Jesus, The Eternal High Priest

Jesus, the Eternal High Priest There were many priests and each yeast the had to offer sacrifices. This method of offering sacrifices was effective for only and certain period of time and therefore it had its limits. But now the one who is perfect and without spot of blemish has offered His own body once for all as the eternal sacrifice. He has dealt with our weaknesses eternally. He has become the eternal high priest. This is God’s plan. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and met steadfast, and which entereth in to that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 6:19-20) For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace; Without father, without descent, having neither Beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abided a priest continually. (Hebrews 7:1-3) Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary into Joseph’s family. If we take a look at His lineage, we find that He was not of the tribe of Levi, but of the tribe of Judah. Not only had there never been a high priest from the tribe of Judah, but also, according to the law of Moses, a man of that tribe could not become a high priest. Nevertheless, Jesus, whom God caused to be born to the tribe of Judah, is our High Priest. Just as Melchizedak was without genealogy of descent, but Abraham gave Him one tenth of all he had received and was blessed by Him. All of the Israelites who would later be born as his descendants were within the body of Abraham at that time. Of course this includes the tribes of Levi and Judah. So when Melchizedak blessed Abraham, weren’t all of the Israelites also blessed with him? Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (Matthew 1:23 As we can see from this verse, Jesus was different; He was the Son of God According to the promise. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the low,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the ofder of Melchisedac, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For He of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedac, there ariseth another Priest, Who is made, not after the low of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For He testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedac. For there is verily a disannulling of there of. for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by which we draw nigh unto God. (Hebrews 711-19)

Has Evil Won? THE idea of a cosmic struggle between the forces of good and evil has prompted endless speculation by writers and philosophers throughout history. There is a book; however, that contains the accurate history of the battle between God and Devil. That book is the Bible. It sheds light on the issues involved in this conflict and provides the means of determining who has really won. Soon after the creation of the first man and woman, an unseen spirit creature, Satan the Devil challenged /god’s rulership. How? By subtly suggesting that God withheld good things from his creation and that humans would fare better independent of him. Later, in the days of the patriarch job, Satan raised another issue. Seeking to break Job’s integrity to God, Satan said: “Skin in behalf of skin and everything that has he will give in behalf of his soul.” (Job) What a seeping claim that was? By using the general term “a man” instead of the name Job, Satan brought into the arena of doubt the integrity of every human. He , in effect, asserted: ‘A man will do anything to save his life. Give me a chance, and I can turn anyone away from God.’ The victory in the battle between God and the Devil is determined by the answering of two questions. Is man successfully able to rule himself? Has the Devil managed to turn everyone away from the true God?

Can Humans Successfully Rule Themselves? For thousands of years, humans have experimented with various types of ruler ship Different forms of government, such as monarchy, aristocracy, democracy, autocracy, Fascism, and Communism; have been tried in the course of history. Does not the very fact that there has been an ever present need to experiment indicate that these different ways of governing are inadequate? “The Roman people found themselves engaged almost unawares in vast administrative experiment,” writes H.G.Wells in A History of the World, published in. He continues: “It was always changing, it never attained to any fixity. In a sense the experiment failed. In a sense the experiment remains unfinished, and Europe and America today are still working out the riddles of the worldwide statecraft first confronted by the Roman people.” The experiment in government continued through the twentieth century. That century ended with democratic rule gaining greater acceptance than ever before. Democracy theoretically reaches out to embrace everyone. But has democracy shown that man can rule successfully without God? Jawaharlal Nehru, former prime minister of India, called democracy good but added: “I say this because other systems are worse.” Former French president Valery Giscard d’Estaing said: “We are witnessing a crisis of representative democracy.” Even in the fifth century B.C.E.,the Greek philosopher Plato detected a weakness in the democratic way of ruling. According to the book A History of Political Theory, he attacked” the ignorance and incompetence of politicians which is the special curse of

democracies.” Many of today’s politicians lament the difficulty in finding talented individuals who are qualified to serve in government. People “are annoyed by leaders who appear small at a time when the problem facing them are so big,” said The Wall Street Journal, It continued: “They are disgusted with finding indecision and corr look for direction.” Now consider the ruler ship of King /Solomon of ancient Israel. Jehovah God gave lemon outstanding wisdom. How did the nation of Israel fare during Solomon’s fourty Ear reign? “Judah and Israel were many,” answers the Bible, “like the grains of sand that are by the sea for multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing.” The account also states. “Judah and Israel continued to dwell in security, everyone under his own vine and under his own fig tree, from Dan to Geer-Sheba, all the days of Solomon. With a wise king ruling over them as the visible representative of the invisible Supper Ruler, Jehovah God, the nation enjoyed unsurpassed stability, prosperity, and joy. What a stark contrast between man’s ruler ship and God’s can anyone honestly say that Satan has won on the issue of ruler ship? No, for the prophet Jeremiah accurately declared “ I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.”

