Olketa Go Ahed for Wakabaot Long Truth
“No eni samting hem mekem mi garem feeling for thankiu winim diswan, wei wea mi herem hao olketa pikinini bilong mi go ahed for wakabaot long truth.”—3 JOHN 4.
1. Wanem nao “truth bilong gud nius” mekhae long hem?
JEHOVAH hem appruvim olketa wea worshipim hem “witim spirit and truth” nomoa. (John 4:24) Olketa obeyim datfala truth and acceptim full Christian teaching wea kam from Word bilong God. Disfala “truth bilong gud nius” hem mekhae long Jesus Christ and wei wea Kingdom bae vindicatem sovereign rul bilong Jehovah. (Galatians 2:14) God letem “paoa bilong samting wea no stret” for kasem olketa wea laekem laea samting, bat salvation hem kam from wei for garem faith long gud nius and for wakabaot long truth.—2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Ephesians 1:13, 14.
2. Aposol John garem feeling for thankiu long wanem samting, and hao nao hem and Gaius savve long each other?
2 Pipol wea talemaot Kingdom nao “olketa wea waka tugeta long truth.” Olsem aposol John and fren bilong hem Gaius, olketa barava hol strong long truth and wakabaot followim. John tingim Gaius taem hem raet: “No eni samting hem mekem mi garem feeling for thankiu winim diswan, wei wea mi herem hao olketa pikinini bilong mi go ahed for wakabaot long truth.” (3 John 3-8) Nomata sapos John, wea olo nao, hem no wan wea teachim truth long Gaius, wei wea disfala aposol hem olo, mature long Christian wei, and garem feeling olsem wanfala dadi, hem mekem hem fit for ting long Gaius olsem spiritual pikinini bilong hem.
Truth and Christian Worship
3. Wanem nao purpose and gud samting wea kamaot from olketa meeting bilong olketa firstfala Christian?
3 For lanem truth, olketa firstfala Christian meet tugeta olsem olketa kongregeson, planti taem insaed olketa haos bilong samfala. (Romans 16:3-5) Olketa kasem encouragement and muvim each other for love and gudfala waka long olketa taem olsem. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) Tertullian (c.155–bihaen 220 C.E.) hem raet abaotem olketa wea bihaen kolem olketa seleva Christian: “Mifala meet for readim olketa buk bilong God . . . Witim olketa holy word hia mifala feedim faith bilong mifala, mifala liftimap hope bilong mifala, mifala strongim trust bilong mifala.”—Apology, chapter 39.
4. Wanem waka nao wei for sing hem duim long olketa Christian meeting?
4 Wei for sing hem part bilong meeting bilong olketa firstfala Christian. (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16) Professor Henry Chadwick hem raet hao savveman bilong mek-tu century, Celsus, hem faendem singsing bilong olketa wea sei olketa Christian hem “naes tumas and hem no laekem wei wea singsing hia muvim feeling bilong hem.” Chadwick go ahed for sei: “Clement bilong Alexandria hem firstfala man for raet wea storyim kaen music wea fitim for olketa Christian iusim. Hem sei hem shud no kaen music wea join witim dirty wei for dance.” (The Early Church, page 274-5) Long sem wei wea olketa firstfala Christian savve sing taem olketa hipap, Olketa Jehovah’s Witness tu planti taem singim olketa song wea kam from Bible wea garem olketa word wea mekhae long God and datfala Kingdom.
5. (a) Hao nao olketa firstfala Christian kongregeson kasem spiritual direction? (b) Hao nao olketa trufala Christian followim toktok bilong Jesus long Matthew 23:8, 9?
5 Long olketa firstfala Christian kongregeson, olketa overseer teachim truth, and olketa ministerial servant givim samfala difren help long olketa narawan. (Philippians 1:1) Wanfala governing body wea depend long Word bilong God and holy spirit nao leadim olketa long spiritual wei. (Acts 15:6, 23-31) Olketa no garem olketa title bikos Jesus bin komandim olketa disaepol bilong hem: “Iufala, no letem eniwan kolem iufala Rabbi, from wanfala nomoa hem teacher bilong iufala, bat iufala evriwan olketa brata. And tu, no kolem eniwan father bilong iufala long earth, from wanfala nomoa hem Father bilong iufala, Datwan long heven.” (Matthew 23:8, 9) Long olketa samting hia and planti nara samting, olketa firstfala Christian semsem witim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness.
