17. (a) Are dedication and baptism guarantees of survival into the new world? (b) What does God look for in those who serve him?

¹⁷ Of course, dedication and baptism are not in themselves guarantees of life in the new world, Having made a dedication, one must use his life as he has promised to God. No one can expect to get into the new world “under the wire,” so to speak. Those who endeavor to get by with as little service as possible have already violated the very greatest commandment. Having been questioned on the matter, Jesus said that, to gain everlasting life, “‘you must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole strength and with your whole mind,’ and, ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:25-27) Jehovah God, who is our Judge, sees more than what men see. “All hearts Jehovah is searching and every inclination of the thoughts he is discerning.” (1 Chron. 28:9) He knows not only what we do, but our motive. He knows whether we really do exert ourselves wholeheartedly in his service and whether our love for our neighbor, our desire to see him gain salvation, is as great as for ourselves. Now, before God passes final judgment, is the time for us to examine our own hearts, to review our own ministry, to see if we have the right view of the vital work that God has given us to do.

Enlarging Your Privileges of Service

1. (a) What did Jesus forcefully illustrate in the parable of the minas, and how? (b) Who is the one that has received kindly power, and what interests has he entrusted to his servants?

THE need for us to be productive in the service of our Master was forcefully illustrated by Jesus in a parable. He told of a certain man of noble birth who was about to travel abroad to secure kingly power and who called his servants to him and, entrusting each one with a mina, he told them