Recognizing the Theocratic Organization for Life

THE Bible shows Jehovah God to be a God of purpose, a God who works, a God who accomplishes things. In his love and wisdom he has seen fit to create intelligent creatures to whom he gives the privilege of working with their Maker for the carrying out of his purposes. Those who do so thereby serve the purpose of their existence and are rewarded with life. Those who refuse to do so have no excuse for existing and so receive death. Jehovah’s rule in this regard is: “Them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”—1 Sam. 2:30, AS.a

For the carrying out of any work involving more than one person an organization is required, and so we find that in times past God has had organizations on earth. Such organizations were “theocratic” in that they were ruled by God. The nation of Israel was one such organization, the early Christian congregation was another. Those who recognized such theocratic organizations, such as Joshua and Caleb and Paul and Barnabas, received Jehovah’s blessing; those who refused to do so, such as Korah, Joab and Diotrephes, were destined for God’s wrath and death.

From such things that were written aforetime as well as the fact that the Bible itself was written by and for those in Jehovah’s theocratic organization we can see that the Bible is basically an organization book; it drives home the point that if we would gain life we must recognize the theocratic organization. The wise person will therefore humble himself to Jehovah’s arrangement, for humility and life are better than pride and death.

Jesus foretold that there would be a theocratic organization on earth today, a “faithful and discreet slave” class, not just one individual, which he would set over all his belongings to feed his servants spiritual food at the proper time. The facts show that this organization is associated with Jehovah’s witnesses. It is apostolic in that it follows the teachings and methods of preaching of the inspired apostles and, like the early Christian congregation, it has a governing body that is closely associated with the legally established service agency, the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, which Society has branches in some seventy-five lands.

To recognize the theocratic organization in our day, therefore, means to recognize this instrument of Jehovah and to work with it. That means co-operating with whatever persons are appointed by it to special positions as servants, and especially must these fully inform themselves of what is required of them and then carefully carry out instructions.

For the sake of peace, harmony and efficiency we must recognize the theocratic organization. We may not call attention to ourselves but must put the organization to the fore. We may not feel precocious and pull away a following after ourselves as though the organization were too slow for us. And if the organization administers a rebuke to us, let us not become disgruntled and leave, but rather let us wisely and humbly accept the rebuke and profit by it. The organization can get along without us but we cannot get along without it. If we recognize it, it will recognize us, support us, work for us, and retain us in its divine service now; and, continuing therein, we shall gain everlasting life in Jehovah’s new world. Truly it is the part of wisdom humbly to recognize the theocratic organization.

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