Can Satan Turn Everyone Away From God? Has Satan been successful in his claim that he can turn everyone away from God? In chapter 11 of the Bible book of Hebrews, the apostle Paul names a number of faithful men and women of pre-Christian times. Then he declares: “The time will fail me if I go on to relate about Gideon, Garak,Ssmmson,Jephthah,David as well as Samuel and the other prophets.” (Hebrews 11:32) Paul simply refers to these loyal servants of God as a great cloud of witnesses.’ (Hebrews 12:1) The Greek word used here for “cloud” means, not a detached, sharply outlined cloud with definite size and shape, but a huge formless cloud mass. This is appropriate because the faithful servants of God in the past have been so numerous that they are like a huge cloud mass. Yes, down through the centuries, unnumbered multitudes of people have exercised their free will and chosen to give their allegiance to Jehovah God.—Joshua 34:15. What do we find in our time? The number of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide has increased to over six million despite the ternible persecution and opposition they experienced during the 20th century. An additional nine million or so associate with them and many of these are taking decisive steps to enter into a close personal relationship with God. The ultimate answer to Satan’s claim that he can turn humans away from Jehovah came from God’s own Son, Jesus Christ. Not even excruciating pain on a torture stake broke his integrity. As Jesus took his last breath, he cried out: “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.”—Luke 23:46 Satan uses everything in his power—from temptations to outright persecution—to try to keep humans under his control. Using “the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life” to tempt people, he seeks either to keep or to entice them away from Jehovah. (1Jon 2:16) Satan has also ‘blinded the minds of the unbelievers so that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ might not

shine through.’ (2 Corinthians 4:4) And Satan does not hesitate to resort to threats and to ecploit fear of men to accomplish his aim.—Acts 5:40. Those on God’s side, however, are not overcome by the Devil. They have come to know Jehovah God and ‘to love him with their whole heart and with their whole soul and with their whole mind.’ (Matthew 22:37) Yes, the unwavering loyalty of Jesus Christ and of countless humans adds up to a colossal defeat for Satan the Devil.

What does the Future Hold? Will human experiments in government go on indefinitely? The prophet Daniel foretold: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.” (Daniel 2:44) The Kingdom that the God of heaven sets up is a heavenly government in the hands of Jesus Christ. It is the same Kingdom that Jesus taught his followers to pray for. (Matthew 6:9,10) That Kingdom will destroy all human governments at “the [upcoming] war of the great day of God the Almighty” and will affect the entire earth.—Revelation 16:14, 16). What is in store for Satan? The Bible describes this future event: “[An angel of Jehovah] seized the dragon, the original serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand ears. And he hurled him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, that he might not mislead the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended.” (Revelation 20:1-3) Only after Satan is hurled into the abyss of inactivity will the Thousand Year Reign of Jesus Christ begin. What a delightful place this earth will then be! Gone will be wickedness and those who cause it. The Bible promises. “Evildoers themselves will be cut off…But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” (Psalm 37: 9-11) Their peace will not be threatened from any source—human or animal. (Isaiah 11: 6-9) Even millions who out of ignorance and because of lack of opportunity to know Jehovah, sided with the Devil over the course of history will be brought back to life and given divine education –Acts 24:15. By the end of the Thousand Years Reign, the earth will be brought into a paradaisic condition, and mankind upon it will have been brought to human perfection. Then Satan will be let loose for “a little while,” only to be destroyed forever along with all opposes of God’s ruler ship.—Revelation 20:3.7-10).

Whose Side Will You Take? The 20th century was a time when Satan wreaked havoc upon the earth. Rather than indicating that he has won, however, the conditions on the earth constitute a sign that we are in the last days of this wicked world. (Matthew 24:3-14; Revelation 6: 1-8) Neither the intensity of wickedness on earth nor the majority viewpoint is an issue in discerning who has won. The determining factors are whose way fo ruling is best and whether anyone has served God out of love. On both counts, the victory belongs to Jehovah.

