Is being "Noble-Minded" for TRUE Christians?
I love the Beroeans! Use these quotes when discussing things with the Jehovah's Witnesses!
The Watchtower, October 01, 2001, Page 6:
Paul says that “from infancy” Timothy was taught “the holy writings” by his mother and grandmother. Does this suggest that some kind of brainwashing was involved? No! Timothy was not manipulated or deceived in any way. He was “persuaded to believe” what he heard and read.—2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14, 15.
Sarah Jayne became persuaded in the same way. Like the first-century Beroeans, she “received the word [from her parents and other teachers] with the greatest eagerness of mind.” As a little child, she no doubt put instinctive trust in what her parents told her. Later, as she grew up, she did not just blindly or passively accept everything she was taught. She ‘carefully examined the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.’—Acts 17:11.
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The Watchtower, August 01, 2001, Pages 4-6:
Why Do You Believe What You Believe?
WHY, though, would anyone want to change his religion or belief? “I have my own beliefs, and I am happy with them,” is the commonly expressed view. Many feel that even mistaken beliefs cause little harm to anyone. Someone who believes that the earth is flat, for example, is not likely to hurt himself or anyone else. “We should just agree to differ,” some say. Is that always wise? Would a doctor simply agree to differ if one of his colleagues continued to believe he could go straight from handling dead bodies in a morgue to examining sick patients in a hospital ward?
When it comes to religion, mistaken beliefs have historically caused great harm. [...]
Why is there so much confusion and conflict? The Bible’s answer is that Satan the Devil is “misleading the entire inhabited earth.” (Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 11:3) The apostle Paul warned that many religious people would, sadly, be “doomed to perish” because they would be deceived by Satan, who would “produce miracles and wonders calculated to deceive.” Such ones, said Paul, would “shut their minds to the love of truth which could have saved them” and would thus be ‘deluded into believing what is a lie.’ (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, The New Testament, by William Barclay) How can you minimize the possibility of believing a lie? Why, in fact, do you believe the way you do? [...]
The Scriptures encourage respect for what parents believe. (Proverbs 1:8; Ephesians 6:1) But did your Creator mean for you to believe things simply because your parents believe them? Unthinking adherence to what previous generations believed and did can, in fact, be dangerous.—Psalm 78:8; Amos 2:4.
A Samaritan woman who met Jesus Christ had been brought up to believe in her Samaritan religion. (John 4:20) Jesus respected her freedom to choose what she wanted to believe, but he also pointed out to her: “You worship what you do not know.” Many of her religious beliefs were, in fact, mistaken, and he told her that she would have to make changes in her beliefs if she was going to worship God acceptably—“with spirit and truth.” Rather than cling to what were no doubt cherished beliefs, she and others like her would, in time, have to become “obedient to the faith” revealed through Jesus Christ.—John 4:21-24, 39-41; Acts 6:7. [...]
Many teachers and authorities in specialized fields of knowledge deserve great respect. Yet, history is littered with examples of renowned teachers who were absolutely wrong. [...] A wise person, therefore, does not blindly believe that something is true simply because some authoritative teacher says it is.—Psalm 146:3.
The same caution is needed when it comes to religious education. The apostle Paul was well-educated by his religious teachers and was extremely “zealous for the traditions of [his] fathers.” His zeal for the traditional beliefs of his ancestors, however, actually created problems for him. It led to his “persecuting the congregation of God and devastating it.” (Galatians 1:13, 14; John 16:2, 3) Worse still, for a long time, Paul kept “kicking against the goads,” resisting the influences that should have led him to believe in Jesus Christ. It required a dramatic intervention by Jesus himself to move Paul to adjust his beliefs.—Acts 9:1-6; 26:14.
[...] there are powerful forces that can and frequently do manipulate the media. What is often presented is biased information that can insidiously affect your thinking.
Building on the ideas and philosophies of men is like building on sand. (Matthew 7:26; 1 Corinthians 1:19, 20) On what, then, can you confidently base your beliefs? Since God has given you intellectual capacity to investigate the world around you and to ask questions concerning spiritual matters, does it not make sense that he would also provide the means to get accurate answers to your questions? (1 John 5:20) Yes, of course he would! How, though, can you establish what is true, genuine, or real in matters of worship? We have no hesitation in saying that God’s Word, the Bible, provides the only basis for doing this.—John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
“But wait,” someone will say, “is it not the very ones who have the Bible who have caused the most conflict and confusion in world affairs?” Well, it is true that religious leaders who claim to follow the Bible have produced many confusing and conflicting ideas. This is because they have not, in fact, based their beliefs on the Bible. The apostle Peter describes them as “false prophets” and “false teachers” who would create “destructive sects.” As a consequence of their activities, says Peter, “the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively.” (2 Peter 2:1, 2) Still, writes Peter, “we have the prophetic word made more sure; and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place.”—2 Peter 1:19; Psalm 119:105.
The Bible encourages us to check our beliefs against what it teaches. (1 John 4:1) Millions of readers of this magazine can testify that doing so has added purpose and stability to their lives. So be like the noble-minded Beroeans. ‘Carefully examine the Scriptures daily’ before you decide what to believe. (Acts 17:11) Jehovah’s Witnesses will be happy to help you to do this. Of course, it is your decision as to what you want to believe. However, it is the course of wisdom to make sure that your beliefs are shaped, not by human wisdom and desires, but, rather, by God’s revealed Word of truth.—1 Thessalonians 2:13; 5:21.
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The Watchtower, July 01, 2001, Pages 19-20:
How did we build a strong faith in the first place? “Faith follows the thing heard,” writes the apostle Paul. (Romans 10:17) He means that we initially built our faith and confidence in Jehovah, his promises, and his organization by feeding on God’s Word. Of course, we did not just blindly believe all that we heard. We did what people living in the city of Beroea did. We ‘carefully examined the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.’ (Acts 17:11) We ‘proved to ourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God’ and made sure that what we had heard was true. (Romans 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:21) Since then, we have likely reinforced our faith as we have come to see ever more clearly that God’s Word and promises never fail.—Joshua 23:14; Isaiah 55:10, 11.
Avoid Spiritual Starvation
Now the challenge is to maintain our faith and to avoid any uncertainty of belief that can weaken our confidence in Jehovah and his organization. To do this we must continue to examine the Scriptures daily. The apostle Paul warns that “in later periods of time some [who may initially seem to have a strong faith] will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons.” (1 Timothy 4:1) These misleading utterances and teachings create doubts in the minds of some and alienate them from God. What is our protection? To continue being “nourished with the words of the faith and of the fine teaching which [we] have followed closely.”—1 Timothy 4:6.
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Jehovah's Witnesses -- Who Are They? Brochure, Pages 3-4:
It is of vital importance to them that their beliefs be based on the Bible and not on mere human speculations or religious creeds. They feel as did the apostle Paul when he expressed himself under inspiration: “Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar.” (Romans 3:4, New World Translation) When it comes to teachings offered as Biblical truth, the Witnesses strongly endorse the course followed by the Beroeans when they heard the apostle Paul preach: “They received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11) Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that all religious teachings should be subjected to this test of agreement with the inspired Scriptures, whether the teaching is offered by them or by someone else. They invite you—urge you—to do this in your discussions with them.
From this it is apparent that Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in the Bible as the Word of God. They consider its 66 books to be inspired and historically accurate. What is commonly called the New Testament they refer to as the Christian Greek Scriptures, and the Old Testament they call the Hebrew Scriptures. They rely on both of these, the Greek and the Hebrew Scriptures, and take them literally except where the expressions or settings obviously indicate that they are figurative or symbolic. They understand that many of the prophecies of the Bible have been fulfilled, others are in the course of fulfillment, and still others await fulfillment.
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We are sure that you have other questions about Jehovah’s Witnesses and their beliefs. Perhaps some issues are controversial in nature. We would like to answer your questions. Space is limited in this brochure, so we invite you to ask the Witnesses locally. You can do so either at their Kingdom Hall meetings or when they visit you in your home. Or you may send your questions to Watch Tower, using the appropriate address listed below.
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The Watchtower, May 15, 2000, Page 9:
After considering the foregoing points, what do you think? Is there real, convincing proof that the Gospels are mere myth? Many find the questions and doubts raised about the authenticity of the Gospels to be shaky and unconvincing. To form a personal opinion, you need to read the Gospels with an open mind. (Acts 17:11) When you consider the consistency, honesty, and accuracy with which the Gospels present the personality of Jesus, you will realize that these accounts are definitely not a collection of fables.
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The Watchtower, December 15, 1999, Page 29:
The Beroeans were more than good listeners; they were considered to be “noble-minded” because they examined the Scriptures daily. (Acts 17:10, 11) And Jesus Christ is the foremost example of one who knew and used God’s Word.—Matthew 4:1-11.
