Appreciating the Treasure of Sacred Service

“It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.”​—Matt. 4:10.

1-4. (a) For what services have many considered it an honor to make personal sacrifices, and how have they been viewed by the world? (b) What situation, nevertheless, still faces mankind?

DOWN through centuries of time, men and women have counted it a high honor to put themselves at the service of some worthy cause, one they viewed as noble.

² Millions today look on service to the political state where they live as of greatest importance. Those dying in war on behalf of their nation are said to have made “the supreme sacrifice.”

³ Other persons look beyond the limits of their national boundaries, putting themselves at the service of all mankind, without regard to nation or race. They use their talents and resources and even sacrifice their health and strength to accomplish some good for mankind, perhaps in finding cures for diseases, or in bringing relief to the poor and the oppressed. People have praised such men and women as “humanitarians” and “philanthropists.” They have memorialized the deeds and sacrifices of the more prominent among them by erecting monuments and by naming public edifices or thoroughfares after them.

⁴ Yet, despite all these services, there is no nation on the surface of the earth today that does not face grave problems. Many nations are riddled with crime and corruption, and the systems of most of them are in a general state of crisis. Mankind as a whole remains a sick, disturbed and dying race.​—Matt. 9:36; Rom. 8:22.

5. What service is of interest to genuine disciples of Christ Jesus, and of what can they be thoroughly convince?

⁵ True Christians should certainly be keenly interested in service, for service lies at the heart of Christianity. As Jehovah’s Witnesses, the service that concerns us is, however, one that surpasses in honor and worth any other in which humans could possibly share. It may cost us much​—time, effort, sacrifices, yes, it could cost us even our lives. It will bring us no praise from the world; no monuments will be raised or streets named in our honor. But despite all such factors, this we do know: It is worth it. Yes, we know and are firmly convinced that we can engage in the noblest, the finest service and the one that will bring the greatest and most lasting good, universal good. That service is the service of our grand Creator, Jehovah God, truly a sacred service. Like the “glorious knowledge of God by the face of Christ,” it is a wonderful treasure.​—2 Cor. 4:6-10, 16-18.

WHY SUPERIOR?

6. What is one reason why such “sacred service” is so superior to any other in which we could engage?

⁶ Why should we treasure this “sacred service” as superior to any other in which we might engage? For one thing, it will help people of all races and nations to see the realization of things that mankind has longed for throughout all history and has never achieved​—a world at peace, and freedom from hunger, poverty, disease, oppression. But far more, it contributes toward their realizing something that most would hesitate even to hope for​—freedom from death itself.​—Rom. 8:18-21; Heb. 2:15.

7-9. (a) How did God’s Son show the superior rating he gave to such “sacred service” as compared to worldly services? (b) How does this point up the most powerful reason for treasuring this service above all others?

⁷ No man-made rule, no philanthropic or humanitarian effort can bring these things. They can never come, apart from God and his purpose. That is why his Son, Jesus Christ, refused to let himself be selected as king of his own homeland by enthusiastic crowds who appreciated his powers to do tremendous good in a humanitarian way. (John 6:15, 25-27) That is why he also turned down an offer to give him control of all the governments of this earth, for the one offering this wanted to put God completely out of the picture. The price of acceptance, in fact, was an act of worship, not to God, but to the offerer. Jesus’ reply was: “Go away, Satan! For it is written, ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’”​—Matt. 4:8-10.

⁸ Therein lies the yet greater reason why we should treasure this “sacred service” so highly​—because of the One to whom we render it. People living under monarchies have counted it a grand thing and a glory if they are appointed to a position where they can proudly say, “I am in his Majesty’s service.” How far grander and more glorious to be able to say, “I am in the service of the Creator of heaven and earth, the Supreme Being, Sovereign of all the universe”!

⁹ Yes, over and above all the satisfaction we can get from knowing how much our “sacred service” benefits and will benefit mankind, there is the satisfaction of knowing that it brings honor to the name of the Most High God. In view of all the loving acts that he has performed in the past and of those he will yet perform in the future, he of all persons merits our devoted and appreciative service. To him we owe life, and everything we have and enjoy.​—Ps. 104:1, 14, 15, 24.

