“Get Out of Her, My People”

15. The Bible Students gradually came to what realization? (See also footnote.)

¹⁵ The Bible Students taught that it was necessary to break away from worldly churches. In 1879, the Watch Tower referred to the “Babylon church.” Was it talking about the papacy? The Roman Catholic Church? Protestant denominations had for centuries made such applications of Babylon as a prophetic type in Scripture. However, the Bible Students gradually came to the realization that all the churches of Christendom were included in modern-day “Babylon.” Why? Because they all taught doctrinal lies such as those discussed above.b In time, our publications became more and more direct about what honesthearted members of Babylon’s churches should do.

16, 17. (a) How did Volume III of Millennial Dawn and the Watch Tower urge people to remove themselves from false religion? (b) What factor diluted such early warnings? (See footnote.)

¹⁶ For example, in 1891, Volume III of Millennial Dawn discussed God’s rejection of modern-day Babylon and noted: “The whole system​—a system of systems—​is rejected.” It added that all those “not in sympathy with her false doctrines and practices are now called to separate themselves from her.”

¹⁷ In January 1900, the Watch Tower offered counsel to those who still kept their names on the denominational rolls of Christendom’s churches and who rationalized their course, saying, “My sympathies are all with the truth, and I rarely attend other meetings.” The article asked: “But is this right​—to be half out and half in Babylon? Is this the obedience required . . . and pleasing and acceptable to God? Surely not. He [the church member] publicly entered into a covenant with the denomination when he joined it, and he should faithfully live up to all the conditions of that covenant until he . . . publicly renounces or cancels his membership.” Over the years, that message became stronger.c Servants of Jehovah must renounce all ties with false religion.

18. Why was it necessary for people to get out of Babylon the Great?

¹⁸ If such warnings to get out of Babylon the Great had not been sounded regularly, would Christ as the newly installed King have had a body of prepared, anointed servants on earth? Surely not, for only Christians who are free from Babylon’s grip can worship Jehovah “with spirit and truth.” (John 4:24) Are we today likewise determined to keep free from false religion? Let us keep obeying the command: “Get out of her, my people”!​—Read Revelation 18:4.