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Helping Others to Worship GodThe Watchtower—1988 | November 15
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“If . . . any unbeliever or ordinary person comes in, . . . the secrets of his heart become manifest, so that he will fall upon his face and worship God.”—1 CORINTHIANS 14:24, 25.
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Helping Others to Worship GodThe Watchtower—1988 | November 15
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Helping ‘Unbelievers and Ordinary Persons’
4. In what ways are many today being helped as were those in Corinth?
4 Jehovah’s Witnesses today also are obeying Jesus’ command to “make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) After planting seeds of truth in receptive hearts, they return and water these. (1 Corinthians 3:5-9; Matthew 13:19, 23) The Witnesses offer free weekly home Bible studies so that persons can have their questions answered and can learn Bible truths. Such individuals are also invited to attend the local meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, even as first-century “unbelievers” attended in Corinth. But how should Jehovah’s Witnesses view persons who are studying the Bible and coming to meetings?
5. What Scriptural basis is there for caution in dealing with certain individuals?
5 We are delighted to see them approaching God. Still, we keep in mind that they are not yet baptized believers. Bear in mind also two lessons based on the previous article. (1) Israelites showed caution toward alien settlers who, though being around God’s people and obeying some laws, were not circumcised proselytes, brothers in worship. (2) Corinthian Christians dealing with ‘unbelievers and ordinary persons’ were on the alert because of Paul’s words: “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have?”—2 Corinthians 6:14.
6. How can “unbelievers” be “reproved” by the meetings, and what is the nature of such reproof?
6 So while we welcome ‘unbelievers and ordinary persons,’ we are aware that they do not yet meet God’s standards. As the Bible indicates at 1 Corinthians 14:24, 25, such ones may need to be “closely examined,” even “reproved,” by what they are learning. Such reproof is not of a judicial sort; they are not called before a judicial committee of the congregation inasmuch as they are not yet baptized members of it. Rather, as a result of what they are learning, these new ones become convinced that God condemns any selfish and immoral ways.
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