10. What grand reward should beckon us onward in such “sacred service”?

¹⁰ In appreciation for our service, God promises us​—not monuments that eventually decay—​but life, life in a righteous new order of peace, health and happiness. To an unnumbered great crowd of persons from all nations and peoples, he promises to grant survival through a rapidly approaching great tribulation, and then entrance into a new order of his own making. The apostle John was privileged to see in prophetic vision those who will survive, and he wrote of them at Revelation 7:14, 15: “These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. That is why they are before the throne of God; and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple.”

11, 12. (a) Who today claim to be rendering “sacred service”? (b) What circumstances place that claim in doubt?

¹¹ How can we be sure that we are rendering true “sacred service” that receives God’s approval? Nearly a billion persons are now enrolled in the churches of Christendom. They view themselves as serving the God of the Bible. Millions of natural circumcised Jews support their synagogues and rabbis and consider themselves to be taking the right path of worship to God. Billions of others worship the many gods of non-Christian religions around the world.

¹² True, but when we look at religious conditions today and the moral state that prevails in country after country, we have to ask ourselves if their views are not mistaken. Where is the evidence that they have cleansed themselves by faith in the “blood of the Lamb” and have taken up the discipleship that inseparably goes along with faith? Have they kept themselves from being a part of the world, unspotted by sexual immorality, lying and stealing, and are they personally helping others to understand God’s Word, assisting new disciples to render “sacred service” to Jehovah the Almighty God?​—John 15:27–16:3; Acts 24:13, 14.

13, 14. Why is it so vital to know what constitutes genuine “sacred service,” and what does not?

¹³ We all need to know the correct answer, since, if these religious people are mistaken, the outcome of their course can only be one of shocking disappointment. The evidence is that such outcome will soon be manifest.

¹⁴ In the coming time of trouble Jesus Christ will give no favor and protection to any who are not rendering true “sacred service” to God as he did. He said: “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matt. 7:22, 23) Mistaken service is not really “sacred service” and is not the way to surviving the approaching great tribulation that precedes God’s new order of righteousness.

DETERMINING THE MEANING OF “SACRED SERVICE”

15, 16. How does the Greek term for ‘rendering sacred service’ (la·treuʹo) differ from the term for ‘ministering’ (di·a·ko·neʹo)?

¹⁵ The Bible gives us the means for determining what constitutes the “sacred service” that will bring God’s approval and protection. The Greek word that is used in the account of Jesus’ turning back temptation is the verb la·treuʹo. (Matt. 4:10) This word is different from the Greek term di·a·ko·neʹo, which is rendered “to serve” or “to minister” in many translations. What is the difference?

¹⁶ While both words refer to service, di·a·ko·neʹo is used regularly with reference to service of a personal nature rendered by one human to other humans. (Luke 12:37) But la·treuʹo, as used in the Scriptures, is limited strictly to service rendered to God, or, in a few cases, to service rendered to those considered gods, false gods.​—Acts 7:42; Rom. 1:25.

17, 18. (a) What reference does the apostle Paul make to “sacred service” performed in pre-Christian times? (b) Is “sacred service” for Christians limited to certain places or to a special class within the congregation?

¹⁷ The Bible reveals that “sacred service” on earth to the true God did not originate with Christ Jesus and the founding of Christianity. The apostle Paul shows this when he writes at Hebrews 8:5 of the Israelite priests as those who were “rendering sacred service in a typical representation and a shadow of the heavenly things,” when they served at the tabernacle, offering sacrifices to God.​—Heb. 9:1, 6; 10:2; 13:10.

¹⁸ Well, then, is the “sacred service” of Christians limited to some special place or places, or confined to a special class or group like the ancient priesthood of Israel? No, for even among the Israelites it was not just those appointed to serve at the tabernacle who were supposed to engage in “sacred service.” It was the privilege and duty of the whole people of Israel to engage in such service.​—Ex. 3:12; Acts 7:6, 7; Rom. 9:4.

