Page 3: Do you agree that "the devil is in reality man's invention to account for his own sinfulness"? That statement appears in The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, and many who profess to be Christians think that way. Christendom's theologians, says Jeffrey Burton Russell, have by and large "dismissed the Devil and the demons as superstitious relics."
Note: Historian Russell is not a Biblical scholar. Not all "Christians" will be saved.
Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
Note: Are you doing ministry in the name of Jesus Christ? Do you personally know Jesus Christ?
Page 4: Yet, to some people, the Devil is very real. They reason that there must be some kind of superhuman, malignant force behind the recurrent evils that pervade man's history. "The horrors that the twentieth century has produced," says Russell, provide one reason why "belief in the Devil, after a long lapse, is rapidly reappearing."
Note: Historian Russell is not a Biblical scholar. Is Jesus Christ real to you?
John 6:47 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life."
Page 4: WHY, then, do many who profess Christianity - and who claim to believe the Bible - reject the idea that a real Devil exists?
Answer: Not all "Christians" are true "Christians."
Matthew 25:1-12 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other (foolish) virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'"
Note: True Christians will know Jesus Christ and be known by Him.
1 Corinthians 8:3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
Page 5: But the Bible is not simply the word of men; it truly is the inspired Word of God. We are wise, therefore, to take seriously what it says about the Devil. - 2 Timothy 3:14-17.
Correction: In context, true Christians take seriously what the Bible says about Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 3:14-15 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Page 5: We learn a lot about the Devil when we consider Jesus' words to religious teachers of his day: "You are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie." - John 8:44.
Note: The Watch Tower like the Pharisees do not believe that Jesus Christ is God.
John 8:56-59 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Pages 5-6: Adam and Eve, he said, could "be like God" in determining for themselves what was good and what was bad. Satan implied that as free moral agents, they should have complete self-determination. (Genesis 3:1-5) This attack on the rightness of God's way of ruling raised crucial issues. So Jehovah has allowed time for these issues to be settled.
Correction: In context, Satan was tempting Adam and Eve to disobey God.
James 1:13-16 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
Page 6: This means that Satan has been allowed to continue living for a while. His limited time is now rapidly running out. (Revelation 12:12) Still, he continues to alienate mankind from God by lies and deceit, using people like the scribes and the Pharisees of Jesus' day to propagate his teachings. - Matthew 23:13, 15.
Note: The Watch Tower like the Pharisees do not believe that Jesus Christ is God.
John 10:30-33 "I and My Father are one." Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?" The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God."
Page 6: Jesus also said that the Devil was "a manslayer when he began" and that "he did not stand fast in the truth." This does not mean that Jehovah created the Devil as "a manslayer." He was not created to be some kind of monster in charge of a place of fire and torment for any who opposed God. The "hell" of the Bible is not Satan's abode. It is simply the common grave of mankind. - Acts 2:25-27; Revelation 20:13, 14.
Note: The Watch Tower like the Devil does not stand fast in the truth of Jesus Christ.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
Note: The Devil is using the Watch Tower to mislead people about eternal judgment.
Rev 20:10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Rev 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Page 6: Satan and the demons are now severely restricted. They can no longer materialize as they apparently once could. Shortly after the establishment of God's Kingdom in the hands of Christ in 1914, they were cast down to the vicinity of the earth. - Revelation 12:7-9.
Correction: Satan was not cast out of heaven in 1914 since there is still green grass.
Revelation 8:7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
Note: 1914 is based on the bogus date of 607 BCE for the destruction of Jerusalem.
Page 7: How widespread is the Devil's influence? "The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one," says the apostle John. (1 John 5:19) Of course, we do not want to become obsessed with the Devil or allow superstitious fear of him to paralyze us. We are wise, though, to stay alert to his efforts to blind us to the truth and to break our integrity to God.
Note: Have you been blinded by the Watch Tower and the Devil?
1 John 5:4-5 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Page 7: The Devil does not always use brutal means to attack those who want to do God's will. At times, he makes himself seem like "an angel of light." The apostle Paul warned Christians of this danger when he wrote: "I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent seduced Eve by its cunning, your minds might be corrupted away from the sincerity and the chastity that are due the Christ." - 2 Corinthians 11:3, 14.
Note: Have you been blinded by the Watch Tower and the Devil?
