• Make It Your Aim to Serve God Forever
    Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life

    • STEPS THAT LEAD TO LIFE ETERNAL

      7. What are some steps one must take to qualify for baptism?

      7 Unlike Jesus, we are imperfect and can reach the milestone of baptism only after taking other vital steps. This begins by taking accurate knowledge of Jehovah God and Jesus Christ into our heart. Doing this causes us to exercise faith and to have profound love for God. (Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6) Compliance with God’s laws, principles, and standards should move us to repent, expressing godly sorrow over our past sins. This leads to conversion, that is, to a turning around and abandoning any wrong course we followed when we did not have the knowledge of God. (Acts 3:19) Naturally, if we are still secretly practicing some sin instead of doing what is righteous, we have not really turned around, nor have we fooled God. Jehovah detects all hypocrisy.—Luke 12:2, 3.

      8. What action should you take when you desire to share in the Kingdom-preaching activity?

      8 Now that you have been taking in the knowledge of God, is it not fitting to consider spiritual matters in a very personal way? Probably you are eager to tell your relatives, friends, and others what you are learning. In fact, you may already have been doing this, even as Jesus shared the good news with others in informal settings. (Luke 10:38, 39; John 4:6-15) Now you may want to do more. Christian elders will be glad to talk with you in order to determine whether you are qualified and able to have some share in the regular Kingdom-preaching activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses. If you are, the elders will make arrangements for you to accompany a Witness in the ministry. Jesus’ disciples followed his instructions in order to carry out their ministry in an orderly way. (Mark 6:7, 30; Luke 10:1) You will benefit from similar help as you share in spreading the Kingdom message from house to house and in other ways.—Acts 20:20, 21.

      9. How does a person make a dedication to God, and how does dedication affect the person’s life?

      9 Preaching the good news to all kinds of people in the congregation’s territory is a way to find those who are righteously disposed and is among the fine works proving that you have faith. (Acts 10:34, 35; James 2:17, 18, 26) Regular attendance at Christian meetings and having a meaningful share in the preaching work are also ways to demonstrate that you have repented and turned around and are now determined to live in accord with the knowledge of God. What is the next logical step? It is to make a dedication to Jehovah God. This means that in heartfelt prayer, you tell God that you are willingly and wholeheartedly giving your life to him to do his will. This is the way to dedicate yourself to Jehovah and accept the kindly yoke of Jesus Christ.—Matthew 11:29, 30.

      BAPTISM—WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU

      10. Why should you get baptized after you dedicate yourself to Jehovah?

      10 According to Jesus, all those who become his disciples must be baptized. (Matthew 28:19, 20) Why is this necessary after you have made a dedication to God? Since you have dedicated yourself to Jehovah, he knows that you love him. But no doubt you will want to take further action in order to let others know about your love for God. Well, baptism affords you an opportunity to make your dedication to Jehovah God known publicly.—Romans 10:9, 10.

      11. What is the meaning of baptism?

      11 Baptism is rich in symbolic meaning. As you are submerged, or “buried,” beneath the water, it is as though you have died to your former course of life. When you come up out of the water, it is as if you are emerging to a new life, one that is governed by God’s will and not your own. Of course, that does not mean that you will make no more mistakes, for all of us are imperfect and therefore sin daily. However, as a dedicated, baptized servant of Jehovah, you will have entered into a special relationship with him. Because of your repentance and your humble submission to baptism, Jehovah is willing to forgive your sins on the basis of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. Baptism thus leads to a clean conscience before God.—1 Peter 3:21.