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DEC EM BER 15, 2012

SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION

STUDY ARTICLES

JANUARY 28FEBRUARY 3

Find Real Success in Life

PAGE 3 SONGS: 115, 45

FEBRUARY 4-10

You Are a Trusted Steward!

PAGE 9 SONGS: 62, 125

FEBRUARY 11-17

Maintaining Our Position as Temporary Residents

PAGE 15 SONGS: 107, 40

FEBRUARY 18-24

Temporary Residents United in True Worship

PAGE 21 SONGS: 124, 121

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Vol. 133, No. 24 Semimonthly ENGLISH

PURPOSE OF STUDY ARTICLES

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MAGAZINE, The Watchtower, is to honor Jehovah God, the Supreme Ruler of the universe. Just as watchtowers in ancient times enabled a person to observe developments from afar, so this magazine shows us the signicance of world events in the light of Bible prophecies. It comforts people with the good news that Gods Kingdom, which is a real government in heaven, will soon bring an end to all wickedness and transform the earth into a paradise. It promotes faith in Jesus Christ, who died so that we might gain everlasting life and who is now ruling as King of Gods Kingdom. This magazine has been published by Jehovahs Witnesses continuously since 1879 and is nonpolitical. It adheres to the Bible as its authority.

STUDY ARTICLES 1, 2 PAGES 3-14 What does it mean to be truly successful in life? These articles show that true success is not what people in the world think it is. We will also see that to be truly successful, we must stay faithful to God and accept the responsibilities we have been given.

STUDY ARTICLES 3, 4 PAGES 15-26 In what ways are anointed Christians and the other sheep like temporary residents? (John 10:16; 1 Peter 2:11) These articles will give us the answer and will encourage us to live like temporary residents in this world and to continue to preach with our international brotherhood.

COVER: There are more than 100,000 Witnesses in South Korea. Because they are politically neutral and refuse to bear arms against their fellow man, many are in prison. Even there, they strive to give a good witness, such as by writing letters

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

27 QUESTIONS FROM READERS

SOUTH KOREA
POPULATION

This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modernlanguage New World Translation of the Holy ScripturesWith References.

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Some Expressions Explained are contextual explanations of words used within an article.

BROTHERS IN PRISON LAST YEAR

The Watchtower (ISSN 0043-1087) is published semimonthly by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.; L. Weaver, Jr., President; G. F. Simonis, Secretary-Treasurer; 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483, and by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada, PO Box 4100, Georgetown, ON L7G 4Y4. Periodicals Postage Paid at Brooklyn, NY, and at additional mailing oces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Watchtower, 1000 Red Mills Road, Wallkill, NY 12589-3299. 5 2012 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada.

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Find Real Success in Life

You will make your way successful and . . . act wisely.JOSHUA 1:8.

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

In what ways was Solomon successful?

In what ways was Paul truly successful?

How can you be truly successful?

HAT does it mean to be successful in life? Ask people that question, and you will get many dierent answers. For example, many think that a person is successful if he has a lot of money, has a rewarding career, or is well educated. Others say that to be successful one also needs a good relationship with family, friends, or workmates. Some who serve God might even think that a person is successful if he has certain responsibilities in the congregation or if he has good results in the preaching work. 2 What do you think it means to be successful? One way to nd out is to write down the names of a few people who you think are successful and whom you most admire and respect. What kind of people are they? Are they rich or famous? Are they powerful? The answers may show what is in your heart. What you value can strongly inuence the choices you make and the goals you set.Luke 6:45. 3 What matters most to us is what Jehovah thinks success is. We can have eternal life only if he views us as successful. When he gave Joshua the assignment of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, Jehovah told him to read the Law day and night and to obey what was written in it. God promised him: Then you will make

1, 2. (a) What do many people think success is? (b) What is one way to nd out what you think success is? 3. (a) What did Joshua have to do to be successful? (b) What will we now consider?

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

A successful life: Our life is truly successful if we are faithful to God and have his approval and blessing. A successful life results in happiness

Treasures (Matthew 6: 19-21): The things a person values most and makes the greatest eort to get

your way successful and then you will act wisely. (Joshua 1:7, 8) And you know that Joshua really was successful. What about us? How can we know whether we view success the same way God does? To help us answer these questions, let us consider the lives of two men mentioned in the Bible.
WAS SOLOMON SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE?

In many ways, Solomon was extremely successful. Why? Because for many years he feared and obeyed Jehovah, and Jehovah blessed him greatly. Remember that when Jehovah told Solomon he could ask for anything he wanted, Solomon asked for wisdom to guide the people. Jehovah answered
4

While Solomon was faithful to God, he was successful

his prayer by giving him both wisdom and riches. (Read 1 Kings 3:10-14.) Solomons wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the Orientals and than all the wisdom of Egypt. People
4. Why was Solomon successful?

in all the nations all around knew about Solomon. (1 Kings 4:30, 31) Solomon was also very rich. Every year he received 25 tons of gold! (2 Chronicles 9:13) He built many beautiful things. He also did very well in dealing with other nations and in doing business with them. While Solomon was faithful to God, he was successful. 2 Chronicles 9:22-24. 5 What Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes shows that he had the right view of success. He did not think that only those who are rich and powerful can have success and joy. Not at all. He wrote: I have come to know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good during ones life; and also that every man should eat and indeed drink and see good for all his hard work. It is the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13) Solomon also realized that these good things in life give a person true joy only if he has a good relationship with God. Solomon said: The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole obligation of man.Ecclesiastes 12:13.
5. What did Solomon realize about those who

are truly successful?

SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION

For many years, Solomon feared and obeyed God. The Bible says that he continued to love Jehovah by walking in the statutes of David his father. (1 Kings 3:3) While he did that, he was truly successful. Solomon built a glorious temple for true worship and wrote three Bible books. Of course, we will not be able to do the same things that Solomon did. But Solomons example while he was faithful to God can help us to understand what true success is and what we need to do to be successful. For example, God inspired Solomon to write about riches, wisdom, fame, and power. Many people think they need these things to be successful. But Solomon said that people who work hard to get these things are striving after wind, or trying to get something that does not make them truly happy. People who love money always want to have more. And they worry about losing what they already have. Also, their riches will one day belong to others.Read Ecclesiastes 2:8-11, 17; 5:10-12. 7 When Solomon got old, he stopped obeying Jehovah. The Bible says: It came about in the time of Solomons growing old that his wives themselves had inclined his heart to follow other gods; and his heart did not prove to be complete with Jehovah his God like the heart of David his father. Solomon began to do what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah.1 Kings 11:4-6.
6