2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Page 7: We therefore need to 'keep our senses, be watchful, and take our stand against him, solid in the faith.' (1 Peter 5:8, 9; 2 Corinthians 2:11)
Note: Is your faith in Jesus Christ? Are you a true believer? Are you a true Christian?
Romans 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.
Page 7: Be a good student of God's Word, remembering that Jesus Christ repeatedly referred to God's Word when he was tempted by the Devil. (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10) Pray for God's spirit. Its fruitage can help you to avoid the works of the flesh, which Satan promotes so effectively.
Note: A sincere student of God's Word will be a Jesus Witness by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Page 7: There is no need to be in terror of the Devil. Jehovah promises real protection against anything Satan can do. (Psalm 91:1-4; Proverbs 18:10; James 4:7, 8) "Go on acquiring power in the Lord and in the mightiness of his strength," says the apostle Paul. Then you will "be able to stand firm against the machinations of the Devil." - Ephesians 6:10, 11.
Note: A sincere student of God's Word will be in love with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 6:24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
Page 8: Any peace originating in this world is like that house. It is built on a weak foundation - the promises and strategies of man, "to whom no salvation belongs." (Psalm 146:3)
Note: Is your peace built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ or the strategies of the WT?
1 Corinthians 3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Page 8: Nevertheless, real peace does exist in this war-torn world. Where? Among the foot-step followers of Jesus Christ, genuine Christians who heed Jesus' words and strive to imitate his life course. (1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Peter 2:21)
Correction: Genuine Christians find peace in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:14-16 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
Page 8: The peace that exists between true Christians of different races, social positions, and nationalities is genuine because it stems from the peaceful relationship they have with God, which is based on their faith in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Note: Are you at peace with God the Father through Jesus Christ?
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Page 8: Their peace is a gift from God, not something contrived by humans. (Romans 15:33; Ephesians 6:23, 24) It is a result of subjecting themselves to the "Prince of Peace," Jesus Christ, and worshipping Jehovah, "the God of love and of peace." - Isaiah 9:6; 2 Corinthians 13:11.
Correction: Salvation is the free gift from God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Page 8: Peace does not come automatically to imperfect individuals. Hence, Peter said that each Christian should "seek peace and pursue it." (1 Peter 3:11) How can we do that?
Answer: You can have peace with God the Father through Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:19-20 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Page 8: An prophecy points to the answer. Speaking through Isaiah, Jehovah said: "All your sons will be persons taught by Jehovah, and the peace of your sons will be abundant." (Isaiah 54:13; Philippians 4:9) Yes, genuine peace comes to those who heed Jehovah's teachings.
Note: You can have peace with God the Father through Jesus Christ.
John 6:45 "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me."
Page 8: Moreover, peace, along with "love, joy, ... Long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control," is the fruitage of God's holy spirit. (Galatians 5:22, 23) It cannot be enjoyed by someone who is unloving, joyless, impatient, unkind, evil, unfaithful, fierce, or without self-control.
Note: A sincere student of God's Word will be a Jesus Witness by the fruitage of the Holy Spirit.
John 15:26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me."
Page 9: To enjoy true peace, however, one needs to be more than just peaceful. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: "Happy are the peaceable, since they will be called 'sons of God.'" (Matthew 5:9) Jesus was speaking to individuals who would later have the opportunity of becoming spiritual sons of God and receiving immortal life in heaven. (John 1:12)
Note: Have you asked or received Jesus Christ into your life? Do you want to be a child of God?
John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him (the Son), to them He (the Father) gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (Jesus Christ): who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Page 9: Paul was not telling the Romans simply to have calm dispositions, although that would help. He was encouraging them to make peace. With whom? With "all men" - family members, fellow Christians, even those who did not share their beliefs.
Note: The Watch Tower is making war with the French Ministry of Finance.
Page 19: FOR several years now, Jehovah's Witnesses in France have been under attack by various politicians and antisect groups. This has led to difficulties for Witnesses on an individual, congregational, and national level.
Page 9: How can we be peaceable with those who do not share our beliefs and who may even oppose them? For one thing, we avoid displaying an air of superiority. For example, it would hardly be peaceable to speak of specific individuals by using derogatory terms. Jehovah has revealed his judgments against organizations and classes, but we have no right to speak of any individual as if he were already condemned. Really, we do not judge others, even our opposers.
Note: The Watch Tower is making war with the French Ministry of Finance.
