Do You Recognize the Truth?

 1. How do you feel about the truth?

JEHOVAH’S people love the truth found in God’s Word. We have built our faith on it. (Rom. 10:17) We have come to believe that Jehovah set up the Christian congregation as “a pillar and support of the truth.” (1 Tim. 3:15) And we gladly submit to “those who are taking the lead” among us as they explain the truth from the Bible and give direction in harmony with God’s will.​—Heb. 13:17.

 2. According to James 5:19, what risk do we face after we learn the truth?

² However, after we have accepted the truth and the role of God’s organization in providing reliable guidance, we could still be led astray. (Read James 5:19.) Satan would like nothing better than to cause us to lose confidence in the Bible or in the direction we receive from God’s organization.​—Eph. 4:14.

 3. Why do we need to hold fast to the truth? (Ephesians 6:13, 14)

³ Read Ephesians 6:13, 14. Soon the Devil will use powerful propaganda to mislead entire nations into taking sides against Jehovah. (Rev. 16:13, 14) We can also expect Satan to intensify his efforts to mislead Jehovah’s people. (Rev. 12:9) Consequently, it is important that we train ourselves to see the difference between truth and falsehood and to be obedient to the truth. (Rom. 6:17; 1 Pet. 1:22) Our survival during the great tribulation will depend on it!

 4. What will we consider in this article?

⁴ In this article, we will identify two qualities that are needed to help us recognize the truth that comes from the Bible and to accept direction from God’s organization. Then we will consider three suggestions to follow in order to continue holding fast to the truth.

QUALITIES NEEDED TO RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH

 5. How does fear of Jehovah help us recognize the truth?

⁵ Fear of Jehovah. When we have cultivated proper fear of Jehovah, we love him so much that we would never do anything to displease him. We are eager to learn the difference between right and wrong, between truth and falsehood, so that we can gain Jehovah’s approval. (Prov. 2:3-6; Heb. 5:14) We must never allow our fear of man to become greater than our love for Jehovah, since what pleases humans often displeases Jehovah.

 6. How did fear of man cause ten Israelite chieftains to distort the truth?

⁶ If we were to fear humans more than we fear God, we could be led away from the truth. Consider the example of the 12 chieftains who spied out the land that Jehovah had promised to give to the Israelites. For ten of the spies, their fear of the Canaanites was stronger than their love for Jehovah. They told their fellow Israelites: “We are not able to go up against the people, because they are stronger than we are.” (Num. 13:27-31) From a human standpoint, the Canaanites were stronger than the Israelites​—that part was true. But to say that the Israelites would not be able to conquer their enemies left Jehovah out of the picture. Those ten spies should have focused on what Jehovah wanted the Israelites to do. They should also have meditated on what he had done for them in the recent past. Then they would have realized that the strength of the Canaanites was nothing in comparison to Jehovah’s almighty power. Unlike those faithless spies, Joshua and Caleb wanted to have Jehovah’s approval. They told the people: “If Jehovah is pleased with us, he will certainly bring us into this land and give it to us.”​—Num. 14:6-9.

 7. How can we strengthen our fear of Jehovah? (See also picture.)

⁷ To strengthen our fear of Jehovah, we need to focus on pleasing him in every decision we make. (Ps. 16:8) As you read Bible accounts, ask yourself, ‘If I had been in that situation, what decision would I have made?’ For example, picture yourself listening as the ten Israelite chieftains gave their negative report. Would you have believed the report and given in to the fear of man, or would your love for Jehovah and your desire to please him have won out? An entire generation of Israelites failed to recognize the truth that Joshua and Caleb spoke. As a result, they lost the opportunity to enter the Promised Land.​—Num. 14:10, 22, 23.

 8. What quality must we work hard to cultivate, and why?

⁸ Humility. Jehovah reveals the truth to those who are humble. (Matt. 11:25) We humbly accepted help to learn the truth. (Acts 8:30, 31) Still, we must be careful not to become proud. Being prideful could lead us to consider our personal opinions to be just as valid as Scriptural principles and direction from Jehovah’s organization.

 9. How can we maintain our humility?

⁹ To maintain our humility, we need to remember our littleness when compared to Jehovah’s greatness. (Ps. 8:3, 4) We can also pray to develop a humble, teachable spirit. Jehovah will help us put his thoughts, which he provides through his Word and his organization, ahead of our own. In your Bible reading, look for points about how Jehovah loves humility and hates pride, arrogance, and haughtiness. And take extra care to remain humble if you receive a privilege of service that gives you a measure of prominence.

