Matt 6:33

Matt 6:33 “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these [other] things will be added to YOU. 34 So, never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Sufficient for each day is its own badness.

Let Us ABHOR What Is Wicked

Let Us ABHOR What Is Wicked

Related topics:

Comfort for Those With a "Stricken Spirit"

Protect Your Children!

Child Molesting—You Can Protect Your Child

Discipline That Can Yield Peaceable Fruit

 

JEHOVAH is a holy God. In ancient times he was "the Holy One of Israel," and as such he demanded that Israel be clean, unsullied. (Psalm 89:18) He told his chosen people: "You must prove yourselves holy, because I am holy." (Leviticus 11:45) Anyone who wanted to "ascend into the mountain of Jehovah" had to be "innocent in his hands and clean in heart." (Psalm 24:3, 4) That meant more than merely avoiding sinful acts. It meant "the hating of bad."—Proverbs 8:13.

Lovingly, Jehovah laid down detailed laws so that the nation of Israel could identify and avoid wrongdoing. (Romans 7:7, 12) These laws included strict guidelines on morality. Adultery, homosexual acts, incestuous relationships, and bestiality were all identified as unholy spiritual pollutants. (Leviticus 18:23; 20:10-17) Those guilty of such degraded acts were cut off from the nation of Israel.

When the congregation of anointed Christians became "the Israel of God," similar moral standards were laid down for them. (Galatians 6:16) Christians too were to "abhor what is wicked." (Romans 12:9) Jehovah's words to Israel also applied to them: "You must be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:15, 16) Such unholy practices as fornication, adultery, homosexual acts, bestiality, and incest were not to corrupt the Christian congregation. Those refusing to stop engaging in such things would be excluded from God's Kingdom. (Romans 1:26, 27; 2:22; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Hebrews 13:4) In these "last days," the same standards apply to the "other sheep." (2 Timothy 3:1; John 10:16) As a result, anointed Christians and other sheep make up a clean and wholesome people, able to carry the name of their God as Jehovah's Witnesses.—Isaiah 43:10.

Keeping the Congregation Clean

In contrast, the world condones all kinds of immorality. Although true Christians are different, they should not forget that many who now serve Jehovah were once in the world. There are many who, before they knew our holy God, saw no reason not to indulge the desires and fantasies of their fallen flesh, wallowing in a "low sink of debauchery." (1 Peter 4:4) The apostle Paul, after describing the disgusting practices of degraded people of the nations, said: "That is what some of you were." Still, he went on to say: "But you have been washed clean, but you have been sanctified, but you have been declared righteous in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God."—1 Corinthians 6:11.

What a comforting statement that is! Whatever a person did earlier in life, he changes when the glorious good news about the Christ has an effect on his heart. He exercises faith and dedicates himself to Jehovah God. From then on he lives a morally pure life, washed clean in God's eyes. (Hebrews 9:14) The sins that he committed previously are pardoned, and he can 'stretch forward to the things ahead.'*—Philippians 3:13, 14; Romans 4:7, 8.

Jehovah forgave repentant David for murder and adultery, and He forgave repentant Manasseh for immoral idolatry and much bloodshed. (2 Samuel 12:9, 13; 2 Chronicles 33:2-6, 10-13) We can be truly grateful that he is prepared to forgive us too if we repent and approach him in sincerity and humility. Still, despite Jehovah's forgiving David and Manasseh, these two men—and Israel with them—had to live with the consequences of their sinful acts. (2 Samuel 12:11, 12; Jeremiah 15:3-5) In a similar way, while Jehovah forgives repentant sinners, there may be consequences of their actions that cannot be avoided.

Inevitable Consequences

 

While Jehovah forgives repentant sinners, there may be consequences of their actions that cannot be avoided

 

For example, a man who lives a life of immoral debauchery and contracts AIDS may accept the truth and turn his life around to the point of dedication and baptism. Now he is a spiritually clean Christian having a relationship with God and a wonderful hope for the future; but he still has AIDS. He may eventually die of the disease, a sad but inescapable consequence of his former conduct. For some Christians the effects of former gross immorality may persist in other ways. For years after their baptism, perhaps for the rest of their lives in this system of things, they may have to fight urges in their flesh to return to their previous immoral life-style. With the help of Jehovah's spirit, many succeed in resisting. But they have to wage a constant battle.—Galatians 5:16, 17.

