12.30.2009

The Bible's Viewpoint- Does God Forgive Sins?

Mercy is one of God's foremost qualities. (Psalm 86:15) How extensive is his mercy? A psalmist wrote: "If errors were what you watch, O Jah, O Jehovah, who could stand? For there is the true forgiveness with you, in order that you may be feared." (Psalm 130:3, 4) Another passage reads: "As far off as the sunrise is from the sunset, so far off from us he has put our transgressions. As a father shows mercy to his sons, Jehovah has shown mercy to those fearing him. For he himself well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust." -Psalm 103:12, 14.

Clearly, Jehovah's mercy is complete and instinting, and it takes into account our limitations and imperfections-that we are "dust." Consider some Bible examples that reveal the extent of God's mercy.

The apostle Peter denied Christ three times. (Mark 14:66-72) While an unbeliever, the apostle Paul persecuted Christ's followers. When certain ones of these were to be executed, Paul voted against them. He even approved of the murder of one of them. (Acts 8:1, 3; 9:2, 11; Galatians 1:13) Before becoming Christian, certain members of the congregation in Corinth had been drunkards, extortioners and thieves. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Yet, all these came to enjoy divine favor. Why did God forgive them?

Next time: Three Steps To Gaining God's Mercy

Awake! 2008

12.29.2009

"The Righteous . . .Will Possess The Earth

"The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it," says Psalm 37:29. Every form of crime and injustice will then be a thing of the past. Therefore, everything related to crime will be gone: security alarms, locks, courts, lawyers, police and prisons. "The former things," the Bible promises, "will not be called to mind, neither will they come up into the heart." -Isaiah 65:17.

Yes, the earth and human society will experience a transformation the likes of which has never occurred before. (Isaiah 11:9: 2 Peter 3:13) That is the valid hope Jehovah's Witnesses have, and they invite you to see for yourself that it will soon be a reality. Remember,the One who inspired the Holy Scriptures "cannot lie." -Titus 1:2.

Next time: The Bible's Viewpoint-Does God Forgive Serious Sins?

Awake! 2008

12.28.2009

We Are Living In The Last Days

Some 2,000 years ago, disciples of Jesus Christ asked him a far-fetching question. "Tell us, they said, "What will be the sign of . . . the conclusion of the system of things?" (Matthew 24:3) Jesus' answer is spelled out in detail in the Bible in chapter 24 of Matthew, chapter 13 of Mark, and chapter 21 of Luke. These complimentary Gospel accounts describe the last days of the present system world as being characterized by wars, famines, diseases, great earthquakes and a significant increase in lawlessness.

The critical conditions that Jesus foretold began in 1914. As historian Eric Hobsbawm states in his book Age of Extremes, the 20th century "was without doubt the most murderous century of which we have record."

Concerning the present proliferation of evil, the Bible states: "When the wicked one sprouts as vegetation and all the practicers of what is hurtful blossom forth, it is that they may be annihilated forever." (Psalm 92:7) Yes, the evidence is clear: Today's bumper crop of lawlessness -like the sprouting of vegetation in season-is, in reality, an indication that the annihilation of the wicked is imminent! Is that not good news? - 2Peter3:7.

Next time:"The Righteous . . . Will Possess The Earth"

Awake!2008

12.23.2009

Soon Crime "Will Be No More"

Our Creator, Jehovah God, is profoundly interested in his human creation; he is not aloof, as some believe. (Psalm 11:4, 5) What is more, he sees every crime and every injustice, including those that escape human notice. "The eyes of Jehovah are in every place, keeping watch upon the bad ones and the good ones." (Proverbs 15:3) So rest assured, the wicked are truly "on slippery ground." -Psalm 73:12, 18.

However, the blameless and morally upright, even though they may be materially poor and even the downtrodden, have a wonderful prospect. "Watch the blameless one and keep the upright one in sight," wrote the psalmist David, "for the future of that man will be peaceful." (Psalm 37:37) Those words can be of special comfort to us today, for we have the hope of seeing them fulfilled worldwide in the not-too distant future.


Next time: We Are Living In The Last Days

Awake! 2008

12.22.2009

God Is Merciful

In Jehovah God's eyes, no one is automatically a lost cause. God's Son, Jesus Christ, said: "I have come to call, not righteous persons, but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:32) True, adjusting to living by Bible standards may be a challenge. But success comes to those who take advantage of the help God provides, including the loving support of spiritually-minded Christians. (Luke 11:9-13; Galatians 5:22, 23) To this end, Jehovah's Witnesses regularly visit prisons worldwide to conduct free Bible studies with sincere men and women who have committed crimes of all kinds. In a number of prisons, the Witnesses also hold weekly Christian meetings. -Hebrews 10:24, 25.

Even though some former evildoers have abandoned their ways and have become true Christians, the Bible frankly speaks of an "increasing of lawlessness." (Matthew 24:12) As we shall see in the following article, that prediction is a part of a larger prophecy that contains some very good news.

Next time: Soon Crime "Will Be No More"

Awake! 2008

12.21.2009

The Power Of A Good "Diet"

For the physical body to become healthy, it needs good food. Also, that food must be chewed well and digested, which takes time and effort. Likewise, for us to become spiritually sound, we need to "chew" on God's utterances so that these can be assimilated into our mind and heart. (Matthew 4:4) The Bible says: "Whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well spoken of, whatever virtue there is and whatever praiseworthy thing there is, continue considering these things. . . . and the God of peace will with you." -Philippians 4:8, 9.

