true servants act in complete harmony with his divine Word. They are encouraged to continue in that way, and to strive continually to improve in mature conduct becoming a Christian. When one does display stubbornness and self-will, it is evident that God’s Word is not in his thoughts sufficiently. Jehovah gave firm counsel thereon at 2 Kings 17:14, 15: “They did not listen but kept hardening their necks like the necks of their forefathers that had not exercised faith . . . they continued rejecting his regulations and his covenant . . . even in imitation of the nations that were all around them.” At Jeremiah 7:24 (AS) Jehovah stated further on this: “But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.”

29. What does one actually do when he refuses God’s counsel?

²⁹ When an individual refuses God’s counsel or turns away from reproof, either from Jehovah’s Word or from his organization, he rejects the counsel of Almighty God. “Turn back at my reproof. . . . but you keep refusing, . . . and you keep neglecting all my counsel, and my reproof you have not accepted.”—Prov. 1:23-25.

30. What punishment did Jehovah mete out to stubborn children?

³⁰ In the case of children, stubbornness is frequently shown by them. It is the responsibility of parents to guide the child properly in this regard so as to prevent this tendency to grow and become a part of the child’s nature as he grows up. Such might very well cause him to receive of Jehovah’s disfavor later in life, if proper discipline and guidance are not given when the tendency first becomes evident. When parents are unable to cope with the situation they may solicit the aid of a mature brother or members of the congregation service committee. Jehovah’s Word is given on this matter at Deuteronomy 21:18-21: “In case a man should happen to have a son who is stubborn and rebellious, he not listening to the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and they have corrected him but he will not listen to them, then his father and his mother must take hold of him and bring him out to the older men of the city and to the gate of his place and they must say to the older men of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he is not listening to our voice, being a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of his city must stone him with stones and he must die. So you must clear away what is bad from your midst, and all Israel will hear and indeed become afraid.” Of a certainty, today the youthful servant of God may know that he will come into disfavor with his God, Jehovah, by pursuing the course of stubbornness and self-will. These qualities are manifest only in the world belonging to Satan; and for one of Jehovah’s children, youthful or aged, to display these qualities and persist in them would lead to that one’s being cut off from Jehovah’s clean and pure organization.

SELF-STYLED FREEDOM

31. Why do many rebel against Jehovah’s code of righteousness?

³¹ Many persons outside Jehovah’s organization today exercise what they term “complete freedom” of thought and action. They adopt a philosophy that allows them to satisfy their every whim. Because they do not wish to be restricted in any sense they refuse to accept the pure Word of God as a guide, and they continue on their course of self-styled freedom. This is a rebellious course, and is causing those who practice this to be fit only for destruction at the battle of Armageddon. Many such persons adopt this attitude because they see the conflict between the error of nominal religion and the philosophy of the religious leaders and feel that they are just as capable of selecting and establishing their own code of ethics.

32. Why is the philosophy of “free thinkers” popular, and why is it seductive? What will befall those overreached by this philosophy?

³² This type of philosophy then permits the individual to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it, without any infringement upon his desires. His standards and morals can be to his appropriation. With such conjecturing so popular in the world, those not bound by God’s upright and praiseworthy moral standards soon find themselves seduced and duped into a low, wayward course, even associating with others of like thought so as to share their sensualized and meretricious carnalism. Without Jehovah’s pure Word and organization to guide them, Christians too could become victimized by this false reasoning and fall into the trap that has ensnared the world of “free thinkers.”

33. In contrast, what are Christians aware of? How do they guard themselves?

³³ Jehovah has not forsaken his people to be so victimized and misled. The world of free thinkers may allow themselves to fall into the immoral course that follows this type of rationalizing. But Jehovah’s servants are well aware that adulterers and fornicators cannot attain the Kingdom, and they are ever cognizant of this counsel and it is a directing force in their lives, keeping them entirely clean and pure for Jehovah’s service. They are well aware of the powerful forces within the human body, which, not properly controlled, can lead to a course of degradation. Young men and women within Jehovah’s organization are therefore alert to keep themselves clean and above immoral conduct, lest they become depraved by their own selfish appetites. Not to have their emotions under control would be exercising their own will, or the will of the flesh, rather than the will of Jehovah, and would be direct rebellion against Jehovah’s wise counsel. Jehovah does not permit the inclusion of such practices in his organization just because surrounding Christendom condones it.