19, 20. Why could the apostle Paul say that, in his day, the twelve tribes of Israel were “intensely rendering [God] sacred service night and day”?

¹⁹ When on trial before King Agrippa, the apostle Paul said that at that very time, not just the tribe of Levi with its Aaronic priesthood, but all the “twelve tribes” of fleshly Israel were still hoping to attain to the fulfillment of God’s promise to their forefathers. And how were they manifesting this hope? At Acts 26:7, Paul said that they were manifesting this “by intensely rendering [God] sacred service night and day.” How did they do this?

²⁰ Anna the prophetess was one of those who, according to Luke 2:37, “was never missing from [where?] the temple, rendering sacred service night and day [how?] with fastings and supplications.” She was constant and regular in all public services at the temple. Not all the Jews lived in Jerusalem; hence, they could not be so often at the temple. But the Jews in all Israel could, and many of them did, as Paul said, ‘serve day and night’ by showing zeal for the Law covenant and its statutes, by paying in the tenth part of their produce for temple service, by sacrifices and by morning and evening prayer, also by regular attendance at the synagogues where God’s Word was discussed.a

21, 22. Why does “sacred service” today not center on a Law covenant and its sacrifices?

²¹ Does “sacred service” to God today revolve around such a Law covenant and its sacrifices? No, for just as the apostle stated, all of this was but “a typical representation and a shadow” of greater things to come. (Heb. 8:5) And at Hebrews 9:9, 10 he said that those sacrifices at the tabernacle were “legal requirements pertaining to the flesh and . . . imposed until the appointed time to set things straight.”​—Compare Philippians 3:3.

²² The “time to set things straight” came with Christ Jesus. He fulfilled the ‘shadows’ of the Law. (Heb. 10:1-4) As the Lamb of God he “offered himself without blemish to God,” giving his life as the perfect sacrifice, one that needs no repeating. And, as the apostle states at Hebrews 9:14, it is Christ’s shed blood that, because of our faith, can “cleanse our consciences from dead works that we may render sacred service to the living God.”

THE PATTERN FOR CHRISTIAN “SACRED SERVICE”

23. Why did the night and day “sacred service” of many Jews not bring them divine protection when Jerusalem fell?

²³ The night and day service that so many of the Jews in Paul’s days were rendering did not gain for them divine protection and survival during the intense tribulation that came on Jerusalem in the first century, a tribulation foretold by God’s Son. Why not? Paul said of them: “They have a zeal for God; but not according to accurate knowledge.” (Rom. 10:2) They failed to see in Christ Jesus the fulfillment of Bible prophecies and to realize that by him God was now setting the standard for all future “sacred service” to Him. They lost sight of the fact that the heart is the key to pleasing God and they let their hearts become unresponsive to God’s direction and leading. (Deut. 10:12-14, 16; Matt. 15:8) If we want to avoid the grave consequences this brought upon them we need to learn all we can about God’s Son now in order that our service to God will be acceptable.

24, 25. (a) In what different ways did Christ Jesus set the standard for “sacred service”? (b) In what ways did he manifest compassion for people?

²⁴ Jesus Christ said of his coming to earth: “For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” (John 18:37) He bore witness to the truth by speaking it out boldly, the last three and a half years of his life being occupied in declaring the good news of God’s kingdom throughout the length and breadth of Israel. But it was not enough for him to talk about the truth. He had to live it. He had to prove God’s Word true by doing all the things that Word foretold about him and by living a life that would enable men to come to know and understand his Father and his Father’s ways and standards. (John 1:14, 18) He watched his entire course of conduct so that no reproach would fall on God’s name, which he always sanctified above all things.​—Matt. 6:9.

²⁵ Like his Father, Jesus had a deep, heartfelt compassion for the people of his day. The Bible says that “on seeing the crowds he felt pity for them, because they were skinned and thrown about like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matt. 9:36) He comforted them with the good news of the Kingdom. And he was one who did not just talk or give speeches. He also did things for people in the way of acts of human kindness. After talking to a large crowd that had come out to hear him, he said: “I feel pity for the crowd, because it is already three days that they have remained near me and they have nothing to eat; and if I should send them off to their homes fasting, they will give out on the road.” Then he fed them, miraculously. (Mark 8:2, 3) When a leper said with faith that Jesus could heal him ‘if he just wanted to,’ Jesus replied: “I want to,” and healed him immediately.​—Mark 1:40, 41.