Such ones do not sin as long as they control their urges. But if they are men, they may wisely decide not to 'reach out' for responsibility in the congregation while still having to struggle with powerful fleshly impulses. (1 Timothy 3:1) Why? Because they know the trust that the congregation puts in the elders. (Isaiah 32:1, 2; Hebrews 13:17) They realize that the elders are consulted on many intimate matters and have to handle sensitive situations. It would be neither loving, wise, nor reasonable for one waging a constant fight with unclean fleshly desires to reach out for such a responsible position.—Proverbs 14:16; John 15:12, 13; Romans 12:1.

For a man who was a child molester before he was baptized, there may be another consequence. When he learns the truth, he repents and turns around, not bringing that cruel sin into the congregation. He may thereafter make fine progress, completely overcome his wrong impulses, and even be inclined to 'reach out' for a responsible position in the congregation. What, though, if he still has to live down notoriety in the community as a former child molester? Would he "be irreprehensible, . . . have a fine testimony from people on the outside, . . . [be] free from accusation"? (1 Timothy 3:1-7, 10; Titus 1:7) No, he would not. Hence, he would not qualify for congregation privileges.

When a Dedicated Christian Sins

Jehovah understands that we are weak and that even after baptism we may fall into sin. The apostle John wrote to Christians of his day: "I am writing you these things that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one. And he is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world's." (1 John 2:1, 2) Yes, on the basis of Jesus' sacrifice, Jehovah will forgive baptized Christians who fall into sin—if they truly repent and abandon their wrong course.

An example of this was seen in the first-century congregation at Corinth. The apostle Paul heard of a case of incestuous fornication in that young congregation, and he gave instructions that the man involved be disfellowshipped. Later, the sinner repented, and Paul exhorted the congregation to reinstate him. (1 Corinthians 5:1, 13; 2 Corinthians 2:5-9) Thus, by the healing power of Jehovah's loving kindness and the great value of Jesus' ransom sacrifice, the man was cleansed of his sin. Similar things may happen today. Again, though, even if a baptized person who commits a serious sin repents and is forgiven in Jehovah's eyes, there may still be ongoing consequences of his sin.—Proverbs 10:16, 17; Galatians 6:7.

For example, if a dedicated girl commits fornication, she may bitterly regret her act and eventually be restored to spiritual health with the help of the congregation. But what if she is pregnant because of her immorality? Then her whole life has been inescapably changed by what she did. A man who commits adultery may repent and not be disfellowshipped. But his innocent mate has Scriptural grounds to divorce him, and she may choose to do so. (Matthew 19:9) If she does, the man, although forgiven by Jehovah, will live the rest of his life with this grave consequence of his sin.—1 John 1:9.

What of a man who unlovingly divorces his wife in order to marry another woman? Perhaps he will eventually repent and be reinstated in the congregation. Over the years he may make progress and "press on to maturity." (Hebrews 6:1) But as long as his first wife lives without a mate, he will not qualify to serve in a responsible position in the congregation. He is not "a husband of one wife" because he had no Scriptural right to divorce his first wife.—1 Timothy 3:2, 12.

Are these not powerful reasons why a Christian should cultivate an abhorrence of what is wicked?

What of a Child Molester?

What if a baptized adult Christian sexually molests a child? Is the sinner so wicked that Jehovah will never forgive him? Not necessarily so. Jesus said that 'blasphemy against the holy spirit' was unforgivable. And Paul said that there is no sacrifice for sins left for one who practices sin willfully despite knowing the truth. (Luke 12:10; Hebrews 10:26, 27) But nowhere does the Bible say that an adult Christian who sexually abuses a child—whether incestuously or otherwise—cannot be forgiven. Indeed, his sins can be washed clean if he repents sincerely from the heart and turns his conduct around. However, he may still have to struggle with the wrong fleshly impulses he cultivated. (Ephesians 1:7) And there may be consequences that he cannot avoid.

