Search for God With Your HEART AND MIND - Mind and Heart Cooperate

Mind and Heart Cooperate

As mentioned earlier, true worship involves both the mind and the heart.  (Mark 12:30) Think back to the illustration in the preceding article of the hired painter who used the wrong colors when painting a house.  If he had listened carefully to his employer's instructions, he could have put his heart and soul into his work and had confidence that his work would have the  owner's approval, the same applies to our worship.

"The true worshipers,"  Jesus said, "will worship the Father with spirit and truth." (John 4:23)  Hence, the apostle Paul wrote: " That is also why we . . .have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension, in order to walk worthily of Jehovah to the end of fully pleasing him."  (Colossians 1:9, 10)  Such  "accurate knowledge" enables sincere individuals to put their heart and soul into their worship with full confidence because they "worship what [they] know." -John 4:22.

For these reasons, Jehovah's Witnesses do not baptize infants or newly interested people who have not carefully studied the Scriptures.   Jesus commissioned his followers:  "Make disciples of people of all the nations, . . .teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you."  (Matthew 238:19, 20) Only after having  gained an accurate knowledge of God's will can sincere Bible students make an informed decision about the matter of worship.  Are you striving to gain such an accurate knowledge?

Next time: Search for God With Your HEART AND MIND - Understanding the Lord's Prayer

The Watchtower, 2002