Lesson 8

Family Life That Pleases God

What is the husband’s position in the family? (1)

How should a husband treat his wife? (2)

What responsibilities does a father have? (3)

What is the wife’s role in the family? (4)

What does God require of parents and of children? (5)

What is the Bible’s view of separation and of divorce? (6, 7)

1. The Bible says that a husband is the head of his family. (1 Corinthians 11:3) A husband must have only one wife. They should be properly married in the eyes of the law.—1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 3:1.

2. A husband should love his wife just as he loves himself. He should treat her the way Jesus treats his followers. (Ephesians 5:25, 28, 29) He should never hit his wife or mistreat her in any way. Rather, he should show her honor and respect.—Colossians 3:19; 1 Peter 3:7.

3. A father should work hard to care for his family. He must provide food, clothing, and housing for his wife and children. A father must also provide for his family’s spiritual needs. (1 Timothy 5:8) He takes the lead in helping his family to learn about God and His purposes.—Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Ephesians 6:4.

4. A wife should be a good helper for her husband. (Genesis 2:18) She should assist her husband in teaching and training their children. (Proverbs 1:8) Jehovah requires a wife to care for her family lovingly. (Proverbs 31:10, 15, 26, 27; Titus 2:4, 5) She should have deep respect for her husband.—Ephesians 5:22, 23, 33.

5. God requires children to obey their parents. (Ephesians 6:1-3) He expects parents to instruct and correct their children. Parents need to spend time with their children and study the Bible with them, caring for their spiritual and emotional needs. (Deuteronomy 11:18, 19; Proverbs 22:6, 15) Parents should never discipline their children in a harsh or cruel way.—Colossians 3:21.

6. When marriage mates have problems getting along together, they should try to apply Bible counsel. The Bible urges us to show love and to be forgiving. (Colossians 3:12-14) God’s Word does not encourage separation as a way to solve minor problems. But a wife might choose to leave her husband if (1) he stubbornly refuses to support his family, (2) he is so violent that her health and life are in danger, or (3) his extreme opposition makes it impossible for her to worship Jehovah.—1 Corinthians 7:12, 13.

7. Marriage mates must be faithful to each other. Adultery is a sin against God and against one’s mate. (Hebrews 13:4) Sex relations outside the marriage is the only Scriptural ground for divorce allowing for remarriage. (Matthew 19:6-9; Romans 7:2, 3) Jehovah hates it when people get divorced without Scriptural grounds and marry someone else.—Malachi 2:14-16.

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A loving father provides for his family materially and spiritually

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God expects parents to instruct their children and to correct them

Lesson 9

God’s Servants Must Be Clean

Why must we be clean in every way? (1)

What does it mean to be spiritually clean? (2) morally clean? (3) mentally clean? (4) physically clean? (5)

What kinds of unclean speech should we avoid? (6)

1. Jehovah God is clean and holy. He expects his worshipers to remain clean—spiritually, morally, mentally, and physically. (1 Peter 1:16) It takes real effort to stay clean in God’s eyes. We live in an unclean world. We also have a struggle against our own tendencies to do wrong. But we must not give up.

2. Spiritual Cleanness: If we want to serve Jehovah, we cannot hold on to any of the teachings or customs of false religion. We must get out of false religion and not support it in any way. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Revelation 18:4) Once we have learned the truth about God, we must be careful not to be misled by people who teach falsehood.—2 John 10, 11.

3. Moral Cleanness: Jehovah wants his worshipers to behave as true Christians at all times. (1 Peter 2:12) He sees everything we do, even in secret. (Hebrews 4:13) We should avoid sexual immorality and other unclean practices of this world.—1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

4. Mental Cleanness: If we fill our minds with clean, pure thoughts, our conduct will also be clean. (Philippians 4:8) But if we dwell on unclean things, it will result in wicked deeds. (Matthew 15:18-20) We should avoid forms of entertainment that could soil our minds. We can fill our minds with clean thoughts by studying God’s Word.

5. Physical Cleanness: Because they represent God, Christians should keep their bodies and clothing clean. We should wash our hands after using the toilet, and we should wash them before eating meals or handling food. If you do not have a proper sewage disposal system, toilet wastes should be buried. (Deuteronomy 23:12, 13) Keeping physically clean contributes to good health. A Christian’s home should be neat and clean both inside and outside. It should stand out in the community as a good example.