Page 19: However, in total disregard of this decision, the French Ministry of Finance continues to refuse Jehovah's Witnesses the tax exemption provided for by law to religious organizations. The Ministry has imposed a 60-percent tax on the contributions made by Witnesses and friends associated with the 1,500 local congregations in France.
Page 10: First-century Christians were known for their boldness. They did not water down their message, and when confronted with opposition, they were determined to obey God as ruler rather than men. (Acts 4:29; 5:29)
Note: First-century Christians were preaching Jesus Christ not tax exemption status.
Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Page 11: Was Paul insincerely flattering the man who could grant him freedom? No. Paul followed his own advice and spoke the truth. Nothing he said to Herod Agrippa was untrue. (Ephesians 4:15) But Paul was a peacemaker and knew how to become "all things to people of all sorts." (1 Corinthians 9:22) His objective was to defend his right to preach about Jesus.
Correction: Paul's objective was to preach Jesus Christ not defend his rights.
Philippians 3:8-11 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Page 11: How can we be peacemakers in our ministry? Like Paul, we should avoid arguments. Granted, at times we need to "speak the word of God fearlessly," boldly defending our faith. (Philippians 1:14) But in most cases our primary objective is to preach the good news.
Note: Paul's objective was to preach Jesus Christ not defend his rights.
Philippians 1:18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
Page 11: Paul said that those who marry "will have tribulation in their flesh." (1 Corinthians 7:28) Various hardships will be encountered. Among other things, some couples will have disagreements from time to time.
Correction: Paul gave this counsel due to persecution of Christians at Corinth for Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 7:26-27 I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress; that it is good for a man to remain as he is: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
Page 14: Paul's exhortation to fellow Christians in Colossae, "Let the peace of the Christ control in your hearts," might therefore strike some as being unreasonable. (Colossians 3:15) Are we not free moral agents? Why should we let anything or anyone control in our hearts?
Note: Jehovah's Witnesses do not want to surrender their free will to God.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
Page 14: Paul was not telling the Colossians to surrender their free will. The Greek term translated "control" at Colossians 3:15 is related to the word for the umpire who awarded the prize in the athletic contests of those days.
Note: Jehovah's Witnesses do not want Jesus Christ to be the "umpire" of their lives.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Page 14: What is "the peace of the Christ"? It is the tranquillity, the inner calm, that we gain when we become Jesus' disciples and learn that we are loved and approved by Jehovah God and by his Son. When Jesus was about to leave his disciples, he told them: "I give you my peace .... Do not let your hearts be troubled nor let them shrink for fear." (John 14:27)
Correction: The peace of Christ is the peace of God.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Page 14: Today, injustice is still rampart, and true Christians have suffered more than their share, being "objects of hatred by all the nations." (Matthew 24:9)
Note: True Christians will suffer for the name of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 24:9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake."
Page 15: On a far smaller scale, we may believe that someone has been treated unfairly within the Christian congregation. In such a case, we may feel as did Paul, who said: "Who is stumbled, and I am not incensed?" (2 Corinthians 11:29) What can we do? We should ask ourselves, 'Is it really an injustice?' Often, we do not know all the facts. We might be reacting strongly after listening to someone who claims to be in the know. With good reason, the Bible states: "Anyone inexperienced puts faith in every word." (Proverbs 14:15) So we need to be cautious.
Note: The Watch Tower does not teach Biblical love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Page 15: Suppose, though, that we personally have been the victim of a perceived injustice. How would a person with the peace of the Christ in his heart react? We may see the need to talk with the individual who we feel has wronged us. Thereafter, rather than discuss the matter with anyone who will listen, why not commit the case to Jehovah in prayer and trust in him to see to it that justice is done? (Psalm 9:10; Proverbs 3:5) It may well be that having done so, we will be content to resolve the matter in our heart and "keep silent." (Psalm 4:4) In most cases, Paul's admonition will apply: "Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely if anyone has a cause for complaint against another. Even as Jehovah freely forgave you, so do you also." - Colossians 3:13.
Note: The Watch Tower refuses to admit any real injustices within its congregations.
Matthew 18:15-17 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector."
Page 16: But not all anxiety stems from concern about material things. Lot was "greatly distressed" because of the depravity of Sodom. (2 Peter 2:7) Paul was beset by "anxiety for all the congregations." (2 Corinthians 11:28) Jesus was in such agony on the night preceding his death that "his sweat became as drops of blood falling to the ground." (Luke 22:44) Clearly, not all anxiety is evidence of a weak faith.