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The Watchtower, September 01, 1999, Page 14:
Why have some youths who were raised in Christian households followed false paths? Could it be that such ones have never ‘proved to themselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God’? (Romans 12:2) Some may attend meetings with their parents and be able to recite some of the basic teachings of the Bible. But when asked to give proof of their beliefs or to explain some of the deeper things of God’s Word, their knowledge proves to be disappointingly shallow. Such youths can easily be misled. (Ephesians 4:14) If this is true of you, why not resolve to make changes? One young sister recalls: “I did research. I asked myself, ‘How do I know that this is the right religion? How do I know that there is a God named Jehovah?’” Carefully examining the Scriptures convinced her that the things she had learned from her parents were really so!—Compare Acts 17:11.
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The Watchtower, July 01, 1999, Pages 14-15:
The Watchtower contains the principal spiritual food that is provided to build up Jehovah’s people worldwide. When you study The Watchtower as a family, do more than read paragraphs and answer printed questions. Earnestly seek understanding. Take time to look up scriptures that are cited but not quoted. Invite family members to comment on how these are related to what is stated in the paragraph under consideration. Get the heart involved.—Proverbs 4:7, 23; Acts 17:11.
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Awake!, October 22, 1998, Page 13:
Prove It to Yourself
At Romans 12:2, we find the advice of the apostle Paul: “Prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Just how can you do that? By gaining “the accurate knowledge of the truth.” (Titus 1:1) Ancient inhabitants of the city of Beroea did not accept without question the things they heard. On the contrary, they “carefully [examined] the Scriptures daily as to whether these things [they were learning] were so.”—Acts 17:11.
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The Watchtower, October 15, 1998, Pages 6-7:
Paul foresaw a drift away from the Scriptures. He warned Timothy: “There will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, . . . and they will turn their ears away from the truth.” He urged Timothy: “You, though, keep your senses in all things.” (2 Timothy 4:3-5) But how? One way is to be “noble-minded.” A Greek lexicon defines this Bible word as “a willingness to learn and evaluate something fairly.” Luke used this expression to describe Paul’s listeners in first-century Beroea. Paul’s teachings were new to them, and they did not want to be misled. Commending them, Luke wrote: “The [Beroeans] were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” Being noble-minded did not make the Beroeans skeptical, disinclined to believe in anything. Rather, the result of their honest inquiry was that “many of them became believers.”—Acts 17:11, 12.
Benefits of Living by the Bible
The early Christians were noted both for their adherence to the Bible and for their self-sacrificing love. Today, however, many people have “a form of godly devotion but [are] proving false to its power.” (2 Timothy 3:5) Any form of Christianity today that is not faithful to the original cannot have genuine power for good in people’s lives. Could this help to explain why, in the greater part of Christendom, we see increasing violence, immorality, family breakdown, and materialism? In some “Christian” lands, vicious ethnic wars are carried on even between members of the same religion.
Has the noble-minded spirit of the Beroeans died out? Is there any group of people today who believe in and live by the Bible?
The Encyclopedia Canadiana observes: “The work of Jehovah’s Witnesses is the revival and re-establishment of the primitive Christianity practised by Jesus and his disciples during the first and second centuries of our era.” Referring to the Witnesses, the New Catholic Encyclopedia notes: “They regard the Bible as their only source of belief and rule of conduct.”
No doubt this is a major reason why Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world are known for their spiritual prosperity, peace, and happiness. We therefore encourage our readers to learn more about the Bible’s spiritually healthful teachings. Greater knowledge can lead to even greater trust in the Bible and stronger faith in God. The eternal benefits of such faith are well worth the effort.
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The Watchtower, September 01, 1998, Pages 14-15:
How can a human organization be ruled by Jehovah, who dwells in the invisible heavens? (Psalm 103:19) In that those associated with it follow the inspired counsel: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6; 3:5) They allow God to rule them as they observe “the law of the Christ” and apply inspired Bible principles in their day-to-day lives. (Galatians 6:2; 1 Corinthians 9:21; 2 Timothy 3:16; see Matthew 5:22, 28, 39; 6:24, 33; 7:12, 21.) To do this, they have to be Bible students. (Psalm 1:1-3) Like the “noble-minded” Beroeans of old, they do not follow humans but constantly verify in the Bible the things that they are learning. (Acts 17:10, 11; Psalm 119:33-36) They pray like the psalmist: “Teach me goodness, sensibleness and knowledge themselves, for in your commandments I have exercised faith.”—Psalm 119:66.
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The Watchtower, March 01, 1998, Page 7:
is it possible to find a form of worship untainted by the bloodguilt, the murderous intolerance, and the other crimes that Christendom’s churches are apologizing for? Yes.
How can we do that? By applying the rule stated by Jesus Christ: “By their fruits you will recognize them.” The record of history, which some religions would like to be forgotten, helps us to identify not only those whom Jesus called “false prophets” but also those who have produced “fine fruit.” (Matthew 7:15-20) Who are these? We invite you to find out for yourself by examining the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. See who today is really trying to follow God’s Word rather than seeking to preserve a position of influence in the world.—Acts 17:11.
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The Watchtower, December 15, 1997, Page 10:
Nathaniel’s experience well illustrates that even youths raised by Christian parents must “buy truth.” They should not merely passively attend congregation meetings. Like the ancient Beroeans, they should ‘carefully examine the Scriptures daily as to whether these things are so.’ (Acts 17:11) This takes time and effort, but it can result in solid faith and conviction.—Compare Ephesians 3:17-19.
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The Watchtower, July 01, 1996, Page 26:
That day I opened the door and met Kay Munday, a pioneer, as full-time ministers of Jehovah’s Witnesses are called. She talked to me about God’s name, explaining that God has a personal name, Jehovah. After she left, I checked my Bible to confirm that what she had said was indeed supported by Bible texts. My research made me very happy.—Exodus 6:3, Douay Version, footnote; Matthew 6:9, 10; John 17:6.
When Kay called again, we discussed the Catholic doctrine of the Trinity, which claims that God is three persons in one God. Later I carefully examined my own Bible to satisfy myself that it does not teach the Trinity. (Acts 17:11) My study confirmed that Jesus is not as great as God. He was created. He had a beginning, whereas Jehovah did not. (Psalm 90:1, 2; John 14:28; Colossians 1:15-17; Revelation 3:14) Satisfied with what I was learning, I was happy to continue the Bible discussions.
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The Watchtower, May 15, 1996, Page 16:
God’s truth is a priceless treasure. Finding it requires digging, persistent searching of the Scriptures. Only as childlike pupils of the Grand Instructor do we gain wisdom and come to understand the reverential fear of Jehovah. (Proverbs 1:7; Isaiah 30:20, 21) Of course, we should prove things Scripturally. (1 Peter 2:1, 2) Jews in Beroea “were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things [said by Paul] were so.” The Beroeans were commended rather than rebuked for doing this.—Acts 17:10, 11.
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We must not take anything away from the Bible, for the whole body of Christian teachings in God’s Word is “the truth” or “the truth of the good news.” Adherence to this truth—“walking” in it—is vital for salvation. (Galatians 2:5; 2 John 4; 1 Timothy 2:3, 4)
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The Watchtower, May 01, 1996, Page 22:
Maintaining our confidence firm to the end requires spiritual activity in other fields. Personal study is another splendid faith-strengthening exercise. If we imitate the Beroeans and industriously examine the Scriptures daily, it will help us “to have the full assurance of the hope down to the end.” (Hebrews 6:11; Acts 17:11) True, personal study requires time and determination. Possibly, that is why Paul warned the Hebrews about the danger of being “sluggish,” or slothful, in such matters.—Hebrews 6:12.
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The Watchtower, December 01, 1995, Pages 4-7:
Traditions that conflict with truth are like polluted water supplies. We might innocently hold fast to traditions—information, opinions, beliefs, or customs handed down from one generation to the next—that have, in fact, been contaminated by “a witch’s brew” of false, misleading ideas and philosophies. Just like contaminated water, these may cause untold harm—spiritual harm.
Even if we feel that our traditional religious beliefs are based on the Bible, all of us should take the time to examine them carefully. Remember, when Martin Luther held to the traditional belief of the day and condemned Copernicus, he believed that he had the support of the Bible. Yet, Luther failed to follow the fine example of the ancient Beroeans who ‘were noble-minded in carefully examining the Scriptures as to whether these things were so.’—Acts 17:10, 11.
Think of the harm that traditional beliefs caused some of the Jews of Jesus’ day. They fervently believed that their traditions were true. When they protested that Jesus’ disciples did not keep the traditions, Jesus challenged them with the question: “Why is it you also overstep the commandment of God because of your tradition?” (Matthew 15:1-3) What had gone wrong? Jesus identified the problem when he quoted the words of the prophet Isaiah: “It is in vain that they keep worshiping [God], because they teach commands of men as doctrines.”—Matthew 15:9; Isaiah 29:13.