The Absolute Justice of God Some people think that God will only judge the big sins and will overlook the smaller ones out the kindness and generosity of His heart. We must remember, however, that God is perfect, pure, and holy. He is so meticulous that He even numbers every hair on our heads, and He knows the falling of every sparrow. In Matthew chapter 5 verse 22 it says that ...whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shll be in danger of the judgment: and …whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Then in verse 26 it says, …thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. The Greek word translated here as “the uttermost farthing” means the smalles accountable fraction of the lowest denomination of currency. Jesus was saying that even the smallest sins must be paid for, and if they aren’t the sinner is destined for eternal residence in hell. It’s useless to argue as to whether hell exists or not. Even those who say that it doesn’t exist are destined to end up there. The truth can’t be altered by the opinions of men. Hell is the place where God’s absolute justice sees its final fulfillment. In this world, God’s justice can only be fulfilled in the cross of Jesus Christ. Hell is the place where God’s justice will be carried out upon the spirit and flesh of those who remain outside the redemption of the cross while in this world. No matter how small the sin may appear to be, it can’t escape retribution in Hell. This is what is meant in the Bible when it says, …the dead (those who weren’t saved) were judged out of those thing which were written in the book …they were judged every man according to their works… [And were] cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20: 12-15). Anyone who hasn’t made friends with his opponent at low, i.e. with his conscience, will be accused by his conscience and judged accordingly. The charges will be dropped against those who have make friends with this opponent at law, and therefore they won’t be judged. In John chapter 3 verse 18 it says, He that believeth on him is no condemned…… On the other hand, a person whose conscience hasn’t been liberated will be condemned to hell. There the severity of his punishment will depend on the sins, both great and small, that he has committed while living in this world. God is just and fair even towards those who are condemned. Judas Iscariot was so tormented by the pangs of his conscience that he killed himself. Hell is the place where the flames of the conscience burn fiercely. In hell the fires of the conscience burn at an intensity that matches the extent of the

sins of the individual. These fires are different from the fires we know in this world; the fires of the conscience in hell never burn out. The burning fires of the conscience will be more than anyone can bear. Over the centuries, people have preserved information in many ways. In times past, writers recorded their words on monuments, stone or wood tablets, leaves of parchment, and other materials. By the first century, in the Middle East, the accepted and established format for the written word was the scroll. Then came the codex, which in time replaced the scroll and became the universal means of storing written material. It also contributed greatly to the distribution of the Bible. What was the codex, and how did it come into use? The codex was the prototype, or earliest form of today’s book. It consisted of sheets that were folded, assembled, and tied together along the fold. The pages were written on both sides and protected by a cover. The early codex did not look much like the books of today, but as with must other inventions, it was developed and modified according to the needs and preferences of those who used it.

Wood, Wax, and Parchment Initially, codices were often often made of wax-coated wooden tablets. Written waxed pholyptyychs, or tables hinged to gather on their long side, were found at Herculaneum, a town destroyed along with Pompeii by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 C.E. Eventually, rigid tables were replaced by sheets of foldable material. In Latin, these codices, or books, were called membranae. Or parchments, after the leather generally used for their page. Some codices that have survived were making of papyrus. The oldest known Christian do dices, which were preserved in the dry climate of certain areas of Egypt, are papyri. *

Scroll or Codex? It appears that Christians used mainly the roll, or scroll, at least until about the end of the first century C.E. The period from the end of the first to the third century C.E. witnessed a struggle between advocates of the codex and those of the scroll. Conservatives, accustomed to using the scroll, were reluctant to give up well-established conventions and traditions. Consider, however, what was involved in reading a scroll. A scroll was usually made up of a standard number of sheets of papyrus or parchment glued together to make a long strip, which was then rolled up. The text was inscribed in columns on the front face of the scroll. To read it, the user unrolled the scroll to find the passage that he wanted. After the reading, he rolled it up again. (Luke 4:16-20) More than one scroll was often needed for a single literary work, making it even more cumbersome to use. Although Christians from the second century on evidently preferred to copy the Scriptures into codex form, use of the scroll continued for centuries. Still, experts

