Defending Our Faith

 "Sanctify the Christ as our Lord in your hearts, always read to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you." -1 PETER 3:15. 

IN MOST countries, Jehovah's Witnesses are generally recognized as honest, clean-living people. Many view them as good neighbors who do not cause any trouble. Yet, ironically, these peace-loving Christians have suffered unjust persecution-in time of war and peace. They are not surprised by such opposition. In fact, they expect it. After all, they know that faithful Christians in the first century C.E. were "objects of hatred," so why should those endeavoring to be true followers of Christ today expect to be treated any differently? (Matthew 10:22) Besides, the Bible says: "All those desiring to live with Godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted." -2 TIMOTHY 3:12.

Jehovah's Witnesses do not seek persecution, nor do they enjoy the hardships-fines, imprisonments, or harsh treatment-it may bring. They desire to 'lead a calm and quiet life' so that they can preach the good news of the Kingdom without hindrance. (1 Timothy 2:1, 2) They appreciate the religious freedom they have in most lands to carry on with their worship, and they conscientiously do what they can to "be peaceable with all men," including the ruler of human governments. (Romans 12:18; 13:1-7) Why, then, are they "objects of hatred"? 

    Basically, Jehovah's Witnesses have been unjustly hated for the same reasons that the early Christians were persecuted. First, Jehovah's Witnesses act upon the religious beliefs in ways that make them unpopular with some. For example, they zealously preach the good news of God's Kingdom, but people often misunderstand their zeal, viewing their preaching as aggressive proselytizing." (Compare Acts 4:19, 20.) They are also neutral toward the politics and wars of the nations, and sometimes this has been wrongly taken to mean that the Witnesses are disloyal citizens. - MICAH 4:3, 4.

Next time: Defending Our Faith

From the jw.org publications

Do Jehovah's Witnesses Help in the Community?

 . They sponsor literary programs that have helped tens of thousands of people worldwide learn to read and write. 

. They have organized over 400 Regional Building Committees worldwide to train volunteers in construction skills so that they can built centers of Bible education. In the past decade, over 20,000 houses of worship or Kingdom Halls, have been built. 

. They are involved in disaster relief around the world, rendering aid to Witnesses and non-Witnesses. In a two-year period following a recent spate of hurricanes that struck the United States, Witness volunteers rebuilt over 90 Kingdom Halls and 5,500 homes. 

Next time: Defending Our Faith

From the jw.org publications 

Do Jehovah's Witnesses Help the Community?

 Jehovah's Witnesses are politically neutral. They are, however, deeply involved in helping people of all races and backgrounds in their community. Consider a few facts:

. Jehovah's Witnesses include over seven million volunteers who spend total of more than 1.5 billion hours annually teaching people what the Bible contains and how it can help them overcome harmful habits and practices, build happy families, and otherwise improver their lives. 

. They print and distribute literature free of charge in over 500 languages, including some in which no other printed literature exists. 

. They conduct public speaking courses that have helped million learn to express themselves clearly and tactfully. 

Next time: Do Jehovah's Witnesses Help the Community?

From the jw.org publications

What Does the Devil Look Like? - Bible verses about the Devil

 2 CORINTHIANS 11:14: "Satan himself keep disguising himself as an angel of light." 

Meaning: Satan pretends to be good in order to fool people into following his teachings rather than those of God. 

EPHESIANS 6:11: "Put on the complete suit of armor from God so that you may be able to stand firm against the crafty acts of the Devil." 

Meaning: The Devil schemes to get people to disobey God. 

JAMES 4:7: "Subject yourselves to God; but oppose the Devi9l, and he will flee from you." 

Meaning: A person can defeat Satan by obeying God rather than the Devil. 

Next time: Do Jehovah's Witnesses Help the Community?

From the jw.org publications

What Does the Devil Look Like? -How does the Bible describe the Devil?

 The Bible uses a number of analogies regarding the Devil. These help us to understand, not his appearance, but his personality. Some of these analogies include: 

. An angel of light. He pretends to offer something good to try to get people to follow his teachings rather than those of God. - 2 CORINTHIANS 11:14. 

. A roaring lion. He fiercely attacks God' s worshippers. - 1 PETER 5:8.

. A great dragon. He is frightful, powerful and destructive. - REVELATION 12:9.

