Do You Remember?

Have you given careful thought to recent issues of The Watchtower? If so, you will find it interesting to recall the following:

◻ Why is the doctrine of predestination unreasonable?

If God foreknew and decreed Adam’s fall into sin, then Jehovah became the author of sin when he made man and he would be responsible for all human wickedness and suffering. This cannot be reconciled with the fact that Jehovah is a God of love who hates wickedness. (Psalm 33:5; Proverbs 15:9; 1 John 4:8)—4/15, pages 7, 8.

◻ In fulfillment of Isaiah 2:2-4, what are people from many nations doing?

As they stream to Jehovah’s house of worship, they also refrain from ‘learning war’ because they have placed their confidence in the protection of God’s heavenly armies, which are poised to destroy all enemies of peace.—4/15, page 30.

◻ Who are God’s powerful ones spoken of at Joel 3:10, 11?

Some 280 times in the Bible, the true God is called “Jehovah of armies.” (2 Kings 3:14) These armies are the powerful angelic hosts of heaven, ready to do Jehovah’s bidding.—5/1, page 23.

◻ What lesson can we learn from Jehovah’s requiring Job to pray for those who transgressed against him? (Job 42:8)

Before Job was restored to a healthy state, Jehovah required that he pray in behalf of those who had transgressed against him. This shows that Jehovah requires that we forgive those who sin against us before we can have our sins forgiven. (Matthew 6:12; Ephesians 4:32)—5/1, page 31.

◻ What did James mean when he said: “Let endurance have its work complete”? (James 1:4)

Endurance has a job to do, a “work.” Its assignment is to make us complete in all respects. Hence, by letting trials run their course without using unscriptural means to bring them to a swift end, our faith is tested and refined.—5/15, page 16.

◻ Why has God waited so long to solve mankind’s problems?

Jehovah’s view of time is different from ours. To the eternal God, the period from Adam’s creation until now does not even amount to a week. (2 Peter 3:8) But whatever view of time we have, each day that passes brings us nearer to Jehovah’s day of vindication.—6/1, pages 5, 6.

◻ What motivates Jehovah’s Witnesses?

Jehovah’s teaching has produced a unique people, educated to love one another and their neighbor as themselves. (Isaiah 54:13) Love is what motivates Jehovah’s Witnesses to continue preaching in spite of public apathy and opposition. (Matthew 22:36-40; 1 Corinthians 13:1-8)—6/15, page 20.

◻ What is implied by Jesus’ words: “Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door”? (Luke 13:24)

Jesus’ words imply struggling, extending ourselves. His words also indicate that some might seek to ‘get through the door’ only at their own convenience, at an easy pace that they prefer. So each one of us can ask, ‘Am I applying myself with diligence and industriousness?’—6/15, page 31.

◻ How will resurrected ones be “judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds”? (Revelation 20:12)

These scrolls are not the record of their past deeds; when they died they were acquitted of the sins they committed during their lifetime. (Romans 6:7, 23) However, resurrected humans will still be under Adamic sin. It must be, then, that these scrolls will set forth divine instructions that all must follow in order to benefit fully from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.—7/1, page 22.

◻ What lessons are contained for us in Jesus’ parable about the neighborly Samaritan? (Luke 10:30-37)

Jesus’ parable shows that a truly upright person is one who not only obeys God’s laws but also imitates his qualities. (Ephesians 5:1) It also shows that neighborliness should transcend all national, cultural, and religious barriers. (Galatians 6:10)—7/1, page 31.

◻ What are three areas in which you might get to know your children and provide parental guidance?

(1) Help your children to choose an appropriate type of secular work; (2) prepare them to cope with emotional stress in school and at the workplace; (3) show them how to satisfy their spiritual needs.—7/15, page 4.

◻ For what purpose did God rest on “the seventh day”? (Genesis 2:1-3)

God did not rest because of being tired. Rather, he desisted from earthly work in order to let his handiwork develop and come into full glory, to his praise and honor.—7/15, page 18.

◻ What are three ways in which we can exercise justice?

First, we must conform to God’s moral standards. (Isaiah 1:17) Second, we exercise justice when we treat others the way we want Jehovah to treat us. (Psalm 130:3, 4) Third, we display godly justice when we diligently engage in the preaching activity. (Proverbs 3:27)—8/1, pages 14, 15.