believe that Christians’ use of the codex played a significant role in its widespread acceptance. The codex greatly contributed to the distribution of the Bible The advantages of the codex are obvious—the capacity, the convenience, and the ease in carrying. Even though some in the early days noted these advantages, the majority were slow to give up the use of the scroll. Over the span of several centuries, however, various factors gradually led to the ascendancy of the codex. Compared with the scroll, the codex was more economical. Both sides of a page could be written on, and several books could be bound in the same. According to some the ease with which specific passages could be located in the codex was fundamental to its success among Christians and such professionals as lawyer. For Christians, compact texts—or simply handy list of Bible quotations —were extremely useful for the evangelizing work. Furthermore, the codex had a cover, often made of wood, so it was more durable than the scroll. Codices were also practical for personal reading. By the end of the third century, parchment pocket Gospels were in circulation among professed Christians. Since then, literally billions of copies of the complete Bible or parts of it have been produced in codex forn. Today, many tools have opened the way for quick and easy access to the divine wisdom contained in the Bible. It can be found on computers, audio, recordings, and the printed page. Whatever your preferred format of the Bible, cultivate a love for God’s Word, making it your daily concern.—Psalm 119:97,167. • See the article “The Early Christian Codex,” in the August 15, 1962, issue of The Watchtower, pages 501-5. The Conscience: the Activities of the Spirit An intellectual acknowledgment of God’s existence, a mystical faith based on emotional experience, and/or a determination to believe through strength of will, don’t resolves the inner conflicts and problems deep within man. Attempts at faith such as these are a clear indication that the individual hasn’t yet met with God and therefore hasn’t yet found the fundamental solution. It’s through the conscience that we have spiritual contact with God. The conscience is different from the personality of the heart. When I try to do something wrong, my conscience acts as a prosecutor that criticizes, judges, and condemns my action. Such activities of the conscience are the work of the spirit within man. Therefore, even though you may have faith such as mentioned above, based on intellectual knowledge, emotions, or volition, you still won’t be able to enjoy true peace in your heart. In order to be able to worship God who is spirit, the sprit of the individual needs to receive, and be liberated by, the light of God’s truth. The problem is that man’s spirit has become contaminated by sin and, as a result, is dead. This is the greatest and most lamentable problem facing mankind. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1 it says, And you… were dead in trespasses and sins.

This is a reference to the state of the spirit, which is dead, having become contaminated by sin. When the conscience of the individual is troubled because of his defiled spirit, it’s an indication of the contention between that person and God. The moment Adam ate from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, his spirit died. Adam’s conscience began to trouble him as shame, conflict, and uneasiness arose within him. It was to conceal their troubled consciences that Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. This action symbolizes religion. When Adam heard God’s voice, however, he confessed that he was naked even though he was wearing the covering (see: Genesis 3:8-10). Religion is man’s efforts to conceal his troubled conscience, but these efforts are of no avail when exposed before the voice of God and they can’t cover man’s naked shame. If man is to serve God, his spirit must be made alive, and he must be rid of the anguish in his conscience. In First Peter chapter 1 verse 22 it says, Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren… And in verse 23 it says, Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveeth and abideth for ever. In other words, our spirits need to be washed clean through obedience to the truth. This is what it means to be born anew through the word of God. In Jon’s Gospel chapter 17 verse 17 it says, Sanctify then through thy truth: thy word is truth. The spirit is sanctified; need to be washed clean through obedience to truth. This is what it meant by being born again. It’s only by being born again in this way that our conscience can have a taste of freedom. Pangs of conscience are an indication of a defiled spirit. When the conscience is troubled, it’s because the spirit is fettered by the chains of sin, when the light of the truth shines through, the chins of sin are broken, and the filth of the spirit is cleansed. Salvation, or being born again, is none other than the conscience being set free from the chains of sin. That …is what baptism pictures for us: in baptism we show that we have been saved from death and doom by the resurrection of Christ; not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but a good conscience’s quest toward God. (Peer 3:21) Only a good conscience will go in search of God and wish to approach Him. It’s only with a clear conscience that we can meet with God. The flood at the time of Noah is foreshadowing of salvation. Let’s consider the waters of that flood. Noah’s ark floated on the surface of the waters, and thus the eight members of Noah’s family were saved. The significance of baptism by full emersion is also revealed hear. Baptism doesn’t signify the removal of dirt from the flesh; it represents the cleansing process that has taken place in the sprit.

