousness, from henceforth, even forever.” (Isa. 9:7, An American Translation) What an incentive this is never to give in to fleshly temptations and engage in acts of disloyalty to God!

24. What must we recognize about fleshly desires, and why is our situation similar to that of the Israelites when on the plains of Moab?

²⁴ With the hope of that new era ahead of us, we have a strong reason to resist temptations to do what is bad in Jehovah’s eyes. But we must recognize that fleshly desires are a human weak point today just as they were in the days of those Israelites who encamped on the plains of Moab. The temptations to indulge those desires are very great because we are surrounded with worldly people who have given themselves over to loose conduct and sexual uncleanness. In a sense they are engaging in sex worship as were the Moabites and Midianites. Their literature, stage shows, motion pictures and television programs feature every depraved lust of the flesh that can be imagined by a corrupt mind. We must resist that bad influence. To succumb to it and be led into doing what is bad in God’s eyes can be fatal for us, as it was for those 24,000 Israelites who perished for their disloyalty.

25. When confronted with fleshly temptations, what should we remember?

²⁵ When you, therefore, are confronted with temptations that may appear as small things but which can actually lead to doing what is bad in God’s eyes, you will want to remember this test of loyalty that occurred on the plains of Moab. Choose the course of the loyal ones, and keep in mind what is written at Psalm 97:10: “O you lovers of Jehovah, hate what is bad. He is guarding the souls of his loyal ones.”

Loyalty in the Time of the End

“For the time that has passed by is sufficient for you to have worked out the will of the nations when you proceeded in deeds of loose conduct, lusts, excesses with wine, revelries, drinking matches, and illegal idolatries.”​—1 Pet. 4:3.

1. Why does the badness of mankind seem to grow ever worse at this time?

SINCE World War I we have been in a most unusual period in human history, a period that has been marked by unprecedented violence, great bloodshed and widespread moral degeneracy. Regarding a similar period thousands of years ago, the historical record of the Bible says: “Consequently Jehovah saw that the badness of man was abundant in the earth and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time.” (Gen. 6:5) “They took no note” of God’s will for mankind. That described the condition of things in the days before the great flood of Noah’s time. Jesus Christ said that similar conditions would exist in the last days of the present system of human rule. (Matt. 24:37-39) Since 1914 C.E. we have been living in those “last days.”

2, 3. What bad influence do Christians feel, and why must they resist it?

² With mankind sinking steadily to an ever-lower level of morals, the pressure upon true Christians to view immoral actions as acceptable increases. The thinking of the so-called “new morality” permeates the worldly people around them and fills the literature and entertainment produced by such people. This exerts a bad influence upon all Christians. It requires determined resistance on their part. Some may even have participated in immoral living before becoming true Christians. But now that they have put on a new personality that is fashioned according to the high moral standards of God’s Word, the time for living like the nations has passed. To revert to it would be like a dog returning to its vomit.​—2 Pet. 2:22.

³ Their becoming true Christians, however, does not mean they cease to experience desires of the fallen flesh. They do, and those desires are a weak spot for them. Unless they constantly keep up a moral defense of self-control they can become vulnerable to attack at this weak spot. Satan, the god of this corrupt world of mankind, works on this weak spot through the corrupting influence of his world. He employs the same tactic today that he caused the Moabites and Midianites to use when they tried to corrupt the Israelites in the fifteenth century before our Common Era and thereby to turn Jehovah God against them. So today Satan tries to entice Christians through the lusts of the flesh to violate the laws of God and thereby bring God’s adverse judgment upon them​—1 Pet. 5:8.

4. What can happen when a Christian permits his mind to dwell upon wrong desires?

⁴ When a Christian finds pleasure in the morally corrupt literature and other forms of entertainment produced by the Devil’s system of things, is he not leaving himself exposed and unprotected? Will not the entertaining of wrong desires lead to succumbing to them in time and thus sinning in God’s eyes? (Jas. 1:14, 15) Continuing in that course will bring certain destruction from God, as it did for the 24,000 Israelites who were killed on the plains of Moab. Satan will have gained the victory over them by causing them to be disloyal to their God and King.​—Num. 25:1-9.