6. Clean Speech: God’s servants must always speak the truth. Liars will not enter God’s Kingdom. (Ephesians 4:25; Revelation 21:8) Christians do not use bad language. They do not listen to or tell dirty jokes or unclean stories. Because of their clean speech, they stand out as different at work or at school and in the neighborhood.—Ephesians 4:29, 31; 5:3.

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God’s servants must be clean in all respects

Lesson 10

Practices That God Hates

How should you feel about things that God says are bad? (1)

What kinds of sexual conduct are wrong? (2)

How should a Christian view lying? (3) gambling? (3) stealing? (3) violence? (4) spiritism? (5) drunkenness? (6)

How can a person break free from bad practices? (7)

1. Servants of God love what is good. But they must also learn to hate what is bad. (Psalm 97:10) That means avoiding certain practices that God hates. What are some of those practices?

2. Fornication: Sex before marriage, adultery, bestiality, incest, and homosexuality are all serious sins against God. (Leviticus 18:6; Romans 1:26, 27; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10) If a couple are not married but are living together, they should separate or else get legally married.—Hebrews 13:4.

3. Lying, Gambling, Stealing: Jehovah God cannot lie. (Titus 1:2) Persons who want his approval must avoid lying. (Proverbs 6:16-19; Colossians 3:9, 10) Every form of gambling is tainted by greed. So Christians do not take part in any kind of gambling, such as lotteries, horse racing, and bingo. (Ephesians 5:3-5) And Christians do not steal. They do not knowingly buy stolen property or take things without permission.—Exodus 20:15; Ephesians 4:28.

4. Fits of Anger, Violence: Uncontrolled anger can lead to acts of violence. (Genesis 4:5-8) A violent person cannot be God’s friend. (Psalm 11:5; Proverbs 22:24, 25) It is wrong to take revenge or to return evil for the bad things that others might do to us.—Proverbs 24:29; Romans 12:17-21.

5. Magical Spells and Spiritism: Some people call on the power of the spirits to try to heal sicknesses. Others cast spells on their enemies to make them sick or even to kill them. The power behind all these practices is Satan. So Christians must not take part in any of them. (Deuteronomy 18:9-13) Staying close to Jehovah is the best protection from spells that may be cast on us by others.—Proverbs 18:10.

6. Drunkenness: It is not wrong to drink a little wine, beer, or other alcoholic beverage. (Psalm 104:15; 1 Timothy 5:23) But heavy drinking and drunkenness are wrong in God’s eyes. (1 Corinthians 5:11-13; 1 Timothy 3:8) Drinking too much can ruin your health and disrupt your family. It can also cause you to give in very quickly to other temptations.—Proverbs 23:20, 21, 29-35.

7. Persons who practice things that God says are bad will “not inherit God’s kingdom.” (Galatians 5:19-21) If you really love God and want to please him, you can break free from these practices. (1 John 5:3) Learn to hate what God says is bad. (Romans 12:9) Associate with people who have godly habits. (Proverbs 13:20) Mature Christian companions may prove to be a source of help. (James 5:14) Above all, rely on God’s help through prayer.—Philippians 4:6, 7, 13.

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God hates drunkenness, stealing, gambling, and acts of violence

Lesson 11

Beliefs and Customs That Displease God

What kind of beliefs and customs are wrong? (1)

Should Christians believe that God is a Trinity? (2)

Why do true Christians not celebrate Christmas, Easter, or birthdays? (3, 4)

Can the dead harm the living? (5)

Did Jesus die on a cross? (6)

How important is it to please God? (7)

1. Not all beliefs and customs are bad. But God does not approve of them if they come from false religion or are against Bible teachings.—Matthew 15:6.

2. Trinity: Is Jehovah a Trinity—three persons in one God? No! Jehovah, the Father, is “the only true God.” (John 17:3; Mark 12:29) Jesus is His firstborn Son, and he is subject to God. (1 Corinthians 11:3) The Father is greater than the Son. (John 14:28) The holy spirit is not a person; it is God’s active force.—Genesis 1:2; Acts 2:18.