Kasem Persecution From Wei for Preachim Truth
6, 7. Nomata olketa talemaot wanfala peaceful message, hao nao pipol bin deal witim olketa tru Christian?
6 Nomata olketa talemaot wanfala peaceful Kingdom message, olketa firstfala Christian kasem persecution, olsem Jesus kasem. (John 15:20; 17:14) Man for raetem history, John L. von Mosheim kolem olketa first-century Christian “wanfala sekson bilong pipol wea barava hard for spoelem or daonem eniwan, wea nating tingim eni samting for againstim gavman.” Dr. Mosheim sei samting “wea olketa bilong Rome barava no laekem abaotem olketa Christian nao hem wei wea worship bilong olketa hem simpol, wea difren tumas from olketa ceremony bilong olketa nara pipol.” Hem sei tu: “Olketa no duim sakrifaes, no garem temple, no iusim olketa image, pipol for story long heathen god for olketa, or olketa priest; and diswan hem inaf for kosim pipol wea no savve gud long olketa for heitim olketa, from olketa tingse no eni religion fit for no garem olketa samting hia. So pipol ting long olketa olsem pipol wea no biliv long God; and, saed long olketa law bilong Rome, pipol ting long olketa wea no biliv long God olsem iusles pipol long community.”
7 Olketa priest, olketa wakman, and nara pipol wea kasem selen from idol worship muvim pipol for againstim olketa Christian, wea no worshipim idol. (Acts 19:23-40; 1 Corinthians 10:14) Tertullian hem raet: “Olketa wea againstim olketa Christian tingse olketa nao kosim evri bigfala trabol and nogud samting wea kasem pipol. Sapos Tiber River hem flood and hae kasem olketa wall, sapos Nile River no garem wata for garden, sapos weather stap semsem nomoa, sapos earthquake happen, wanfala bigfala hangre, wanfala trabol, stretawe olketa singaot: ‘Torowem olketa Christian long lion!’” Nomata wanem bae kasem olketa, olketa tru Christian ‘guardim olketa seleva from olketa idol.’—1 John 5:21.
Truth and Olketa Celebration Saed Long Religion
8. Why nao olketa wea wakabaot long truth no celebratem Christmas?
8 Olketa wea wakabaot long laet stap klia from olketa kastom saed long religion wea no kam from Bible bikos ‘laet hem no savve share witim darkness.’ (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) Olsem example, olketa no celebratem Christmas, wea kamap long December 25. The World Book Encyclopedia hem sei: “No eniwan savve long barava date wea Christ hem born.” The Encyclopedia Americana (1956 Edition) hem sei: “Saturnalia, wanfala feast bilong olketa long Rome, wea olketa savve celebratem long midol-December, hem kamap example for olketa Christmas kastom saed long hapitaem.” M’Clintock and Strong’s Cyclopædia talem olsem: “Christmas hem no samting wea God komandim, and hem no kam from N[iu] T[estament] tu.” And datfala buk Daily Life in the Time of Jesus hem sei: “Olketa animal . . . tek kava long full taem bilong cold season; and disfala samting seleva fit for pruvim hao date wea olketa markem for Christmas, long cold season, hem no stret, from Gospel sei olketa shepherd stap aotsaed.”—Luke 2:8-11.
9. Why nao olketa servant bilong Jehovah bifor and distaem no celebratem Easter?
9 Pipol savve celebratem Easter for tingim resurrection bilong Christ, bat samfala wea iumi fit for trustim joinim diswan witim false worship. The Westminster Dictionary of the Bible hem sei Easter hem “firstaem datfala festival long spring season wea honorim woman god bilong laet and spring season, wea long English languis bifor olketa kolem, Eastre,” or Eostre. Nomata wanem, datfala Encyclopædia Britannica (11th Edition) hem sei: “No eniwea long Niu Testament olketa celebratem Easter festival.” Olketa firstfala Christian and pipol bilong Jehovah distaem tu no celebratem Easter.