Jehovah was not pleased with Solomon and told him what the sad results of his disobedience would be. God said: I shall without fail rip the kingdom away from o you, and I shall certainly give it to your servant. (1 Kings 11:11) Even though Solomon had been successful in many ways, in the end he disappointed Jehovah. Solomon became unsuccessful because he did not continue to do the most important thing in life. He did not continue to be faithful to Jehovah. Each of us can ask, Will I use the lesson I learned from Solomons life to help me become successful?
8

A TRULY SUCCESSFUL LIFE

The apostle Pauls life was very different from King Solomons life. Paul did not live a comfortable life in a palace or eat and drink with kings. There were times when Paul had little to eat, to drink, or to wear. (2 Corinthians 11:24-27) After he accepted Jesus as the Messiah, Paul no longer received honor from many in the Jewish religion. Instead, the Jewish religious leaders hated him. He was put in prison, whipped, beaten with rods, and stoned. Paul said that he and his Christian brothers were insulted, hated, and persecuted. He added: We have become as the refuse of the world, the oscouring of all things, until now. 1 Corinthians 4:11-13. 10 Many who knew Paul as a young man, when he was still known as Saul, would have thought that he had
9

6. How does Solomons example help us to un-

9. Did most people think that Paul was suc-

derstand what true success is? 7, 8. How did Solomon become unfaithful? What was the result?
DECEMBER 15, 2012

cessful? Explain.
10. Why might people have thought that Paul

wasted his opportunity to be successful?

many advantages. It seems that he was from an important family. And he studied with Gamaliel, a respected teacher. Paul later wrote: I was making greater progress in Judaism than many of my own age. (Galatians 1:14) He spoke Hebrew and Greek uently. He was also a Roman citizen and, because of that, had special advantages and rights. If Paul had kept trying to be successful in the world, he would probably have become even richer and more respected. But he chose a way of life that others, perhaps even his own family, thought was foolish. Why? 11 Paul loved Jehovah and wanted his approval. He did not want to be rich and famous. When Paul learned the truth, he started to value things that most people in the world do not know or care about, such as Christs sacrice, the preaching work, and the hope of life in heaven. Paul knew what Satan had said about humans. Satan had said that he could make any human stop serving God. Paul realized that he could have a part in proving that Satan is wrong. (Job 1:9-11; 2:3-5) So Pauls goal was to continue to worship the true God faithfully no matter
11. What did Paul value, and what was his goal? Why?

what trials he had to endure. That is a goal that most people in the world who want to be successful do not have. 12 Do you have the same goal that Paul had? It is not always easy to be faithful. But if we stay faithful to Jehovah, he will be pleased with us and will bless us. That is what makes us truly successful. (Proverbs 10:22) We can have blessings now and more in the

Paul wanted Jehovahs approval, not to be rich and famous

future. (Read Mark 10:29, 30.) So we should trust, not in uncertain riches, but in God, who furnishes us all things richly for our enjoyment. If we do, we can be sure of having the real life that God promises us. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) Yes, we can be absolutely sure that a hundred years from now, even a thousand years or more from now, we
12. Why should you trust in God?

Many thought Saul would become successful in the world

Paul became truly successful

will be able to think back and say, My life has truly been successful!
WHERE IS YOUR TREASURE?

Jesus said about treasures: Stop storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal. Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.Matthew 6: 19-21. 14 A persons treasures upon the earth may include more than just money. They could involve any of
13

those things that Solomon wrote about and that people value so much, such as fame and power. What Jesus said is similar to what Solomon said in the book of Ecclesiastes. Treasures on earth do not last forever. As you know, such things can be destroyed or easily lost. Professor F. Dale Bruner commented on Jesus words about these treasures. He wrote that fame does not last for long. A person who is famous today may soon be forgotten. Someone who makes a lot of money this year may lose it all next year. Because Jesus loves humans, he warns them about how glory can quickly disappear and leave them without hope. The writer added that every day, people who trust in money and glory get disappointed, and Jesus does not want his disciples to be disappointed. Most people would agree with what this writer said. But how many allow Jesus words to aect the way they live? Will you allow Jesus counsel to aect your life? 1 5 Some religious leaders have preached that it is wrong to make efforts to succeed. But Jesus was not

Jesus encouraged his disciples to store up treasures in heaven that will last forever
saying that we should not try to be successful. He was saying that his disciples should make eorts to have
15. What kind of success should we work hard

13. What did Jesus say about storing up treasures? 14. Why is it unwise to store up treasures on earth? DECEMBER 15, 2012

to have?

the right kind of success. He encouraged them to store up treasures in heaven that will last forever. What we want most of all is for Jehovah to think of us as successful. Jesus words remind us that each person chooses what he will work hard for in life. The truth is that what is in our heart, or what we value the most, is what we will make the most eort to get in life. 16 If we choose to work hard to please Jehovah, we can be sure that he will give us the things we need. Like the apostle Paul, we may at times not have anything to eat or drink. (1 Corinthians 4:11) But we should follow Jesus advice: Never be anxious and say, What are we to eat? or, What are we to drink? or, What are we to put on? For all these are the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. For your heavenly Father knows you need all these things. Keep on, then, seeking rst the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.Matthew 6:31-33.
BE TRULY SUCCESSFUL

What we want to remember is that true success does not depend on how many great things we have done or on how important we are in this world. True success also does not depend on how much responsibility we have in the congregation. That kind of blessing can simply be a result of our obedience and faithfulness to God. He tells us: What is looked for in stewards is for a man to be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:2) And we must
17

16. Of what can we be sure? 17, 18. (a) On what does true success de-

continue to be faithful. Jesus said: He that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved. (Matthew 10: 22) When faithful ones are saved, it will be clear that they were truly successful! 18 True success depends on faithfulness to God, and any of us can be faithful to him whatever our situation may be. Our faithfulness does not depend on how much fame, education, or money we have. And it does not depend on our intelligence, talents, or abilities. In the rst century, some of Gods people were rich and others were poor. Paul told rich Christians that they too had to work at good and to be rich in ne works. Both the rich and the poor could get a rm hold on the real life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) That is true today too. All of us have the same opportunity and the same responsibility, that is, to stay faithful and be rich in ne works. If we are, our Creator will think of us as successful, and we will have the joy of knowing that we are pleasing him. Proverbs 27:11. 19 We may not be able to change the way the world views us, but we can change the way we view our own situation. Whatever your situation might be, you are successful if you are working hard to be faithful. You will be glad you made the eort. Jehovah will bless you greatly, now and for eternity. Never forget what Jesus told anointed Christians: Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10) That is denitely true success!
19. What will you do to be successful? SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION

pend? (b) On what does success not depend?

You Are a Trusted Steward!

You do not belong to yourselves.
1 CORINTHIANS 6:19.

WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER?

What did stewards in Bible times do?

What does God require of all his stewards?

BOUT 2,500 years ago, a Greek writer said that no one chooses to be a slave. Most people today agree with that. When people think of slaves, they think of men and women who are forced to serve others and who are treated cruelly. They think of people who do work that benets only those who own and dominate them. 2 Jesus said that his disciples would be humble servants, or slaves. But as slaves, true Christians would not be humiliated or treated cruelly. They would be trusted and respected. For example, think of what Jesus said about one slave. Not long before His death, Christ said that he would give duties to a faithful and discreet slave.Matthew 24:45-47. 3 Note that in Lukes account, he uses the word steward instead of slave. (Read Luke 12:4244.) Most true Christians today are not part of the faithful steward class whom Jesus mentioned. But the Bible shows that in a way, all servants of God are stewards. What responsibilities do we have in Gods service? How should we feel about them? To nd the answers, let us talk about what stewards in Bible times did.

As stewards, how should we feel about our service to God?

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF STEWARDS

4

In Bible times, a steward was often a slave

1. When people think of slaves, what do they think of? 2, 3. (a) How are slaves of Christ treated? (b) What questions will we now discuss? 4, 5. What responsibilities did stewards in Bible times have? What are some examples?

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

Steward: A servant whom the master trusted and to whom he gave many responsibilities. All true Christians are Gods stewards because we have responsibilities in his service

Responsibilities: As Gods stewards, we all have the main responsibility to obey Gods requirements. In addition, some of us receive other work to do in Gods organization

whom the master trusted and who was responsible for keeping the masters house or business in order. He cared for his masters property and money, and he had authority over the other servants. An example of this is Eliezer. He was responsible for looking after Abrahams many possessions. He may even have been the servant Abraham sent to Mesopotamia to choose a wife for his son Isaac. That was a great responsibility!Genesis 13:2; 15:2; 24:2-4. 5 Abrahams great-grandson Joseph was Potiphars steward. (Genesis 39: 1, 2) The Bible tells us that later Joseph himself had a steward, and it calls him the man who was over Josephs house. That steward was the one who welcomed Josephs ten brothers and cared for their needs. He had an important part in Josephs plan to test his brothers with the silver cup. This shows how much masters trusted their stewards.Genesis 43:19-25; 44: 1-12. 6 Hundreds of years later, the apostle Paul wrote that elders are Gods stewards. (Titus 1:7) As shepherds
6. What responsibilities do elders have?

of the ock of God, elders direct the congregations. (1 Peter 5:1, 2) Of course, elders have dierent types of responsibilities in Gods organization. For example, most elders today serve one congregation. Traveling overseers serve many congregations. And Branch Committee members care for congregations in whole countries. But all elders are expected to care for their duties the best way they can. They all must render an account to God. Hebrews 13:17. 7 How do we know that the many loyal Christians who are not elders are stewards? The apostle Peter wrote a letter to all Christians and said: In proportion as each one has received a gift, use it in ministering to one another as ne stewards of Gods undeserved kindness expressed in various ways. (1 Peter 1:1; 4:10) God shows us kindness by giving all of us certain gifts, advantages, abilities, or talents that we can use to help our brothers and sisters. So all who serve God are stewards. He trusts us, respects us, and expects us to make good use of what he has given us.
7. How do we know that all Christians are stewards? SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION

10

WE BELONG TO GOD

Let us consider three basic truths that all Christians as stewards need to remember. The rst: We all belong to God and have to please him. Paul wrote: You do not belong to yourselves, for you were bought with a price. That price is the life Christ sacriced for our sins. (1 Corinthians 6: 19, 20) We belong to Jehovah, so we are required to obey his commandments, which are not too dicult. (Romans 14:8; 1 John 5:3) We are also
8

We all belong to God and must please him

slaves of Christ. Like stewards in Bible times, we have a lot of freedom. But we cannot do whatever we want. We must follow instructions. No matter how many responsibilities we have received in Gods organization, we are all servants of God and of Christ. 9 Jesus helps us to understand what a master expects from his slave. He told his disciples a story about a slave who came home after working all day. Did the master say: Come here at once and recline at the table? No. He said to the slave: Get something ready for me to have my evening meal, and put on an apron and minister to me until I am through eating
8. What is one thing we need to remember as

and drinking, and afterward you can eat and drink. What lesson was Jesus teaching his disciples? He explained: So you, also, when you have done all the things assigned to you, say, We are good-for-nothing slaves. What we have done is what we ought to have done. Luke 17:7-10. 10 Of course, Jehovah values everything we do for him. The Bible promises us: God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name. (Hebrews 6:10) What Jehovah asks us to do is what we can do. Whatever he asks is for our own good and is never too hard. But as Jesus taught, a slave does not please himself. He puts the will of his master rst. In the same way, when we dedicate ourselves to God, we choose to put his will rst in our life. Do you agree?
WHAT JEHOVAH REQUIRES OF ALL OF US

A second truth we need to remember is: As stewards, we all obey the same requirements. It is true that some have certain responsibilities that others do not have in Gods organization. But God requires the same from all of us in most things. For example, all of Jehovahs servants must love one another. Jesus said that people would know that we are his disciples if we love one another. (John 13: 35) But we do not love only those who are our brothers. We also do our best
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stewards? 9. How did Jesus explain what a master expects from his slave?
DECEMBER 15, 2012

10. What shows that Jehovah values everything we do for him? 11, 12. What quality must we show? In what way must we live?

11

to show love to those who are not Witnesses. This is something all of us can and should do.

We all obey the same requirements

God also requires that we do what he says is right and reject the bad things condemned in the Bible. Paul wrote: Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit Gods kingdom. (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10) It takes eort to do what God says is right. But when we make that eort, we benet in many ways. For example, we can have better health, peaceful relationships with others, and a strong friendship with God.Read Isaiah 48:17, 18. 13 Remember, too, that a steward had work to do. So do we. God gave us a precious gift. He taught us the truth. And he wants us to teach that truth to others. (Matthew 28:19, 20) Paul wrote that Christians are servants of Christ and stewards of sacred secrets of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1) Paul knew that he was responsible for sacred secrets, or Bible truths, and that he had to teach them to others. That is what his Master, Jesus Christ, wanted him to do.1 Corinthians 9:16.
12

When we teach the truth to others, we show that we love them. Of course, we do not all have the same situation in life, so not all of us can do the same amount of work in the ministry. Jehovah understands that. The important thing is that we do all that we can. In that way, we show unselfish love for God and for people.
14

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING FAITHFUL

A third truth we need to remember is: We must show that we are faithful by being obedient. A steward may have many good qualities and abilities, but they mean nothing if he is disobedient and does not care for his duties. A steward must be faithful if he wants to do his work well and please his master. Remember
15

We show that we are faithful by being obedient

that Paul wrote: What is looked for in stewards is for a man to be found faithful.1 Corinthians 4:2. 16 We can be sure that if we are faithful, God will reward us. If we are not faithful, we will no longer have Gods approval. Jesus story about the talents makes this clear. The master praised the faithful slaves who did business with his money, and he
15-17. (a) Why must a steward be faithful?

