assemblies, entitled “The Nations Shall Know that I Am Jehovah”​—How? In Ezekiel’s prophecy the work of God’s people today is figuratively represented as a ‘marking’ for preservation of all persons who desire a world of righteousness and peace, and who want to make over their lives to God’s way. (Ezek. 9:4-6; Col. 3:10) A total of 12,556 persons who are newly taking up this course of life were baptized at the assemblies in Canada and the United States.

Though time is short for the present system of things, Jehovah’s witnesses have much to do. There are many thinking men who see ‘the handwriting on the wall’ for this system of things and who need to hear the good news of the Kingdom. Those making advance preparations for the “Divine Name” assemblies were impressed with the fact that, generally, the businessmen with whom they dealt were not “all business,” as in the past. Some voiced the opinion, “We see no future in the business world.” Many realize too that Christendom’s religions are decaying. As Ezekiel’s prophecy shows, such persons must be reached with the Bible’s warning to forsake these religions if they are to survive Christendom’s fall.

The general sentiments of the conventioners at the conclusion of the assembly were expressed by an overseer in a Cincinnati congregation, who evidently had Ezekiel’s prophecy fresh in mind when he said: ‘Christendom will go down, stubbornly refusing to change according to revealed truth, whereas the society of Jehovah’s witnesses will grow and eternally prosper because it readjusts to conform to Jehovah’s way. I think we shall long remember the “Divine Name” Assemblies.’

When to Be as a Babe

WHO wants to be as a babe? Is not being full-grown, mature, a most desirable state? It truly is, even as the apostle Paul indicated when he wrote: “When I was a babe, I used to speak as a babe, to think as a babe, to reason as a babe; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the traits of a babe.”​—1 Cor. 13:11.

Useful and essential as are physical, mental and also emotional maturity, there is, nevertheless, a kind of maturity that is even more important. And what is that? Being grown-up spiritually or spiritual maturity. This kind of maturity enables one to distinguish right from wrong. It enables the Christian to remain firm in spite of conflicting teachings, temptations and pressures. Spiritual maturity enables one to “stay awake, stand firm in the faith, carry on as men, grow mighty.”​—1 Cor. 16:13; Heb. 5:14.

Because spiritual maturity is so essential for Christians, they are told: “Do not become young children in powers of understanding, . . . become full-grown in powers of understanding.” (1 Cor. 14:20) Yes, Jesus Christ “gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelizers, some as shepherds and teachers, with a view to the readjustment of the holy ones, for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ, until we all attain to . . . a full-grown man, . . . in order that we should no longer be babes,” unstable and easily exploited.​—Eph. 4:11-14.

But with all this the Bible also shows that there are certain aspects in which it is most desirable to be as a child, as a babe. What are these aspects and why is it vital to be childlike in regard to these?

BABES AS TO BADNESS

One sense in which the Scriptures speak favorably of Christians being as babes is when it comes to wickedness. Thus when the apostle Paul wrote, “Do not become young children in powers of understanding,” he immediately added the words, “but be babes as to badness.”​—1 Cor. 14:20.

No question about it, badness is something in which Christians need no experience, should want none. When it comes to being skilled at cheating others, or at playing the role of a hypocrite, or at distinguishing oneself by sexual immorality or perversions, then it is most desirable that Christians should be as babes, innocent, inexperienced.

Today the trend in the entertainment world is toward being “mature” as to badness. This fact is underscored by the American system of grading motion pictures. By and large it appears to equate maturity with obscenity and sex practices that are condemned in God’s Word. So, Christians who wish to heed the advice to be babes as to badness would do well to be cautious about pictures suggested for “mature” audiences.

How fitting, then, is the counsel to be as babes when it comes to badness! How can one remain in that virtuous state? One great help is to watch one’s associations. “Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits.” (1 Cor. 15:33) That means avoiding the company of fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals and sadists in real life, to the extent that one is able to do so. But it also means keeping them out of one’s mind by not thinking about such types, by not reading about them for sensual pleasure, by not viewing them on TV or on the motion picture screen. The human heart is treacherous and can easily acquire a taste for such things and be tempted to go beyond the imaginary enjoyment of them to actual participation. Far better it is to avoid all such temptations by remaining babes as to badness.​—Jer. 17:9; Phil. 4:8.