LOYALTY IN ALL THINGS

5, 6. (a) What does loyalty to God involve? (b) What did Jesus say a Christian must seek in addition to the Kingdom? How?

⁵ A Christian may think that he is loyal to Jehovah God because he zealously preaches the good news of the Kingdom, but loyalty involves more than that. The Israelite soldiers who fought valiantly against the Amorites thought they were loyal to God too, but many failed to see that loyalty must also be shown by one’s entire course of conduct. If a Christian succumbs to wrong desires his preaching about God’s kingdom means nothing. He actually proves himself disloyal to God’s kingdom by violating its moral code. His unchristian conduct brings reproach upon the name of his God and King.​—2 Pet. 2:2.

⁶ A Christian must manifest his loyalty to God and the Kingdom by his entire way of life, even in what might be viewed as little things. It must be strikingly different from the corrupt way of life of the world, even though this may cause worldly acquaintances and relatives to speak abusively of him. (1 Pet. 4:3, 4) Notice how Jesus made clear what must go along with one’s interest in God’s kingdom. “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom,” he said. But then he added “and his righteousness.” (Matt. 6:33) Thus, for a Christian loyally to uphold the kingdom of God, he must live in accord with God’s righteousness that is expressed in the divinely written laws and counsel of the Bible. By his way of life he must manifest true Christianity.

7. (a) Because true Christians have a personal relationship with Jehovah, for what must they especially have love? Why? (b) Why is a Christian guilty of disloyalty when he forsakes what is righteous?

⁷ Like the Israelites in the days of Moses, true Christians have a personal relationship with Jehovah God. This requires them to have love for what is clean and righteous, just as God does. His chief enemy, Satan the Devil, has love for what is corrupt and unrighteous, and so this world of disobedient mankind produces the corrupt and unrighteous fruits of its wicked god and ruler. (John 8:44; 2 Cor. 4:4) For a Christian to forsake what is righteous by giving in to wrong desires would mean that he disloyally follows another god, the wicked god of this world. He is producing that one’s bad fruits. He would be like the unfaithful Israelites who were enticed by wrong desires when at the festival of the Moabites and the Midianites and became involved in Baal worship. When we seek Jehovah’s righteousness, we are striving for the greatest purity of thinking and conduct. We heed the Scriptural admonition: “Quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”​—Rom. 12:2.

8. Is there any part of our lives that can be called private in Jehovah’s eyes? Explain with examples.

⁸ Jehovah’s name is upon true Christians who bear witness to his kingdom. That name stands for all that is upright and clean in the universe. The scepter of his kingdom, wielded by his Son, “is the scepter of uprightness.” (Heb. 1:8) Should not subjects who are loyal to that kingdom and its supreme King, Jehovah God, reflect that righteousness in every aspect of their lives? Does not loyalty require this? They are bearing Jehovah’s name all the time, and if a person believes he can practice something bad or even “off-color” in privacy, he reproaches that name. There is actually no part of our lives that can be called “private” as far as Jehovah is concerned. If we do what is bad in secret, it is secret only to other humans. Jehovah has seen it. Did he not see what the disloyal Israelites did in the tents of the Moabites and Midianites? Did he not see what disloyal elders of Israel did centuries later in private rooms in the inner court of Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem? Did he not see them engaging in idolatrous worship there? Such disloyalty to God cannot be hidden. They were deceiving themselves when they said: “Jehovah is not seeing us. Jehovah has left the land.” (Ezek. 8:9-12) No true Christian would want to make the mistake of adopting this false reasoning as pseudo-Christians today have done who claim that God is dead.

9, 10. (a) Explain how fleshly desires can get a Christian into trouble. (b) How is loyalty involved here?

⁹ A Christian begins to get into trouble when he stops maintaining a strong defense. Instead of staying far away from situations that are enticing to wrong fleshly desires, he may try to walk as close to the brink as possible. Even though his conscience may tell him that the desire is not right, he may entertain it, and the longer he toys with it the stronger the wrong desire becomes. Like the disloyal Israelites, he does not resist the wrong desire for “injurious things.” (1 Cor. 10:6) Such a situation can develop when two persons of the opposite sex who are not married begin in privacy to excite each other sexually by putting their hands on each other’s private parts. This is a form of moral uncleanness and is unbecoming for a Christian, whose way of life should reflect Jehovah’s righteousness.

