from his original perfection, but soon, in God’s new order, mankind, as they receive the benefits of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice, will be restored to human perfection.—Ps. 139:14; Rev. 21:4.

Christian Science denies this. Its efforts are directed toward healing physical ailments by impressing upon the sufferer that pain, as well as all material existence, is unreal, imaginary. But this teaching is not from God; it is not supported by God’s Word the Bible or by scientific evidence. It is therefore evident that Mary Baker Eddy’s inspiration must have been from wicked spirit forces, whose efforts are to blind people to the truth and against whose influence God’s own Word clearly warns.—Deut. 18:9-12; Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 21:8.

Keep Unity by Speaking the Truth

UNTIL now world peace and unity have been nothing more than a dream. Try as men will, they remain divided, and that not only by religious differences and racial prejudices, but also by political ideologies. And no wonder, since the hearts of these “kings” or world rulers are “inclined to doing what is bad, and at one table a lie is what they . . . keep speaking.”—Dan. 11:27.

The facts cannot be gainsaid, lies are divisive. The “god of this system of things,” Satan the Devil, has blinded the people to the truth, making them selfish, jealous, violent and lustful. It therefore follows that only when Satan and his demons are abyssed after Armageddon can men hope to have peace and unity among all mankind.—2 Cor. 4:4; Rev. 20:1-3.

Among true Christians there already are peace and unity, for they heed the fine Scriptural counsel: “Now that you have put away falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor . . . speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. From him all the body, by being harmoniously joined together and being made to co-operate through every joint that gives what is needed, according to the functioning of each respective member in due measure, makes for the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”—Eph. 4:25, 15, 16.a

Speaking the truth, of course, means speaking in line with the Word of God, the Bible, for, as Jesus said regarding it, “Your word is truth.” The sciences of geology and archaeology have time and again proved Bible history true; human experience daily bears out the wisdom of Bible principles; current history testifies to the accuracy of Bible prophecy, and the facts show the Bible is singularly free from conflict with proved science.—John 17:17.

Note an example. In ancient times there were many myths about what supported the earth; among the best known being that it rested on the shoulders of the giant Atlas. But thirty-five hundred years ago a Bible writer wrote in harmony with scientific fact when he stated that the earth had no visible means of support, for God is “hanging the earth upon nothing.”—Job 26:7.

Why does speaking Bible truth result in unity? Because it takes a good heart to speak the truth. Jesus said: “Out of the heart’s abundance his mouth speaks.” The truth has to be first in one’s heart, and if it is there it will set one free, even as Jesus showed. Free from what? Free from false religion, from oppressive traditions, from unsound political ideas and philosophies, from fear and hatred of strangers and of one’s neighbors. Speaking the truth frees truth lovers from bitterness, faultfinding and envy.—Luke 6:45; John 8:32.

Yes, getting the truth in one’s heart causes one to think God’s way, to think of doing something to help others. God is love, he is the personification of unselfishness. Getting his truth in one’s heart makes one unselfish, and unselfishness unites, for it is concerned with the well-being of others instead of thinking just of its own interests.—1 Cor. 13:5; 1 John 4:8.

As you get the truth into your heart you will begin to speak it out. If you are the head of a family, you have a special obligation to do so. That means you must arrange for your family to study the Bible together at regular times, which study of Bible truth will cause your family to be drawn closer together, to be in unity. And united families coming together with one another in obedience to the command ‘not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, and so much the more as you see the day of Jehovah approaching,’ results in congregations at unity.—Heb. 10:24, 25.

While it is true that out of the heart’s abundance the mouth speaks, yet at times this speaking might be somewhat restrained because of love of ease, or fear of man or too great concern for material things. These snares must be avoided, for the obligation is upon all to speak the truth. All must teach others the things they have been taught. Having heard the invitation, “Come!” they must now say “Come!” to still others.—Rev. 22:17; Matt. 28:19, 20.

That the way to Christian unity is by speaking the truth is being demonstrated on a worldwide scale by the Christian witnesses of Jehovah; this unity especially standing out in times of stress and when they meet at large assemblies.

Are you among the happy united ones speaking the truth? If not, let Jehovah’s witnesses help you to become one of them.

[Footnotes]

Questions From Readers

● At Revelation 12:3, 4 it tells that the tail of the dragon drew down a third part of the stars. Who are the stars, and is the third part to be taken literally?—C. S., U.S.A.

The texts referred to read: “Look! a great fiery-colored dragon, with seven heads and ten horns and upon its heads seven diadems; and its tail draws a third of the stars of heaven, and it hurled them down to the earth.” In the Scriptures spirit creatures are at times referred to as stars, as at Job 38:7: “When the morning stars joyfully cried out together, and all the sons of God began shouting in applause.” They are fittingly termed stars, for they reside in the spiritual heavens, even as literal stars are in the literal heavens or sky.

The stars of Revelation 12:4 appear to be spirit creatures who became demons by reason of their deflection, which was caused by the great Dragon, Satan. His causing them to join him in the rebellion is pictured by the dragon’s drawing down the stars with its tail, even as a large serpent, when it attacks its victims, may enwrap them with its body or tail. That the fall of these stars refers to their deflection rather than their being ousted at the time of the war in heaven is clear from the fact that the Dragon, Satan, is said to be responsible for their being hurled down to earth, whereas Michael and his angels, Jesus Christ and his heavenly hosts, are the ones that cast down Satan and his demons, as recorded at Revelation 12:9.

As for the expression, “a third part of the stars,” we are not to think that this means that literally a third of all the holy angels deflected to Satan the Dragon over the years. Rather, this appears to be a symbolic way of stating that a considerable number were involved, and yet less than half, and therefore definitely a minority. Thus we find that in Revelation the expression “third” occurs repeatedly, in relation to the earth, the trees, the sea, the boats and creatures in the sea, the waters, the sun, the moon, the stars, the day and the men.—See Revelation 8:7-12; 9:15.

● Is there any explanation of the seeming discrepancy between Jeremiah 52:12 and 2 Kings 25:8? Jeremiah 52:12 says the tenth day of the month, while 2 Kings 25:8 reads the seventh day of the month.—G. G., U.S.A.

The full text of 2 Kings 25:8 reads: “In the fifth month on the seventh day of the month, that is to say, the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the chief of the bodyguard, the servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.” Jeremiah 52:12 speaks in this regard of the “tenth day of the month.” As to the three-day difference, it has been explained by some that Nebuzaradan went to Jerusalem, leaving Riblah on the seventh day of the month but not reaching Jerusalem till the tenth of the month. However, it appears that this high Babylonian