Depending on the law of the land where he lives, the molester may well have to serve a prison term or face other sanctions from the State. The congregation will not protect him from this. Moreover, the man has revealed a serious weakness that henceforth will have to be taken into account. If he seems to be repentant, he will be encouraged to make spiritual progress, share in the field service, even have parts in the Theocratic Ministry School and nonteaching parts in the Service Meeting. This does not mean, though, that he will qualify to serve in a position of responsibility in the congregation. What are the Scriptural reasons for this?

For one thing, an elder must be "self-controlled." (Titus 1:8) True, none of us have perfect self-control. (Romans 7:21-25) But a dedicated adult Christian who falls into the sin of child sexual abuse reveals an unnatural fleshly weakness. Experience has shown that such an adult may well molest other children. True, not every child molester repeats the sin, but many do. And the congregation cannot read hearts to tell who is and who is not liable to molest children again. (Jeremiah 17:9) Hence, Paul's counsel to Timothy applies with special force in the case of baptized adults who have molested children: "Never lay your hands hastily upon any man; neither be a sharer in the sins of others." (1 Timothy 5:22) For the protection of our children, a man known to have been a child molester does not qualify for a responsible position in the congregation. Moreover, he cannot be a pioneer or serve in any other special, full-time service.—Compare the principle at Exodus 21:28, 29.

Some may ask, 'Have not some committed other types of sin and apparently repented, only to repeat their sin later?' Yes, that has happened, but there are other factors to consider. If, for example, an individual makes immoral advances to another adult, the adult should be able to resist his or her advances. Children are much easier to deceive, confuse, or terrorize. The Bible speaks of a child's lack of wisdom. (Proverbs 22:15; 1 Corinthians 13:11) Jesus used children as an example of humble innocence. (Matthew 18:4; Luke 18:16, 17) The innocence of a child includes a complete lack of experience. Most children are open, eager to please, and thus vulnerable to abuse by a scheming adult whom they know and trust. Therefore, the congregation has a responsibility before Jehovah to protect its children.

Well-trained children learn to obey and honor their parents, the elders, and other adults. (Ephesians 6:1, 2; 1 Timothy 5:1, 2; Hebrews 13:7) It would be a shocking perversion if one of these authority figures were to misuse that child's innocent trust so as to seduce or force him or her to submit to sexual acts. Those who have been sexually molested in this way often struggle for years to overcome the resulting emotional trauma. Hence, a child molester is subject to severe congregational discipline and restrictions. It is not his status as an authority figure that should be of concern but, rather, the unblemished purity of the congregation.—1 Corinthians 5:6; 2 Peter 3:14.

If a child molester sincerely repents, he will recognize the wisdom of applying Bible principles. If he truly learns to abhor what is wicked, he will despise what he did and struggle to avoid repeating his sin. (Proverbs 8:13; Romans 12:9) Further, he will surely thank Jehovah for the greatness of His love, as a result of which a repentant sinner, such as he is, can still worship our holy God and hope to be among "the upright" who will reside on earth forever.—Proverbs 2:21.

* See "Questions From Readers" in the May 1, 1996, issue of The Watchtower.

Are We Living in the Last Days?

Are We Living in the Last Days?

In this series:

• The Last Days—Of What?
• The Last Days—When?
• The Last Days—Then What?

Related topics:

• Does the Bible Foretell the Future?
• What Is Armageddon?
• Will This World Survive?

THE LAST DAYS

OF WHAT?

A SIGN in a store window proclaims: “Last Days.” Its message is fairly obvious. It can mean that a sale will be ending soon or that the store will be closing. But what if someone says, “We are living in the last days”? What does that mean?

