with our personal preparation and carrying out of the ministry. We are obliged to accomplish our ministry thoroughly. That requires our constant attention. To be thorough we must complete the work assigned. Any work worth doing is worth doing right and the ministry is the most worthy work in the world. Dedication to this ministerial service entails much personal examination and reflection. The most serious step we make in life is the dedicating of ourselves to Jehovah’s service and the accepting of the trust at his hands. Then we must be absorbed in our dedication and service, especially now. We have a precious treasure to guard and if we become in the least spiritually sleepy, indifferently careless or even distracted for a moment, what we have may be taken away from us. “Ponder over these things, be absorbed in them, that your advancement may be manifest to all persons.” What we have undertaken we must keep on doing, advancing, seeking the guidance of Jehovah’s holy spirit in guarding the trust we have been given. Our guard must be kept up continually. Never for a moment may we entertain contradictory or false knowledge, but with close adherence to the Word and spirit we shall guard well what is laid up in trust with us.—1 Tim. 4:13, 15; 6:2, 20; 2 Tim. 3:14, NW.

²⁶ Are you daily practicing Christianity? Have you regulated your personal life to conform to ministerial standards? Are you alertly guarding what is given you in trust, or do outside matters hold your interest? Are you keeping active in the ministry, or have you ‘buried’ your trust? What kind of account can you render to the Owner of the trust, Jehovah? Do you find yourself measuring up to the personal requirements of the ministry and, like Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, “proved by God as fit to be entrusted with the good news”? Then give consideration to the next article and check yourself on your responsibilities toward others.—1 Thess. 2:4, NW.

The Christian’s Responsibility Toward Others

1. What should every Christian do?

TIMOTHY was one of Paul’s most constant companions in the ministry. Together they engaged in extensive missionary activity. It was while they were visiting Corinth that Paul dispatched his letter to the Christians at Rome. Among other things he told them that “we . . . who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those not strong, and not to be pleasing ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor in what is good for his upbuilding. For even Christ did not please himself.” Paul shouldered his part of Christian responsibility toward others, and through example and exhortation impressed upon other dedicated persons that they ought to do the same. The same sentiment is echoed in the letter of Paul (and Timothy) to the Philippians: “Have the same love, being joined together in soul, holding the one thought in mind, doing nothing out of contentiousness or out of egotism, but with lowliness of mind considering that the others are superior to you, keeping an eye, not in personal interest upon just your own matters, but also in personal interest upon those of the others.” True Christianity is practiced only when the interests of others are embraced and the fellow servants near to us are built up in godly service. Even as Christ did not please himself, so we must be loving extroverts to prove ourselves his followers.—Rom. 15:1-3; Phil. 2:2-4; John 13:34, 35, NW.

2. Did Jehovah have any arrangement for helping others before the time of Christ?

² This godly action of looking out for the interests of others in the worship of God was not new even then. Long before the time of Christ Jehovah gave a service to the sons of Levi as a sacred trust. Aaron and the others in his family were responsible for more than their own personal worshiping of Jehovah. They served in the interests of all Israel in building up and maintaining pure worship of Jehovah and had to answer to Jehovah for how everything was done.—Numbers 18.

3. Is it Christian to isolate oneself from others?

³ Worshipers of Jehovah God do not isolate themselves in monastic perches high in the mountains. They associate together regularly in congregational worship and in organized preaching of the good news of the Kingdom for the benefit of others. In this way they are able to bear the weaknesses of one another and not just please themselves. Christian association is practical and meets with the blessing of the King, who said: “Where there are two or three met together in my name, there I am in their midst.” It is practical because each one can help the other keep strong and ward off the attacks of the enemy. And if one should stumble the other stands ready to lift him up.—Matt. 18:20, NW; Eccl. 4:9-12.

4. What does the Christian do with the things he learns, and how does this produce fruit?

⁴ The truth is Jehovah’s. It is given to us as a trust to be used for the benefit of others, and an account must be rendered to the Owner of the truth, the Source of all truth in the heavens, Jehovah. The truth is to be shared. This applies to all who know something about the truth, whether little or much. We must pass on what we know. The Christian is under obligation to be teaching others what he has learned. Others must be built up in the ministry; as Paul wrote Timothy: “The things you heard from me with the support of many witnesses, these things commit to faithful men who in turn will be adequately qualified to teach others.” Once he has started, the Christian must go on teaching these things and giving these exhortations. This is Jehovah’s arrangement for building up world-wide praise in these last days of Satan’s rule and for announcement of the good news of the Kingdom. When anyone learns the truth, Jehovah expects him to train up others in the way of true worship. Each one helps one or more and so the theocratic organization, the New World society, flourishes everywhere. This is how in the last ten years over half a million new witnesses of Jehovah have been added to the ranks of the New World society, and this is pleasing to Jehovah.—2 Tim. 2:2, NW.

