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Build Godly Personalities on the Right FoundationThe Watchtower—1967 | November 1
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Build Godly Personalities on the Right Foundation
AMONG the various kinds of activity to which the Scriptures liken the work of Christian ministers is that of building. “If anyone builds on the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, . . . each one’s work will become manifest, . . . because it will be revealed by means of fire.”—1 Cor. 3:12, 13.a
The right foundation upon which the Christian witnesses of Jehovah are to build is Jesus Christ, who is not only man’s Ransomer but also earth’s rightful King, now reigning. And what are they to build on this foundation? Christian personalities, even as the context shows. With what are these Christian personalities to be built? With that which is pictured by the noninflammable materials of gold, silver and precious stones, namely, godly qualities.—1 Cor. 3:9-11.
Yes, we are living in very critical times, and if one who is a servant of God does not want his building work to be destroyed by the fiery tests and opposition all about us, he must build with the right materials. He must build these materials, or Christian qualities, into those whom he is teaching. These qualities are heavenly wisdom and spiritual discernment, appreciation of integrity and devotion to Bible principles, respect for all God’s laws and commandments, faith in his written Word, loyalty to God’s visible organization and an unbreakable attachment to His kingdom. Building such godly qualities into persons makes them strong, able to resist the fiery trials that Satan and his agents bring against all those who would serve Jehovah God.—2 Tim. 3:1-5.
For Jehovah’s witnesses to build these godly qualities into persons with whom they are studying the Bible, what must they do? First of all, they must set a good example. They must have and display these godly qualities themselves, at no time stumbling those with whom they are studying by careless, indiscreet or selfish conduct. (Phil. 1:9-11) Further, they must stress the importance of these qualities and show how these can be applied to one’s own life. Thus if they are studying with a person who is proud, or one who uses profane language, or one whose conduct tends toward uncleanness, they must tactfully, as opportunity affords, point out to that person the need for humility, for clean speech and purity of conduct. More than that, they must impress upon the minds of these persons how they can cultivate godly personalities, by regular study of God’s Word, by meditating on it, by prayer and by association with God’s people.
In all such ways Jehovah’s witnesses build Christian personalities on the foundation of Jesus Christ. They help sincere persons to acquire godly qualities that will enable them to withstand all the fiery tests that may come upon them, all to Jehovah’s glory, to their eternal salvation and to the lasting joy of those who have helped them.
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Questions From ReadersThe Watchtower—1967 | November 1
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Questions From Readers
● Is it proper to use Isaiah 40:22 to prove that the Bible teaches that the earth is round, Isaiah’s words being written at a time when men thought the earth was flat? Some have expressed the thought that the word “circle” could refer to something circular but flat.—J. L., Denmark.
Isaiah 40:22 reads: “There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth.” When this text says that God sits above the circle of the earth, this harmonizes with the fact that the earth is circular, viewed from all directions, but that also makes it globular in form. The Hebrew word hhug here is defined in A Concordance of the Hebrew and Chaldee Scriptures by B. Davidson as “circle, sphere.”
This same Hebrew word for circle is found in Job 22:14, where the New World Translation says of God: “On the vault of heaven he walks about.” Now, we know that the vault of heaven as seen from the earth is hemispherical, or like a half globe. The other half of the hemispherical vault of heaven extends below the earth upon which we stand and hence cannot be seen directly by us. In harmony with this fact, when Isaiah 40:22 says that God sits above the circle of the earth, then the word “circle” here is in the same Hebrew sense as that found in Job 22:14.
Thus it follows that the word “circle” in Isaiah 40:22 must mean something that is rotund, just as the appearance of the sky viewed from the earth is rotund and like a vault.
● If the Bible teaches that heaven is “up” (Acts 1:9), does it not convey an ignorance of earth’s rotation and the structure of the universe?—C. P., U.S.A.
The Bible account of Jesus’ ascension states that while his disciples “were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud caught him up from their vision.” They continued looking into the sky until advised otherwise by the angels, who informed them that “Jesus who was received up from you into the sky will come thus in the same manner as you have beheld him going into the sky.” (Acts 1:9-11) Some have raised objections to the account of the ascension, saying that it conveys the primitive concept that heaven is “up” from the earth. However, to satisfy such critics would, in effect, require the virtual elimination of the words “up,” “above,” and so forth, from human language. Even in this space age, we still read of astronauts orbiting the earth as having “ascended to 739 nautical miles” above the earth (New York Times, September 16, 1966), whereas we know that technically they “moved out or away” from the earth’s surface that distance.
Interestingly, the account of the angelic delegation that chorused the announcement of Jesus’ birth reports that, when their mission was completed, “the angels had departed from them into heaven.” (Luke 2:15; compare Acts 12:10.) Thus Jesus’ ascension, while beginning with an upward movement, as related to the earthly locality where his disciples were, may have thereafter taken any direction required to bring him into his Father’s heavenly presence. It was an ascension, not only in a directional sense, but, more importantly, as to the sphere of activity and level of existence in the spirit realm and in the lofty presence of the Most High God, a realm not governed by human dimensions or directions.—Compare Hebrews 2:7, 9.
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AnnouncementsThe Watchtower—1967 | November 1
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Announcements
FIELD MINISTRY
The true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ are builders. They build up Christian personalities on the right foundation of Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 3:11-13) They know that among the problems that hinder some from being built into Christian personalities is failure to understand why God has permitted wickedness. Some persons, stumbling over this issue, have become easy prey for such teachings as evolution. These persons need help, and Jehovah’s witnesses have the means to help them—a recently released, delightfully illustrated book that discusses both evolution and God’s permission of wickedness. This enlightening volume entitled “Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation?” they are offering to all sincere seekers of truth during November, along with a booklet, for only 25c.
WILL MAN EVER BE FREE?
The greatest cry in the world today is the cry for freedom. Everyone wants to be free: youth, the workingman, racial minorities, nations. Yet the stronger the struggle, the more men seem to be enslaved. How is freedom to be realized? Will the shackles that have enslaved mankind for centuries ever really be broken? What hope does the future hold? Read the stimulating and encouraging hardbound book Life Everlasting—in Freedom of the Sons of God. It is only 50c. Send now and receive free the timely booklet Healing of the Nations Has Drawn Near.
“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS
November 19: “Let God Arise, Let His Enemies Be Scattered,” ¶1-19. Page 649. Songs to Be Used: 16, 116.
November 26: “Let God Arise, Let His Enemies Be Scattered,” ¶20-26, and God’s Ascent on High Above All Enemies, ¶1-12. Page 653. Songs to Be Used: 114, 3.
December 3: God’s Ascent on High Above All Enemies, ¶13-31. Page 658. Songs to Be Used: 90, 2.
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