The terms “the last days” and “the time of the end” have been in use for a long time. (2 Timothy 3:1; Daniel 12:4) Over 2,500 years ago, the prophet Daniel was given visions of world powers and of the conflicts that would take place between them up until “the time of the end.” He was told that the meaning of these visions would be made clear at that time. (Daniel 8:17, 19; 11:35, 40; 12:9) Daniel also recorded: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”—Daniel 2:44.

Jesus Christ referred to “the end” when answering a question about “the sign of [his] presence and of the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matthew 24:3-42) Evidently, both Daniel and Jesus were referring to a finality—a dramatic change that would affect the people who live and have lived on our globe. Daniel wrote of the end of all earthly governments. Jesus spoke of “the conclusion of the system of things.”

Should you be concerned? Of course. All mankind should be, as all are involved. Still, many take this matter lightly. The Bible foretold: “In the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying: ‘Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.’” (2 Peter 3:3, 4) Yes, some today feel that history just keeps repeating itself and that life as we know it will go on this way endlessly.

Is there any evidence that we are really living in what the Bible calls the last days? Let us see.

What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?

The Bible’s Viewpoint

What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?

Related topics:

Are Jehovah’s Witnesses a Protestant Religion?

Ancient Customs in Today’s Mexico

Jesus Christ—His Message and You

“IN MY country to be a Christian means to go to church once a week,” says Kingsley, from one African country. Raad, from the Middle East, explains: “In our community Christians are viewed as a group who follow Western customs and traditions in their dress, celebrations, and treatment of women.”

But does being a Christian simply mean that one attends a church service once a week and follows certain social customs and traditions? Logically, should not the word “Christian” refer to a way of life that reflects the attitudes, values, and conduct that Christ preached and exemplified?* How was Christianity practiced at its inception?

Early Christianity—A Way of Life

Jesus said to his followers: “You are my friends if you do what I am commanding you.” (John 15:14) Since Jesus’ teachings affected all aspects of their lives, Christ’s disciples initially referred to their religion as “The Way.” (Acts 9:2) Soon thereafter, “[they] were by divine providence called Christians.” (Acts 11:26) This new name they bore meant that they believed that Jesus was the Son of God, who had transmitted to mankind the will of his heavenly Father. This belief led them to follow a way of life that differed from that of the world around them.

Christ’s teachings moved his followers to follow Bible teachings, which meant avoiding “fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, . . . drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these.” (Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:17-24) The apostle Paul reminded Corinthian Christians that some of them had once practiced these very things. Then he added: “But you have been washed clean, but you have been sanctified, but you have been declared righteous in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

E. W. Barnes relates in his book The Rise of Christianity: “In its early authoritative documents the Christian movement is represented as essentially moral and law-abiding. Its members desired to be good citizens and loyal subjects. They shunned the failings and vices of paganism. In private life they sought to be peaceful neighbours and trustworthy friends. They were taught to be sober, industrious and clean-living. Amid prevailing corruption and licentiousness they were, if loyal to their principles, honest and truthful. Their sexual standards were high: the marriage tie was respected and family life was pure.” Such were aspects of being a Christian in the early days.

Another distinctive sign of early Christianity was its zealous evangelizing work. Christ commanded his followers: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) Jean Bernardi, a professor at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France, noted: “[Christians] were to go out and speak everywhere and to everyone. On the highways and in the cities, on the public squares and in the homes. Welcome or unwelcome. To the poor, and to the rich encumbered by their possessions. . . . They had to take to the road, board ships, and go to the ends of the earth.”

True Christianity Today

True Christians today should stand out for their distinctive way of life, just as they did in the first century. Accordingly, Jehovah’s Witnesses strive to adhere strictly to the precepts established by the first Christians. Their efforts to pattern their lives after the teachings of the Bible are noticed by others.

True Christians are zealous evangelizers, as they were centuries ago

For instance, the New Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges that Jehovah’s Witnesses are known as “one of the best-behaved groups in the world.” The Deseret News of Salt Lake City, Utah, observed that Jehovah’s Witnesses “promote strong family ties and develop productive and honest citizens.” The newspaper added: “Members believe in a strong moral code. They believe smoking, overdrinking, drug misuse, gambling, sexual promiscuity and homosexuality are spiritually damaging practices. They teach honesty and good work habits.”