Yes, in place of truths that originated with God, they substituted ideas that originated with men or, worse still, that originated with the demons. For example, Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1, page 506, explains: “Pharisees at that time taught that once a person declared his possessions to be ‘corban,’ or a gift dedicated to God, he could not use these to satisfy the needs of his parents, however needy they might be, though he could make use of such possessions himself until his own death if he chose to do so.” The human wisdom that contaminated the waters of truth had bad effects on the Jews spiritually. The majority even rejected their long-hoped-for Messiah.
[...] Test the Traditions
In view of the dangers involved in blindly following traditional beliefs and customs, what should we do? Toward the end of the first century, the apostle John gave this advice to his fellow Christians: “Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions [just as you would test water for purity] to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.” (1 John 4:1; see also 1 Thessalonians 5:21.) How do you know whether a tradition is harmful? You need some kind of authority, some standard of purity, to test what you believe.
The Bible is such an authority. Jesus Christ stated: “Sanctify them by means of the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17) He also said: “The hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth.” (John 4:23) By using God’s inspired Word, you get to the pure waters of truth rather than the polluted waters of human and demonic philosophy.—John 8:31, 32; 2 Timothy 3:16.
Remember, even minute amounts of pollutants can have dire consequences. Sometimes it takes years before the effects show up. “Dirty water,” says Shridath Ramphal, former president of the World Conservation Union, “has become the world’s most dangerous killer. At least twenty-five thousand people die every day from their use of it.” Spiritually contaminated traditions are even more dangerous.
Do you have the courage to break free from traditional beliefs that you may have followed for years if it turns out that they conflict with the truth? Heed the warnings. Protect yourself and your family by making sure that your traditions harmonize with God’s pure Word of truth.—Psalm 19:8-11; Proverbs 14:15; Acts 17:11.
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The Watchtower, May 01, 1995, Pages 13-14:
2 Jehovah’s Witnesses greatly appreciate their Bible study aids, including The Watchtower, and they use these regularly. But they know that none of them take the place of the Bible itself. Back in 1909, Charles Taze Russell, the first president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, wrote to readers of the Watch Tower magazine: “Never forget that the Bible is our Standard and that however God-given our helps may be they are ‘helps’ and not substitutes for the Bible.”
3 The inspired Scriptures have a depth and a force that no other book has. “The word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and their marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) The disciple Luke warmly commended people of Beroea, calling them “more noble-minded.” They not only eagerly received the word as preached by the apostle Paul and his associate Silas but also ‘carefully examined the Scriptures daily’ to determine the Scriptural basis for what was being taught.—Acts 17:11.
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18 Of course, Bible reading should not replace your use of the excellent study material that has been made available through “the faithful and discreet slave.” That too is a part of Jehovah’s provision—a very precious one. (Matthew 24:45-47) Make sure that regular reading of the Word of God itself has a prominent place in your life. If at all possible, “READ GOD’S WORD THE HOLY BIBLE DAILY.”
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The Watchtower, November 01, 1994, Page 31:
Whatever our age, the Bible encourages us to “make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) This requires that we examine what the Scriptures say. (Acts 17:11)
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The Watchtower, October 01, 1994, Page 3:
The Bible is the Creator’s prime means of communicating his will and purpose to the human family, and it explains how we individually fit into that purpose. In it are recorded happenings of the past, and it gives a clear vision of the future. The Bible outlines correct doctrine and sets us straight as to what we should or should not believe. (Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17)
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The apostle Paul, an imitator of Jesus Christ, saw the need to teach others what the Scriptures contain. He too knew that they were meant to be understood. That is why he taught publicly and undoubtedly explained the Scriptures in the homes of those who wanted to understand them. Paul made his position known when he said: “You know that I did not hold back anything that would be of help to you as I preached and taught in public and in your homes.” (Acts 20:20, TEV) During his discussions he reasoned from the Scriptures, explaining and proving his points with references. (Acts 17:2, 3) He was interested in helping others understand the meaning of the Scriptures.
Do you have a longing to understand the things Jesus and his disciples taught? (1 Peter 2:2) The inhabitants of ancient Beroea had such a desire, and they were eager to believe what the apostle Paul was teaching them about the Christ. So they were encouraged to study the Scriptures daily and thus be assured that the good news they heard was indeed the truth. Because their minds were receptive, “many of them became believers.”—Acts 17:11, 12.
To understand the Bible, one has to have the right heart condition, a sincere desire to learn, and a ‘consciousness of one’s spiritual need.’ (Matthew 5:3) When Jesus was asked: “Why is it you speak to them by the use of illustrations?” he answered: “To you it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the kingdom of the heavens, but to those people it is not granted.” It was foretold that he would ‘open his mouth with illustrations and publish things hidden.’ (Matthew 13:10, 11, 35) So Jesus spoke by means of illustrations to separate the casual and curious listener from the sincere inquirer. Jesus’ disciples showed their sincerity on one occasion when they went along with him into a house and said: “Explain to us the illustration of the weeds in the field.”—Matthew 13:36.
It is obvious that we need help if we are to understand the Bible. Clergyman Hal Llewellyn, the United Church’s secretary of theology, faith, and ecumenism, said: “It is very important to clarify what the Bible means to us and how it is read and interpreted.” But even if not all realize it, the fact is that we cannot understand the Bible on our own. We need help.
What Help Is Available?
There are in the Bible some puzzling sayings, perplexing questions, and profound statements that require unraveling. They may be intentionally obscure, employing meaningful comparisons that were not meant to be understood at the time they were written. But they did involve Jehovah’s purposes. For example, Revelation 13:18 says that “the number of the wild beast” is “six hundred and sixty-six.” While the verse says that “here is where wisdom comes in,” it does not explain the significance of that number. Jehovah, through his organization, however, has allowed his loyal servants to understand its meaning today. (See box, “Channel to Understanding the Bible.”) You too can gain this understanding with the assistance of those who are experienced in “handling the word of the truth aright.”—2 Timothy 2:2, 15, 23-25; 4:2-5; Proverbs 2:1-5.
Jesus sometimes used illustrations to show the response or lack of response to the Kingdom message. He indicated that some would not progress because of their being discouraged by opposition from friends and relatives. Others would allow “tribulation or persecution” to destroy their appreciation of the Kingdom message. Still others would permit the everyday affairs of life, “the anxiety of this system of things and the deceptive power of riches,” to crowd out whatever love they may have for the good news. On the other hand, there are those who gladly respond and are willing to hear the precious word and get the sense of it. They are “sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done” in Christendom, supposedly in the name of Jesus Christ. Such ones are anxious to be instructed in Jehovah’s way and therefore to understand what they are reading in the Bible.—Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23; Ezekiel 9:4; Isaiah 2:2-4.
To those who want to gain insight into Jehovah’s purposes on an individual basis, Jehovah can see to it that the necessary assistance is provided. To illustrate, the Bible reports that Jehovah’s spirit directed the evangelist Philip to assist an Ethiopian man who was considering the Bible book of Isaiah as he traveled from Jerusalem. On his way home, he was reading it in his chariot. In obedience to the leading of Jehovah’s holy spirit, Philip ran alongside the chariot and asked: ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ The man was humble and honest enough to admit that he needed help. Philip gladly instructed this spiritually hungry and teachable person. The instruction helped him to understand the Scriptures. He learned what he now had to do to enjoy a favored relationship with Jehovah in order to gain everlasting life. He became a happy, baptized servant of Jehovah, who pursued a life that was pleasing to God.—Acts 8:26-39.
You may have a Bible in your home, and you may have read it many times. Very likely you have experienced the same problem as the sincere, humble Ethiopian experienced. He could not understand what he read. He needed help and did not hesitate to accept the assistance that Jehovah God was pleased to provide. Like Philip, Jehovah’s Witnesses are happy to assist you in understanding the things about God that are written in his Word, the Bible. They know that Jehovah provided the Bible and meant that it should be understood.—1 Corinthians 2:10; Ephesians 3:18; 2 Peter 3:16.
[Box on page 8]
CHANNEL TO UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE
JESUS assured us that after his death and resurrection, he would raise up a “faith-ful and discreet slave” that would serve as his channel of communication. (Matthew 24:45-47) The apostle Paul identified this channel to the Ephesian Christians when he wrote that “there might be made known through the congregation the greatly diversified wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose that he formed in connection with the Christ, Jesus our Lord.” (Ephesians 3:10, 11) It was the congregation of anointed Christians, born at Pentecost 33 C.E., that was entrusted with the “things revealed.” (Deuteronomy 29:29) As a group, anointed Christians serve as the faithful and discreet slave. (Luke 12:42-44) Their appointed assignment from God is to provide spiritual understanding of the “things revealed.”
Even as Bible prophecy pointed forward to the Messiah, it also directs us to the close-knit body of anointed Christian Witnesses that now serve as the faithful and discreet slave. [Footnote: See The Watchtower, March 1, 1981, pages 24-30.] It helps us to understand the Word of God. All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the “greatly diversified wisdom of God” can become known only through Jehovah’s channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave.—John 6:68.