26. What primarily motivated these humanitarian acts of Jesus?

²⁶ Why did Jesus do these works in relieving the suffering of the people? Simply because he was a humanitarian or philanthropist? No, he did these physical and material good things so that there would be solid ground for people to have faith in the good news as being indeed from God. He pointed not just to his words but to his works as testimony that he was truly God’s representative. Why should people accept him as the Messiah if he did not show by his works that he had the qualities of the God he was trying to get the people to come to know?​—John 10:37, 38.

27. What should now be our resolve if we treasure this privilege of “sacred service”?

²⁷ We today must follow his pattern if our service to God is to be acceptable. Realizing the vast good that can result from using our lives in this way, may we continue on steadfastly and see God’s backing of us through whatever may come in the way of difficulty or opposition. And may God hear our prayer, like that of Zechariah’s, that he “grant us, after we have been rescued from the hands of enemies, the privilege of fearlessly rendering sacred service to him with loyalty and righteousness before him all our days.”​—Luke 1:74, 75.

[Footnotes]

Rendering Sacred Service Night and Day

“God, to whom I render sacred service with my spirit in connection with the good news about his Son.”​—Rom. 1:9.

1, 2. How does the Bible show that there are sacrifices involved in our “sacred service” to God?

SERVANTS of God today are not required to offer up sacrifices according to the Law covenant, which Christ Jesus fulfilled and which God therefore put out of the way. But there are sacrifices that form a vital part of our “sacred service.” What are they?

² Paul the apostle of Christ Jesus shows us at Hebrews 13:15, 16. After speaking of the “sacred service” at the tabernacle by the priest of Israel and how this was fulfilled in Jesus, Paul says: “Through him let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.”

3. What do Paul’s inspired words at Hebrews 13:15 require of us?

³ What does that mean for us? It means that we should want to be speaking out the truth about Jehovah God and about the good news of his Kingdom. And we should be doing this not just now and then, once in a while, on weekends or meeting nights only, but, as the apostle says, “always”​—every day, night and day, being on the alert for opportunities to do this.

4. Is our “sacred service” performed just with our lips? (1 John 3:18)

⁴ Does that mean that our “sacred service” is entirely a matter of talking? No, for after speaking of the “sacrifice of praise,” the apostle goes on to describe other sacrifices God wants of us. He says, in Heb 13 verse 16: “Moreover, do not forget the doing of good and the sharing of things with others, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Yes, our “sacred service” needs to be a balanced one, one that balances words of praise to God with deeds, with the “doing of good and the sharing of things with others.”

5. (a) How can our whole life bear witness to the good news? (b) What effect will this have on others in our community?

⁵ So, like Jesus we want our whole life to be a witness to the truth. Of course, we cannot perform miracles as Jesus did to help people, but our fine conduct, honesty, sincerity and helpfulness to people when we can and with what we have are just as acceptable. We can do as Galatians 6:10 urges: “Really, then, as long as we have time favorable for it, let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.” By this course we establish a groundwork for persons opening their ears to the truth. We must not, then, hold back from declaring the good news to all, freely, boldly, ‘out of the abundance of our hearts.’ Otherwise, how will people who observe our good works and our fine manner of life really be helped? We must let people know that it is the good news of God that has moved us to do the fine works. (Matt. 5:16; 12:34, 35) Then they will see that there is a possibility to become the same as we are if they too learn the good news. Unless we have the fine, helpful and kind works along with good conduct as well as the “sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name,” we are not fully rendering God “sacred service.”​—Heb. 13:15.

6. For our “sacred service” to be complete, what, then, is required?

⁶ From Jesus’ example and that of the apostles it is evident, then, that our “sacred service” is not entirely a matter of changing our personalities and doing kind things. This is a part, the foundation, of our service, to which we add the sacrifices of praise. (Ps. 106:12) Our “sacred service” cannot be complete unless we both live and declare the good news.