13, 14. What work has God given all Christians to do? How should we feel about this work?

(b) How did Jesus show what happens if we are unfaithful?

SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION

12

Let us do our best in caring for the responsibilities that we have received

rewarded them greatly. But he judged the disobedient slave as wicked, lazy, and good-for-nothing. The master took the talent away from that slave and threw him out.Read Matthew 25:14-18, 23, 26, 28-30. 17 Jesus once again showed what happens if we are unfaithful when he said: A certain man was rich and he had a steward, and this one was accused to him as handling his goods wastefully. So he called him and said to him, What is this I hear about you? Hand in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer manage the house. (Luke 16:1, 2) Because the steward wasted what belonged to his master, the master sent him away. These verses teach us a powerful lesson. We always want to be faithful by
DECEMBER 15, 2012

doing our best in whatever God requires of us.

IS IT WISE TO COMPARE OURSELVES WITH OTHERS?

Each of us can ask, What kind of steward am I? But it is not wise to compare ourselves with other people. The Bible says: Let each one prove what his own work is, and then he will have cause for exultation in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person. (Galatians 6:4) Instead of comparing what we do with what others do, we should think of how we can improve what we do and try our best to do it. Then we will neither become proud nor feel
18

18. Why should we not compare ourselves

with others?

13

discouraged. Also, our situation may have changed. Perhaps because of health problems, old age, or other obligations, we cannot do all that we used to do. Or maybe our circumstances allow us to do more than we are now doing. If so, why not try to improve? 19 Also, we should not compare ourselves with those who have certain responsibilities that we would like to have. For example, a brother may want to serve as an elder in the congregation or to give talks at assemblies and conventions. It is good to work hard to do what is required of those who have such responsibilities. But we should not be too disappointed if we do not receive them as soon as we hoped to. For reasons that we may not immediately understand, we may have to wait much longer than we expected. Remember that Moses probably thought that he was ready to lead

We should not be too disappointed if we do not receive responsibilities as soon as we hoped to

the Israelites out of Egypt, but he had to wait 40 years before doing that. During this time, he was able to develop qualities that he later needed to lead a stubborn and rebellious people.Acts 7:22-25, 30-34.
19. If we have not received a certain responsi-

It may be that we will never receive a certain responsibility. That is what happened to Jonathan. He was the son of Saul and could have become king over all Israel. But God chose David, who was much younger than Jonathan, to be king. What did Jonathan do? He accepted Gods decision and even risked his life to help David. He said to David: You yourself will be king over Israel, and I myself shall become second to you. (1 Samuel 23:17) What can you learn from Jonathans example? He did not complain about his situation. And he did not become jealous of David, as Saul did. Instead of being jealous of others because they have responsibilities that we do not have, all of us can do our best in caring for the responsibilities that we do have. We can be sure that in the new world, Jehovah will satisfy the proper desires of all his servants. 21 Let us always remember that as Gods stewards, we are not slaves who are forced to serve a cruel master. Instead, Jehovah trusts us and honors us very much by giving us important work to do, such as preaching the good news during the last days, a work that will never be repeated. And he gives us a lot of freedom to choose how we will care for the responsibilities he has given us. So let us be faithful stewards. And may we never forget that it is a great honor to serve Jehovah, the greatest one in all the universe.
20

20. What can we learn from Jonathans exam-

ple?
21. How should we feel about our service to

bility, why should we not be too disappointed?

God?
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION

14

Maintaining Our Position as Temporary Residents

I exhort you as aliens and temporary residents to keep abstaining from eshly desires.
1 PETER 2:11.

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

Why can we say that the anointed are temporary residents?

How are the other sheep like temporary residents?

What are you looking forward to?

BOUT 30 years after Jesus returned to heaven, the apostle Peter wrote a letter to a group he called temporary residents who were scattered about in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. He also called them the ones chosen. (1 Peter 1:1) Peter was writing to the anointed, who had been given a new birth to a living hope to be kings with Christ in the heavens. (Read 1 Peter 1:3, 4.) But why did he later call these chosen ones aliens and temporary residents? (1 Peter 2:11) And why should all of us be interested in this when only a small number of Witnesses throughout the world say they are anointed, or chosen ones? 2 It was appropriate to call the anointed ones in the rst century temporary residents. The anointed will not live on earth forever. The apostle Paul, who was one of the anointed little ock, explained that the anointed are actually citizens of heaven. He said: As for us, our citizenship exists in the heavens, from which place also we are eagerly waiting for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Luke 12:32; Philippians 3:20) This means that after the anointed die, they leave the earth, which is under Satans control, and receive immortal life in heaven. (Read Philippians 1:21-23.) They live on the earth for only a short time, so they are temporary residents.

1, 2. Whom did Peter call the ones chosen? Why did he call them temporary residents?

15

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

Temporary resident: A person who lives in a place for only a short time. God will destroy Satans system, so Christians are only temporary residents in this system. The anointed will be permanent residents in heaven, and the other sheep will be permanent residents of the Paradise on earth

Fleshly desires: Human desires that God does not like. If we do not control our normal desires, they can become sinful eshly desires Subjection: Obedience to someone who has authority. We must be in subjection to the governments

What about the other sheep? (John 10:16) The Bible teaches that they have the hope to become permanent residents of the earth. They will live on it forever. But why can we say that they too are like temporary residents?
3

ALL CREATION KEEPS ON GROANING

As long as Jehovah allows Satans wicked system to exist, everyone, including Christians, will continue to suer because of Satans rebellion against Jehovah. We read at Romans 8: 22: We know that all creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together until now. There are people who would like to use politics, science, or money to improve mankinds situation. But these people are unable to stop mankinds suering. 5 Since 1914, millions have decid4

ed to become subjects of Jesus Christ, the one whom God has made King. These subjects of Jesus do not want to be part of Satans system. They refuse to support Satans world. Instead, they use their lives and what they have in support of Gods Kingdom.Romans 14:7, 8. 6 Jehovahs Witnesses are good citizens in over 200 countries. But regardless of where they live, they are like aliens, or temporary residents. They never get involved with the politics or social problems of the countries where they live. Even now, they view themselves as citizens of the new world that God has promised. They are happy that they will be temporary residents in this imperfect world for only a little while longer. 7 Soon Jesus Christ will destroy Satans wicked system. Christs perfect
6. Why can all of Jehovahs Witnesses be called

3. What question about the other sheep should we ask? 4. What are people unable to stop by means of politics, science, or money? 5. Since 1914, what have millions decided to do? Why?

aliens, or temporary residents?