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The Watchtower, May 15, 1994, Pages 5-6:
The Theocratic Ministry School Guidebook says: “Your personal schedule should include time for reading the Bible itself. There is great value in reading it right through from cover to cover. . . . However, your goal in reading should never be just to cover material, but to get the overall viewpoint of it with the intention of remembering. Take time to ponder on what it says.”
Other publications produced by Jehovah’s Witnesses likewise encourage the reading of the Bible. For example, in this journal’s companion magazine, Awake!, appeared the following encouragement for young people: “Have you read . . . the Bible all the way through? Yes, the Bible is a big book, but why not break down the reading of it into small portions? . . . The ‘noble-minded’ Beroeans ‘carefully examined the Scriptures daily.’ (Acts 17:11) If you follow a daily schedule of reading just 15 minutes a day . . . , you could complete the reading of the Bible within a year.” Yes, Jehovah’s Witnesses feel that modern-day Christians should be well acquainted with the Scriptures, just as God’s servants were in ancient times.
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The Watchtower, April 01, 1993, Page 26:
A Bible study by correspondence was arranged. A short time later, Monica sent her letter of resignation to the Anglican Church. In reply she got a note from the priest: “Don’t listen to the JW’s. They are shallow in their Bible understanding. I will come to discuss the matter with you.” To date, the priest has not turned up. Meanwhile, Monica was baptized in 1975. A year later, her husband, now affectionately called Uncle Eugene by the brothers, was also baptized after he had carefully scrutinized the Scriptures. (Acts 17:10, 11) Though they live 12 hours by canoe from the nearest congregation in Charity, they remain active Kingdom publishers to this day.
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The Watchtower, November 01, 1992, Page 16:
True Christians are interested in education, not for its own sake, but in order to become more effective servants of Jehovah. Christ gave all Christians the mission to “make disciples of people of all the nations, . . . teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) To teach others, they themselves must first learn, and this requires good study methods. They must have the ability to examine the Scriptures carefully. (Acts 17:11) To fulfill their commission, they also need to be able to read fluently.—See Habakkuk 2:2; 1 Timothy 4:13.
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The Watchtower, November 01, 1991, Page 21:
Examine the Scriptures
At Acts chapter 17, verse 11, people are called “noble-minded” because they were “carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so,” things taught by the apostle Paul. They were encouraged to use the Scriptures to confirm the teachings even of an apostle. You should do the same.
Keep in mind that the Scriptures are “inspired of God” and are to be used for “setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) So the Bible is complete in doctrinal matters. If the Trinity doctrine is true, it should be there.
We invite you to search the Bible, especially the 27 books of the Christian Greek Scriptures, to see for yourself if Jesus and his disciples taught a Trinity.
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The Watchtower, September 15, 1990, Pages 6-7:
Search for the Whole Truth
The city of Beroea (now called Véroia) in ancient Macedonia is well-known to Bible readers because of the commendable attitude of its first-century inhabitants. What was that attitude? The record says: “They received the word [preached by the apostle Paul] with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” The result? “Many of them became believers, and so did not a few of the reputable Greek women and of the men.”—Acts 17:11, 12.
No less meritorious was the attitude of God’s prophets of old. They made “a diligent inquiry and a careful search” concerning the salvation that was to come through the Messiah. (1 Peter 1:10) God blessed their efforts. Obviously, then, there is no shortcut. Persistently searching for and carefully examining teachings—this is the way to get the whole truth from the Bible!
You may wonder, ‘Where should I start?’ After reading some Christian publications, one woman living in Brazil wrote: “We [she and her husband] soon realized that we needed more of that kind of knowledge, to get the answers to the many questions we had . . . Please, how can I get a Bible and other books that will help me to know more about our heavenly Father?” She was on the right track: reading the Bible along with truthful Bible-based literature. If you too want the whole truth, open your heart to Jehovah God and ask for his help. And please note these encouraging words: “If any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him keep on asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching; and it will be given him. But let him keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all.”—James 1:5, 6.
Millions of people are discussing the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, thus making a diligent inquiry and a careful search for the truth. Taking in and applying such accurate knowledge of the true God and of Jesus Christ means everlasting life. (John 17:3) That can be your grand blessing if you search diligently and get the whole truth.
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The Watchtower, August 15, 1990, Page 29:
In what sense did the Jews in Beroea ‘carefully examine’ the Scriptures? (Acts 17:11)
It was not that the Beroeans doubted Paul and the message that he brought to them, but they did research to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. That many of them became believers shows that their motive was genuine. (Acts 17:12)—6/15, page 18.
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The Watchtower, August 01, 1990, Page 17:
Overcoming Obstacles to Baptism
8 What could stand in your way? The preceding article showed that some might find personal study to be a problem. God gave us wonderful minds, and he expects us to use them in serving him. Some people who had not even learned to read applied themselves to that task in order to learn more about God and his purposes. What about you? If you already know how to read, do you really study, as the Beroeans did, “carefully examining the Scriptures daily” to see if these things are so? Have you explored “the breadth and length and height and depth” of the truth? Have you dug deeply enough into God’s Word? Have you found out how exciting it really is? Have you developed a real desire to know God’s will? Do you have a genuine hunger for the truth?—Acts 17:10, 11; Ephesians 3:18.
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The Watchtower, June 15, 1990, Page 18:
Paul and Silas next went to the city of Beroea. (17:10-15) There the Jews ‘carefully examined’ the Scriptures, as Jehovah’s Witnesses encourage people to do today. Those Beroeans did not doubt Paul but did research to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. The result? Many Jews and some Greeks (perhaps proselytes) became believers. When Jews from Thessalonica agitated the masses, the brothers escorted Paul to the coast, where some of his party may have boarded a ship for Piraeus (modern-day Piraiévs), the port city of Athens.
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The Watchtower, February 01, 1990, Page 7:
Hence, thinking people need not be overawed by scholarly opinions to the effect that you cannot believe the Bible. However, this does not in itself prove that you can believe it. For that, you need to do what many of the Bible’s critics have not done—open the Bible for yourself, and read it with an open mind. (Acts 17:11) Some years ago, an Australian scriptwriter, who used to be a critic of the Bible, confessed: “For the first time in my life I did what is normally a reporter’s first duty: checked my facts. . . . And I was appalled, because what I was reading [in the Gospel accounts] was not legend and it was not naturalistic fiction. It was reporting. First and second-hand accounts of extraordinary events. . . . Reporting has a taste, and that taste is in the Gospels.”
We encourage you to follow his example. Read the Bible for yourself. When you consider the deep wisdom of the Bible, the way its prophecies are fulfilled, and its astounding unity, you will realize that it is more than just a collection of unscientific myths. (Joshua 23:14) When you see for yourself the way the wisdom of the Bible can change your life for the better, you will have no doubt whatsoever that the Bible is God’s Word. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) Yes, you can believe the Bible!—John 17:17.
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The Watchtower, August 01, 1989, Pages 6-7:
In Beroea, in northern Greece, he found some meekhearted ones who were a fine example of how to listen to counsel. These ones recognized the ring of truth in Paul’s words. Hence, “they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind.” But they were open-minded, not gullible. They ‘carefully examined the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.’ (Acts 17:11) They liked what they heard, although they checked its authenticity with the Bible before completely accepting it.
“Make Sure of All Things”
In our day, Jehovah’s Witnesses spend much time endeavoring to share the good news of the Kingdom with their neighbors belonging to other religions. What response do the Witnesses get? Many friendly persons are happy to receive them. But a number refuse, and some even get angry because the Witnesses call.
This is sad, for what Jehovah’s Witnesses want to talk about is called “good news” in the Bible. (Matthew 24:14) Moreover, they encourage the attitude of the apostle Paul, who said: “Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) Even if someone has strong opinions, surely, like the Beroeans and the Samaritan woman, that one should be open-minded enough to talk about God with others.
Why Be Open-Minded?
[...] they gain a relationship with God, so that they can pray to him earnestly as “Our Father in the heavens.” (Matthew 6:9) And they gain a sure, unbreakable hope for the future as they experience the truth of Jesus’ words: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”—John 17:3.
This is the kind of information that Jehovah’s Witnesses want to discuss when they pursue their ministry and visit their neighbors. Likely, they will be visiting you again soon. Will you be open-minded enough to listen to them?
The Samaritan woman did not let prejudice prevent her from listening to Jesus. Are you equally open-minded?