The Witnesses also take to heart their responsibility to be zealous evangelizers. Commenting on this the New Catholic Encyclopedia says: “The fundamental obligation of each member . . . is to give witness to Jehovah by announcing His approaching Kingdom. . . . To be a true Witness one must preach effectively in one way or another.”

Clearly, true Christianity is much more than membership in one of the many religions of Christendom. Jesus himself foretold the rise of counterfeit Christians. (Matthew 7:22, 23) Jehovah’s Witnesses invite you to learn what Jesus taught and put it into practice. That is what it means to be a Christian. Jesus said: “If you know these things, happy you are if you do them.”—John 13:17.

* One dictionary defines a Christian as someone who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or who follows the religion based on his life and teachings.

HAVE YOU WONDERED?

Whom did Jesus call his friends?—John 15:14.

What sort of conduct should true Christians shun?—Galatians 5:19-21.

In what work should Christians take part?—Matthew 28:19, 20.

Will Bad People Burn in Hell?

The Bible’s Viewpoint

Will Bad People Burn in Hell?

Related topics:

Do You Have an Immortal Soul?

Where Are the Dead?

GERTRUDE, a Pentecostal preacher, held firmly to her belief in a fiery hell. The very suggestion that there might not be any such place offended her sense of justice. She reasoned that without the fires of hell, all sorts of horrible crimes would go unpunished. Gertrude remained adamant in her position. As she put it, “I don’t think that I’d want to worship God if there were no hellfire for the wicked.”

Will bad people burn in hell, as many religions teach? If not, what punishment will they receive?

The First Act of Divine Punishment

According to the Bible, God created the first human pair perfect. (Genesis 1:27; Deuteronomy 32:4) He placed them in a paradise garden and gave them the opportunity to live forever. However, the first humans, Adam and Eve, had one restriction. God warned them: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.”—Genesis 2:16, 17.

Sadly, our first parents failed that simple test of loyalty and obedience. The Creator was obliged to sentence them to death. “In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return.”—Genesis 3:19.

Had Adam and Eve been in danger of burning in hell, would not God have warned them about such a punishment? The fact is that he mentioned nothing about suffering after death. How could they suffer? They did not have immortal souls that would survive after death. The Bible makes this very clear: “The soul that is sinning—it itself will die.”—Ezekiel 18:4.*

As the Giver of life, our Creator knows all there is to know about life and death. He tells us in his Word that “the dead . . . are conscious of nothing at all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) That is why Adam and Eve could not suffer in a fiery hell after their death. They simply returned to the dust and ceased to exist. They were “conscious of nothing at all.”

Can We Suffer After Death?

The Bible says at Romans 5:12: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men.” Really, then, is it reasonable to believe that people suffer in hellfire for their sins, when Adam, the one who brought death upon the entire human race, simply became dust after dying?—1 Corinthians 15:22.

We all come under the same law that Adam was under. “The wages sin pays is death.” Moreover, once a person dies, he is “acquitted from his sin.” (Romans 6:7, 23) If both good and bad people die and nobody experiences suffering after death, where is God’s justice?

“The dead . . . are conscious of nothing at all.”—Ecclesiastes 9:5

God’s Justice

God’s purpose for obedient mankind has not changed since he created the first human couple and directed them to have children and take care of the earth. (Genesis 1:28) This is clearly still his purpose, as he later declared: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”—Psalm 37:29.

Note that the righteous will live on this earth. They will have a life of perfect health and happiness. God’s original purpose to have the earth filled with a righteous race of people will indeed “have certain success.” This will occur when he replaces this present wicked system of things with a new world.—Isaiah 55:11; Daniel 2:44; Revelation 21:4.

Billions of people who have died in ignorance of God’s requirements will benefit from a resurrection and will receive instruction for life in God’s new world. (Isaiah 11:9; John 5:28, 29) On the other hand, anyone who refuses to conform to God’s laws will be punished with “the second death.” This is the death from which they will never awake.—Revelation 21:8; Jeremiah 51:57.