7. How will servants of God become perma-

nent residents? Where will they be permanent residents?

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16

government will get rid of sin and suffering. It will also remove anyone who rebels against Jehovahs sovereignty. Those who are loyal to God will then be able to become permanent residents of the Paradise on earth. (Read Revelation 21:1-5.) Creation will then have been completely set free from everything that causes suering, and everyone will have the glorious freedom of the children of God.Romans 8:21.
WHAT KIND OF CONDUCT MUST TRUE CHRISTIANS HAVE?
8 Peter explains how Christians should behave when he says: Beloved, I exhort you as aliens and temporary residents to keep abstaining from eshly desires, which are the very ones that carry on a conict

The other sheep will become permanent residents of the Paradise on earth
against the soul. (1 Peter 2:11) He was saying this to anointed Christians, but Jesus other sheep too need to follow this counsel. 9 Some desires are not necessarily wrong as long as we fulll those desires in the way the Creator wants us to fulll them. Doing this makes life more enjoyable. For example, there are the normal desires to eat good food and to have something good to drink. We enjoy recreation and association with good friends. It is also natural and normal to have the desire for

8, 9. What did Peter mean when he talked about abstaining from eshly desires?

We refuse to be supporters of Satans world

We support Gods new world

sexual pleasure with ones marriage mate. (1 Corinthians 7:3-5) But Peter was clearly talking about eshly desires that carry on a conict against the soul. This means wrong eshly

FINE CONDUCT

We must not allow any human desire to harm our good relationship with God
desires. Some Bible translations call them eshly lusts (King James Version) or sinful desires (New International Version). Jehovah has told us the way he wants us to live and fulll our natural desires. We must not allow any human desire to harm our good relationship with God. If we fulll our desires in the wrong way, this could result in our death. 10 Satan wants us to forget that we are temporary residents in this system. He wants us to be materialistic, to be drawn to immorality, to want to be important, to try to be rst at everything, and to be proud of our nation. But we need to recognize that all these desires are traps of Satan. If we are determined not to follow these wrong desires, we show clearly that we do not want to be a part of Satans wicked world. We prove that we are living in this world as temporary residents. What we really want is to be permanent residents in Gods righteous new world. And we work hard to reach that goal.
10. What are some of the ways Satan tempts

Peter continues to explain what it means for Christians to be temporary residents in verse 12: Maintain your conduct ne among the nations, that, in the thing in which they are speaking against you as evildoers, they may as a result of your ne works of which they are eyewitnesses glorify God in the day for his inspection. Temporary residents are foreigners, or people who are living in a country that is not their own. Foreigners are sometimes criticized because they are dierent, and some people even view them as bad people. The way they speak, act, dress, or even look may be dierent from that of the other people living in the country. But their good conduct can make others realize that they are not bad people. 12 In the same way, true Christians may be dierent from many of their neighbors. For example, they may talk about dierent things or choose dierent entertainment. People often recognize them because of the way they dress. Because of this, some people might speak against the Witnesses. But others may speak well of the Witnesses because of their ne conduct. 13 Our good behavior can help others to see that there is no reason to speak against us. Jesus was the only man who was perfectly obedient to God. But people accused even him of doing bad things. Some said he ate too much, drank too much, and was close
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11, 12. How do some people view foreigners?

Christians to become a part of his world?

What do some people think about Jehovahs Witnesses? 13, 14. What does it mean that wisdom is proved righteous by its works? What are examples of this?
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friends with sinners. But he showed by his ne conduct that he was not that kind of person. Jesus said: Wisdom is proved righteous by its works. (Matthew 11:19) That is true today too. For example, some people who live

Others will know we are good people if we act in a wise and righteous way
near Bethel in Selters, Germany, think that the way the Bethel family lives is strange. Yet, the mayor of Selters defended the Bethelites by saying: The Witnesses who serve there have their own way of life, but one that in no way disturbs the lives of others in the community. 14 As another example, Jehovahs Witnesses living in Moscow, Russia, were accused of doing several bad things. Some said that the Witnesses
Bible truth has helped to unite this Russian family

destroyed families, encouraged people to kill themselves, and refused to accept medical help. But in June 2010, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, decided that the city of Moscow was wrong to interfere with the worship of Jehovahs Witnesses there and that it did not have the right to stop them from having meetings. The European Court of Human Rights said that the courts in Russia did not prove that the Witnesses were guilty of wrong behavior. It said that these courts used Moscows strict laws in a way that was unfair to Jehovahs Witnesses.
WE SHOULD BE IN SUBJECTION TO THE GOVERNMENTS

Jehovahs Witnesses around the world do something else that Peter said Christians are required to do. He said that we must subject ourselves to every human creation, including kings and other governors. (1 Peter 2: 13, 14) We are no part of the wicked world. But as Paul told us, we willingly obey government authorities in their relative positions, or whenever their laws do not conict with Gods laws. Read Romans 13:1, 5-7. 16 Jehovahs Witnesses live as temporary residents in the present system of things, but this is not because they want to oppose the government or to criticize other people. They understand that others have their own ideas about who should be in the government or about how to solve
15

15. What Bible principle do all true Christians

follow?
16, 17. (a) What proves that we do not want

to rebel against governments? (b) What have some government leaders admitted?
DECEMBER 15, 2012

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mankinds problems. Some religious groups get involved in politics, but Jehovahs Witnesses do not. They never try to make political leaders change the way they govern the people. Jehovahs Witnesses have absolutely no desire to rebel against the government or to make other people want to rebel. 17 Peter said to have honor for the king. So Christians obey government leaders in order to show respect and honor for them. (1 Peter 2:17) Sometimes government leaders have admitted that there is no reason to think that Jehovahs Witnesses are dangerous. For example, Steen Reiche, who was a member of the government in the state of Brandenburg, Germany, and who was later part of the German parliament, said that Jehovahs Witnesses had ne conduct during the time they were persecuted by the Nazis. The Witnesses did not change their beliefs even when persecuted, and they treated their fellow prisoners kindly. He said that these qualities were very important for a country such as Germany, especially since some people are becoming more and more unkind toward those from other countries or those who have dierent political opinions and beliefs.
WE SHOULD SHOW LOVE FOR THE BROTHERS
18 The apostle Peter wrote: Have love for the whole association of brothers, be in fear of God. (1 Peter 2:17) Jehovahs Witnesses fear God, that is, they have a fear of displeasing him.