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The Watchtower, July 01, 1989, Page 27:
17 The bride class highly values what is pictured by the ten camels. The number ten is used in the Bible to denote perfection or completeness as related to things on earth. The ten camels may be compared to the complete and perfect Word of God, by means of which the bride class receives spiritual sustenance and spiritual gifts. (John 17:17; Ephesians 1:13, 14; 1 John 2:5) Commenting on Rebekah’s watering of the camels, The Watchtower of November 1, 1948, made this application to the bride class: “They lovingly consider the Word of God which bears much of his spirit to them. They take an interest in his written Word, serving it and freshening it up by attending upon it and displaying a sincere concern for its message and purpose, seeking to believe it.” As an example of this, the remnant of the bride class has lovingly made available to millions the fresh, up-to-date New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Whether this fine translation is available in your language or not, do you show appreciation by regularly examining the Bible along with study aids provided by the bride class?—2 Timothy 3:16.
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The Watchtower, January 15, 1989, Pages 6-7:
Nevertheless, there were people willing to look beyond their prejudices. For example, how did residents of Beroea respond to the good news preached by the apostle Paul and his associate Silas? Regarding the Beroeans, the Bible writer Luke said: “The latter were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11) Are you “noble-minded” like the Beroeans?
[...] we should be selective about accepting new ideas. We would do well to imitate the Beroeans by “carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things [taught by Paul] were so.” (Acts 17:11) The Greek word here rendered “examining” means to “make careful and exact research as in legal processes.” (Word Pictures in the New Testament, by A. T. Robertson) Rather than blindly accepting every new idea presented to us, we need to do careful and exact research, just as a judge would in hearing a legal case.
If we are selective, we will not be swayed by every passing fad or by new ideas that are really harmful. [...]
Happily, God has provided a touchstone that can be used to test new ideas. It is his inspired Word, the Bible. Applying its guidelines to family life and human relationships will help us to check many of the new ideas heard today from sociologists, psychologists, and others who claim expertise in these fields. (Ephesians 5:21–6:4; Colossians 3:5-14) The Bible’s counsel regarding our relationship with God and neighbor gives us a means of checking many of the novel ideas now being spread on the subject of religion. (Mark 12:28-31) Accurate Bible knowledge will equip us to determine whether a new idea is of real value or not. We will then be able to ‘make sure of all things and hold fast to what is fine.’—1 Thessalonians 5:21.
Jehovah’s Witnesses visit their neighbors to encourage them to learn about the Bible and thus be able to judge new ideas properly. The Witnesses also point out Bible thoughts that are new to many. Among these is the truth about the times we are living in and what the future really holds for mankind. (Matthew 24:3-44; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Revelation 21:3, 4) So do not adopt a seclusionist attitude when the Witnesses call at your home. Rather, why not open your door and listen to what they have to say? Do not close your mind to ideas that can be of eternal benefit to you.
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The Watchtower, June 01, 1988, Page 15:
ACCURATE knowledge of God and his Son, Jesus Christ, is vital for those who want everlasting life. “[God’s] will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) Such knowledge from God’s inspired Word, the Bible, will equip us to know who God is and what our obligations are toward him. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 1 John 2:17) It will also enable us properly to identify Jesus Christ and our relationship to him.—Psalm 2:12; Philippians 2:5-11.
2 Without accurate knowledge, we may become ensnared by false teachings promoted by God’s opposer, Satan the Devil, who is “a liar and the father of the lie.” (John 8:44) Therefore, if a doctrine contradicts God’s Word, if it is a lie, then believing it and teaching it discredits Jehovah and brings us into opposition to him. So we need to examine the Scriptures carefully to distinguish truth from falsehood. (Acts 17:11) We do not want to be like those who are “always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth.”—2 Timothy 3:1, 7.
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The Watchtower, March 15, 1987, Pages 30-31:
Even as Christians were opposed in the first century C.E., so there are present-day opposers who try to close the ears of interested people to the Scriptural truths Jehovah’s Witnesses are teaching. Friends, relatives, and religious leaders often try desperately to discourage interested ones from studying the Bible with the Witnesses. Without Scriptural proof, the opposers contradict what is taught and make false accusations.
What should interested people do? Should they permit the words of opposers to close their minds and ears as some did in Antioch? Or should they prove to themselves from the Bible whether what they are studying is the truth or not?
The receptive people in the city of Beroea were commended because they examined the Scriptures to see if what Paul told them was the truth. Upon finding that he spoke the truth, they took a firm stand for it. We are told: “The [Beroeans] were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.”—Acts 17:10, 11.
The people of Beroea did not permit the statements of opposers to close their minds to the good news. Rather, they examined the Scriptures daily to confirm that the things they heard were truthful. They had found a valuable treasure and were not going to let opposers turn them away from it. Would this not be the reasonable course to take with regard to the same good news that Jehovah’s Witnesses proclaim today? [...]
Those accepting the Kingdom message have proved to their satisfaction that it is the truth, and they are determined to hold on to it.
So why be like those of the first century who permitted others to turn them away from the life-giving Scriptural truths that came to them through the unpopular followers of Jesus Christ? Instead, continue studying the Bible with the Witnesses, using the written Word of God to prove to your own satisfaction that what you are learning is indeed the truth. (John 8:32) And with God’s help cling to the truth.
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The Watchtower, February 01, 1987, Pages 27-29:
Our prospects for eternal life depend upon our learning about Jehovah God. (John 17:3) The Bible tells us that he wants us to inquire about him, to “grope for him and really find him.” (Acts 17:23, 24, 27) If we suppress our curiosity or fail to allow it to develop, our advancement will be very slow. In fact, a lack of interest in spiritual things can be fatal.—Psalm 119:33, 34; Hosea 4:6.
Accordingly, Jehovah’s people from ancient times have always had stressed to them the need for instruction and learning in order to satisfy a proper desire to learn. (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7; 31:12; 2 Chronicles 17:9) Jesus the Messiah was the greatest teacher ever on earth. (Matthew 9:35) His disciples followed his example. Even when facing opposition, they “continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news.” (Acts 5:42) Such teaching stirred up interest in inquiring minds. Many were like the Beroeans, who responded with “the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.”—Acts 17:11.
Similarly, many of the activities of the modern Christian congregation are centered around teaching. Thus, the congregation fulfills a primary purpose for its existence, namely, to promote and satisfy a desire to learn about Jehovah and his purposes. This kind of curiosity is wholesome and beneficial. [...]
Does this mean that Christians are narrow-minded, unwilling to listen to other people’s opinions? No, that is not the point. Rather, they are counseled to avoid opening their minds to things that can cause them grief later. Just imagine how different history might have been if Eve had refused to indulge her curiosity by listening to the deceitful words of Satan the Devil! (Genesis 3:1-6) The apostle Paul warned the Ephesian elders of “wolves” who, manifesting the same spirit that Satan had manifested toward Eve, “speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20:29, 30) They use “counterfeit words” designed to “exploit” us. These words express thoughts that are poisonous to the spirituality of a Christian.—2 Peter 2:3.
If you knew that a certain drink was poisonous, would you drink it out of curiosity to see what it tasted like, or to see whether your body was strong enough to handle the poison? Of course not. Similarly, is it wise to open your mind to words that are purposely designed to deceive you and draw you away from the truth? Hardly! [...]
So, like many other things in life, our curiosity can be a blessing or a curse. Properly directed, it can uncover priceless gems of knowledge that bring joy and refreshment. A healthy curiosity about our Creator, his will, and his purposes can be profoundly satisfying and beneficial. An unbridled, morbid curiosity can lure us into a morass of speculation and human theories wherein genuine faith and godly devotion cannot survive. Hence, when your curiosity threatens to lead you into something questionable, “be on your guard that you may not be led away . . . and fall from your own steadfastness.”—2 Peter 3:17.
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The Watchtower, July 01, 1986, Pages 24-25:
today, those who get baptized are persons who have studied the Scriptures and reasoned carefully on them before taking the serious step of baptism, or total immersion in water. (Acts 17:11, 12) Theirs has not been a hasty, emotional decision. On the contrary, before being accepted for baptism, they have regularly attended Christian meetings with a view to acquiring accurate knowledge of Jehovah God and his purposes through Christ Jesus. (Hebrews 10:25) They have also participated regularly in the Christian ministry, sharing the Kingdom good news with others. (Acts 5:42; 1 Corinthians 9:16) Then, in the final weeks before their baptism, they have carefully reviewed with various congregation elders more than 120 questions about Christian teaching and conduct, as well as considered hundreds of supporting Bible texts—all of this to become approved integrity keepers prior to their baptism.—Acts 8:34-36.
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The Watchtower, May 15, 1986, Page 19:
The Beroeans examined God’s Word daily. (Acts 17:10, 11) Theirs is a good example. Regular study will soon become interesting, and likely you will come to look forward to it, not having to force yourself to do it.
