18. Growth in accurate knowledge and in ability to use it skillfully for Jehovah’s purpose comes through what simple practice?

¹⁸ We must advance, increase, grow up in Jehovah’s organization; we cannot stand still. Through the Watchtower magazine and all companion publications, as well as through the congregation, circuit and district servants, the Watch Tower Society constantly stresses that we must study. Serious study is hard work. But it does yield happy results. It takes effort to search the Scriptures, but you know that the knowledge gained spells out life. Taking in knowledge of Jehovah God and of his Son, said Jesus, means everlasting life. (John 17:3) One who wants life must listen to the Giver of life, Jehovah, for it is written: “Most truly I say to you, He that hears my word and believes him that sent me has everlasting life, and he does not come into judgment but has passed over from death to life.” (John 5:24, NW) Everlasting life is due, then, to hearing the Word and believing Jehovah God, for it was God who sent Christ Jesus; and by having this faith we are able to pass over from death to life. By assembling ourselves together for making public declaration of our hope we continue learning and growing, advancing to maturity.

‘Consider One Another, Trusting in Jehovah’

1. What traits identify a mature witness of Jehovah?

PAUL, writing to the Hebrews, wanted them to know more about Christ Jesus. He wrote: “Concerning him we have much to say and hard to be explained, since you have become dull in your hearing. For, indeed, although you ought to be teachers in view of the time, you again need someone to teach you from the beginning the first principles of the sacred pronouncements of God, and you have become such as need milk, not solid food. For everyone that partakes of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong.” (Heb. 5:11-14, NW) A vigorous Christian himself, Paul wanted these Hebrews to advance and use their perceptive powers. In view of the time they were in the truth they should have been teachers, but they did not want to express themselves for enriching others. They preferred to take life easy and just feed on the milk of the Word and just remember the simple things they learned when they first came into Jehovah’s organization without becoming acquainted with the whole Word of God and taking the solid food that belongs to mature people. Any dedicated Christian witness of Jehovah should want to grow up and make advancement in the New World society. When one gains knowledge of Jehovah’s marvelous purposes it should fill him with vigor and give him vitality. Energized, he should want to help others to gain the same valuable information he has.