Respect for God makes us want to do his will

This respect for God makes them want to do his will. They are happy to be part of a worldwide group of brothers and sisters who all serve Jehovah together. They love the whole association of brothers. It is rare for people in the world today to love others. That is why those who are not Witnesses are sometimes surprised to see the love we have for one another. For example, a tour guide who was working with an American travel company was amazed to see the aection among our brothers at an international convention in Germany in 2009. The Witnesses in Germany showed love for their foreign brothers and helped them during their visit. The guide said enthusiastically that she had never seen a group like Jehovahs Witnesses. Have you ever heard people talking this way after they watched a group of Jehovahs Witnesses at a convention? 19 As we have learned, Jehovahs Witnesses show in many ways that they truly live as temporary residents in Satans system of things. They happily do this and are determined to remain temporary residents. They have good reasons to have strong hope that they will soon be permanent residents of the righteous new world that God is making. Are you looking forward to that new world?
19. What should we be determined to do? Why? SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION

18. (a) Why is it natural for us to love all the brothers and sisters? (b) What have some people said about Jehovahs Witnesses?

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Temporary Residents United in True Worship

Foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers. And as for you, the priests of Jehovah you will be called.
ISAIAH 61:5, 6.

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

What do some people think about foreigners? What does the Bible teach about this?

What are people of all nations being invited to do?

In what way are there no foreigners among Jehovahs Witnesses?

S WE discussed in the previous article, some do not like foreigners, or people who come from other countries. They may feel that they are better than foreigners. But it is unkind to think like that. No one is better than anyone else. The booklet The Races of Mankind states that people of dierent races are brothers, just as the Bible teaches. Even though brothers can be very dierent from one another, they are still brothers. 2 In Bible times, Jehovah God made a covenant, or promise, to make the Israelites his chosen people. Although they had a special relationship with Jehovah God, the Law required the Israelites to treat non-Israelites fairly and with respect. This is something that we too should do today. Christians must never be prejudiced against foreigners. Why? The apostle Peter said: God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.Acts 10:34, 35. 3 Foreigners in ancient Israel beneted from living there. Why? Because Jehovah accepted those who were foreigners. Later, the apostle Paul said about Jehovah: Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of people of the nations? Yes,

1. What do some people think about foreigners? Why is it wrong to think this way? 2, 3. How did Jehovah view the foreigners living in ancient Israel?

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SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

Prejudiced: A person is prejudiced if he believes that he is better than those who are from another country, who are of a dierent race, or who are dierent from him in some other way

of people of the nations also.Romans 3:29; Joel 2:32. 4 After God made the new covenant with the congregation of anointed Christians, the literal nation of Israel no longer had a special relationship with him. Instead, the congregation of anointed Christians became the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:16) Paul explained that in this new nation, there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythian, slave, freeman, but Christ is all things and in all. (Colossians 3:11) Because of this, no one would be considered a foreigner in the Christian congregation. 5 Some may wonder about what is described in Isaiah chapter 61, which contains a prophecy that is being fullled in the Christian congregation. Verse 6 of that chapter mentions some who will serve as priests of Jehovah. However, verse 5 mentions foreigners who would help and work with those priests. Why does it talk about foreigners?
4. Why is no one considered a foreigner in the

Those priests of Jehovah are the anointed Christians who receive the rst resurrection and who will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years. (Revelation 20:6) There are many other loyal
6

The other sheep happily work with the priests of Jehovah in the preaching and teaching work
Christians who hope to live in Paradise on earth. Those with this earthly hope work with and associate closely with those who will serve in heaven. Those with the earthly hope are not part of the Israel of God, but in a sense they are like foreigners. They happily work with the priests of Jehovah as farmers and vinedressers in the harvest. They help the anointed to bring honor to God by preaching and by teaching others the truth. Both the anointed and the other sheep teach people the truth and lovingly help them to live by it.John 10:16.
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION

Israel of God?
5, 6. (a) Why might some wonder about the

meaning of Isaiah 61:5, 6? (b) Who are the priests of Jehovah and the foreigners mentioned by Isaiah? (c) In what way do the priests of Jehovah and the foreigners work together?

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TEMPORARY RESIDENTS LIKE ABRAHAM

As we learned in the previous article, true Christians are like foreigners because they are temporary residents in Satans wicked world. They are similar to Abraham and other faithful ones of Bible times who did not want to be part of Satans world and who lived as strangers and temporary residents in the land. (Hebrews 11:13) Whether we have the hope of living in heaven or on earth, we can have the special kind of relationship with Jehovah that Abraham had. The Bible writer James explains that Abraham put faith in Jehovah, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he came to be called Jehovahs friend. James 2:23.
7

We can have the special kind of relationship with Jehovah that Abraham had
God promised that all families of the earth would be blessed because of Abraham and his descendants. This promise was not just for one nation to be blessed. (Read Genesis 22:15-18.) Even though the promise would come true after Abraham died, he was condent that it would be fullled. For more than half of his life, Abraham and his family moved from place to place, and he never stopped being Jehovahs friend.
8

7. How are Christians today like Abraham and other faithful ones of Bible times?

8. What did Jehovah promise Abraham? How

did Abraham feel about the promise?

Will you continue to focus on the fulllment of Gods promises as Abraham did?

Even though Abraham did not know when Jehovahs promise to him would come true, he continued to love and worship Jehovah. Because Abraham always remembered that he was a temporary resident, he did not live what people thought was a normal life for a permanent resident of the land. (Hebrews 11:14, 15) We need to follow Abrahams example and live a simple life. We must not let ourselves think that owning many things, becoming well-known in the community, or having a good career is the most important thing in life. Why should we try to live what other people consider to be a normal life when this system of things will soon end? Why should we love the world when it is only temporary? Just as Abraham did, we are waiting for something much better than this world. We are willing to be patient and wait until Gods promises come true.Read Romans 8:25. 10 The blessings that God promised to give through Abraham and his descendants are still being oered to people of all nations today. The anointed priests of Jehovah and the foreigners, or other sheep, are telling people around the world in over 600 languages that God is inviting them to learn about these blessings.
9

Jehovah views no one as a foreigner

LOVE PEOPLE OF ALL NATIONS

When Solomon dedicated the temple to Jehovah in the year 1026 before Christ, he said a prayer that helps
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9, 10. (a) How can we imitate Abraham? (b) What can we help people to do? 11. What did Solomon invite people of the nations to do?