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The Watchtower, September 15, 1985, Page 30:
First, it must be remembered that the burden of a public Bible talk obviously is to be borne by the scriptures used by the speaker. If you are privileged to give such a talk, you should have a good knowledge of your subject and should be able to quote scriptures, read them well, and apply them properly. On the day of Pentecost, 33 C.E., the apostle Peter repeatedly referred to the Scriptures in support of his remarks. (Acts 2:14-41) The Beroeans were satisfied that Paul had based his remarks solidly on the Scriptures. (Acts 17:10, 11) And Apollos “demonstrated by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ,” the long-looked-for Messiah.—Acts 18:28.
Of course, the Scriptural basis for a public talk is furnished in the outline provided by the Watch Tower Society. Yet, the speaker can use additional or parallel scriptures, provided they apply equally well and that this is not done excessively. In this regard, the Christian minister must be careful to keep up with the increasing spiritual light. For example, a speaker might incorrectly apply 1 Corinthians 2:9 to the future earthly Paradise, whereas the context (verses 7 and 10) shows that it applies to the deeper things of God’s wisdom.
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The Watchtower, June 01, 1984, Pages 9-11:
Knowledge Builds Faith
7 Faith is an act of trust. It is based on accurate knowledge and experience. The more you know about God and the more experience you have with his Word and his ways, the stronger your faith will be. The Bible says: “Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for.” (Hebrews 11:1) How could your faith be assured if you had only a shallow knowledge of what Jehovah has done? God gave you intellect, intelligence and the ability to understand. These are gifts, and he expects you to use them in learning about him. If you write a letter to someone, you expect him to read it, not just put it on a shelf or leave it on a table as an ornament. Have you read and studied God’s letters to us—his written Word? By studying and understanding it you will learn things you would not otherwise know. It is important to remember the value of the information that the Bible provides. One Christian elder said: “Persons who express doubts usually don’t study very much. They don’t know a lot about the Bible—they never really make the truth their own.”
8 When someone raises a question that you cannot answer, should this trouble your faith? Of course not. No one knows everything. So, do research. Examine the text. Read the surrounding verses and verify the matter. The Comprehensive Concordance of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, the book Aid to Bible Understanding and the Watch Tower Publications Indexes can help you to find related texts, background information and a discussion of the subject. More experienced Christians can also help. A Witness with years of experience said: “I have never failed to get a satisfactory answer.”
9 We should be like the Beroeans who are spoken highly of in the Bible because they were “carefully examining the Scriptures daily” to make sure that the things the apostle Paul taught were true. They were not disappointed in what they found. Thus, “many of them became believers.” One of their number, named Sopater, had the privilege of traveling with Paul through Macedonia on that apostle’s third missionary tour.—Acts 17:10-12; 20:4.
Humility Essential
10 Knowledge is not an end in itself. Instead, it is a tool that should help us to appreciate Jehovah God and his Word. Accurate knowledge, combined with love, should prompt humility, not an exaggerated opinion of our own importance. Some people study, not to learn how to serve God better, but to exalt themselves and their own opinions. They may get puffed up and criticize others—older brothers and even the Christian congregation and the body of Bible truth that it teaches.—Proverbs 16:5; 1 Corinthians 8:1.
11 However, we have nothing that we did not get from some other source. We inherited our intelligence from our parents, but originally it was given to humankind by our Creator, Jehovah God. Our knowledge came through those who helped us, from things we read and from God who is the source of truth. In fact, everything that we have originally came from God. The apostle wrote: “For who makes you to differ from another? Indeed, what do you have that you did not receive? If, now, you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as though you did not receive it?”—1 Corinthians 4:7.
12 Jehovah does not judge us by the intelligence we inherited but by our humility and by our willingness to learn his way and to follow it. Humility and faith go together. The Bible says that it is “the meek ones” whom God will teach his way. It also states: “God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.”—Psalm 25:9; James 4:6.
13 Humility involves a willingness to be corrected. The apostles Peter and Thomas were outstanding examples of this. Peter was foremost in speaking, but this was matched by his being most frequently corrected, reproved or even rebuked. Yet Peter was a zealous, active doer, and his faith, initiative and courage are outstanding examples for all of us. Thomas did not believe that Jesus had been resurrected, but when brought face-to-face with the evidence, he accepted it immediately. Do we show similar humility when our mistakes or misunderstandings are corrected by the Scriptures?—John 20:24-29.
Test Your Faith
14 One Christian elder, who has been in the truth for a long time, often asks himself why his faith is still strong while some people whom he used to know have drifted away. He says that he has always kept Paul’s counsel in mind: “Keep testing whether you are in the faith, keep proving what you yourselves are.” (2 Corinthians 13:5) Often as this elder drives to work he tests himself, reviewing Bible truths in his mind. He imagines a discussion of these truths, mentally making himself explain them and defend them before all kinds of people. This brother points out that public talks at the Kingdom Hall often reestablish in our minds the fact that the Bible truly is the Word of God. But he asks: “How would we know these things if we hadn’t been at the meetings where they were discussed?” Regularly he asks himself about God’s goodness and His organization. This Christian overseer includes appreciation of these in his prayers and says: “I thank Jehovah for his having allowed me to stay with his people.” Could you benefit from applying similar tests to see if you really are “in the faith”?
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The Watchtower, December 15, 1983, Page 15:
What is involved in our ‘believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and getting saved’? (Acts 16:30, 31)
This is more than just a brief, emotional experience. It involves learning the truth of God’s Word, studying the Scriptures regularly and applying them in our life. (Acts 2:41, 42; 17:11) It also involves accepting Jesus Christ as our Ransomer and obeying him, recognizing him as Jehovah’s King and Vindicator. (1 Timothy 2:5, 6; Hebrews 5:9; Revelation 7:10)—8/15, pages 6-8.
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The Watchtower, August 15, 1983, Page 6:
“Sirs, what must I do to get saved?” asked a frightened jailer of the first century when he saw that all his prisoners, including the apostle Paul and his companion Silas, had miraculously been let loose. The answer was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will get saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:30, 31) What was involved in ‘believing on the Lord Jesus and getting saved’? Was it just a matter of expressing belief and having faith in Jesus as “the savior of the world”? We can discern what was involved by looking at the Bible record of the thousands of persons saved during the first century C.E.
Some vital steps for those who at that time were saved are indicated in the inspired book of Acts. We read: “They received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” “Therefore those who embraced his word heartily were baptized . . . And they continued devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles.”—Acts 17:11; 2:41, 42.
It is evident from this divine record that being saved involved learning the truth of God’s Word, studying the Scriptures regularly and applying them to their lives. Those who were saved back then did not feel that a daily study of the Bible would indicate that they were fanatics or unbalanced. Rather, their study of the Bible led to a complete change in outlook on life, in their habits and customs. It meant a whole new way of life, a very happy one.
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The Watchtower, June 15, 1982, Page 20:
The Beroeans ‘are more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they receive the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether the things they are being told are truly so.’ (Acts 17:10, 11) Should this not prompt us to be diligent students of God’s Word—modern-day Beroeans as it were?
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The Watchtower, March 15, 1982, Page 22:
Loyally advocating God’s Word and indicating that they were active in circulating it in print, the name of their agency was changed in 1896 to Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. In 1902 the Society gained possession of Wilson’s The Emphatic Diaglott and supervised its distribution. In 1907 the Society published an edition of the King James Version, which they called the Berean Bible, named after the early Berean Christians who ‘carefully examined the Scriptures daily to see whether the things the apostle Paul told them were actually so.’ (Acts 17:11) It had an appendix of over 700 pages consisting of comments on individual scriptures, lists of scriptures in support of some 40 prominent Bible themes and a 100-page concordance. In 1926 the Society began printing The Emphatic Diaglott on its own presses at Brooklyn. In 1942 the Society published an edition of the King James Version with many valuable study helps, and in 1944 it published the American Standard Version, with similar study helps, and which version faithfully rendered the name Jehovah according to the original Hebrew text.
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The Watchtower, August 15, 1981, Page 28:
12 The “change to a pure language” has been hard for some to make. It is not easy to come out of the world, with its easygoing, permissive ways, and to make the sacrifices necessary for ‘calling upon the name of Jehovah.’ It has required our getting rid of wrong thoughts, bad habits and self-seeking, loose ways of life, in order to conform to the clean, worthwhile standards of God’s own people. (Eph. 4:17, 18, 29; 1 Pet. 4:3) It has required our giving proper recognition to the one organization that Jehovah is using in the earth today, and this by our associating with the “faithful and discreet slave.” It has required meekness, in our “carefully examining” God’s Word with the aid of that ‘slave’s’ publications, in order to fortify our faith.—Matt. 24:45; Acts 17:11.
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The Watchtower, March 01, 1981, Page 30:
These are only some of the Scriptural views identifying the one, true congregation of Jehovah’s people today. But they furnish a basis for urging all our readers to associate actively with a congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. You are encouraged also to keep studying the Bible with this magazine and companion publications in hand, carefully comparing what you learn with the Holy Scriptures. (Acts 17:11) In this way, you may continue to be spiritually well fed with “food at the proper time” and may share the happiness of the “faithful and discreet slave” in rendering Jehovah acceptable sacred service.