¹⁰ Can we be guided in such matters by what is acceptable in the world in general? No, for the world does not provide us with sound standards. It reflects, not the righteousness of Jehovah God, but the unrighteousness of the “god of this system of things,” Jehovah’s adversary. (2 Cor. 4:4) Rather than letting ourselves be lulled into a feeling of unconcern, or even deceiving our own selves, we ought to recognize honestly that when sexual passions are excited this can lead to an overpowering urge to satisfy those passions by sexual union. This is a fact of life. Such satisfaction is normal and proper with persons in the marriage arrangement. But for unmarried persons to satisfy those passions in such union is a serious violation of divine law; actually, it is disloyalty to God on the part of the Christian. Should not loyalty, then, guard us from risking such violation, making us avoid actions that dangerously excite sexual desire?

11. (a) What argument do some persons present to justify passionate “petting,” and why is the argument wrong? (b) How can unclean conduct, though not involving sexual union, still reach the point of being “fornication” (por·neiʹa)?

¹¹ In the modern practice of “dating,” many young couples engage in “petting” that does whip up strong feelings of passion. Yet some may argue that this is not wrong as long as there is no actual joining of the sex organs, since, as they understand matters, this is what the Bible specifically forbids for unmarried persons. Such reasoning is both mistaken and dangerous. Christians are urged to present their members no more “as slaves to uncleanness and lawlessness” but “as slaves to righteousness with holiness in view.” (Rom. 6:19) Even if their passionate “petting” did not reach the point of “fornication” (Greek, por·neiʹa) in the Bible sense of the word, it could still constitute “uncleanness” (Greek, a·ka·thar·siʹa), an indecent, impure kind of conduct. “Uncleanness” is listed following “fornication” in the apostle’s list of works of the fallen flesh, and he warns that those who unrepentantly “practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom.” (Gal. 5:19, 21) Not only this, but such unclean actions might steadily become more gross in nature or extent until they reach the point where they rightly are classified as “fornication” (por·neiʹa). This is because this word Scripturally refers, not just to sexual union between unmarried persons, but to all kinds of gross immorality or lewd conduct such as one might find in places of prostitution.

12. (a) Does being engaged give a couple the right to indulge in passionate lovemaking? (b) What situation should single persons avoid, and why?

¹² It is natural for two persons who have agreed to marry to express affection toward each other. But this does not mean they can rightly indulge in the intimacies that are properly reserved for married persons. Not being free to have actual sexual union until married, they should not engage in the type of intimate ‘love play’ that, in marriage, is preliminary to sex relations. To do this would be uncleanness on their part, showing a lack of respect for God’s arrangement, a lack of loyalty to his clean standards of holiness. So, in any expressions of affection, their loyalty should move them to exercise care and due restraint. Not only should they not offend local custom publicly and risk stumbling persons, but even when by themselves they should not engage in actions that would cause them shame if another person were suddenly to appear on the scene. Is it not true that the presence of others is often a good protection for us against our weaknesses and fleshly desires? Darkness and secrecy, on the other hand, lower our defenses and can weaken our resolves. (Compare Proverbs 9:16-18; John 3:20, 21; Ephesians 5:7-13.) Even though engaged, would not a Christian couple be wise to avoid jeopardizing their self-respect and their respect for each other by avoiding situations that lend themselves to unclean conduct? They can avoid these by not isolating themselves from others to the extent that they no longer feel the healthful restraint of knowing that someone could easily come into the room or place where they are. Certainly those who are not engaged have reason to exercise even greater restraint, preferring to enjoy each other’s company in open association with other persons, not in isolated privacy.

CONGREGATIONAL ACTION

13, 14. What action by the Christian congregation parallels that taken by the faithful elders of Israel with respect to those who were disloyal to God, and why is this action necessary for those practicing immoral conduct?