10. Wanem celebration nao Jesus hem startim, and hu nao celebratem long stretfala wei?
10 Jesus nating komandim olketa follower bilong hem for celebratem taem wea hem born or taem wea hem resurrect, bat hem startim Memorial bilong dae bilong hem olsem sakrifaes. (Romans 5:8) Tru nao, diswan nao only samting wea hem komandim olketa disaepol bilong hem for celebratem. (Luke 22:19, 20) Evri year Olketa Jehovah’s Witness celebratem diswan, wea olketa kolem tu, Evening Kaikai Bilong Lord.—1 Corinthians 11:20-26.
Truth Olketa Talemaot Raonem Earth
11, 12. Hao nao olketa wea wakabaot long truth evritaem saportim preaching waka bilong olketa?
11 Olketa wea savve long truth tingim hem olsem wanfala privilege for iusim taem, strong, and olketa nara samting bilong olketa for duim waka for preachim gud nius. (Mark 13:10) Donation wea pipol willing for givim nao saportim preaching waka bilong olketa firstfala Christian. (2 Corinthians 8:12; 9:7) Tertullian hem raet: “Nomata sapos wankaen box for kolektim selen stap, hem no selen wea pipol mas peim for herem service, olsem religion hem mek-selen. Wantaem evri month evri man givim lelebet selen—or enitaem hem laek givim, and only sapos hem willing, and sapos hem fit for duim diswan; from no eniwan forcem pipol, hem offering wea each man willing for givim.”—Apology, chapter 39.
12 Kingdom-preaching waka bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness evriwea long world tu kasem saport from willing donation bilong pipol. Witim Olketa Witness, pipol wea interest and thankiu lukim hao hem wanfala privilege for saportim disfala waka long wei for givim contribution. Long disfala wei tu olketa firstfala Christian and Olketa Jehovah’s Witness olketa semsem.
Truth and Fasin Bilong Man Wanwan
13. Saed long fasin bilong olketa, wanem kaonsel bilong Peter nao Olketa Jehovah’s Witness obeyim?
13 Olsem pipol wea wakabaot long truth, olketa firstfala Christian obeyim kaonsel bilong aposol Peter: “Keepim fasin bilong iufala gud midolwan long olketa nation, mekem, long samting wea olketa tok againstim iufala olsem nogud pipol, olketa savve lukim gudfala waka bilong iufala and givim glory long God long day for hem duim inspection.” (1 Peter 2:12) Olketa Jehovah’s Witness ting serious long toktok hia.
14. Hao nao olketa Christian ting long olketa nogud hapitaem?
14 Nomata bihaen apostate fasin kam insaed Christian kongregeson, olketa wea sei olketa Christian stap klia from dirty fasin. W. D. Killen, professor saed long history bilong church, hem raet: “Long mek-tu and mek-thri century, haos for duim olketa drama hem main interest bilong pipol; and nomata pipol wea act insaed staka taem garem barava dirty fasin, drama olketa showim hem barava satisfaem dirty samting wea pipol bilong datfala taem laekem. . . . Evri tru Christian barava heitim olketa haos olsem. . . . Rabis fasin hem showim mekem olketa feel nogud; and wei wea hem evritaem luk go long olketa heathen god and woman god hem barava againstim biliv bilong olketa.” (The Ancient Church, page 318-19) Olketa tru follower bilong Jesus distaem tu stap klia from olketa nogud and dirty hapitaem.—Ephesians 5:3-5.
Truth and “Olketa Hae Paoa”
15, 16. Hu nao “olketa hae paoa,” and hao nao pipol wea wakabaot long truth ting long olketa?
