the prophets who suffered evil; there were many others who have also left a good example for us to copy. It is evident that those who were patient with evildoers are the ones who gained the favor of God. Let us do likewise: “Brothers, take as a pattern of the suffering of evil and the exercising of patience the prophets, who spoke in the name of Jehovah. Look! We pronounce happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful.”—Jas. 5:10, 11.

Conquering the Evil with the Good in Modern Times

1, 2. (a) What have been some of the evils suffered by Jehovah’s witnesses in this century? (b) Have these things drawn them away from doing their work? (c) Why have Jehovah’s witnesses gone into the courts? (d) What words of Jesus have comforted them?

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES of the present day have an obligation to spread the good news of God’s kingdom and live in accord with God’s Word and law. Because of their sincere worship of Jehovah God, they have often been subjected to strong persecution. Some have been killed because of their faith. Others have been forced to endure many reproaches and suffer injustices. They have been lied about and denied their lawful rights. Their children have been expelled from schools. Their homes and properties have been destroyed. Illegal blood transfusions have been forced upon them. Some have had their business ruined or have lost their secular employment because of their faith. Theirs has been an outstanding history of being done evil. But through it all the New World society of Jehovah’s witnesses have not lost sight of their commission to preach the good news of the Kingdom. Christians do have the right to defend themselves legally in times of persecution and Jehovah’s witnesses have gone to great expense to defend and legally establish the good news.—Phil. 1:7.

² Jehovah’s witnesses are thankful for the good counsel and instruction of God’s Word, which has helped them to avoid having a spirit of vengeance, so that they have not gone into the courts of the land with the purpose of taking vengeance but have remembered the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:18-28: “Why, you will be haled before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations. However, when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to speak will be given you in that hour; for the ones speaking are not just you, but it is the spirit of your Father that speaks by you. Further, brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and will have them put to death. And you will be objects of hatred by all people on account of my name; but he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved. When they persecute you in one city, flee to another; for truly I say to you, You will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple to become as his teacher, and the slave as his master. If people have called the householder Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household so? Therefore do not fear them; for there is nothing covered over that will not become uncovered, and secret that will not become known. What I tell you in the darkness, say in the light; and what you hear whispered, preach from the house-tops. And do not become fearful of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be in fear of him that can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” They appear before rulers and courts to give a witness even as Jesus himself did.

3. Give an example showing why it is practical not to assault persecutors.

³ While Christians rely entirely upon Jehovah God and are not fearful of those who kill the body, they never become so fleshly minded as to organize assaults against their persecutors. One of the outstanding persecutors of the early Christians was Saul the Pharisee of the tribe of Benjamin. While the Christians knew Saul as an enemy and persecutor, never did they try to kill him. If the Christians had struck the persecutor Saul and killed him in retaliation, it would indeed have been evil. As long as men are alive, even though they may be persecutors, the Christian can live in hope that the persecutor may someday learn the facts about the ones he is persecuting and, if he has a good heart, he may become like Saul, who, when he saw the light, took up pure worship as a Christian. We can always hope there will be many more like him who may turn around and worship the true God, Jehovah.—Acts chap. 9.

4. What is the proper viewpoint of God’s servants toward evildoers?

⁴ As for those who do not have the kind of sincere heart that Saul had and are really wicked men, incorrigible evildoers, even in the case of these men it is important for a Christian to keep the right position of faith, waiting on Jehovah, who says: “Do not show yourself heated up because of the evildoers. Do not be envious of those doing unrighteousness. For like grass they will speedily wither, and like green new grass they will fade away. Let anger alone and leave rage; do not show yourself heated up only to do evil. For evildoers themselves will be cut off, but those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth.” (Ps. 37:1, 2, 8, 9) There is no doubt that Jehovah will take action. Jehovah knows what is in the hearts of all men and will deal with the evildoers in his good way. We can be certain about it. Jesus encouraged us to think this way: “Certainly, then, shall not God cause justice to be done for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, even though he is long-suffering toward them? I tell you, He will cause justice to be done to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man arrives, will he really find the faith on the earth?”—Luke 18:7, 8.

ADVANTAGES OF SELF-CONTROL

5. Why is self-control desirable?

⁵ Jehovah’s being long-suffering with evildoers has been outstanding and is the