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Protestantism’s Twin PlightThe Watchtower—1957 | August 1
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populations . . . are likewise out of touch.” The editor of a leading newspaper in Stockholm told the author: “The church is simply a venerable old monument in Sweden. We support it for historical and sentimental reasons. But it no longer plays an important part in Swedish life. If you want to study Swedish religion today, go back to the United States.”
Back in the United States church leaders continued to bemoan their own plight. “Much of our current boom in religion,” declared Presbyterian minister John E. Burkhart, “is nothing more than spiritual aspirin. It doesn’t cost much, doesn’t do much, won’t hurt much, and isn’t worth much.”
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Man’s Salvation Secondary to God’s VindicationThe Watchtower—1957 | August 1
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Man’s Salvation Secondary to God’s Vindication
The Bible speaks much about the salvation of man, but where does it talk of the vindication of God? Does it teach vindication is more important than salvation?
JEHOVAH’S witnesses stress the vindication of Jehovah’s name. Other religions put the emphasis on the salvation of man: Repent and be saved, confess your sins, be baptized, accept Jesus as your Savior. These are the sentiments harped on by the evangelistic revivalists and crusaders. The Bible teaches these truths and Jehovah’s witnesses embrace them and preach them to others. They are very important. They should never be minimized. But neither should they be magnified so out of proportion that they hide the more important truth of the Bible, the vindication of Jehovah’s name.
God’s name Jehovah was made known in a special way when he delivered the Israelites from Egypt as his chosen nation. He put his name on that people and gave them his law: “And now if you will strictly obey my voice and will indeed keep my covenant, then you will certainly become my special property out of all other peoples, because the whole earth belongs to me. And you yourselves will become to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” The Israelites agreed to obey and be Jehovah’s special property with his name on them. They were warned: “You must not take up the name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way, for Jehovah will not leave the one unpunished who takes up his name in a worthless way.”—Ex. 19:5, 6; 20:7, NW.
When this third one of the Ten Commandments says not to take God’s name in vain or in a worthless way, it means much more than not using his name in profanity. It means that those who agree to be God’s people bear his name and must obey the laws and commands and principles his name stands for; otherwise they are taking his name in a worthless way and will not go unpunished. They cannot disgrace his name forever. In his due time Jehovah will take action to vindicate it, even at the cost of human lives, for its vindication is more important.
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