15 Nomata olketa firstfala Christian showimaot olketa gud fasin, staka emperor bilong Rome minim olketa rong. Man for raetem history, E. G. Hardy hem sei hao olketa emperor ting long olketa olsem “olketa iusles pipol wea strong for worship.” Olketa leta midolwan Governor Pliny the Younger bilong Bithynia and Emperor Trajan showimaot hao staka taem, olketa bigman no really savve long Christian Wei. Hao nao olketa Christian ting long Gavman?
16 Olsem olketa firstfala follower bilong Jesus, Olketa Jehovah’s Witness stap anda long olketa gavman, “olketa hae paoa,” long wei wea fitim. (Romans 13:1-7) Sapos samting man askem hem againstim samting God askem, olketa followim diswan: “Mifala mas obeyim God olsem ruler and no olketa man.” (Acts 5:29) Datfala buk After Jesus—The Triumph of Christianity hem sei: “Nomata olketa Christian no join insaed wei for worshipim emperor, olketa no pipol for mek trabol, and nomata religion bilong olketa difren and samfala taem luk nogud tumas long olketa heathen, olketa no putim eni danger long Rome.”
17. (a) Olketa firstfala Christian mekhae long wanem gavman? (b) Hao nao olketa tru follower bilong Christ followim toktok bilong Isaiah 2:4 long living bilong olketa?
17 Olketa firstfala Christian saportim Kingdom bilong God, olsem laen dadi Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob showimaot faith long datfala promis ‘taon wea God buildim.’ (Hebrews 11:8-10) Olsem Masta bilong olketa, olketa disaepol bilong Jesus “no part bilong world.” (John 17:14-16) And saed long war and raoa, olketa aftarem peace thru long wei for “hammerim sword bilong olketa for kamap hou.” (Isaiah 2:4) Taem hem storyim wanfala interesting wei wea semsem distaem, savveman saed long history bilong church, Geoffrey F. Nuttall, hem sei: “Hem hard for mifala acceptim, bat tingting bilong olketa firstfala Christian abaotem war hem olsem pipol wea kolem olketa seleva Olketa Jehovah’s Witness.”
18. Why nao no eni gavman garem reason for fraetem Olketa Jehovah’s Witness?
18 Olsem pipol wea no teksaed and stap anda long “olketa hae paoa,” olketa firstfala tru Christian nating putim eni danger long eni paoa long politik, and Olketa Jehovah’s Witness olsem tu. Wanfala man bilong North America wea savve raet for niuspepa hem sei olsem: “Man wea bighed and ova tumas for no trustim eniwan nomoa savve biliv Olketa Jehovah’s Witness putim danger long eni rul bilong gavman.” “Olketa wanfala religion wea lovem peace and barava nating ting for tekova long eni gavman.” Olketa hae paoa wea savve gud long olketa Witness bilong Jehovah savve olketa no need for fraetem eniting abaotem olketa.
19. Long saed bilong tax, wanem nao iumi fit for talem abaotem olketa firstfala Christian and Olketa Jehovah’s Witness?
19 Wanfala wei wea olketa firstfala Christian showimaot respect for “olketa hae paoa” hem thru long wei for peim tax. Taem hem raet go long Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161 C.E.), Justin Martyr talem hao olketa Christian “moa willing winim nara pipol” for peim tax.” (First Apology, chapter 17) And Tertullian talem olketa ruler bilong Rome hao olketa wea kolektem tax bilong olketa garem “wanfala kaon bilong thankiu long olketa Christian” for wei wea olketa tinghevi for peim tax. (Apology, chapter 42) Olketa Christian kasem gud samting from datfala Pax Romana, or Roman Peace, wea givim law and order, gudfala road, and sef wei for travel long sea. From olketa thankiu for olketa gud samting olketa kasem, olketa followim toktok bilong Jesus: “Peim bak olketa samting bilong Caesar long Caesar, bat olketa samting bilong God long God.” (Mark 12:17) Pipol bilong Jehovah distaem followim disfala kaonsel and kasem praise for honest fasin bilong olketa saed long wei for peim tax.—Hebrews 13:18.