¹³ When the Israelites succumbed to fleshly desires at the festival of the Moabites and the Midianites and engaged in sex worship, action was taken against them by God and the representatives of the congregation of Israel. Those representative members personally killed likely as many as one thousand of the disloyal Israelites. (Num. 25:3-5) A parallel to this can be found in the Christian congregation today. While it is not authorized by God to execute disloyal members who practice serious sins, it is authorized to take action against them by disfellowshiping them from the congregation if they are unrepentant. (1 Cor. 5:11-13) This is necessary to keep the congregation clean. If it failed to do this, how could it rightly claim to belong to Jehovah and Jesus Christ, who are righteous? It is obligated to uphold the righteous laws of God.

¹⁴ Since all the gross immorality referred to by the term por·neiʹa is lewd conduct that can prevent a person from inheriting God’s kingdom, the Christian congregation rightly disfellowships persons who practice it and who manifest no sincere repentance. Similarly with those who persist in any form of “uncleanness.” Uncleanness is, however, a broad term that admits of a wide range of degrees​—even as a person physically can be only slightly soiled or can be definitely dirty, so too with moral uncleanness. In determining the extent of uncleanness, therefore, the motivation, the circumstances and the things leading up to the uncleanness must all be weighed to determine the gravity of the conduct. The concern of the Christian congregation to maintain its purity and cleanness, then, is not unreasonable but is according to facts, and it is neither hasty to take disfellowshiping action nor dilatory where a gross, unrepented-of practice requires it. This is in accord with what is written at 2 Timothy 2:19 which, among other things, says: “Let everyone naming the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.” The judicial action taken by the congregational elders protects the congregation and its reputation from being stained or sullied by uncleanness. It also provides a healthy warning to all in the congregation of what can result to one who entertains morally wrong desires.

15. How may a person receive forgiveness for bad actions?

¹⁵ Of course, if a person manifests heartfelt regret over a sin he commits and seeks forgiveness, he can be forgiven. God manifests a willingness to forgive such a person, and the Christian congregation acts in harmony with God’s forgiveness. (1 John 1:9) The person might be publicly reproved for his misconduct, or he might be privately reproved for it by the judicial committee. (1 Tim. 5:20) Even the person who had to be disfellowshiped can get forgiveness if he later proves that he has truly repented and has changed from his bad course of conduct. So the situation is not necessarily hopeless for the one who sins.​—Ezek. 33:11.

AVOID ACTS OF DISLOYALTY

16, 17. Over what must we maintain a strong defense? Explain how we can do it.

¹⁶ It is important for us to recognize that we humans have fleshly desires that make us vulnerable. We, therefore, need to maintain a strong defense and recognize situations that can undermine our defense. Recognizing that the flesh is weak, the apostle Paul observed: “I pummel my body and lead it as a slave, that, after I have preached to others, I myself should not become disapproved somehow.” (1 Cor. 9:27) This means we must constantly fight to keep our sexual passions under control. We cannot let up on the effort to exercise self-control. If we read sensual literature that reflects the corrupt thinking of worldly people, will we be aided in maintaining a strong defense or will it not weaken us? We certainly are not strengthened if we permit our minds to dwell on wrong desires, are we? Instead, we will make ourselves even more vulnerable. It would be better to follow the counsel at Philippians 4:8, which says: “Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well spoken of, whatever virtue there is and whatever praiseworthy thing there is, continue considering these things.” It does not say to think on things that are unrighteous and things that fire unclean desires. When we have our minds on things that are righteous, are we likely to engage in actions that are unrighteous?

¹⁷ We need to recognize that the Devil endeavors to entice us to do what is bad in God’s eyes and, if we let him, he will lead us right up to the point of plunging headlong into immoral actions. If we permit ourselves to be drawn along and try to rationalize what we do, are we not asking for the trouble that is certain to come? Would it not be better to resist the enticement in the beginning? Would not the Israelites who became involved with Baal worship have been better off if they had resisted the very first enticements placed before them by the Moabites and Midianites?