BABES AS TO CHILDLIKE TRUST

On one occasion Jesus prayed: “I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have carefully hidden these things from wise and intellectual ones, and have revealed them to babes.” Jesus prayed this way right after the seventy evangelizers whom he had sent forth had returned elated at what they were able to accomplish, such as being able to cast out demons.​—Luke 10:17-21.

Jesus’ lowly disciples were like babes in comparison with the highly educated “wise and intellectual” scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees. But God revealed to them things that escaped the understanding of the highly educated religious opposers of Jesus because the disciples were childlike in yet another sense.

Jesus brought this to the attention of his disciples on one occasion after they had asked him: “Who really is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?” Apparently he detected in their asking this question a measure of pride and ambition. So, to teach them a lesson he called a young child to him and “set it in their midst and said: ‘Truly I say to you, Unless you turn around and become as young children, you will by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens,’” let alone be the greatest one there! “Therefore, whoever will humble himself like this young child is the one that is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens.” (Matt. 18:1-4) Yes, instead of displaying pride like the “wise and intellectual” religious leaders, the disciples must display childlike humility, childlike trust in their heavenly Father who was now revealing these truths to them through his Son.

Clearly, then, mental, physical and emotional maturity are important and desirable; and particularly so is spiritual maturity. But spiritual maturity requires us to “turn around” and become like young children in these aspects: by being “babes as to badness,” by having a childlike faith and trust and by being free from ambitious pride.​—1 Cor. 14:20.

Questions From Readers

● Who were the “spirits in prison” to whom Jesus preached as stated at 1 Peter 3:19, when did he preach to them and did this preaching open up an opportunity for them to repent?​—U.S.A.

At 1 Peter 3:20 the “spirits in prison” are described as having “once been disobedient when the patience of God was waiting in Noah’s days.” In his second inspired letter to Christians, Peter refers to them as “angels that sinned.” (2 Pet. 2:4, 5) And the disciple Jude adds: “The angels that did not keep their original position but forsook their own proper dwelling place he has reserved with eternal bonds under dense darkness for the judgment of the great day.”​—Jude 6.

That angels did indeed forsake their proper dwelling place prior to the flood of Noah’s day is revealed at Genesis 6:2, where we read: “The sons of the true God began to notice the daughters of men, that they were good-looking; and they went taking wives for themselves, namely, all whom they chose.” Yes, these spirit sons of God or angels had the power to materialize in human form, as is evident from the fact that faithful angels did so at divine direction to communicate messages to men on earth. (Gen. 18:1, 2, 8, 20-22; 19:1-11; Josh. 5:13-15) However, when numerous angels of their own volition left their proper place and assigned service in the heavens to have fleshly relations, they were doing something contrary to God’s law. They became guilty of perversion, as indicated by Jude’s comparing the sin of these angels to the sexual perversion of which the inhabitants of Sodom, Gomorrah and surrounding cities were guilty.​—Jude 7.

As to the time of Jesus’ preaching to the “spirits in prison,” Peter, after pointing out that Christ had been “made alive in the spirit,” continues: “In this state [that is, Jesus’ state as a spirit person] also he went his way and preached to the spirits in prison.” (1 Pet. 3:18, 19) This would place Jesus’ preaching to them after his resurrection to spirit life. And Peter’s use of the past tense (“preached”) suggests that such preaching was done prior to the writing of his first letter (about 62-64 C.E.).

The New English Bible renders 1 Peter 3:18, 19 as follows: “In the body he was put to death; in the spirit he was brought to life. And in the spirit he went and made his proclamation to the imprisoned spirits.” In this connection we must remember that on Passover night, before his betrayal and arrest, Jesus said to his apostles: “The ruler of the world is coming. And he has no hold on me.” “And when that one [God’s spirit] arrives he will give the world convincing evidence concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning judgment: . . . concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.” (John 14:30; 16:8-11) On this basis, the resurrected Jesus Christ could make a proclamation to the angels concerning the now fully justified judgment against the imprisoned spirits. That was all he could do to those imprisoned spirits, namely, make a proclamation to them concerning judgment, with stronger reason than when he had in his prehuman spirit state said to the Devil: “May Jehovah rebuke you.” (Jude 9) It was not then the time for the