Clearly, as a God of love, Jehovah will not torture people in hellfire. (1 John 4:8) Nor will he tolerate wickedness indefinitely. Accordingly, Psalm 145:20 assures us that “Jehovah is guarding all those loving him, but all the wicked ones he will annihilate.” Is that not loving and just?

HAVE YOU WONDERED?

Do we have an immortal soul?—Ezekiel 18:4.

What is the condition of the dead?—Ecclesiastes 9:5.

How will God punish the wicked?—Psalm 145:20.

*  In the Bible, “soul” means the entire person—not something separate from the body. Genesis 2:7 says: “Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man came to be a living soul.” Adam was not given a soul apart from his body. Rather, Adam himself was a living soul.

www.watctower.org

Prayers That Are Heard by God

The Bible's Viewpoint

Prayers That Are Heard by God

Related topics:

How Can I Improve in My Prayers?

The Power of Prayer

Does God Really Care About Us?

"Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking it will be opened."—LUKE 11:9, 10.

SHOWING full confidence in the words of Jesus Christ quoted above, many Christians turn to God in prayer about their problems and anxieties, certain that he loves and cares for them. Some, however, experience frustration as they wait for their prayers to be answered. Do you feel that your prayers are ineffective? Does God listen when you pray?

Even if our prayers seem to go unanswered, this does not mean that God did not hear them. The Bible assures us: "The eyes of Jehovah are upon the righteous ones, and his ears are toward their supplication." (1 Peter 3:12) So Jehovah God hears the prayers of righteous ones, whether they are spoken audibly or uttered in the heart. (Jeremiah 17:10) Jehovah also examines the thoughts and feelings behind each prayer, which even the one praying may neither fully understand nor be aware of.—Romans 8:26, 27.

However, prayers must meet certain requirements if they are to be acceptable to God. First, they must be directed exclusively to God—not to Jesus, to a "saint," or to an idol. (Exodus 20:4, 5) Prayers must also be offered in the name of God's Son, Jesus Christ. (John 14:6) Does this mean that our prayers are heard by Jesus first and that he relays the message to God? No. Rather, by praying to Jehovah in the name of Jesus, we identify ourselves as Christ's disciples and we acknowledge that it is only because of his ransom that we are able to approach God.—Hebrews 4:14-16.

Prayers must be offered in faith. The apostle Paul pointed out: "Without faith it is impossible to please [God] well, for he that approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him." (Hebrews 11:6) How does a person know if he has that kind of faith? The Bible writer James answers: "I shall show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18) Yes, faith produces actions, and they, in turn, show that we love God and are trying to please him.

Worshipers of God must also be persistent when praying. Jesus made this clear at Luke 11:9, 10, quoted at the outset. After all, if a person prays just once about a matter, does this not indicate that he or she is not really serious about the request?

What God Promises

No matter how frequently and earnestly we pray, we still live in "critical times hard to deal with." (2 Timothy 3:1) While it is true that Jesus said his followers would be happy, he did not say that their lives would be problem free. (Matthew 5:3-11) He did say, though, that his disciples could be happy despite mourning, hunger, thirst, or persecution.

The happiness that Jesus spoke of is not dependent on our having ideal circumstances. Rather, it is an inner contentment that we have because we serve God. Hence, we can attain a measure of happiness even amid turmoil.—2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

Dealing With Personal Problems

Is it futile, then, to pray to God regarding such personal matters as finding a suitable marriage mate or dealing with family, health, or employment problems? No, for although God does not promise to change the circumstances of our life miraculously, he will give us the wisdom to cope with them. James wrote in connection with trials: "If any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him keep on asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching; and it will be given him." (James 1:5) So through his holy spirit, Jehovah will guide us. This will help us to understand and apply Bible principles in making decisions.

Of course, God's spirit does not make our decisions for us. On the contrary, personal effort is required. For example, if we have a problem, have we done research on it and investigated the various aspects and elements of the situation? This would be a work that shows God that we have faith. (James 2:18) Have we been persistent in trying to resolve our problem, continually asking for God's guidance? (Matthew 7:7, 8) Have we carefully examined Bible principles that apply to the situation? God's Word can make us "fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."—2 Timothy 3:16, 17.

