• Honoring Jehovah
    The Watchtower—1961 | August 15

    • HONOR AND THE NEW PERSONALITY

      22. (a) For what is there no place in the Christian congregation? (b) Why should we be open and honest with one another, and how?

      22 There is no place in the Christian congregation for self-honor, saving face, or covering up by lying. These things may be the custom in the loveless, unhappy nations from which we have come out. However, the apostle tells us: “This, therefore, I say and bear witness to in the Lord, that you no longer go on walking just as the nations also walk in the unprofitableness of their minds, while they are in darkness mentally, and alienated from the life that belongs to God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the insensibility of their hearts.” Our deep love for and appreciation of Jehovah and all his goodness, together with love for our fellow Christians, will cause us to be open and honest with one another, and without fear of man. (Eph. 4:17, 18; 1 John 4:17, 18; 2 Tim. 1:7, 8) As the apostle also says: “Wherefore, now that you have put away falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are members belonging to one another.”—Eph. 4:25.

      23. (a) What do Christians renounce? (b) How do shame and face-saving go hand in hand? (c) If a Christian commits a sin, what should he not then do? What should he do?

      23 There is no place in Jehovah’s New World society for the improper attitudes of the old world. “That is why, since we have this ministry according to the mercy that was shown us, we do not behave improperly, but we have renounced the underhanded things of which to be ashamed, not walking in craftiness neither adulterating the word of God, but by making the truth manifest recommending ourselves to every human conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Cor. 4:1, 2) Those who walk with God renounce the underhanded ways and craftiness of this world, and stand openly in favor of truth. They do not live in a condition of shame, requiring continual face-saving. This face-saving is based on emotions of pride and fear, and not on Bible principle. It is allied to shame and is a pretense for removing shame, no matter what the cost in principle, just so the individual may look right. Even if a Christian commits a sin, should he save face by hibernating in a condition of shame? No, but he should confess his sin before Jehovah, and again make straight paths for his feet. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”—1 John 1:9; 2:1, 2; Ps. 32:1, 5.

      24. How may we be completely freed from the crafty ways of the face-saving world?

      24 Humility, Christian love and heartfelt appreciation of our relationship to Jehovah will keep us walking in paths of righteousness. This is what the apostle entreats, to “walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with complete lowliness of mind and mildness, with long-suffering, putting up with one another in love.” Through the congregation Christ has made “gifts in men” to teach and train all who share in Jehovah’s undeserved kindness through his Son. Let us accept this training joyfully, advancing with Jehovah’s organization to full Christian maturity, so that we will “no longer be babes, tossed about as by waves and carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of craftiness in contriving error. But speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ.” (Eph. 4:1, 2, 8, 11-16) Any who have been contaminated by the crafty ways of the old world must make their minds over completely, becoming filled with the accurate knowledge of God’s will, “in order to walk worthily of Jehovah.”—Rom. 12:1, 2; Col. 1:9-12.

      25. How may we put on the new personality, and with what result?

      25 This means putting on the Christian personality, the new personality, which is so different from the old-world personality with its warped way of thinking. Therefore the apostle admonishes “that you should put away the old personality which conforms to your former course of conduct and which is being corrupted according to his deceptive desires; but that you should be made new in the force actuating your mind, and should put on the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loving-kindness.” (Eph. 4:22-24) If we have put on the new personality through diligent study of and obedience to God’s Word, then our minds will be activated by God’s spirit. Thus we will seek always to be an honor to Jehovah’s great name, as his witnesses, and never strive for self-glory, a name among men, or to maintain face-saving pride.—Matt. 5:16; Luke 16:15.

      26. What face-saving exploits has Satan schemed, but with what final result?

      26 The face-saving pride of “lofty eyes” is detestable to Jehovah. (Prov. 6:16-19) It originates with Satan the Devil, who tried to make for himself a proud name, greater than Jehovah’s, and to lift up his throne “above the stars of God.” He became dazzled by his own “beaming splendor.” (Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:17) Now that his splendor faces extinction at Armageddon, he pursues a vicious policy of “rule or ruin.” He blindly plots a further face-saving exploit, in trying to lead all humankind over the brink into a nuclear abyss. He spurs world leaders on to prepare racial suicide on a colossal scale. In this he shall fail! Despite the wrath of worldly nations, Jehovah will fight for and deliver his own people, and “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Joel 2:32; Rev. 11:18) Satan will be thrown away in dishonor “like a detested sprout, . . . like a carcass trodden down. . . , because you brought your own land to ruin.”—Isa. 14:19, 20.

      27. (a) What responsibility supersedes all others? (b) Who may be pronounced happy? (c) What glorious day is now at hand?

      27 The survivors of this universal battle will be the ones who, like faithful Job, Christ Jesus and the remnant, refuse to break integrity, even in the face of Satan’s final, vicious assault on the New World society of Jehovah’s witnesses. (Ezek. 38:14-16) They will be the ones who appreciate that, whatever is involved in honor, there is a responsibility that supersedes all earthly duties and obligations, a responsibility to honor the great Giver of life, the One who set our earth spinning through space and created man upon it. (Acts 17:24-28; Ps. 36:9) As the Supreme Sovereign of the universe, he requires exclusive devotion of his intelligent creatures, and this we should gladly give. (Deut. 5:9, 10) Happy are we if we seek Jehovah’s glory above all else, exulting in his grand purpose that now, in our day, and by wonderful works of which only He is capable, his grand name is to be forever vindicated. Speed the day when that peerless name will “be exalted above the heavens” and the entire earth will be “filled with the knowing of the glory of Jehovah”!—Ps. 57:5; Hab. 2:14.