28. Where can a community be found today that loves righteousness, and what are the prospects for those residing in it?

²⁸ The Christian congregation is found today closely connected with the New World society of Jehovah’s modern-day witnesses and not with Christendom. That society is inseparably united with it. Here is where you will find a community that loves righteousness and that respects God’s commandments as the first-century Christians did. Here is a community that walks closely in Jesus’ footsteps by keeping separate from the world as he did, by preaching publicly as he did, and by seeking first the kingdom of God as he did. Here is a community that walks with God while living in a corrupt world. This growing, international society consists of the righteous, many of whom will be preserved through the end of the present system of things to inherit the earth. “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.” (Ps. 37:29) With them you will find the right associations that lead to eternal life.

Watch Your Associations in the Time of the End

“Bad associations spoil useful habits.”—1 Cor. 15:33.

1. What do Christians find in this modern world that is hard to deal with?

OUR modern world has reached the climactic period in human history that was foretold long ago to be the end of this worldly system of things. This is the time the apostle Paul spoke about when he said: “Know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here.” (2 Tim. 3:1) What Christians have found to be especially hard to deal with has been the increasingly bad influence that permeates modern society. That which is degraded, degenerate, criminal violent are the things constantly highlighted in popular literature, plays, movies, TV and radio. The general thinking of the people as revealed by their daily conversation and jokes is only bad all the time. The influence of such thinking does not help a Christian walk in the way that has God’s approval.

2. How do people of the world act, and why do Christians appear peculiar to them?

² Ignoring the good principles of the scriptures that teach love for neighbor, the people of this world act like wolves as they fight among themselves to get all they can at the expense of others. Their selfish policy is commonly expressed as “dog eat dog.” Because God’s servants in the New World society do not follow the selfish and immoral practices of the world, they are like sheep among wolves. Their meekness and desire to live by the moral standards of God’s Word make them appear peculiar in the eyes of worldly people. The apostle Peter spoke of this when he said: “Because you do not continue running with them in this course to the same low sink of debauchery, they are puzzled and go on speaking abusively of you.”—1 Pet. 4:4.