7. Who determines how much time we spend in the different sacrifices that form our “sacred service”?

⁷ All of us today can be showing ourselves to be among those rendering “sacred service” to God day and night. Jehovah God has not set out for us any legal code as to just how much time we are to spend in giving the sacrifice of praise (except to say “always”) or how much in the other sacrifices with which God is well pleased. We must balance this out ourselves. But all these sacrifices​—the fruit of our lips in making public declaration to his name and the doing of good and the sharing of things with others—​these must all be there and find a place in our lives, in the daylight hours and in the evening hours.​—Compare Acts 26:7.

8. What example of “night and day” service did Jesus provide us? (Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12)

⁸ Jesus had the good news in his heart, he meditated on it and considered how he could put the message across to the people. He was always ready, “night and day,” to speak the good news, even when he was very tired. He was zealous always to declare the truth. (John 2:17) Recall how he talked to a woman, a Samaritan, whom the Jews considered below the level of being able to appreciate sacred things. (John 4:7-26) But Jesus did not judge the woman, even though he knew also that she was living immorally. His witness to her resulted in a wonderful widespread declaration of God’s name and purposes.​—John 4:39-42.

OUR WHOLE LIFE COURSE A “SACRED SERVICE”

9. Essentially, just what does “sacred service” embrace, and how do the inspired writings of Paul bring this out? (Col. 3:17)

⁹ “Sacred service,” then, is not something that occupies only a portion of our lives. It is not limited to just one activity or a certain number of activities but it takes in every aspect of our daily living. It can be summed up by these words: ‘Keep doing all things as unto Jehovah, whether eating or drinking or doing any other thing.’ (1 Cor. 10:31) Showing how all-embracing this service should be, the apostle says at Romans 12:1, 2: “I entreat you by the compassions of God, brothers, to present your bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason. And quit being fashioned after this system of things.”a

10. (a) What determines whether any particular activity forms part of our “sacred service”? (b) What “night and day” service does God’s Word call on parents to perform, and how should they view this?

¹⁰ Many things are involved, but your aim, your goal and your heart motivation are key factors in determining whether what you do is really “sacred service” or not. For example, among us are many parents. Part, in fact, a large part, of your “sacred service” to God involves your children. Psalm 127:3 says that they are “an inheritance from Jehovah.” Are you caring for that inheritance as unto him and for his glory? This too is a “night and day” feature of your service, for God’s Word points out that parents should be instilling God’s fine principles into their children from the time they get up until the time they lie down. (Deut. 6:4-9) To do this, a basic thing is to study the Bible with them. But a parent should not say to himself, ‘I have a Bible study once a week with my children, just as I have with other people. Therefore that is enough for them to know what is right and to follow Bible principles.’ This is just not true. Remember, the Bible says that children of a believing parent are viewed by God as “holy” or sacred. (1 Cor. 7:14) How would you treat something left in your care that you knew was sacred to God? Would you not guard it most carefully every day, day and night?

11. Why cannot this aspect of “sacred service” be neglected by parents?

¹¹ What you do now to teach and discipline your children could well save them. On the other hand, if you are lax now, you may lose them. That is, the time may suddenly come​—before you know it—​when your words to them fall on deaf ears. The world will have more influence over them than you will have. Then, how will God view the way you have handled property sacred to him?

12, 13. (a) How can parents wisely and effectively carry out the exhortation at Deuteronomy 6:4-9? (b) Why will Christian parents want more than just a “good child” from the worldly standpoint? (Prov. 3:1-4)

¹² To instill God’s Word in the children all day long does not mean constant preaching to them. It calls for your exemplifying what God’s truth is all about by your daily life and conversation. On every occasion, either by your loving, close relationship with them and your friendly, intimate association and free communication, you can help them to appreciate Jehovah God, his wisdom, his love and the rightness of his ways. Listen to them, reason with them. When giving instructions or jobs for them to do, or in disciplining, show why, and explain the good results of obeying you as a parent and, consequently, of obeying God as Head over all.