18. (a) What significance does the Bible attach to ‘touching a woman,’ and why? (b) How should this fact affect the viewpoint of single persons?

¹⁸ Consider Eve’s case. She knew that she was not even to touch the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden, because touching was the first step toward eating it. (Gen. 3:3) Not being permitted to eat the fruit from this one tree worked no hardship upon her, as there were many other fruits that she was permitted to eat. Her touching it manifested a wrong desire for what God had forbidden. Keeping this in mind, we may consider thoughtfully the counsel at 1 Corinthians 7:1: “It is well for a man not to touch a woman.” In the Hebrew Scriptures, ‘touching’ is at times used to represent sexual contact. (Compare Proverbs 6:29; Genesis 20:6, 7.) This is likely because the chain of events that lead to sexual union begins with touching a person of the opposite sex in a passionate way. Jesus warned against even “looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her,” saying that the one doing so “has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt. 5:28) It appears, then, that ‘touching a woman’ could include any bodily contact with one of the opposite sex in a way that springs from or excites such illicit passion. If a person cannot keep his passions under control and inclines toward ‘touching’ those of the opposite sex in a passionate or unclean way, then, as the apostle Paul goes on to state, it would be better to marry. (1 Cor. 7:2, 9) Meanwhile, the wise course for Christians who are still single is to avoid either the passionate “looking” or the ‘touching’ that can so easily lead to serious wrongdoing. They will then have the satisfying joy of a clean conscience before God and man.

19. Why should we strive to reflect Jehovah’s righteousness in our lives?

¹⁹ We have learned to love Jehovah God because of his righteousness, good laws and loving-kindness or loyal love. We rejoice in the prospect of the entire earth coming under the rule of his kingdom without interference from unrighteous governments. This we know will mean just and righteous rule for mankind, with permanent peace and security. Should not everyone who is happy to be close to this righteous Ruler of the universe as part of his earthly organization strive with all his might to reflect God’s righteousness in his life by living according to His laws? This would certainly be showing loyalty to him, would it not?

20. How is displaying loyalty a part of imitating the example of Jesus Christ?

²⁰ A person’s Christianity is shown, not only by giving a public demonstration to the fact that he has dedicated himself to Jehovah God by being baptized in water, but also by manifesting a Christlike personality. That involves a new personality that is “created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.” (Eph. 4:24) At all times Jesus Christ conducted himself in harmony with the righteous laws of God. Those laws were in his heart, and they motivated the desires of his heart to be in harmony with God’s will. (John 5:30) These same righteous laws should be in our hearts and motivate their desires.

BENEFITS FROM BEING LOYAL

21, 22. What are some of the benefits from being loyal to Jehovah, and how do these compare with fleshly pleasures?

²¹ The pleasure that a person may have now from catering to wrong fleshly desires is only momentary. But the benefits from being loyal to Jehovah can be eternal. Why give up such eternal benefits for fleeting moments of pleasure? Moses chose to be “ill-treated with the people of God rather than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin,” because the benefits from being a loyal servant of Jehovah are far greater. (Heb. 11:25) A very outstanding benefit we can anticipate today is being part of the “great crowd” of loyal worshipers of Jehovah who will be preserved through the coming “great tribulation” that will bring a disastrous end to the present system of things.​—Dan. 2:44; Rev. 7:9, 14.

²² Another prominent benefit is living indefinitely in the new era that the kingdom of God will usher in. Is not living in peace and security under righteous rulers of far greater benefit to you than a few fleeting moments of illicit pleasure? Is not life itself of greater value than such pleasures? Disloyalty to Jehovah can mean eternal death, but loyalty to him can mean just the opposite, eternal life. “Furthermore, this is the promised thing that he himself promised us, the life everlasting.” (1 John 2:25) These and many other notable benefits come to the loyal ones.

23. So what is the wise course to follow today?

²³ After having come to the very threshold of the new era, it would be tragic for a Christian to lose out because of entertaining wrong fleshly desires and becoming disloyal to the true God. How much wiser it would be to maintain a clean conscience by following an upright path of loyalty to God in this time of the end!​—Ps. 37:28, 29.