It signifies that the conscience has been make clean: baptism not of the flesh but of the spirit. True baptism takes place when the spirit is cleansed and the conscience is clear, having been freed from sin. It’s in such a state that the spirit is able to worship and serve God. Magnificent ceremonies and sanctuaries, pious attitudes and postures, unnatural gestures, and grandiose religious rites may present a certain physical purity, but such purity of the flesh doesn’t make it possible for us to approach God. It’s only with an undefiled spirit and a clear conscience that we can come close to God. No matter how pure a person’s actions may be, if he hasn’t been saved his spirit that is to say his conscience remains defiled. This is because man isn’t able to behave in such a way that everything he does is perfect. Since man is unable to purify his conscience through his actions, God gave the gospel to the world, the gospel which purifies through the truth. This truth isn’t a law of actions, but the law of grace. Such is the gospel of the truth. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as frass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1 Peter 1:23-25) When the words of the gospel penetrate the spirit, that is the conscience, of the individual, and he or she comes to realize the truth, then he or she is able to serve God. In Hebrews chapter 9 verses 9 it says that the Mosaic arrangement of temple worship is symbolic for the present age, and the gifts and sacrifices offered according to that arrangement can’t perfect the conscience. Therefore the true sacrifice must be offered. Jesus Christ is this true sacrifice which is able to perfect the conscience. When a person comes to believe in Him, his re her conscience is make perfect. Dear reader, can you claim with confidence that your conscience is completely clean with not the slightest speck of dirt or spot of cloud defiling it? Isn’t stand before God until your conscience is totally clear. If your conscience isn’t clear, it means that sin is forming a barrier between your spirit and God who is spirit. This means that there’s no light in your spirit. Your sprit is lost, wandering in the darkness on this side of death. It hasn’t yet tasted the resurrection on the other side. That is to say, you haven’t yet been born anew. The liberation of the conscience is what is meant by being born anew, or born again. This is the salvation of the spirit. In First Peter chapter 1 verse 9 it says, Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. The salvation of the soul. Or more precisely the spirit, is the liberation of the conscience. This is accomplished the moment a person comes to realize the truth. Therefore Jesus said in John chapter 8 verses 32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Have you found peace in your conscience, having come to a realization of the truth? Has your conscience been liberated from the pangs caused by disobedience to the truth? In John’s Gospel we read, In him was life; and the life was the light of men…That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (John 1:4, 9) The truth isn’t something that enlightens a person’s reasoning; it’s a revelation that enlightens the spirit and sets the conscience free. The truth is revealed to man, thus releasing the spirit from its chains. If Man Had not Known Good and Evil Everyone is a descendant of Adam, the man who ate from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In eating the fruit of this tree, man came to know good and evil. In Genesis chapter 2 verse 17 God said, But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surly die. Let us think about these words. If Adam ate the fruit he would come to know good and evil, and when this happened he would die. Adam did indeed eat the fruit, and he died. His physical body became subject to death, although it was some time before this physical death actually occurred. Yet there was something that died the moment Adam ate the fruit. His spirit died. The death of his spirit didn’t mean that his spirit disappeared. It meant that his relationship with God who is spirit was cut off, and his spirit became fettered. At the same time, a sense of fear and shame before God entered his heart. This was the death of his spirit-the anguish of his conscience. This came about as a result of his coming to know good. How about you? Isn’t your conscience troubled because of your knowledge of what is good? Dogs, pigs, and other animals don’t know what is meant by good. As a result, they experience no pangs of conscience or feelings of fear arising from their actions. Even though a lion may tear off a person’s arm and eat it, a dog may bite someone, or a cow may eat someone else’s grass, none of these animals experience pangs of conscience. This is because they don’t know what good is. You, however, have a spirit. You are a descendant of Adam and, as such, you know what good is. Consequently, your spirit is dead. Your conscience troubles you and you experience fears. This is because you know good but your conscience sees no good in you. You find that conflict arise within you as a result of the disparity between what you know to be good and what is reflected in your conscience. Adam attempted to hide this disparity by sewing fig leaves together to make himself loin coverings. In this way, he was trying to conceal his conscience. Here we have the origin of religion. All religions are man’s way of attempting to cover the shame in his conscience. Although this may not be true in all cases, “Christianity” today is making a tremendous effort to conceal man’s troubled conscience. It does this by means of activities such as prayers that lack true peace and liberation; hymns that constitute mere formality r are sung from