Correction: Anxiety is evidence of fear not faith.
2 Corinthians 11:25-28 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness; besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
Note: The Watch Tower has misinterpreted the Word of God.
Page 16: Whatever causes it, however, if anxiety is intense and prolonged, it can rob us of peace. Anxiety has overwhelmed some, making them feel unable to continue handling the responsibilities involved in serving Jehovah. The Bible says: "Anxious care in the heart of a man is what will cause it to bow down." (Proverbs 12:25) What can we do, then, if we are afflicted by anxiety?
Answer: Leave the Watch Tower and come to Jesus Christ asking Him to come into your life.
Mat 11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Page 17: Jehovah's "consolations" can be found in the Bible. Regularly consulting that inspired Book will help to preserve the peace of the Christ in our hearts. The Bible states: "Throw your burden upon Jehovah himself, and he himself will sustain you. Never will he allow the righteous one to totter." (Psalm 55:22) In a similar vein, Paul wrote: "Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6, 7)
Note: True Christians find their consolation through Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
Page 17: Yes, the perfect Son of God was a man of prayer. How much more, then, should his imperfect followers cultivate the habit of prayer! Jesus taught his disciples "always to pray and not to give up." (Luke 18:1) Prayer is real and vital communication with the One who knows us better than we know ourselves. (Psalm 103:14) If we are to preserve the peace of the Christ in our hearts, we will "pray incessantly." - 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
Note: Have you prayed to Jesus Christ yet?
John 14:13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
Page 17: Some may be discouraged because of advancing age, growing family obligations, or deteriorating health. Others may feel disadvantaged because of coming from a wretched background. Still others might be tormented over past mistakes, doubting that Jehovah can ever forgive them. (Psalm 51:3) What can be done about such feelings?
Answer: Leave the Watch Tower and come to Jesus Christ asking Him to come into your life.
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Page 17: The peace of the Christ will assure us of Jehovah's love. We can restore that peace in our hearts by reflecting on the fact that Jesus never said that our value is measured by comparing what we do with what others do. (Matthew 25:14, 15; Mark 12:41-44) What he did stress was loyalty. He told his disciples: "He that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved."
Correction: True Christians will endure persecution for the name and person of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 10:22 "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved."
Matthew 19:29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life."
Luke 21:17 "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake."
Page 17: Jesus also said: "No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him." (John 6:44) Since Jehovah has drawn us to follow Jesus, He must want us to be saved.
Correction: True Christians will follow Jesus Christ by spiritually feasting on Him.
John 6:53-58 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven; not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever."
Page 17: Jesus told his disciples: "It is not a desirable thing with my Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish." (Matthew 18:14) Therefore, if you are serving with a complete heart, you can exult in your fine works. (Galatians 6:4)
Correction: True Christians will exult in the work of Jesus Christ for the payment of sin.
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Page 18: Satan would like nothing better than to rob you of your peace. He is the perpetrator of the inherited sin that all of us struggle with. (Romans 7:21-24) He would surely like you to feel that your imperfection makes your service unacceptable to God. Never allow the Devil to demoralize you! Be aware of his designs, and let that awareness make you determined to endure. (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11-13)
Note: True Christians will be focusing on Jesus Christ not the designs of Satan.
John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
Page 18: Remember, "God is greater than our hearts and knows all things." (1 John 3:20) Jehovah sees more than our failings. He also sees our motives and intentions. Take comfort, then, in the psalmist's words: "Jehovah will not forsake his people, nor will he leave his own inheritance." - Psalm 94:14.
Note: True Christians have an eternal inheritance through faith in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:11-12 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
Page 18: Paul wrote that we should let the peace of the Christ control in our hearts because we were "called to it in one body." The anointed Christians to whom Paul wrote were called to be part of the body of Christ, as are the remaining ones of the anointed today. Their "other sheep" companions are united with them as "one flock" under "one shepherd," Jesus Christ.
Correction: Jews and Gentiles are the only classes of peoples recognized by God.
Romans 3:29-30 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
Note: You cannot have one flock unless all the sheep are together in one place.
Page 18: Together, a worldwide "flock" of millions are letting the peace of the Christ control in their hearts. Knowing that we are not alone helps us to endure. Peter wrote: "Take your stand against (Satan) solid in the faith, knowing that the same things in the way of sufferings are being accomplished in the entire association of your brothers in the world." - 1 Peter 5:9.