5. How do meetings fit in with the Christian responsibility toward others?

⁵ Congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses now number 16,240 throughout the world, an increase of more than 1,500 in one year. These congregations hold regular Bible studies and meetings to discuss Christian service. Through these assemblies the truth is committed to individuals who become adequately qualified to teach others. In a spiritual sense Christ Jesus is in their midst. This is Jehovah’s provision for the continual building up of his servants and each one should fully appreciate his need to be present. All can learn, and at the same time each one can help one by holding “fast the public declaration of our hope without wavering, . . . And let us consider one another to incite to love and right works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you behold the day drawing near.” Every gathering is edifying. Occasionally one may be found who has an independent feeling and who makes excuses for not participating in a meeting. Paul said some have the custom. Pride is sometimes in the way, one thinking he is too advanced to participate. But this is selfishness, for each one is to help one, and when anyone knows much he should be ready to bear the weaknesses of those not so strong and not just please himself. It is the occasion to incite to love and right works. A man may resent being given counsel in the theocratic ministry school and may absent himself, but instead of setting himself apart in the eyes of others as an advanced veteran of many years of preaching, as he would like it to appear, he demonstrates lack of maturity, and, beyond that, shows an indifference and lack of love for the whole association of brothers. He does not want to take on his share of the responsibility of a Christian toward others.—Heb. 10:23-25, NW.

6. What proves one a right kind of minister?

⁶ Outside of the congregational meetings there are many opportunities for building up others too. Those stronger can aid the less mature ones in preparation of their study lessons or ministry school assignments before congregational meetings. There are occasions when Christians may visit each other socially and find opportunities to discuss spiritual things in preference to gossip and unprofitable talk. The truth constitutes healthful words, but things that are misleading, harmful or untrue avoid. Especially when some fall away from the faith and bring in misleading utterances, the mature Christian is under obligation to prepare himself thoroughly to refute any false teachings and bolster up the spiritual strength of those not so strong who might yield unsuspectingly to the error. We can help our fellow Christians by discussing with them the upbuilding things of God’s Word of truth. The Scriptures contain the best advice in the world. “By giving these advices to the brothers you will be a right kind of minister of Christ Jesus, one nourished with the words of the faith and of the right teaching which you have followed closely.” Do not think it is only the overseers in the congregations who give the advice, but be ready yourself to bear some of the weaknesses of others and give good advice, but be sure it is from the Scriptures.—Eph. 4:29; 1 Tim. 4:1, 6, NW.

7. In association with others what kind of discussions should be avoided?

⁷ As the minister is equipped to help others stick to right doctrine, he will, like Timothy, be able to tell “certain ones not to teach different doctrine, nor to pay attention to false stories and to genealogies which end up in nothing, but which furnish questions for research rather than a dispensing of anything by God in connection with faith.” It is impractical for groups of Jehovah’s witnesses to allow themselves to be drawn into profitless discussions or speculations. Good examples are the racial and nationalistic questions that are so easily fanned into flames of dissension throughout the world. The commission of the Christian minister is not to straighten out the world’s problems and, in fact, he cannot by all his preaching solve the racial problem in any part of the world. Nor may he try to prove that one nation is better than another, perhaps being drawn into political conflicts. It is clear to all thinking persons that all nations are part of Satan’s domain and that the only solution for mankind’s problems lies in the new world of Jehovah’s creation. By preaching the good news of the kingdom of God the minister does the practical act and accomplishes the most good. He helps people to grow in faith and see a clear picture of Jehovah’s purposes, at the same time avoiding many difficulties for himself. By training himself in godly devotion and learning right doctrine, the minister guards his trust and does not become embroiled in any “fight about words, a thing of no usefulness at all because it overturns those listening.”—1 Tim. 1:3, 4; 2 Tim. 2:14, NW.

TRAINING ONE ANOTHER

8. How has Jehovah provided for the training of his ministers?

⁸ Maintaining right doctrine is but one responsibility toward others. Our principal work is the ministry. In this field we are called upon to exert ourselves most strenuously. Each one of us is constantly seeking to accomplish his ministry thoroughly. To do that we need the help Jehovah provides. Now, as never before in modern times, he has provided the world-wide training program, wherein all ministers associated with a congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses give help to one another. It is the responsibility of all, not merely the overseers, lovingly to aid their neighbors to advance to maturity in God’s service. This is accomplished in an organized way. In the early Christian times it was more than just the apostles who trained ministers. Christ “gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as missionaries, some as shepherds and teachers, with a view to the training of the holy ones for ministerial work.” All were used in the training work, making a unity in faith and in organization acceptable to Jehovah. Unity gets results. Some may prefer to be always alone, purposely arranging to hold Bible studies Sunday mornings or whenever groups are working together. But there is no Scriptural precedent to support them. Paul the apostle and Timothy the missionary worked hard to train others. Every Christian ought thus to bear the weaknesses of others and not just please himself. Build up every one in the congregation.—1 Cor. 14:12; Eph. 4:11, 12; 1 Thess. 5:11, NW.

9. (a) What program that Jesus began is now being conducted world-wide? (b) Why should every minister take advantage of it?

⁹ Jesus sent out some of the early ministers by twos. Obviously it was not done merely for sociability or to keep each other company. They had need of more experience in house-to-house and village-to-village preaching and each one could help the other. They did not balk at Jesus’ arrangement in assigning them two by two, but were thankful for the provision so lovingly made. Surely no one then objected to a work of helpful counsel on meeting the people or tactfully overcoming the objections to the good work. Now just because Jesus is not on the earth directing the work where we can see him, but in the heavens where we do not see him, is no reason for taking a different viewpoint of the work. Every preacher of the good news now needs and benefits by the counsel of others. The circuit servants in the theocratic organization regularly visit the congregations for the purpose of assisting all to become more capable ministers, working with them from house to house. Before they depart to visit another congregation they make arrangements for