¹³ You cannot simply try to have a “good child” in the sense that the world uses that term. Of course, you want your child to be well-mannered, respectful, honest, and considerate of others. But you want him or her to be that way because, above all, your child has come to know and to love Jehovah God. For your upbringing of your child to be different from the world’s youth, and to be truly a “sacred service,” the child’s mind and heart must be directed toward Jehovah, so that he or she becomes a praiser of Jehovah.​—Ps. 148:12, 13.

14. How can husbands and wives render “sacred service” through the marriage arrangement?

¹⁴ Husbands and wives can render “sacred service” by making their marriage successful and an honor to God’s institution of marriage. A man or a woman may be very kind and pleasant to others, patiently putting up with mistakes or even suffering indignities and injuries from them without retaliation. But when it comes to the marriage mate, a husband or a wife may be quick to anger, ‘reading between the lines’ of what the mate says, with a ‘chip-on-the-shoulder’ attitude, looking for an occasion to find fault. Or the couple may cut off communication with each other. No matter what other things a married person may do, he or she is not fully rendering acceptable “sacred service” to God if he or she ignores the sacred marriage covenant.​—Eph. 5:22-25, 29.

15. What powerful contribution can a housewife make to the spread of the good news in her community?

¹⁵ Housewives have a fine opportunity to perform acceptable “sacred service” to God. Their fine works that others can see would certainly include keeping a neat, clean house, taking care of the cooking and the clothing needs of the family. For what is more on display to others than one’s home? A wife’s hospitality, her readiness to help her neighbors, particularly her willingness to ‘put herself out’ to assist other sisters in the congregation in whatever their needs may be​—these are sacrifices in which God is well pleased. When people know these things about her, then her public declaration of the good news in the congregation territory will have a more powerful influence.​—Acts 9:36-41; Titus 2:4, 5.

16. How can children and youths render “sacred service” to God every day with fine results?

¹⁶ If children in the household are concerned with rendering “sacred service” to Jehovah they can show respect for their father and help their mother in bringing honor to God by helping them to keep the house in good, clean order. And where parents are not in the truth the children can do much in this way to cause the parents to honor God. Their conduct before schoolmates, respect for teachers, telling others about the good news when opportunity affords and working closely with the congregation in things done at the Kingdom Hall and sharing in the field service, certainly are things God counts as “sacred service” to him. (Prov. 20:11; Titus 2:6-8) A good test of your service, as to whether it is true “sacred service” or not, is the question you might ask yourself: ‘Do I go in the field service, perhaps carrying Bible literature to others?’ That is commendable. But, now, also ask yourself: ‘At school and elsewhere, what is my conduct? Do I do what worldly youths do? Or do I remember that I am to render “sacred service” to Jehovah night and day?’ You, like others, can do much to interest people in the good news by your daily conduct and fine attitude.

17. What particular service are elders called on to perform?

¹⁷ Christian elders are also called on to serve night and day. Part of your “sacred service” is on behalf of your brothers, caring for their spiritual needs. To the elders of the Ephesus congregation, the apostle Paul could say: “Therefore keep awake, and bear in mind that for three years, night and day, I did not quit admonishing each one with tears.” (Acts 20:31) Your brothers today need your help no less than the brothers in Ephesus needed help back in the first century.

18-21. (a) Of what did Paul’s day and night “sacred service” consist? (b) Why did his secular work qualify as part of his “sacred service” to God, and what lesson is there here for us?

¹⁸ Can you do what Paul did, serving day and night? Paul’s words do not necessarily mean that he spent every minute in talking or preaching. No, for in Acts 20:34 he goes on to mention how he worked with his own hands doing secular work so as to attend to the material needs of himself and of those laboring with him. In fact, in writing to the Thessalonians, he said: “Certainly you bear in mind, brothers, our labor and toil. It was with working night and day, so as not to put an expensive burden upon any one of you, that we preached the good news of God to you.”​—1 Thess. 2:9.