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The Watchtower, February 15, 1981, Pages 18-19:
To help us to understand God’s Word in these “last days,” Jehovah God has lovingly provided a visible organization under Christ—the “faithful and discreet slave.” The way Jehovah God has prospered the activities carried on under its direction can leave no doubt in the minds of dedicated Christians as to Jehovah God’s approval being upon it.—Matt. 24:45-47.
A NOBLE-MINDED VIEW
How shall we view the spiritual food provided by this “faithful and discreet slave”? Should it be viewed critically—‘Oh, well, it might be true but then again it might not be and so we have to scrutinize it very critically’? Some apparently have felt that way about it. To support their way of thinking they have quoted Acts 17:11, which says of newly interested persons at Beroea: “Now the latter were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.”
But does this mean that those Beroeans were looking for flaws in the message they were hearing, or that their attitude was one of doubting? Does this set a precedent for regarding critically the publications brought forth by the “faithful and discreet slave,” with a view to finding fault? Not at all!
First of all, let us note the setting of the statement about the noble-minded Beroeans. Paul, accompanied by Silas, was on his second missionary tour. Due to persecution that arose, the brothers at Thessalonica sent them on to Beroea. In Beroea they met sincere Jews who had strong faith in God’s Word. These were not Christians yet. They were simply interested persons who had to satisfy themselves that what Paul was telling them had the support of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Up to this time, these devout Jews in Beroea may never have heard of Jesus Christ. What Paul was telling them was entirely new. So those noble-minded Jews in Beroea searched the Scriptures daily to make certain that the references that Paul gave were really part of God’s Word. And with what mental attitude did they pursue their studies? With a skeptical attitude, trying to prove Paul wrong? No, they were altogether unlike Paul’s critics on Mars Hill, for we read that they heard Paul’s testimony with “the greatest eagerness of mind.”—Acts 17:11, 32.
These Beroeans listened with a readiness, yes, an eagerness, to believe. Thus not only were they open-minded, but they were wanting to have this “good news” proved true. In fact, for a person to acquire faith he must have “the will to believe.” If he is determined not to believe, then no amount of evidence will convince him; for if a person looks for them he can always find excuses, plausible reasons for not accepting the accountability that belief will bring upon him. As the apostle Paul well said: “Faith is not a possession of all people.” (2 Thess. 3:2) But the Beroeans had the will to believe. They considered what they heard with a receptive frame of mind. As a result, “many of them became believers, and so did not a few of the reputable Greek women and of the men.”—Acts 17:12.
Jesus’ disciples wrote many letters to Christian congregations, to persons who were already in “the way of the truth.” (2 Pet. 2:2) But nowhere do we read that those brothers first, in a skeptical frame of mind, checked the Scriptures to make certain that those letters had Scriptural backing, that the writers really knew what they were talking about.
OUR VIEW OF THE “SLAVE”
We can benefit from this consideration. If we have once established what instrument God is using as his “slave” to dispense spiritual food to his people, surely Jehovah is not pleased if we receive that food as though it might contain something harmful. We should have confidence in the channel God is using. At the Brooklyn headquarters from which the Bible publications of Jehovah’s Witnesses emanate there are more mature Christian elders, both of the “remnant” and of the “other sheep,” than anywhere else upon earth.
True, the brothers preparing these publications are not infallible. Their writings are not inspired as are those of Paul and the other Bible writers. (2 Tim. 3:16) And so, at times, it has been necessary, as understanding became clearer, to correct views. (Prov. 4:18) However, this has resulted in a continual refining of the body of Bible-based truth to which Jehovah’s Witnesses subscribe. Over the years, as adjustments have been made to that body of truth, it has become ever more wonderful and applicable to our lives in these “last days.” Bible commentators of Christendom are not inspired either. Despite their claims to great knowledge, they have failed to highlight even basic Bible truths—such as the coming Paradise earth, the importance of God’s name, and the condition of the dead.
Rather, the record that the “faithful and discreet slave” organization has made for the past more than 100 years forces us to the conclusion that Peter expressed when Jesus asked if his apostles also wanted to leave him, namely, “Whom shall we go away to?” (John 6:66-69) No question about it. We all need help to understand the Bible, and we cannot find the Scriptural guidance we need outside the “faithful and discreet slave” organization.
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They use the Bible as their authority, and encourage their hearers to check up on them, not taking their word for it, but taking only God’s Word for it. (Acts 17:11) For you to make a name with God, you should aim to be such a faithful guide, “always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you, but doing so together with a mild temper and deep respect.” Or, as Paul said: “Know how you ought to give an answer to each one.”—1 Pet. 3:15; Col. 4:6.
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The Watchtower, August 01, 1980, Pages 19-22:
Causes and Effects of Apostasy
10 Among the various causes of apostasy, one of the foremost is unquestionably a lack of faith through doubt. (Heb. 3:12) Interestingly, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology supplies the following information on the Greek verb that is often translated by “to doubt”: “Diakrino, make a distinction, judge, . . . ; doubt, waver. . . . In some [New Testament] passages doubt appears as a lack of faith and thus as sin (Rom. 14:23). . . . In Rom. 4:20f. doubt comes close to disbelief. . . . Doubt is thus a lack of trust in the act of God which he has still to perform and which men are to await. . . . In the NT the doubter sins against God and his promises, because he judges God falsely.”
11 Thus the one who doubts to the point of becoming an apostate sets himself up as a judge. He thinks he knows better than his fellow Christians, better also than the “faithful and discreet slave,” through whom he has learned the best part, if not all that he knows about Jehovah God and his purposes. He develops a spirit of independence, and becomes “proud in heart . . . something detestable to Jehovah.” (Prov. 16:5) Some apostates even think they know better than God, as regards his ordering of events in the outworking of his purposes. Two other causes of apostasy are therefore ingratitude and presumption.—2 Pet. 2:10b-13a.
12 As to the effects of a course of apostasy, one immediate result is a loss of joy. The apostate becomes hardened in his rebellious ways. Another is he fails to take in the spiritual food provided by “the faithful and discreet slave”—this leading to spiritual weakness and breakdown of spirit. Contrasting the happiness of his loyal servants with the sad condition of apostates, Jehovah stated prophetically:
“Look! My own servants will eat, but you yourselves will go hungry. Look! My own servants will drink, but you yourselves will go thirsty. Look! My own servants will rejoice, but you yourselves will suffer shame. Look! My own servants will cry out joyfully because of the good condition of the heart, but you yourselves will make outcries because of the pain of heart and you will howl because of sheer breakdown of spirit.”—Isa. 65:13, 14.
13 After having yielded to such works of the flesh as “enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects,” apostates often fall victim to other fleshly works such as “drunken bouts,” “loose conduct” and “fornication.” (Gal. 5:19-21) Peter warns us against those who “look down on lordship” by despising theocratic order, who “speak abusively” of those entrusted with responsibility within the Christian congregation, and so ‘abandon the straight path.’ He says that their “final conditions have become worse for them than the first.”—Read carefully 2 Peter, chapter 2.
How to Avoid ‘Falling Away from the Faith’
14 We have seen that one of the basic causes of apostasy is a lack of faith through destructive doubt, and that the word translated “doubt” also means “to distinguish.” The apostate makes himself a decider of what is true and what is false, of what is “good and bad” in the way of spiritual food. He becomes presumptuous.—Compare Genesis 2:17; 3:1-7.
15 So to avoid falling away from the faith, the Christian should beware of a lack of faith, “the sin that easily entangles us,” and “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Heb. 12:1; 3:12, 19) Paul gives us this advice: “Keep testing whether you are in the faith, keep proving what you yourselves are.” (2 Cor. 13:5) Paul is not inviting us to have doubts about “the faith,” but to question ourselves, as to whether we are living up to the faith or not. Such honest self-examination should fill us with modesty and humility, thus protecting us from the independent spirit and presumptuousness of the apostate.
16 To avoid falling away from the faith, we also need to guard against ingratitude. We should be thankful for the abundant spiritual food we are receiving through the “faithful and discreet slave.” (Matt. 24:45) This does not mean that we should not convince ourselves of things as we go along. In this respect, a twofold lesson can be learned from the Beroean Jews. To be sure, they ‘carefully examined the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so,’ but they were also “noble-minded” because “they received the word [being preached to them by Paul and Silas] with the greatest eagerness of mind.”—Acts 17:11.
17 Such grateful eagerness to learn will help us to cultivate love and acquire accurate knowledge, together with full discernment. These Christian qualities will, in turn, enable us to distinguish between things of major importance and those of lesser importance. Is some point we have trouble in understanding really important? Does it affect the truly important things we have learned with the help of the “slave” class? Is it worth stumbling ourselves and perhaps others? Does it prevent us from bearing Christian fruitage?