Note: The peace of Jesus Christ will never occur unless you are in Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 5:14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus.
Page 18: Those who are found by Jehovah to be spotless, unblemished, and in peace will eventually be blessed with eternal life on a paradise earth, where righteousness will dwell. (2 Peter 3:13, 14) We have every reason to let the peace of the Christ control in our hearts.
Note: True Christians have eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ not their works.
2 Peter 3:14-16 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
Note: People will be destroyed emotionally and spiritually if they remain in the Watch Tower.
Page 19: "Liberty, beloved liberty," are words from "La Marseillaise," France's national anthem. Without a doubt, liberty is something to be valued. Yet, recent events in France are causing concern that basic freedoms are being undermined. That is why, on Friday, November 3, 2000, tens of thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses distributed a total of 12 million copies of a special tract entitled "What Is Brewing in France? Could Freedom Regress?"
Note: The Watch Tower is a false religion centered upon the publishing of books and magazines.
James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Note: The Watch Tower is a "worldly" organization concerned about its tax exempt status.
Page 20: At two o'clock in the morning, Witnesses in some congregations begin the distribution outside train stations and factories and then at airports.
Note: First-century Christians were preaching Jesus Christ not tax exemption status.
Acts 3:19-21 "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began."
Page 20: At six, Paris comes to life. Some 6,000 volunteers are posted at strategic points to meet commuters on their way to work. One young woman comments: "What you are doing for religious freedom is good. It's not just Jehovah's Witnesses who are involved." In Marseilles, over 350 Witnesses hand out the tract at metro stations and on the street.
Note: First-century Christians were preaching Jesus Christ not tax exemption status.
Acts 4:1-2 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
Page 20: Within one hour, national radio announces the campaign, telling its listeners not to be surprised if they are approached by Jehovah's Witnesses. In Strasbourg, home of the European Court of Human Rights, travelers at the central station line up patiently to receive their copy. A lawyer comments that, while not sharing our convictions, he is following our case with interest, since our struggle is important.
Note: First-century Christians were preaching Jesus Christ not tax exemption status.
Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Page 20: At eight o'clock, in spite of heavy rain, 507 Witnesses in the Alpine city of Grenoble comb the streets or put the tract in letter boxes.
Note: First-century Christians were preaching Jesus Christ not tax exemption status.
Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
Page 20: By ten o'clock, many congregations have distributed over half of their tracts. As the morning progresses, very few people refuse, and a number of interesting conversations have resulted.
Note: First-century Christians were preaching Jesus Christ not tax exemption status.
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.
Page 20: At noon many Witnesses use their lunch break to preach for one or two hours. Throughout the afternoon, the distribution continues, with numerous congregations finishing by three or four that afternoon.
Note: First-century Christians were preaching Jesus Christ not tax exemption status.
Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.
Page 21: Witnesses wanting to have a share after their secular work distribute some tracts to returning commuters and place others in letter boxes.
Note: First-century Christians were preaching Jesus Christ not tax exemption status.
Acts 9:20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
Page 21: Without a doubt, this distribution resulted in a great witness. People from all walks of life, many of whom are rarely contacted in their homes, received a copy of the tract. Numerous individuals felt that this action accomplished far more than the protection of the Witnesses' interests.
Note: First-century Christians were preaching Jesus Christ not tax exemption status.
Acts 10:36-38 "The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord of all; that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."
Page 21: Yes, Jehovah's Witnesses in France are proud to make known Jehovah's name and to defend Kingdom interests. (1 Peter 3:15)
Note: First-century Christians were preaching Jesus Christ not tax exemption status.
Acts 11:20 But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.
Page 27: FREE will is a gift from God. Without it, we would be little more than robots, with no control over our actions. With it, however, we face challenges. Possessing free will, we have to make decisions as we go through life.
Note: Have you decided to start preaching Jesus Christ?
Acts 17:2-3 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ."
Page 27: Of course, many decisions are quite trivial. Others, such as what career to choose or whether to get married, can affect our whole future. Still others affect other people. Some decisions that parents make have a profound effect on their children. Moreover, we have to render an account to God for many decisions we make. - Romans 14:12.
Note: Have you decided to start preaching Jesus Christ?
Acts 17:18 Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, "What does this babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods," because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.