HOW WE CAN HOLD FAST TO THE TRUTH

10. Whom has Jehovah used to provide instruction and direction to his people?

¹⁰ Maintain confidence in theocratic direction. In ancient Israel, Jehovah used Moses and then Joshua to convey instructions to His people. (Josh. 1:16, 17) The Israelites were blessed when they viewed these men as representatives of Jehovah God. Centuries later when the Christian congregation was first formed, the 12 apostles gave direction. (Acts 8:14, 15) Then that group was expanded to include other elders in Jerusalem. By following the guidance received from those faithful men, “the congregations continued to be made firm in the faith and to increase in number day by day.” (Acts 16:4, 5) In modern times, we too are blessed when we follow theocratic direction from Jehovah’s organization. But how would Jehovah feel if we were to refuse to recognize those whom he has appointed? We can answer that question by considering what happened when the Israelites were being led to the Promised Land.

11. What happened to those in ancient Israel who challenged God’s choice of Moses as the one taking the lead? (See also picture.)

¹¹ At one point in the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land, prominent men challenged Moses and the role that Jehovah had assigned him. They said: “The whole assembly [not just Moses] is holy, all of them, and Jehovah is in their midst.” (Num. 16:1-3) Although it was true that in God’s eyes “the whole assembly” was holy, Jehovah had chosen Moses to take the lead among His people. (Num. 16:28) By criticizing Moses, the rebels were really criticizing Jehovah. They did not focus on what Jehovah wanted; they focused on what they wanted​—more power and recognition. God struck down the leaders of the rebellion as well as thousands more who sympathized with them. (Num. 16:30-35, 41, 49) Today we can be sure that Jehovah disapproves of those who disrespect his organizational arrangements.

12. Why can we maintain our confidence in Jehovah’s organization?

¹² We can maintain our confidence in Jehovah’s organization. When it becomes clear that an adjustment is needed in our understanding of a certain Bible truth or in the way that the Kingdom work is organized, those taking the lead do not hesitate to make the necessary changes. (Prov. 4:18) They do so because, more than anything else, they want to please Jehovah. They also do their best to base their decisions on God’s Word, the standard to which all of Jehovah’s people must adhere.

13. What is “the standard of wholesome words,” and what must we do with it?

¹³ “Keep holding to the standard of wholesome words.” (2 Tim. 1:13) “The standard of wholesome words” refers to Christian teachings found in the Bible. (John 17:17) Such teachings form the basis for everything we believe. Jehovah’s organization has taught us to cling to that standard. As long as we do so, we will be blessed.

14. How did some Christians lose their grip on “the standard of wholesome words”?

¹⁴ What could happen if we deviated from “the standard of wholesome words”? Consider an example. In the first century, a rumor was apparently circulating among some Christians that the day of Jehovah had arrived. There may have been a letter​—supposedly written by the apostle Paul—​that made such an assertion. Without taking the time to check the facts, some Christians in Thessalonica believed the rumor and were even spreading it. They would not have been fooled had they remembered the things Paul had taught them when he was still with them. (2 Thess. 2:1-5) Paul counseled his brothers not to believe everything they heard. And to help them in the future, Paul concluded his second letter to the Thessalonians with the words: “Here is my greeting, Paul’s, in my own hand, which is a sign in every letter; this is the way I write.”​—2 Thess. 3:17.

15. How can we protect ourselves from falsehoods that appear to be genuine? Give an example. (See also pictures.)

¹⁵ What can we learn from Paul’s words to the Thessalonians? When we hear something that does not harmonize with what we have learned from the Bible or when we hear a sensational rumor, we need to use discernment. In the former Soviet Union, our enemies once circulated a letter that was allegedly from world headquarters. The letter encouraged some of the brothers to form a separate, independent organization. The letter itself appeared to be genuine. But faithful brothers were not fooled. They realized that the message the letter contained did not line up with what they had been taught. Today, enemies of the truth sometimes use modern technology in an effort to confuse and divide us. Rather than be “quickly shaken from [our] reason,” we can protect ourselves by considering whether what we hear or read is in harmony with the truths we have already learned.​—2 Thess. 2:2; 1 John 4:1.

16. According to Romans 16:17, 18, what should we do if some deviate from the truth?

¹⁶ Remain united with those who are loyal to Jehovah. God wants us to be united in our worship. We will remain united as long as we cling to the truth. Any who deviate from the truth create divisions within the congregation, so God warns us to “avoid them.” Otherwise, we ourselves could be drawn away from the truth.​—Read Romans 16:17, 18.

17. What benefits do we gain by recognizing the truth and holding firmly to it?

¹⁷ When we recognize the truth and hold firmly to it, we will stay spiritually safe and healthy. (Eph. 4:15, 16) We will be protected from Satan’s false teachings and propaganda, and we will remain secure in Jehovah’s care during the great tribulation. Keep holding firmly to what is true, “and the God of peace will be with you.”​—Phil. 4:8, 9.