18 Paul counsels us: “This is what I continue praying, that your love may abound yet more and more with accurate knowledge and full discernment; that you may make sure of the more important things, so that you may be flawless and not be stumbling others up to the day of Christ, and may be filled with righteous fruit, which is through Jesus Christ, to God’s glory and praise.”—Phil. 1:9-11.
‘Snatching the Doubters out of the Fire’
19 Since we have been warned that “some will fall away from the faith,” we should be ready “to put up a hard fight for the faith that was once for all time delivered to the holy ones.” (1 Tim. 4:1; Jude 3) But a distinction needs to be made between trouble-making apostates, as mentioned in 2 Peter, chapter 2, and Christians who become weak in faith and have doubts through lack of accurate knowledge. Jude makes this distinction. After warning against “murmurers, complainers,” who “are admiring personalities,” and against “ridiculers,” who “are the ones that make separations,” he says: “Keep yourselves in God’s love, while you are waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ with everlasting life in view. Also, continue showing mercy to some that have doubts; save them by snatching them out of the fire.”—Jude 16-23.
20 Yes, such doubters need to be shown that they are in danger of being consumed by destructive doubts. Their Christian brothers, and particularly the elders, should endeavor to help them, snatching them, if at all possible, out of the “fire” that could destroy them spiritually. As to those who refuse such patient, loving help and who really “fall away from the faith,” we should not be unduly disturbed. With the apostle John, we will say: “They went out from us, but they were not of our sort; for if they had been of our sort, they would have remained with us.”—1 John 2:19.
“Solid in the Faith” to the Very End
21 There can be no doubt that Satan would like to see all of us ‘fall away from the faith.’ So Peter counsels us:
“Take your stand against him, 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. But, after you have suffered a little while, the God of all undeserved kindness, who called you to his everlasting glory in union with Christ, will himself finish your training, he will make you firm, he will make you strong.”—1 Pet. 5:8-10.
Yes, those of spiritual Israel, who have been called to reign with Christ in “everlasting glory,” must remain faithful in “the hour of test,” if they wish ‘no one to take their crown.’—2 Tim. 2:10; Rev. 3:10, 11.
22 Their companions, members of the “great crowd,” also realize that they must remain “solid in the faith” if they wish to “come out of the great tribulation.” (Rev. 7:9, 10, 14) Both those Christians who have the heavenly hope, and their companions whose hope is to live forever in the restored paradise on earth, are determined to continue faithfully preaching “this good news of the kingdom.” (Matt. 24:14) The fine expansion in many parts of the world, down to this year 1980, is proof to them that Jehovah’s blessing is on his organization, and that there is still work to be done. They therefore heed Paul’s counsel: “Let us not give up in doing what is fine, for in due season we shall reap if we do not tire out.”—Gal. 6:8, 9.
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The Watchtower, March 15, 1980, Pages 22-23:
Bible Study Very Important
6 What can we today set about to do to make sure our hope? Peter answers: “As newborn infants, form a longing for the unadulterated milk belonging to the word, that through it you may grow to salvation, provided you have tasted that the Lord is kind.” (1 Pet. 2:2, 3) Only by a sincere, careful reading and study of the Bible can we have the spiritual strength we must have. There is no other way. We must read the Bible ourselves, thinking on what it says, reading it with our families and discussing its truths. Doing so, we will develop greater love for the word and a longing for more of it. If kings in Israel were required by God’s law to write themselves a copy of the Law, which they had in their day, and to read it every day, how can we, who have the complete Scriptures, which are able to make us wise for salvation, do any less?—Deut. 17:19, 20; 2 Tim. 3:15.
7 When the apostles proclaimed the “good news,” whom did God through his Word commend? The people in the synagogue at Beroea, for, the Bible says, “they received the word [of the good news spoken by Paul and Silas] with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things [that even the apostle Paul said] were so.” (Acts 17:10, 11) They made these things their own, not merely listening with agreement but also examining the firm Scriptural basis for the things they eagerly received into their minds and hearts.
8 We should follow the course of those sincere Beroeans. Why? Because we may hear the truth preached or taught by human teachers, but when we read it in the Bible it becomes a fully founded, permanent motivating force in our hearts, for “the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and their marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12) Constant study of the Bible prevents us from remaining spiritual babies. God’s Word infuses his spirit into our hearts, making us strong, mature. The same principle is in operation when we declare the “good news” to others. It has greater force if we let people read it in the Bible than if we use our own words.
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The Watchtower, July 01, 1979, Pages 24-25:
20 An impartial investigation of God’s Word, comparing it to the teachings and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses, will provide the evidence that God’s spirit is indeed backing them, and that he is using them as his instrument for proclaiming truth today. However, all persons who have a love for the truth are invited to examine this claim that Jehovah’s Witnesses really do have the truth. In doing so, they should imitate what those persons in the first century did who listened to the preaching of the apostles: “They received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.”—Acts 17:11.
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The Watchtower, March 15, 1979, Page 11:
Do you recall the account in the 17th chapter of the book of Acts, where it is recorded that Paul and Silas left Thessalonica and went to Beroea? How did the Beroeans respond to Christian teaching? Verse 11 says: “They received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” Is it your custom to make the study of God’s Word a daily practice? Do you have periods of deep meditation on the things that you have learned? A person who makes this a regular custom in his life is counted happy.—Ps. 1:1, 2.
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The Watchtower, March 01, 1979, Pages 15-16:
By the middle of the 19th century the “man of lawlessness” class had established many religious organizations in Christendom. These sects called themselves by various names of identification. The religious confusion of Christendom became dizzying. In an effort to gain Christian balance and soundness of understanding, a small congregation of sincere Bible students divorced themselves from all of Christendom’s religious organizations. They turned their backs on its sectarian creeds and followed the example of the first-century Beroeans who searched the Scriptures daily to arrive at the apostolic faith. (Acts 17:10, 11) This fully dedicated congregation exerted itself vigorously in defense of the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ and of his promised official “presence” in God’s kingdom. In July of 1879 a magazine that declared itself to be trusting in Jehovah for his backing began to be published.
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The Watchtower, December 01, 1977, Page 723:
23 When we advise others we should use reason and scriptures, not demanding compliance because of a position we might have. (Phil. 4:5) We should be like Paul, who did not use his position as an apostle to pressure people. Instead, he commended them for checking to see whether his teaching was based on the Bible. “They received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so. Therefore many of them became believers.”—Acts 17:11, 12.
24 The Devil used Scripture when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, and Jesus used scriptures to refute him. Both used scriptures, but with this difference: Satan misapplied them, but Jesus used them properly. (Matt. 4:1-10) We should never twist texts to serve our own purpose, as Satan did. Let us make sure that God is saying what we say that he is saying!
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The Watchtower, August 01, 1976, Page 478 (Footnote):
Luke, at Acts 17:11, tells that those at Beroea were “more noble-minded” than those at Thessalonica because of “carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things”—told them by Paul—“were so.” Had the Thessalonians been equally studious, it is possible that they might not have drawn wrong conclusions about Christ’s presence and Jehovah’s day.
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The Watchtower, July 01, 1976, Page 404:
WHEN YOU HAVE BIBLE QUESTIONS
20 Do you have difficulty in finding the answers to Bible questions? Elders may be able to show you how to make effective use of the Watch Tower Publications Indexes. Or if the Indexes are not available in your language, elders can show you other practical ways of searching out the answers. In many cases, an elder may be able to direct you straight to the scripture you want. If you seek an elder’s assistance first, it will rarely be necessary for you to write to the Watch Tower Society for an answer.—John 5:39; Acts 17:11.
21 However, there are some questions that are best left alone. Speculative inquiries merely “furnish questions for research rather than a dispensing of anything by God in connection with faith.” (1 Tim. 1:4) In building faith, what value is there in presenting elders or the Society with such problems as: What if Adam had eaten of the tree of life before he was driven out of Eden? What would Jehovah have done if Jesus had not proved faithful while on earth? Will some form of money be used in the New Order, and what about machinery, cars, television and computers? Would the water canopy around the earth have fallen if Adam had not sinned? How fast do angels travel, and how long does it take a spirit creature to travel from heaven to earth?
22 Rather, those humbly seeking the truth will be asking questions of the kind that sincere truth-seekers inquired of Jesus.—Matt. 9:14; 13:10; Mark 9:11; 10:9, 10; John 3:4; 16:17, 18; Acts 1:6.
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The Watchtower, September 15, 1974, Page 554:
The pattern for using the Scriptures extensively in making and teaching disciples had been established in the first century C.E. Of the apostle Paul’s use of the Scriptures, Acts 17:2, 3 reports: “According to Paul’s custom he went inside to them, and for three sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving by references that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead.” Also, the taught ones were commended for checking matters out in the Holy Scriptures. Thus we read: “Now the [Beroeans] were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11) The codex was much easier to use in imitating these fine examples.
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