Next time: What Does the Devil Look Like?- Bible verses about the Devil. 

From the jw.org publications

What Does the Devil Look Like?/The Bible's answer

 The Devil is an invisible spirit person, which means that he does not have a physical appearance. - EPHESIANS 6:11, 12.

A popular description of the Devil is that of a goatlike creature with horns, a tail, and pitchfork. Some have suggested that such depictions of the Devil were conceived by medieval artists who were like influenced by folklore and ancient mythology. 

Next time: What Does the Devil Look Like? - How Does the Bible describe the Devil?

From the jw.org publications

What Does the Bible Teach About Speaking in Tongues? -What about speaking in tongues today?

 The miraculous gift of speaking in tongues evidently ended about the end of the first century C.E. No one today can rightly claim to speak in tongues by God's power. 

How true Christians be identified?

Jesus said that self-sacrificing love would identify his disciples. (John 13:34, 35) Likewise, the apostle Paul taught that love would be a permanent identifier of genuine Christians. (1 Corinthians 13:1, 8) He indicated that God's spirit would produce in Christians the qualities referred to collectively as "the fruitage of the spirit, "the first qualities which is love. - GALATIANS 5:22, 23.

Next time: What Doest the Devil Look Like?/The Bible's answer

From the jw.org publications 

What Does the Bible Teach About Speaking in Tongues? - Was speaking in tongues to continue permanently?

 No. The gifts of the holy spirit, including that of speaking in tongues were a temporary provision. The Bible foretold; "If there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease." - 1 CORINTHIANS 13:8.

When did speaking in tongues cease? 

The gifts of the holy spirit were generally passed on to other Christians in the presence of the apostles, usually by the apostles placing their hands of fellow believers. (Acts 8:18; 10:44-46) It appears that those who received the gifts of the spirit from the apostles did not transfer them to others.  (Acts 8:5-7, 14-17) To illustrate, a government official may issue a driver's license to someone, but that person is not given the legal authority to issue a license to anyone else. Apparently, speaking in tongues ended with the death of the apostles and those who had personally received the gift from them. 

Next time: What Does the Bible Teach About Speaking in Tongues? - What about speaking in tongues today? 

From the jw.org publications 

What Does the Bible Teach About Speaking in Tongues? - What was the purpose of speaking in tongues?

 (1.) To show that God was backing Christians. In the past, God provided miraculous signs to prove that he was backing faithful people such as Moses. (Exodus 4:1-9, 29-31; Numbers 17:10) Speaking in tongues served a similar purpose, showing that God was backing the newly formed Christian congregation. The apostle Paul wrote: "Tongues are not a sign for the believers but for the unbelievers." - 1 CORINTHIANS  14:22. 

(2.) To enable Christians to give a thorough witness. Those who heard Jesus' followers on the day of Pentecost said:  "We hear them speaking in our languages about the magnificence things of God." (Acts 2:11) Thus, another key purpose of this miracle was to enable Christians "to give a thorough witness" and to "make disciples of people of all the nations," as they had been commanded by Jesus. (Acts 10:42; Matthew 28:19) About 3,000 who observed the miracle and listened to the witness that was given became disciples that very day. - ACTS 2:41. 

Next time: What Does the Bible Teach About Speaking in Tongues? -Was speaking in tongues to continue permently?

From the jw.org publications 

What Does the Bible Teach About Speaking in Tongues?/ The Bible's answer

 "Speaking in tongues" refers to a miraculous ability some early Christians had enabled them to speak a language without first having learned it. (Acts10:46, New Internation Version) The speaker was easily understood by anyone who knew the language. (Acts 2:4-8) Speaking in tongues was one of the gifts of the holy spirit of that God gave to some first-century Christians. - HEBREWS 2:4; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4, 30. 

Where and when did speaking in tongues start.

This miracle first occurred in Jerusalem on the morning of the Jewish Festival of Pentecost in 33 C.E. About 120 of Jesus' disciples were meeting together when "they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak in different languages."  (Acts 1:15; 2:1-4) A large crowd of people "from every nation under heave gathered, and "each one heard them speaking in his own language." - ACTS 2:5, 6. 

Next time: What Does the Bible Teach About Speaking in Tongues? - What was the purpose of speaking in tongues?

From the jw.org publications