us to see Jehovahs view of people of all nations. Solomon asked Jehovah to listen to the prayers of people of all nations who prayed toward the temple. This is one way they could benet from the promise Jehovah made to Abraham. Solomon prayed: Also to the foreigner, who is no part of your people Israel and who actually comes from a distant land by reason of your name (for they shall hear of your great name and of your strong hand and of your stretched-out arm), and he actually comes and prays toward this
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24

house, may you yourself listen from the heavens, your established place of dwelling, and you must do according to all that for which the foreigner calls to you; in order that all the peoples of the earth may get to know your name so as to fear you the same as your people Israel do.1 Kings 8:41-43. 12 A foreigner is a person who is visiting or living in a country that is not his own. Jehovahs Witnesses are like foreigners. They live in many countries around the world, but they support only Gods Kingdom in heaven and its King, Jesus Christ. So they do not get involved with the politics in the countries where they live, even when others think that they should do so. 13 It is sometimes possible to see that others are foreigners because of the way they speak, the customs they follow, the way they look, or even the way they dress. But the things that make people of all nations alike are much more important than any of these dierences. So when we learn not to think about the ways in which a person is dierent from us, we likely will not view him as a foreigner. If the whole earth had only one government or was only one country, then no one would be a foreigner. Jehovah originally wanted all humans to be one family under his rule. Will it ever be possible for people of all nations to stop viewing others as foreigners?
12. Why are Jehovahs Witnesses like foreigners in the countries where they live? 13. (a) In what way could we learn not to view a person as a foreigner? (b) How did Jehovah originally want all humans to view one another? DECEMBER 15, 2012

We live in a world where many people are selsh and think that their own nation is the best nation. But it is good to know that there are some who love people of all nations. Of course, it may take eort to change the way we think about other people. Ted Turner, who started the television network CNN, worked with talented people from around the world. He said: I came to see those from other countries not as foreigners, but as fellow citizens of the planet. He made a rule that his employees were not allowed to use the word foreign. Instead, they were supposed to use the word international. 15 Jehovahs Witnesses are the only group in the world who truly imitate Gods way of thinking about
14

Jehovahs Witnesses imitate Gods way of thinking about all people from all nations
all people from all nations. They have learned to view people as Jehovah views them, and as a result, they have changed the way they think and feel about others. They do not hate people who come from other countries or think that foreigners cannot be trusted. Jehovahs Witnesses enjoy seeing the variety in people and the dierent abilities people have. Have you thought about how special it is that
14, 15. What have Jehovahs Witnesses as a group been able to do?

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Jehovahs Witnesses as a group can do this and how good it has been for all of us to change our thinking about others?
A WORLD WHERE NO ONE WILL BE A FOREIGNER

Soon all the nations will ght against Gods rulership at the battle of Armageddon. (Revelation 16: 14, 16; 19:11-16) More than 2,500 years ago, the prophet Daniel foretold what would happen to human governments. He wrote: 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 indenite.Daniel 2:44. 17 Think about what this will mean for you. Right now, we can all be considered foreigners, since the world is divided into dierent nations with boundaries. But after Armageddon, there will be no boundaries. And even though people will still be dierent from one another, this will show the wonderful variety God put in his creation. Because we have such a happy future, we should continue to do our best to praise and honor our Creator. 18 Is it really possible for people around the world not to view others as foreigners? We can be truly condent that this will happen. Even now, Jeho16

vahs Witnesses do not think of others as foreigners. For example, the work of several of the smaller branch oces was recently assigned to branch ofces in other countries. The purpose of this was to make sure the preaching work is being done in the simplest way possible. (Matthew 24:14) These decisions were not based on the boundaries of the nations unless a law made it necessary to do so. Jesus Christ, the King of Gods Kingdom, is helping Jehovahs Witnesses not to be divided by national boundaries. Soon, he will end all national boundaries when he completes his conquest.Revelation 6:2. 19 Jehovahs Witnesses come from many nations and speak many languages. But they are united by the

Do you look forward to a world without boundaries where no one will be a foreigner?
truth and will never become divided. (Read Zephaniah 3:9.) They are one international family. Even though they have to live in a wicked world right now, they do not become a part of it. The fact that this family is now united is proof that in the new world, no one will be a foreigner. Then everyone on earth will be happy to view people from all races and nationalities as brothers.
19. What have Jehovahs people been able to

16, 17. What will life be like for you when Rev-

elation 16:16 and Daniel 2:44 are fullled?

18. What example shows that Jehovahs Wit-

nesses do not think of one another as foreigners?

do because of the truth?

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26

A man and a woman who live together and are studying the Bible want to get married so that they can get baptized. But the man is in the country illegally, and the government does not allow a person who lives in the country illegally to get married. May they sign the document called Declaration Pledging Faithfulness and then get baptized?
Even though that may seem to be a solution to their problem, it is not the right thing to do according to the Bible. To understand why, let us rst consider what a Declaration Pledging Faithfulness is and when it may be used. The Declaration Pledging Faithfulness is a document signed before witnesses by a couple who cannot get married legally for the reason explained in the following paragraphs. When they sign this document, they promise before God and human witnesses to be faithful to each other and to legalize their marriage if that becomes possible. The congregation then views the couples marriage the same as if they were in a legalized marriage. When is the Declaration Pledging Faithfulness used? To answer that, we rst need to understand how Jehovah views marriage and divorce. Jehovah made human marriage and views it as very serious. His Son said: What God has yoked together let no man put apart. (Matthew 19:5, 6; Genesis 2:22-24) He added: Whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, and marries another commits adultery. (Matthew 19:9) So fornicaDECEMBER 15, 2012

tion, or sexual immorality, is the only reason mentioned in the Bible to end a marriage. If, for example, a man has sex with someone who is not his wife, the wife can decide whether she wants to divorce him or not. If she chooses to divorce him, then she is free to marry someone else. Especially in the past, the main religion in some countries did not accept what the Bible says about divorce. Instead, it taught that divorce is always wrong. Religious leaders had so much power that the law in some countries today does not allow people to divorce, even for the reason mentioned by Jesus. In other countries, the law allows for divorce, but it is extremely dicult and complicated to get one. It might take many, many years. The main religion or the government in these places stops people from doing something that God allows them to do.Acts 11:17. For example, a couple may live in a country where it is impossible or extremely dicult to get a divorce. If they have done everything possible to end a previous marriage and, according to the Bible, are free to marry again,

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they may sign the Declaration Pledging Faithfulness. It is for countries like these that Jehovahs organization lovingly prepared this document. It is not a document to be used in countries where divorce is possible, even if it is a bit expensive or complicated to get. Some who live where divorce is possible have wanted to sign the Declaration Pledging Faithfulness and, in this way, avoid the trouble involved in getting a divorce. But that is not the right reason to use this document. Let us go back to the situation described in the question. The man and woman are living together and want to marry. Neither of them is married to anyone else. According to the Bible, they are both free to marry. This is not a situation in which either of them needs a divorce and cannot get one because of the law of the country. So the Declaration Pledging Faithfulness can-

not be used by this couple. The problem in their case is that the man is not in the country legally, and because of that, the government will not allow the marriage. (In many countries the authorities will allow a marriage even if the man or the woman or both of them are living in the country illegally.) So, what can this couple do? They might have to go to another country where they can legally get married. Or it may even be possible for them to get married in the country they live in if the man does what is needed to become a legal resident. So the couple can make the changes needed to obey both Gods laws and those of Caesar. (Mark 12:17; Romans 13:1) If they get legally married, they may be in a position to get baptized. Hebrews 13:4.