Page 28: Still, the Bible does say that divine guidance is available. It foretells of our time: "Your own ears will hear a word behind you saying: 'This is the way. Walk in it, you people,' in case you people should go to the right or in case you people should go to the left." (Isaiah 30:21)
Note: True Christians spiritually walk in Jesus Christ not the Watch Tower.
Colossians 2:6-7 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Page 28: By consulting his Word and allowing it to be 'a lamp to our foot, and a light to our roadway.' (Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 2:1-6) To do this, we need to cultivate the habit of taking in accurate knowledge from the Bible. (Colossians 1:9, 10)
Note: Accurate knowledge from the Bible demands that Jesus Christ be "first place" in your life.
Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Page 28: And when faced with a decision, we need carefully to research all Bible principles having to do with the matter. Such research will enable us to "make sure of the most important things." - Philippians 1:9, 10.
Note: Have you decided to start preaching Jesus Christ?
Philippians 1:18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
Page 28: Jehovah also provides mature ones in the congregation with whom we can discuss our decisions. (Ephesians 4:11, 12) In consulting others, though, we should not follow the course of those who approach one person after another until they finally find someone who says what they want to hear.
Note: Have you decided to start preaching Jesus Christ?
Ephesians 3:8-12 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
Page 29: Some decisions are easily made. When commanded to stop witnessing, the apostles knew that they had to keep preaching about Jesus, and they immediately informed the Sanhedrin of their decision to obey God rather than man. (Acts 5:28, 29)
Note: Have you decided to start preaching Jesus Christ?
Page 30: Decisions made in good conscience and based on Bible principles will always have a good outcome in the long run. In the short run, of course, they may result in some personal sacrifice. When the apostles told the Sanhedrin of their decision to keep preaching about Jesus, they were flogged before they were released. (Acts 5:40)
Note: Have you decided to start preaching Jesus Christ?
Page 30: We too may have to wrestle with adversity, even when we are doing the right thing. Still, when our decisions are in harmony with God's will, we can be confident that he will help us to endure and that he will finally bless us. - 2 Corinthians 4:7.
Note: Have you decided to start preaching Jesus Christ?
2 Corinthians 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake.
Page 31: Colossians 1:16 says about God's Son that "all other things have been created through him and for him." In what sense were all things created "for" God's Son, Jesus? Jehovah used his only-begotten Son as the master worker in creating all other things, that is, all things besides Jesus himself. (Proverbs 8:27-30; John 1:3) Rightly, the Son derives pleasure from these works, and in this sense they are "for" him.
Correction: God did not use a "master worker" in creating the universe.
Isaiah 44:24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;"
Hebrews 11:9-10 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Page 31: We know that human parents expect to, and often do, derive much pleasure from what they produce - their sons and daughters. Thus, the Bible proverb speaks of "a son in whom (his father) finds pleasure." (Proverbs 3:12; 29:17) Similarly, Jehovah God derived enjoyment from Israel when his people were faithful. (Psalm 44:3; 119:108; 147:11) He also derives joy from the faithfulness of his loyal ones down to our time. - Proverbs 12:22; Hebrews 10:38.
Note: Using Watch Tower logic, children of human parents are not human.
Page 31: Thus, it was right that God would have his coworker, Jesus, derive pleasure from his accomplishments. In fact, Proverbs 8:31 says that the Son 'was glad at the productive land of his earth, and the things he was fond of were with the sons of men.' It is in this sense that Colossians 1:16 says: "All other things have been created through him and for him."
Correction: Jesus Christ is not or was a woman as the Watch Tower portrays Him to be.
Proverbs 8:1-5 Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding lift up her voice? She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, beside the way, where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors: "To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand prudence, and you fools, be of an understanding heart."
Note: The word "other" is not in the Greek.
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
Note: The Watch Tower has misinterpreted the Word of God.
Back Cover: Ingratitude leads to chronic dissatisfaction. According to philosopher-theologian J.I. Packer, "we're built to live in dependence on God and mutual dependence on each other." This reminds us of the Bible's wise counsel made centuries ago, which says: "Show yourselves thankful." (Colossians 3:15)
Note: J.I. Packer is a born-again Trinitarian Christian.
This is the real stumbling-block in Christianity. It is here that Jews, Moslems, Unitarians, Jehovah's Witnesses, and many of those who feel the difficulties above-mentioned (about the virgin birth, the miracles, the atonement, and the resurrection), have come to grief.
Knowing God, J.I. Packer, page 46.