Spiritual Restoration - Why It Matters

Consider the historical prospective. Christians back in the first century enjoyed many spiritual blessings. But Jesus and the apostles foretold that true worship would be corrupted and lost. (Matthew 13:24-30; Acts 20:29, 30) After the apostolic age, Christendom arose. Her clergymen adopted pagan teachings and practices. They also made approach to God all but impossible, painting him as an incomprehensible Trinity and teaching people to confess to priests and to pray to Mary and various "saints" instead of to Jehovah. Now, after many centuries of such corruption, what has Jehovah done? In the midst of today's world -a world that is choked with religious falsehood and befouled with ungodly practices - he has stepped in and restored pure worship! Without exaggerating, we can say that this restoration is one of the most important developments in modern times.

True Christians today therefore enjoy a spiritual paradise. What does this paradise involve? Primarily, two elements. the first is pure worship of the true God, Jehovah. He has blessed us with a way of worship that is free of lies and distortions. He has blessed us with spiritual food. This enables us to learn about our heavenly Father, to please him, and to draw close to him. (John 4:24) The second aspect of the spiritual paradise involves people. As Isaiah foretold, "in the final part of the days," Jehovah has taught his worshipers the ways of peace. He has abolished warfare among us. Despite our imperfections, he helps us to put on "the new personality." He blesses our efforts with his Holy Spirit, which produces beautiful fruitage in us. (Ephesians 4:22-24; Galatians 5:22, 23) When you work in harmony with God's spirit, you are truly part of the spiritual paradise.

Jehovah has gathered into this spiritual paradise the type of people that he loves - those who love him, who love peace and who are "conscious of their spiritual need." (Matthew 5:3) Such are the people who will be privileged to witness an even more spectacular restoration - that of mankind and of the entire earth.

Next time: "Look! I Am Making All Things New"

Draw Close To Jehovah, 2002