Note that we must "continue considering God's thoughts if we want old personality traits to give way to new ones. Patience is needed for spiritual growth does not occur overnight. -Colossians 1:9, 10; 3:8-10.

Consider the example of a woman who was molested as a child; took up drugs, alcohol and tobacco; and is now serving a life sentence for number of crimes. While in prison, she began to study the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses and took to heart the truths she learned. The result? Gradually, her old self gave way to a Christlike new personality. Now she is no longer a slave to destructive thinking and vices. One of her favorite Bible texts is 2Corinthians 3:17, which states: "Now Jehovah is the Spirit, and where the spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom." Yes, even though incarcerated, she enjoys a freedom that she had never know before.

Next time: God Is Merciful

Awake! 2008

12.18.2009

People Can Change

Once a criminal does not mean always a criminal. The book Inside The Criminal Mind states that just as a person may have chosen a life of crime, so he or she "can make choices in a new direction and learn to lead a responsible life."

Experience has shown that people with all kinds of backgrounds can change. What is required is a willingness to adjusts one's attitudes, motivations and thinking patterns so that these conform, not the shifting values of humans, but to the stable standards of our Creator. After all, who know us better than he does? Moreover, does not God have the right to decide for the human family what is good and bad? To that end, he inspired approximately 40 God-fearing humans to pen what we know as the Holy Bible-an amazing volume that could rightly be called mankind's manual for happy and purposeful living. - 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.

It may not be easy to make the changes needed to please God, for we have to resist the tug of war our sinful tendencies. In fact, one Bible writer described his inner conflict as a 'war'! (Romans 7:21-25) He won the struggle because he did not trust his own strength but in that of God, whose inspired Word is "alive and exerts power." -Hebrews 4:12.

Next time: The Power Of A Good "Diet"

Awake! 2008

12.16.2009

Crime Begins Within

The Bible puts the focus on the inner person, not on his circumstances. Says James 1:14, 15: "Each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire. Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to sin." When a person thinks bad thoughts, he nurtures wrong desires. These, in turn, may lead to harmful acts. For example, a casual interest in pornography may develop into an obsession with sex that impels a person eventually to act on his fantasies, perhaps in a criminal way.

Another factor to take into account is the world's focus on self, money, pleasures and gratification. Concerning our time the Bible foretold: "In the last days . . ., men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, . . .fierce, without love of goodness, and [and] lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God." (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Sadly, by way of movies, video games, literature and bad role models, the world promotes such traits, which only foster crime. Individually, though, people need not succumb to these influences. In fact, some who at one time did succumb have completely changed in their outlook and way of life.

Next time: People Can Change

Awake! 2008

12.02.2009

Criminals By Necessity Or Choice?

Is crime the only choice that some people have in order to survive? I saw crime as being almost normal, if not excusable, reaction to the grinding poverty, instability and despair that pervaded [the criminals'] lives," admits Samenow. After extensive research, however, he changed his mind. "Criminals choose to commit crimes," he concluded. "Crime . . . is 'caused' by the way [the person] thinks, not by his environment." Samenow adds: "Behavior is largely a product of thinking. Everything we do is preceded, accompanied and followed by thinking." So rather than regard criminals as victims, he came to the conclusion that "they were victimizers who had freely chosen their life."

The key word is "chosen." In fact, a recent headline in British newspaper stated: "Crime is Career of Choice for Young Urban Men Aspiring to Better things." Humans have free will and can choose the course they want to take, even under difficult circumstances. To be sure, millions struggle daily against social injustice and poverty, or they may live in dysfunctional families; but they do not become felons. "Criminals cause crime," says Samenow, "not bad neighborhoods, inadequate parents, . . . or unemployment. Crime resides within the minds of human beings and is not caused by social conditions."

"Jehovah -The One Who Is Vigorous In Power"- By Stanton E. Samenow, Ph.D.

Next time: Crime Begins Within

Awake! 2008


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12.01.2009

Can The Problem Of Crime Be Solved?

No matter where you live in the world, every day seems to bring in another crop of lurid crimes. Therefore, it is reasonable to ask: Are present deterrents -stiff penalties, prison terms, and so on-working? Does prison reform criminals? More important, is society addressing the root cause of the crime? Concerning present deterrents, Dr. Stanton E. Samenow writes: " After a taste of prison, [the criminal] may become shrewder and more cautious, but he continues his exploitative way of life and commits crimes. Recidivism [relapse into criminal behavior] statistics indicate only whether he has been careless enough to be caught [again]." In effect, then, prisons often become finishing schools for criminals, inadvertently helping them to hone their antisocial skills. -

What is more, many crimes go unpunished, leading felons to conclude that crime does pay. This belief can make them bolder and more set in their ways. A wise ruler once wrote: "Because sentence against a bad work has not been executed speedily, that is why the heart of the sons of men has become fully set in them to do bad." -Ecclesiastes 8:11

Next time: Criminals By Necessity Or Choice?

Awake! 2008