34. (a) What should be the attitude of parents who have children overreached by immoral acts? (b) How may the parents become parties to a wrong practice?

³⁴ When parents do learn of the shortcomings of their children in this regard, if they have fallen victim to an immoral relationship with one of the opposite sex, sometimes they are reluctant to report this to the responsible ones in the organization who have the obligation to keep the organization clean from such practices. Thus the parents become parties to a lawless course of action because the one involved is their own flesh and blood. This close relationship should have no bearing on justice, and such should be reported to the responsible ones in the congregation, whether it is one so close as one’s own child or someone else in the Christian congregation. If one in the organization is acquainted with such a situation and fails to report it, he becomes a direct party to it, and then he too is sharing in a course of rebellion. Wrongdoing has no part or place in Jehovah’s clean organization, and a faithful servant would not condone it by remaining silent and failing to report it to the ones having authority to take action in the matter. If one fails in this Christian duty he is relying upon his own thoughts and self-will, which is a course leading to rebellion against Jehovah’s clean organization.

35. How is gross immaturity shown by a dedicated Christian when marrying an undedicated person?

³⁵ A dedicated Christian recognizes that he must remain entirely separate from the world. This includes being separate from the world even in the matter of selecting a mate. Just as Jehovah would not permit the Israelites to enter into marriage relationships with the heathenish women at that time, so Christians today are going directly against Jehovah’s counsel in selecting a mate not dedicated to the service of Jehovah. The yoke of such a bond would become heavy and unbearable because of not having Jehovah’s blessing upon it. (2 Cor. 6:14) If some go directly contrary to Jehovah’s command and counsel in this regard, does it not show a reliance on one’s own judgment and self-will, and a tendency to be rebellious? It would show gross immaturity on the part of the one so doing, and the one taking such a course would not qualify to represent Jehovah’s pure organization in the capacity of an overseer in the congregation.

Desirable Tendencies—Christian Servitude

“Be obedient . . . doing the will of God whole-souled.”—Eph. 6:5, 6.

1. How is complete servitude shown by the example set by Jesus?

WHEN we are reviewing the tragic results of man’s own self-determination in life, another pattern should be selected that has lasting benefits. Instead of acting upon one’s own impulses, why not consider the unselfish suggestion recommended in Jesus’ words relative to the two great commandments? He said: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. The second, like it, is this: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’” These words, rather than giving freedom of choice, extremely limit the course of action that could be pleasing to Jehovah. This commandment removes self-choice entirely. In fact, these words crowd out of one’s life any desire other than that of complete obedience and servitude to Jehovah.—Matt. 22:37, 38.

2, 3. (a) What does dedication mean? (b) From what slavery has a Christian been liberated? (c) What slavery is desirable?

² This was the blueprint of life for Jesus and his followers. By choice, when a Christian dedicates his life to Jehovah God, he vows that he will follow the footsteps established by the Master Servant; in fact, it means the individual will be a slave to his Master. But, then, upon analyzing the matter we will find that an individual will be the servant or slave of one master or another, as Paul tells us at Romans 6:16: “Do you not know that if you keep presenting yourselves to anyone as slaves to obey him, you are slaves of him because you obey him, either of sin with death in view or of obedience with righteousness in view?” Then Paul exclaims: “But thanks to God that you were slaves of sin but you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were handed over. Yes, since you were set free from sin, you became slaves to righteousness. . . . so now present your members as slaves to righteousness with holiness in view.” (Ro 6 Vss. 17-19) These words leave no alternative to the true Christian but to mold his life as a slave to his Master’s wishes. Of course, such a righteous course shows Jehovah is the Master to whom one