While it is true that God is able to intervene in human affairs and remove all our problems, he has allowed us to express our free will. Regrettably, many use their free will to the detriment of others. Hence, some problems we pray about may continue until God's new world. (Acts 17:30, 31) It could be a situation that exists in the area in which we live, such as crime or outright warfare; or it might involve our bearing up under hardship brought on by opposers. (1 Peter 4:4) We must acknowledge that in this ungodly world, some situations will not change for the better.

Nevertheless, God loves his worshipers and wants to help them. When his Kingdom exercises uncontested rulership over the earth, he will fully eliminate the horrible problems of this world. (Revelation 21:3, 4) Until that time we should persistently ask for his guidance in dealing with the problems of life. If we do so, we can be sure that Jehovah will live up to the promise recorded in the Bible at Isaiah 41:10: "Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not gaze about, for I am your God. I will fortify you. I will really help you. I will really keep fast hold of you with my right hand of righteousness."

www.watchtower.org

Can a Pagan Holiday Be Made Christian?

Can a Pagan Holiday Be Made

Christian?

Related topic:

Christmas Customs—Are They Christian?

DURING the winter of 2004, the Christmas season in Italy was marked by a lively debate. Some educators and teachers supported the idea of reducing to a minimum or even completely eliminating any reference to religious Christmas traditions. They advocated this out of respect for the increasing number of schoolchildren who are neither Catholic nor Protestant. However, others in scholastic circles and elsewhere demanded that the traditions be respected and fully preserved.

Aside from this controversy, though, just what are the origins of many of the Christmas traditions? As the debate was reaching a climax, the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano made some interesting observations.

The sun god

Regarding the date when Christmas is celebrated, the Catholic newspaper said: “The real date of Jesus’ birth, from the historical viewpoint, lies concealed beneath a veil of uncertainty as regards Roman history, the imperial census of that time and research in the subsequent centuries. . . . The date of 25 December, as is well known, was chosen by the Church of Rome in the fourth century. This date in pagan Rome was dedicated to the Sun god . . . Although Christianity had already been affirmed in Rome by an Edict of Constantine, the myth of . . . the Sun god was still widespread, especially among soldiers. The above-mentioned festivities, centred on 25 December, were deeply rooted in popular tradition. This gave the Church of Rome the idea of impressing a Christian religious significance on the day by replacing the Sun god with the true Sun of Justice, Jesus Christ, choosing it as the day on which to celebrate his birth.”

What about the Christmas tree, which is now part of the Catholic tradition?

The article in the Catholic newspaper pointed out that back in ancient times, many evergreens, such as “holly, butcher’s broom, laurel and branches of pine or fir were considered to have magical or medicinal powers that would ward off illness.” It went on to say: “On Christmas Eve, 24 December, Adam and Eve would be commemorated with the highly popular episode of the Tree of the earthly Paradise . . . The tree ought to have been an apple tree, but since an apple tree would have been inappropriate in winter, a fir tree was set on the stage and some apples put on its branches or, to symbolize the future coming of Redemption, wafers prepared with crushed biscuits in special moulds that were symbols of the Eucharistic presence of Jesus, as well as sweets and gifts for children.” What about after that time?

Mentioning that the tradition of using a Christmas tree first started in Germany in the 16th century, L’Osservatore Romano noted: “Italy was one of the last countries to accept the Christmas tree, partly because of a rather widespread rumour that the use of Christmas trees was a Protestant practice and should thus be replaced by the crib [the Nativity scene].” Pope Paul VI “began the tradition of setting up [in St. Peter’s Square, Rome] a massive Christmas tree” near the Nativity scene.

Do you find it acceptable that a religious leader would give a seemingly Christian meaning to events and symbols whose roots go back to ancient paganism? As to the proper course, the Scriptures admonish true Christians: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness?”—2 Corinthians 6:14-17.