Transformed by the Power of God’s Word

THE apostle Paul counseled: “Be transformed by making your mind over,” yes, “be made new in the force actuating your mind,” clothing “yourselves with the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new.” (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:23; Col. 3:10) Does the application of these words in this modern age produce results? The following experience of one of Jehovah’s witnesses gives the answer:

“While I was working as a secretary in a large firm, my work brought me into contact with a young man who was typical of this old system of things. He smoked constantly and, when irritated, his language was atrocious. His manner was crude and he made very cutting remarks. He spent his evenings and weekends in bad company and in bad places.

“One day at noon he came to my desk. I usually ate my dinner there so I could be alone and study. He milled around for a while as if he had something on his mind and finally said: ‘May I ask you a question?’ I replied that he could, whereupon he pulled a chair up to my desk and asked me what my religion was. At the time I did not know why he asked me this, but later I found out that he had noticed that I acted differently from the others in the office.

“I told him that I was one of Jehovah’s witnesses, but this provoked no response, for his expression remained the same. He said that he had never heard of them and asked what made them so different from any other religion. Though I explained there were many differences, I emphasized the hope of eternal life on earth under God’s kingdom. With my Bible, I gave him the Scriptural proof. Soon it was time to return to work, but the next day he came back to continue our discussion. The lady he worked with later told me of his reaction to our first talk together. He told her that he had spent the whole dinner hour talking religion with me. When she asked him what religion I belonged to, he replied: ‘I do not remember exactly, but whatever it is, they have it!’

“After a while he quit working there and I suggested that he have a regular home Bible study. I made arrangements for the presiding minister of the congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses in his vicinity to call on him and to help him. He never had the chance to do this, for the young man looked up the Kingdom Hall himself and arranged for a Bible study.

“How thrilled I was to see him attending all the sessions of our circuit assembly! Imagine the joy I felt in hearing him give his first talk in the Theocratic Ministry School in his congregation! Soon he was baptized. Later I had the added joy of hearing him deliver his first public lecture. As I sat listening to him, I could not help but remember what he used to be like back there at work—his bad habits and his foul language. Now here before me was the same person transformed by the powerful Word of God into a qualified minister. He continued to advance so that now he is devoting himself full time to the work of helping others to ‘put on the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.’—Eph. 4:24.”