Truth—Mekem Wan Mind Kamap
20, 21. Long saed long wei for garem peace olsem olketa brata, wanem nao pipol talem abaotem olketa firstfala Christian and olketa servant bilong Jehovah distaem?
20 From olketa wakabaot followim truth, olketa firstfala Christian garem peace and wan mind olsem olketa brata, olsem Olketa Jehovah’s Witness distaem. (Acts 10:34, 35) Wanfala leta insaed The Moscow Times hem sei: “Pipol savve long [Olketa Jehovah’s Witness] olsem barava naes, kaen, and hambol pipol wea isi for deal witim, nating putim hevi long nara pipol and evritaem aftarem peace witim nara pipol . . . Pipol no savve switim olketa witim selen, olketa no savve drunk or tekem drug, and reason hem simpol: Olketa laek nomoa for followim biliv bilong olketa wea kam from Bible long evriting olketa duim and talem. Sapos evri pipol long world trae for live followim Bible long sem wei wea Olketa Jehovah’s Witness duim, raf world bilong iumi bae difren tumas.”
21 Datfala Encyclopedia of Early Christianity hem sei: “Firstfala church ting long hemseleva olsem wanfala niu sekson bilong pipol wea bifor, olketa no laekem each other, olsem olketa Jew and Gentile, bat distaem savve stap tugeta long peace.” Olketa Jehovah’s Witness tu, wanfala sekson bilong olketa brata evriwea long world wea lovem peace—barava wanfala niu world society. (Ephesians 2:11-18; 1 Peter 5:9; 2 Peter 3:13) Taem chief security officer bilong Pretoria Show Grounds long South Africa lukim hao olketa Witness bilong enikaen kala skin stap tugeta long peace long wanfala convention, hem sei: “Evriwan showimaot respect, pipol tok gud long each other, fasin wea showaot insaed tu-thri day wea go pas—evriting showimaot standard bilong pipol bilong society bilong iufala, and hao evriwan stap tugeta olsem wanfala hapi famili.”
Kasem Blessing From Olketa Teachim Truth
22. Wanem nao kamaot from wei wea olketa Christian go ahed for talemaot truth?
22 Thru long fasin and preaching bilong olketa, Paul and olketa nara Christian “mekem truth showaot klia.” (2 Corinthians 4:2) Waswe, iu agree hao Olketa Jehovah’s Witness tu duim sem samting and go ahed for teachim truth long evri nation? Pipol evriwea long earth go ahed for acceptim trufala worship and namba bilong olketa wea go ap long “maunten bilong haos bilong Jehovah” go ahed for grow. (Isaiah 2:2, 3) Evri year, planti thousand baptaes for showimaot wei wea olketa dedicate long God, wea lead go long wei wea staka niu kongregeson kamap.
23. Hao nao iu ting long olketa wea teachim evri nation disfala truth?
23 Nomata olketa kam from difren living, pipol bilong Jehovah olketa wan mind long tru worship. Love wea olketa showimaot markem olketa olsem olketa disaepol bilong Jesus. (John 13:35) Waswe, iu luksavve hao “God hem barava stap midolwan long olketa’? (1 Corinthians 14:25) Waswe, iu saportim olketa wea teachim truth long evri nation? Sapos olsem, evritaem showimaot thankiu bilong iu for datfala truth and kasem privilege for wakabaot followim for olowe.
Hao Nao Bae Iu Ansa?
• Long saed bilong worship, hao nao olketa firstfala Christian semsem witim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness?
• Wanem nao only celebration saed long religion wea olketa wea wakabaot long truth followim?
• Hu nao “olketa hae paoa,” and hao nao olketa Christian ting long olketa?
• Hao nao truth hem mekem wan mind kamap?
[Piksa long page 21]
From bifor kam, olketa Christian meeting wanfala blessing for olketa wea wakabaot long truth
[Olketa Piksa long page 23]
Jesus komandim olketa follower bilong hem for celebratem Memorial bilong dae bilong hem olsem wanfala sakrifaes
[Piksa long page 24]
Olsem olketa firstfala Christian, Olketa Jehovah’s Witness showimaot respect for “olketa hae paoa”