religion or form of worship. Why should it be strange or thought to be presumptuous if the remnant of that same congregation today claims to have the true religion? This remnant of dedicated, baptized followers of Jesus Christ have obeyed the divine command given in Revelation 18:4 and have come out of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion, including Christendom. On coming out of Babylon the Great they have not joined any antireligious organization such as the atheists, the freethinkers, the evolutionists, the Communists. No, but they have come out of the world empire of false Babylonish religion into the one true religion as the people of Jehovah God, “my people,” as He calls them. Attack all false religion they do, not like and in company with the godless antireligious groups of this world, but in the way that the apostles of Jesus Christ did, with the “sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word,” the only successful weapon.

20. (a) How have Jehovah’s witnesses shown themselves to be a “pillar and support of the truth”? (b) Their preaching and teaching the Bible has resulted in what accomplishment?

²⁰ Like a “pillar and support of the truth,” they stick to the teaching of the apostles and their inspired Christian associates as set out in the twenty-seven books of the Christian Greek Scriptures, in addition to the thirty-nine books of the inspired Hebrew Scriptures. As did the Christians of apostolic times in the first century, they study, uphold and follow the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. As did the apostles themselves, they go from house to house, today placing Bibles in the homes of the people and Watch Tower Society literature explaining the Bible, in 167 languages. (Acts 5:41, 42; 20:20) When Jesus in his prayer to his Father in heaven said: “Your word is truth,” this included also the then inspired written Scriptures. (John 17:17; Ps. 119:160) The whole Bible is the complete Book of true religion. The preaching and teaching of this Book by these house-to-house witnesses of Jehovah is mightily spreading the true religion and pushing back the false religion. God is certainly backing up this work.

21, 22. (a) Of what are the relatively small number of true worshipers today merely a forerunner? (b) What is the Archenemy of false religion, Jehovah, determined to do?

²¹ Already close to a million dedicated, baptized worshipers of Jehovah as God have joined the anointed remnant in this modern-day attack on all false religion. Their cooperation indicates how successful has been the continuous attack carried on by the remnant, Christ’s “faithful and discreet slave.” But what are one million of true worshipers against two thousand millions or more of the false religionists of Babylon the Great? True, but God’s attack forces against false religion have never been many in the earth, and they are relatively not many today. As the tremendous organizations of false religion scoff at the small band of assailants and reunite themselves for their security, let them remember that this insignificant number of Christian witnesses of Jehovah are merely the forerunners of the coming assault that will really destroy forever false religion out of the earth. This is the assault that the almighty Archenemy of false religion will himself make upon Babylon the Great and her political paramours. Says he, in the prophecy of Isaiah 28:21, 22:

²² “Jehovah will rise up just as at Mount Perazim, he will be agitated just as in the low plain near Gibeon, that he may do his deed—his deed is strange—and that he may work his work—his work is unusual. And now do not show yourselves scoffers . . . for there is an extermination, even something decided upon.”

23. What action by Jehovah will soon be brought on false religion, her political associates and Satan the Devil, and where is this foretold?

²³ Strange and unusual indeed it will seem when Jehovah God the Almighty by means of his forces in heaven and on earth (the ten horns and the wild beast) brings about the speedy destruction of that world empire of false Babylonish religion, to be followed shortly by his destruction of all her political associates in the “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Armageddon. (Rev. 17:15 to 19:21) This will be immediately followed by the binding of the god of false religion, Satan the Devil, and all his demons and the hurling of them bound into the abyss of deathlike inactivity during the reign of God’s kingdom by his Son Jesus Christ. (Rev. 20:1-6; 21:26, 27) All this is prophesied in God’s written Word, and he will never break his word but faithfully keep it and fulfill all these desirable things.

24. What follows the destruction of false religion that will be to mankind’s eternal benefit?

²⁴ Only in this way will God produce a world without false religion. His witnesses in the earth who are now proclaiming this “good news” of such a world will be preserved by him and will be the ones with whom he will start his promised world of true religion. Then “the earth will be filled with the knowing of the glory of Jehovah as the waters themselves cover over the sea.”—Hab. 2:14.

Remember Our Creator Now, Whether Old or Young

SOME three thousand years ago the royal Congregator, King Solomon, under inspiration counseled: “Remember, now, your grand Creator.” (Eccl. 12:1) That is good advice for all, both old and young.a

Among the many ways that we can remember our grand Creator is by manifesting the qualities that he approves, such as the fruits of the spirit listed at Galatians 5:22, 23. Among these qualities or fruits of the spirit is that of goodness.

What is goodness? Goodness is that which is good, that which is suitable and fitting, that which is becoming. Goodness is also virtue, moral excellence. What does goodness include for the Christian? All that Jehovah God approves.

Goodness will help us remember our Creator by keeping us from lying, stealing, committing sexual immorality, overindulging in food and drink. In particular does goodness aid us in the positive virtues. It will cause us to be law-abiding citizens. Goodness will cause married persons to be fully loyal to their mates; children to be obedient to their parents. It will aid members of a Christian congregation to obey those who are taking the lead among them and to be submissive.—Heb. 13:4, 17; Rom. 13:1.

Remembering our grand Creator includes also the virtue of modesty, both as to not having too high an estimate of ourselves and having proper decorum and attire. And the quality of goodness should result in clean Christians, both as to their person and their homes, both as to physical cleanliness and moral cleanliness.—2 Cor. 7:1.

Remembering our Creator also means manifesting goodness by singing his praises. (Ps. 148:1, 12, 13) There are many opportunities for Jehovah’s witnesses to praise him. At the Kingdom Hall as they meet in sweet assembly they can praise him by joining in heartfelt song, by commenting as opportunity affords, by bringing their children and by inviting others to come.

And there is the remembering of our Creator by praising Jehovah in the field ministry: by going from house to house and standing on the street corners offering Bible literature, by making return visits and conducting Bible studies in private homes. Nor to be overlooked is witnessing at other times as opportunity affords.

Truly there are many fruitful ways in which we as Christians can manifest goodness, and thus show, whether we be old or young, that we remember our grand Creator now.