3. Christmas and Easter: Jesus was not born on December 25. He was born about October 1, a time of year when shepherds kept their flocks out-of-doors at night. (Luke 2:8-12) Jesus never commanded Christians to celebrate his birth. Rather, he told his disciples to memorialize, or remember, his death. (Luke 22:19, 20) Christmas and its customs come from ancient false religions. The same is true of Easter customs, such as the use of eggs and rabbits. The early Christians did not celebrate Christmas or Easter, nor do true Christians today.

4. Birthdays: The only two birthday celebrations spoken of in the Bible were held by persons who did not worship Jehovah. (Genesis 40:20-22; Mark 6:21, 22, 24-27) The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays. The custom of celebrating birthdays comes from ancient false religions. True Christians give gifts and have good times together at other times during the year.

5. Fear of the Dead: The dead cannot do anything or feel anything. We cannot help them, and they cannot hurt us. (Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10) The soul dies; it does not live on after death. (Ezekiel 18:4) But sometimes wicked angels, called demons, pretend to be the spirits of the dead. Any customs that have to do with fear of or worship of the dead are wrong.—Isaiah 8:19.

6. Cross: Jesus did not die on a cross. He died on a pole, or a stake. The Greek word translated “cross” in many Bibles meant just one piece of timber. The symbol of the cross comes from ancient false religions. The cross was not used or worshiped by the early Christians. Therefore, do you think it would be right to use a cross in worship?—Deuteronomy 7:26; 1 Corinthians 10:14.

7. It may be very hard to abandon some of these beliefs and customs. Relatives and friends may try to convince you not to change your beliefs. But pleasing God is more important than pleasing men.—Proverbs 29:25; Matthew 10:36, 37.

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God is not a Trinity

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Christmas and Easter come from ancient false religions

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There is no reason to worship the dead or to fear them

Lesson 12

Showing Respect for Life and Blood

How should we view life? (1) abortion? (1)

How do Christians show that they are safety conscious? (2)

Is it wrong to kill animals? (3)

What are some practices that do not show respect for life? (4)

What is God’s law on blood? (5)

Does this include blood transfusions? (6)

1. Jehovah is the Source of life. All living things owe their life to God. (Psalm 36:9) Life is sacred to God. Even the life of an unborn child inside its mother is precious to Jehovah. To kill such a developing baby on purpose is wrong in God’s eyes.—Exodus 21:22, 23; Psalm 127:3.

2. True Christians are safety conscious. They make sure that their cars and their homes are safe. (Deuteronomy 22:8) God’s servants do not take unnecessary risks with their lives just for pleasure or excitement. So they do not share in violent sports that deliberately hurt other people. They avoid entertainment that encourages violence.—Psalm 11:5; John 13:35.

3. Animal life is also sacred to the Creator. A Christian may kill animals to provide food and clothing or to protect himself from sickness and danger. (Genesis 3:21; 9:3; Exodus 21:28) But it is wrong to mistreat animals or to kill them just for sport or pleasure.—Proverbs 12:10.

4. Smoking, chewing betel nut, and taking drugs for pleasure are not for Christians. These practices are wrong because (1) they make us their slaves, (2) they harm our bodies, and (3) they are unclean. (Romans 6:19; 12:1; 2 Corinthians 7:1) It can be very hard to give up these habits. But we must do so to please Jehovah.

5. Blood is also sacred in God’s eyes. God says that the soul, or life, is in the blood. So it is wrong to eat blood. It is also wrong to eat the meat of an animal that has not been properly bled. If an animal is strangled or dies in a trap, it should not be eaten. If it is speared or shot, it must be bled quickly if it is to be eaten.—Genesis 9:3, 4; Leviticus 17:13, 14; Acts 15:28, 29.

6. Is it wrong to accept a blood transfusion? Remember, Jehovah requires that we abstain from blood. This means that we must not take into our bodies in any way at all other people’s blood or even our own blood that has been stored. (Acts 21:25) So true Christians will not accept a blood transfusion. They will accept other kinds of medical treatment, such as transfusion of nonblood products. They want to live, but they will not try to save their life by breaking God’s laws.—Matthew 16:25.

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To please God, we must avoid blood transfusions, unclean habits, and unnecessary risks