It is certainly a most wonderful expression of the undeserved kindness of Jehovah God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to make understandable to us so much of God’s Word and to extend to hundreds of thousands of sheeplike ones the invitation to come and drink of “life’s water” free. If you appreciate this undeserved kindness, then you can have more of these waters of life, of which you have had a taste, served personally to you along with the loving help of Jehovah’s witnesses. They are more than glad to assist you in free home Bible study and to bring you into association with others who hold out the hand of friendship to you. You may have as real friends those to whom God’s undeserved kindness has already been given and through the help of Jehovah’s spirit come closer and closer to him, enjoying an ever-increasing hope of everlasting life now and finally benefiting fully from these waters of life in his righteous new order under Christ’s kingdom.

(This is the last of a series of eighty-three articles dealing with the Bible’s account of Babylon the Great, long a mystery, but now unveiled in the light of God’s Word and the facts in fulfillment of prophecy. The entire matter is covered in the book “Babylon the Great Has Fallen!” God’s Kingdom Rules!, 704 pages, [printed in the English and German languages] by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Brooklyn, New York.)

Jealously Guard Liberty-giving Worship

THE worship of Jehovah God is truly liberty-giving. This fact Jesus Christ made clear when he said: “If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Having been made free, Christians must jealously guard that freedom, even as the apostle Paul admonishes: “For such freedom Christ set us free. Therefore stand fast.”​—John 8:31, 32; Gal. 5:1.a

The truth that sets Jesus’ followers free is not just truth in general. In fact, secular truth may well do the opposite; it may lead one into bondage if not used in the right way. Thus nations today are facing a bondage to the “scientific elite,” because of the advantages that scientists have by reason of their possessing many secular truths. In medicine this has resulted in a “medical priesthood” that seeks to force judges and lawmakers to do their bidding even to the extent of robbing patients of their God-given and Constitutional rights to heed their consciences in accepting medical treatment. Clearly, secular truth can lead men into bondage.

The truth that sets Jesus’ disciples free is the truth that comes from God. It is the truth that is found in his Word. By accepting it, by exercising faith in it, by letting it make progress in your life, you can be set free. Free from what? Free from even the greatest slavery of all, to sin and death. Yes, by reason of Christ’s sacrifice and God’s kingdom, all who exercise faith in the truth of God’s Word can hope to gain freedom from sin and death and enjoy the glorious freedom of God’s sons eternally.​—Rom. 6:23.

But God’s truth offers Jesus’ followers freedom from bondage to Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. Even as the truth taught by Jesus enabled the Jews of his day to get free from bondage to Judaism, and the Gentiles to get free from pagan religion, so today this truth enables all lovers of God and of his Word to get free from bondage to Babylon the Great, thereby keeping from sharing in her sins and receiving her plagues.​—Rev. 18:4.

God’s truth also sets Jehovah’s witnesses free from bondage to the political systems and ideologies of this world. It gives them a basis for neutrality in regard to all political and national conflicts. And while they recognize the nations of this world as the “superior authorities,” their subjection to them is only relative, not absolute, obeying such only so long as their laws do not run counter to the liberty-giving worship of Jehovah.​—John 18:36; Rom. 13:1.

However, God’s people do not all enjoy freedom to engage in this liberty-giving worship without hindrance. In many places their worship is interfered with, calling to mind the words of the apostle Paul: “All those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.”​—2 Tim. 3:12.

The “faithful and discreet slave” organization is taking the lead in safeguarding liberty-giving worship. (Matt. 24:45) It fights court battles for liberty to refuse blood transfusions, to preach and to assemble in obedience to God’s commands. It instructs Christians as to how they can continue to maintain their integrity: how to proceed as cautious as serpents, yet as innocent as doves, by discreetly preaching underground.​—Matt. 10:16; 2 Tim. 4:2.