Boldly Speaking God’s Word with His Spirit

SPEAKING boldly means speaking courageously, speaking without fear, speaking with confidence. It means being outspoken, having freeness of speech.

Boldly speaking God’s Word certainly is what the early Christians did. Note Peter’s outspokenness when asked by the officials by what authority a man lame from birth had been healed: ‘If you are asking us about a good deed done to an ailing man, let all of you know that it was done in the name of the man you recently impaled but whom God raised from the dead, yes, Jesus Christ!’ And when charged no more to speak in Jesus’ name, the apostles replied: “Whether it is righteous in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves. But as for us, we cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.”—Acts 4:7-20; 5:29.

What accounted for their boldness? For one thing, their having been with Jesus, even as their foes were obliged to acknowledge. (Acts 4:13) Also, their being filled with God’s holy spirit: “They were one and all filled with the holy spirit and were speaking the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31a) Not one whit behind the other apostles was Paul. No sooner had he been converted than he began “speaking boldly” God’s Word to the Jews, and he kept on speaking boldly, even as the inspired record repeatedly states.—Acts 9:28; 13:46; 14:3.

Just as the opposition of rulers, religious and political, did not stop the early Christians, so it is not stopping those who are sincerely and intelligently following in their footsteps today. Eloquent proof of this is being given by Jehovah’s witnesses behind the Iron Curtain and in such lands as Spain and Portugal. We have an important message to give, to the honor of Jehovah and the salvation of men, and there is not much time left for giving it. Some of our enemies threaten physical violence, others use ridicule, but, not fearing what men may think or do, we must continue to speak God’s Word with boldness.—Jer. 1:17.

If we have this boldness, we will not be waiting for opportunities to come to us to speak God’s Word, but we will be making them by sharing in the house-to-house ministry and by incidental witnessing. So let all Christian ministers be boldly speaking God’s Word with holy spirit, in particular during the month of September, in keeping with its theme.

Questions From Readers

● In view of what is stated at Hebrews 10:26, 27, will dedicated and baptized Christians with hopes of earthly life have a resurrection if they fall away from true worship and die before Armageddon?—P.G., U.S.A.

That scripture reads: “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.” An examination of the context shows that the apostle Paul was writing this to Christians who were in the new covenant, had been “sanctified” and so were in line to rule with Christ in heaven. (Heb. 10:15-18, 29; Rom. 8:16, 17; Rev. 5:10) Earlier in the same letter he wrote: “It is impossible as regards those who have once for all been enlightened, and who have tasted the heavenly free gift, and who have become partakers of holy spirit, and who have tasted the fine word of God and powers of the coming system of things, but who have fallen away, to revive them again to repentance, because they impale the Son of God afresh for themselves and expose him to public shame.”—Heb. 6:4-6.

While, in Hebrews chapters six and ten, Paul the apostle was discussing anointed Christians with heavenly hopes who “sin willfully” and refuse to repent, it is reasonable to conclude that the same principle would apply to those of the “great crowd” of “other sheep” with earthly hopes. (Rev. 7:9; John 10:16) If any dedicated Christian who had God’s spirit and the blessing of serving Jehovah turned his back on God, ‘sinned willfully,’ and died still refusing to repent, there is nothing in the Scriptures to indicate that that person would receive a resurrection.

Their situation is not like that of persons before Christ’s time who for a time served God and then fell away. Since we are all sinners condemned to death, the basis for any hope of a resurrection is the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (Rom. 3:23, 24) Once a person has availed himself of that provision and then later rejects it, on what basis can he gain a right standing with God? What other sacrifice is there that can work in his behalf? If he commits some sin, he can seek forgiveness through Christ; but if he rejects Christ, there is no other provision that God has made. The apostle Paul wrote about such ones: “There is no longer any sacrifice for sins left.” That would appear to be true whether the individual formerly had the hope of life in heaven or hope of eternal life on earth.

Christians, then, ‘have need of endurance, in order that, after they have done the will of God, they may receive the fulfillment of the promise.’ So let us earnestly endeavor to be faithful in our service to God—“not the sort that shrink back to destruction, but the sort that have faith to the preserving alive of the soul.”—Heb. 10:36, 39.

Announcements

FIELD MINISTRY

A person who believes God’s Word has every reason to speak boldly when he shares its message with others. This does not mean that he lacks kindness and consideration for others, but he is not apologetic about the teachings of the Bible. He knows that they are the truth, and he confidently shares them with others. This Jehovah’s witnesses will continue to do during September as they call on people everywhere to share with them the good news that the Bible contains, doing so both by their spoken word and by offering Bible literature to interested persons on a small contribution.

ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS

Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania is a corporation formed and used by Jehovah’s witnesses for the advancement of the Society’s work of preaching the “everlasting good news” in conformity with the holy word of Jehovah God, the great Provider of the Kingdom and the Kingdom message. Yearly this corporation has its business meeting, which in 1965 falls on Friday, October 1, 1965, at the office of the Society located at 4100 Bigelow Boulevard, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213.

Letters of notice will be sent to the members of the corporation. The members can ensure their receiving the notice and accompanying proxy by making certain that the secretary’s office has the present mailing address of the member to which the notice is to be sent.

While the purpose of here making mention of the annual meeting is to remind those who are members to provide the Society’s secretary with their present mailing address, mention is also made of the fact that any reader of The Watchtower is welcome to attend the annual meeting.

DOES YOUR RELIGION SUSTAIN YOU?

What does your religion mean to you? Is it a serious part of your life? Do you depend upon it to sustain you? Then take this matter to heart: The Bible foretells the complete downfall of the religious systems of both Christendom and the pagan world! In addition, prophecy warns of the desolate condition of those who have relied upon them. Why would God allow this? What must you do to have God’s protection? You need the 704-page hardbound book “Babylon the Great Has Fallen!” God’s Kingdom Rules! Send only 75c.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

September 26: What Comes First in Your Life? Page 520.

October 3: Jehovah Blesses the Putting of His Kingdom First. Page 526.