Why Disfellowshipping Is a Loving Provision - THE BENEFITS OF DISFELLOWSHIPPING

Jesus said that "wisdom is proved righteous by its results."  (Matthew 11:19)  Let us consider three reasons why it is a wise decision to disfellowship a person if he does  not repent. 

Disfellowshipping protects Jehovah's  name from dishonor.  What we do will bring either honor or dishonor to Jehovah because, as his Witnesses, we bear his name.  (Isaiah 43:10) Just as a son's conduct can honor or dishonor his parents, the conduct of Jehovah's servants can honor or dishonor Jehovah.  In Ezekiel's time, people of the nations linked the Jews with Jehovah's name.  (Ezekiel  36:19-23)  Similarly today, people link Jehovah's Witnesses  with Jehovah's name. So if we obey Jehovah's laws, we will bring honor to him.

The apostle Peter counseled Christians:  "As obedient children, stop being molded by the desires you formerly had in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all your conduct, for it is written:  "You must be holy because I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:14-16)  For example, if we practiced  sexual immorality, we would dishonor God's name.  But when we keep our conduct clean, we honor Jehovah. 

If one of Jehovah's  practices what is bad, people who know him will probably become aware of what he is doing. So when they learn that he is  no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses, they will realized that Jehovah's people obey what the Bible says and keep the congregation clean. For example, a man came to a meeting in Switzerland and said that he wanted to become a member of the congregation. His sister had been disfellowhipped  for immorality and now he wanted to join an organization that "does not tolerate bad conduct."  

Next time: Conclusion of THE BENEFITS OF DISFELLOWSHIPPING

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