¹⁹ Yes, Paul sometimes was occupied not only in the day but also in the evening in secular work, such as tentmaking. But it is important for us to ask: Why did he do this? Was it for materialistic reasons or due to a desire for luxuries? No, but as he himself says, it was “so as not to put an expensive burden” on his brothers. He set an example in this so that no one could accuse him of leading a soft life through the financial support of those to whom he was serving the good news. Because his motive and aim were to advance the truth and eliminate any stumbling blocks in the minds of those he served he could be said to be engaging in God’s service even during those secular working hours. But what if his motive had been selfish, if he had not been doing all things as unto Jehovah and for the advancement of the Kingdom interests? Then his work would have been no different from that of any other secular work. It would not have been a “sacred service.”

²⁰ Paul, however, having a clean conscience and a right motive in his secular work, could make this part of his “sacred service” to God harmonize with his God-given commission by proclaiming the good news with great boldness and zeal. And such “sacred service” was greatly blessed by God. As Paul said, in our theme text: “God, to whom I render sacred service with my spirit in connection with [what? with] the good news about his Son.” (Rom. 1:9) Surely we must all marvel at the far-reaching effects of Paul’s faithful efforts to render God “sacred service.”

²¹ Each one of us, therefore, needs to ask himself, What is my viewpoint of my work and for what am I aiming? The only reasonable answer is found in the counsel that the apostle gave to the young man Timothy: “Be training yourself with godly devotion as your aim. For . . . godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come.”​—1 Tim. 4:7, 8; John 6:27.

22. What twofold purpose do we achieve through our godly devotion?

²² Yes, the main objective of our godly devotion is to render “sacred service” to Jehovah and to bring honor to his name, thereby helping others to appreciate what kind of God he is and to come into intimate relationship with him. But by doing this we also live happier lives even now, in this time. And it means ‘the life to come,’ not only for us, but for our families and for all who are influenced by our conduct and our proclamation of the good news.

23, 24. What encourages us to keep testing ourselves as to the genuineness of our “sacred service”?

²³ With regard to ‘the life that is to come,’ and even more, the opportunity of having an unbroken life-span from now on into eternity, the apostle John’s vision of the surviving great crowd is one of the greatest encouragements to ‘keep testing whether we are in the faith,’ proving whether we are really rendering “sacred service” to the full. (2 Cor. 13:5) Yes, God holds forth to us the crowning hope of being part of that great and unnumbered throng that he is going to preserve through the coming great tribulation and introduce into his righteous new order.

²⁴ What a wonderful prospect is set before us for doing the right thing, the reasonable and most delightful thing! Why, everyone on earth will soon be rendering “sacred service” to God, and what a true paradise earth will then be!​—Rev. 22:1-3.

25. To survive the approaching great tribulation, what should we be doing even now?

²⁵ If we are going to be among those escaping destruction during the great tribulation, we must be doing right now what John saw the great crowd doing after the tribulation had passed. They were “crying with a loud voice, saying: ‘Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” (Rev. 7:10) Not hesitantly, not uncertainly, but as though with a “loud voice,” motivated by confidence and by wholehearted love and whole-souled devotion​—that is how we want to make public declaration to Jehovah God’s name and concerning all the grand things for which it stands and all the glorious promises that are backed up by that name. We want to be praising Jehovah and his Son ‘always,’ to one another in our homes, at our meetings, and to all who will listen in our community or wherever we are. And if we do this, all the heavenly hosts, who “always behold the face of [Christ’s] Father,” will back us up to the full, saying “Amen” to the proclamation of the good news we make as a specially designated part of our genuine “sacred service” to God.​—Matt. 18:10; Rev. 7:12.

26. What motivates thousands of persons earth wide to seek Jehovah today, and what cause for rejoicing does this bring us?

²⁶ It is “sacred service” by Jehovah’s people that is drawing thousands toward him today. They see the attitude of love and helpfulness, the cleanness, the sterling integrity, the peaceableness of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Then they hear and are impelled to listen to the good news God’s servants zealously declare. Thus Jehovah God is glorified now and will yet be glorified with greater brilliance throughout the earth, being praised mightily by the appreciative tribulation survivors​—all of this the fine, happy result of truly rendering “sacred service” to God day and night.

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