Beware of Superstitious Use of the Bible

THE word of God is alive and exerts power. (Hebrews 4:12) Those words of the apostle Paul show that Gods word has the power to touch hearts and to change peoples lives. During the apostasy that gained strength after the death of the apostles, people began to have wrong ideas about the power of the Bibles message. (2 Peter 2:1-3) Church leaders started to teach that the Bible had magical powers. Professor Harry Y. Gamble wrote that after the year 200, Church Father Origen taught that just the sound of holy words can help someone. Origen said that
DECEMBER 15, 2012

if words that are used in magic have power, then words inspired by God are even more powerful. John Chrysostom, who lived about 400 years after the birth of Christ, wrote that the Devil would not get near a house that had a Bible. He also wrote that some would hang verses of the Gospels around their necks as a way to protect themselves from harm. According to Professor Gamble, the Roman Catholic writer Augustine taught that it was all right for a person to sleep with the Gospel of John under his pillow to cure a headache. Because of these teachings, people started to use the Bible as if it had magical powers. What about you? Do you use the Bible to bring you good luck and to protect you? Many people use the Bible in another wrong way. They believe that if they open the Bible to any page, the rst verse they see will tell them what they need to do. For example, according to Professor Gamble, Augustine once heard a child in a nearby house say: Take and read, take and read. Augustine believed that God was telling him to open the Bible and read the rst verse that he saw. Do you know people who use the Bible that way to try to solve their problems? Of course, it is good that these people want to get help from the Bible. But this is not the right way to do it. Jesus promised his disciples that the holy spirit would bring back to their minds, or help them remember, the things they had learned from him. (John 14:26) So we get help from the Bible by using what we have already learned from it, not by just opening it to any page. Many people use the Bible in some magical way, hoping to get protection from harm, to solve their problems, or to learn the future. But the Bible says that it is wrong to use magic. (Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Acts 19:19) Gods Word can help us, but we must use it correctly. The Bible will not help us in some magical way. It is our study of the Bible that can help us have a better life. True knowledge of the Bible has helped many to know what is right and what is wrong, to stop bad habits, to have a happier family life, and to have a friendship with the Author of the Bible.

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The Simplified Watchtower Why Introduced?

FOR many years, people all over the world have beneted from the information in The Watchtower. In July 2011, the simplied study edition of The Watchtower in English was started. That issue explained: This new edition will be tried for one year, and if it is helpful, it will continue to be printed. Now, it is a pleasure to announce that we have decided to continue printing it. There will also be a simplied edition in French, Portuguese, and Spanish.
WHAT MANY LIKE ABOUT IT

Some in the South Pacic wrote that the simplied edition has helped the brothers there to understand The Watchtower much

better. A sister from another country wrote that she and her family used to spend a lot of time trying to nd the meaning of words in a dictionary and to understand expressions in the study articles. But now they use that time to understand the scriptures and the reason they are being used in the articles. A sister in the United States who studied at a university said that for 18 years, she spoke and wrote in a way that only people with a higher education could understand. She said: I developed a habit of speaking and thinking in a way that was more complicated than necessary. I realized I needed to make big changes in my way of thinking and speaking. The simplied Watchtower has helped
SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH EDITION

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The time spent trying to nd the meaning of words in a dictionary can now be used to understand the scriptures and the reason they are being used
her to become a better teacher of the Bible. She explained: The simplied Watchtower has proved to be a great help. Its language gives me an excellent example of how to put things simply. A sister in England who was baptized in 1972 wrote about the simplied Watchtower: When I read the very rst issue, I felt as though Jehovah were sitting beside me with his arm around my shoulders and we were reading it together. It was like an earthly father reading a bedtime story to his child. A sister who serves at Bethel in the United States and who was baptized more than 40 years ago said that the simplied edition has helped her to understand the Bible more clearly. For example, the box Some Expressions Explained in the September 15, 2011, issue described the expression cloud of witDECEMBER 15, 2012

nesses at Hebrews 12:1. It said: There were so many that they could not be counted. The sister said that this explanation made it much easier for her to understand this verse. She also wrote about the weekly Watchtower Study. She said that even if a child reads his answer from the simplied edition, the words are dierent from the standard edition. So his answer sounds interesting to the audience. Another sister at Bethel wrote that she now enjoys the comments of the children in the congregation even more. The simplied Watchtower has helped them to give answers from their heart. She added: Their expressions have been an encouragement to me. A sister who was baptized in 1984 wrote about how grateful she is for the simplied edition: I feel that it was written just for me. It really makes it easy to understand what I

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am reading. Now I have condence I can answer during the Watchtower Study.
A GREAT HELP FOR PARENTS

WHAT DO THE CHILDREN SAY?

A mother whose son is seven years old said that preparing the Watchtower Study with him was tiring because she had to spend a lot of time explaining sentences to him. How did the simplied edition help her? She is amazed at how easily her son can now read the paragraphs. And because the words are not dicult and the sentences are shorter, he understands and enjoys the article. She wrote: He has begun to prepare his comments for the meetings without my help, and his attention is focused on the magazine throughout the entire study. A mother whose daughter is nine years old wrote: Before we had to help her with her comments. Now she prepares her own. The parents hardly ever have to explain the information to their daughter because she can understand it. She now enjoys the Watchtower Study much more.

Many children feel that the simplified Watchtower has been made especially for them. Rebecca, who is 12 years old, wrote: Please keep the new edition going! She added: I love how you have the section Some Expressions Explained. It is very simple for kids. Nicolette, who is seven years old, feels the same way. She said: The Watchtower used to be hard for me to understand. I can now give more comments by myself. Emma, who is nine years old, wrote: It has been a great help to me and my brother, who is six. We are able to understand a lot better! Thank you! Clearly, many are beneting from an edition of The Watchtower that uses words and sentences they can easily understand. The simplied edition helps many to understand the Bible more clearly and will continue to be printed together with the standard edition that has helped so many since 1879.

One mother was amazed at how easily her son can now understand the article

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