the emotions; sermons that appeal only to reason, feeling, or the will; elaborate ceremonies carried out in magnificent church buildings; and educational and social programs. Try asking yourself if you have ever found true peace and happiness in you conscience by participating in any of the above mentioned activities. Have you found real satisfaction deep down inside? Have you ever felt truly grateful to God in you heart? Have you found true rest, a rest that never fads or changes? If yu have real assurance in your conscience that you have made peace with your adversary, then any formalities and activities that you may take part in will be of significance. If you don’t have such assurance, however, the moment you hear God’s voice you will find yourself standing in the same position as Adam, clothed in fig leaves but trembling with fear. Even though Adam was wearing the loin coverings of fig leaves, he said that he was afraid because he was naked. These days people talk of their “experiences” of speaking in tongues, faith healing trembling sensations, a sudden worm feeling, and so on, and yet the conflict deep down in their hearts remains unresolved. Why is this? It’s because they have no light in their spirit, and their conscience hasn’t been liberated. All of their experiences are just like Adam’s fig leaves. Your standards of what is good, based on your own sense of judgment and refined character, may be of value in society, but this good is nothing more than Adam’s good which arose as a result of his eating the fruits of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Taking this concept of good as their standard, men discuss faith and come up with religion; they discuss life and come up with existentialist philosophy, they discuss ethics and come up with a system of social moral standards; and they discuss politics and come up with socialism and communism based on atheism. Man also examines the Bible in the light of his own concept of what is good and comes up with all kinds of humanitarian theology, intellectualism which ignores the experience of rebirth, or views of faith that have nothing to do with the spirit. All of these fall short of the goodness that is revealed by God and result only in the subversion of the truth. Only the cross can stand before God, and the cross negates everything that originates from man. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us wich are saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18) Man can’t know God through his own worldly wisdom. It’s when man tries to apply his own wisdom that he deviates from the truth and heretical teachings arise. All of these belong to the sphere of religion and are nothing more than fig leaves.

God’s Kingdom Superior in Every Way In this series What Is God’s Kingdom?

God’s Kingdom—Superior in Every Way Related topics: Will Earth Be a Paradise? Peace on Earth at Last! Who Is Jesus Christ? JESUS CHRIST taught his followers. “You must pray, them, this way. ‘Our Father in the heavens let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.’’’ (Matthew 6:9, 10) This prayer, known to many as the Our Father, or the Lord’s Prayer, explains the purpose of God’s Kingdom. By means of the Kingdom, God’s name will sanctify. It will be cleared of the entire dishonor that has been heaped upon it as a result of the rebellion of Satan and man. This is vital. The happiness of all intelligent creatures depends on their holding God’s name sacred and willingly accepting his right to rule.—Revelation 4:11. In addition, the Kingdom is set up to “let [God’s] will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” And what is that will? It is to restore the relationship between God and humankind, which Adam lost. The Kingdom will also serve the purpose of the Universal Sovereign, Jehovah, to establish a paradise on earth white good people can enjoy life forever. Yes, God’s Kingdom will undo all the damage done by original sin and will make God loves pose for the earth a reality. (1 John 3:8) This Kingdom and what it will accomplish is, in fact, the main message of the Bible/

Superior in What Ways? God’s Kingdom is a real government having great power. The prophet gave us a glimpse of just how powerful it is. Long ago, he foretold: “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that…will crush and put an end to all [human] Kingdoms.” Moreover, in contrast with human governments, which come and go over the course of history, God’s Kingdom “will never be brought to run.” (Daniel 2:44) That is not all. In every respect this Kingdom is far superior to any human government. God’s Kingdom has a superior King. Consider who that King is. In “a dream and visions” given to him, Daniel beheld the Ruler of God’s Kingdom as “someone like a son of man” brought before Almighty God and given lasting “ruler ship and dignity and kingdom.” (Daniel 7:1, 13, 14) That Son of man is none other than Jesus Christ—the Messiah (Matthew 16:13-17) Jehovah God designated his own Son, Jesus, to be King of His Kingdom. When on earth, Jesus said to the wicked Pharisees. “The kingdom of God is in your midst,” meaning that he, the future King of that Kingdom, was among them.—Luke 17:21.

Your Choice of Principles ARE you a person of principle? Or do you consider ethics to be a bit oldfashioned? The fact is, everyone is guided by principles of some sort, which he or she believes are important. According to The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, a principle can be defined as “a personal code of right action.” Principles influence our decisions and determine the direction we take in life. Principles can act like a compass For instance, Jesus urged his followers to keep the Golden Rule, found at Matthew 7:12: “All things, therefore of Confucius. Observe the principles of li and jan, which adderss such qualities as kindness, humility, respect, and loyalty. Even people who are not religious have some priorities or guidelines that determine their conduct.

Principles of What Sort? We do well to bear in mind, however, that principles may be either good or bad. For example, an increasing number of people are motivated by what, for the last decade or so, has been identified as me-ism. Though many may not know the term or may feel that it does not apply to them, me-ism is a principle by default, that is, a coke of conduct that may resort to as they abandon high standards of behavior. Whether identified by that term or not, me-ism is a manifestation of selfishness, often accompanied by mindless materialism. “We have just two principles,” claimed a TV executive in China. “One is satisfying demand. The other is making money.”