See, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

(John 1:29)

Granted, “the world is filled … with sin.” (The Watchtower, July 15, 1992, page 13) But “God loved the world” and thus he “did not send his Son into the world for him to judge the world, but for the world to be saved through him.” (John 3:16, 17) In actual fact, the purpose of Jesus’ sacrificial death was “to take away the sin of the world.” – The Watchtower, December 1, 2006, page 28.

Does this mean that all humans will be redeemed? No, the Bible clearly says “that some will never be saved.” (Reasoning From the Scriptures, page 358) It emphasises multiple times that “the world” will be saved – but “around the globe Jehovah’s Witnesses are noted for their being ‘no part of the world.’” (The Watchtower, April 15, 1996, page 21) Hence their sins will not be taken away by Jesus.

“O God, knock the teeth out of their mouth!”

(Psalm 58:6)

These words were uttered by David, ‘a man agreeable to Jehovah’s heart.’ (1 Samuel 13:14) On another occasion he prayed: “Break my enemies’ jaws and shatter their teeth.” (Psalm 3:7, CEV) The Message renders this verse: “Up, God! My God, help me! Slap their faces, first this cheek, then the other, your fist hard in their teeth!” Interestingly, David did not ask for the punishment of God’s enemies. It was his own enemies whose teeth he wanted God to break.

This is of great significance to us because “Christ Jesus is the Greater David.” (“All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial”, page 105) Thus Jesus has the same attitude towards his enemies as David had. In a parable, he had a king picturing himself say: “These enemies of mine … bring here and slaughter them before me.” (Luke 19:27, NWT 1984) In the end “God will smash the heads of his enemies” for him. (Psalm 68:21) Indeed, “Jesus was the personification of love.” (Awake!, December 8, 1998, page 10) Do we not long for “a compassionate Ruler” like him? – The Watchtower, April 15, 2007, page 6.

“Solomon offered … 120,000 sheep.”

(1 Kings 8:63)

“Solomon proceeded to offer the communion sacrifices that he had to offer to Jehovah … a hundred and twenty thousand sheep, that the king and all the sons of Israel might inaugurate the house of Jehovah.” (1 Kings 8:63, NWT 1984) As is known, “Jesus Christ [is] the Greater Solomon,” and soon he will offer a similar sacrifice for the inauguration of the great spiritual temple. (Awake!, February 22, 2002, page 9) Considering the greatness of this temple, the sacrifice will have to be much bigger – a “little flock” would never be enough. (Luke 12:32) It is a good thing that Jesus has “millions of ‘other sheep’” at his disposal. (The Watchtower, August 15, 2009, page 10) Sure, they “look forward to living right on into an earthly paradise.” (The Watchtower, April 15, 1995, page 31) But in actual fact, “Jesus Christ, the greater Solomon,” will offer them to his father as a communion sacrifice.

“Be praising our God, all you his slaves.”

(Revelation 19:5)

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that “a global paradise [is] just before” us. (Live With Jehovah’s Day in Mind, page 99) How will God accomplish that? Will he reshape the earth himself? Will Jesus, the King of his Kingdom, lend a hand?

Jesus is “the Greater Solomon,” thus we can learn from Solomon’s approach how Jesus will act in the new world. (The Watchtower, August 15, 2010, page 29) How did Solomon implement his buildings? “All the people … who were not part of the people of Israel … were conscripted by Solomon for forced labor as slaves until this day.” – 1 Kings 9:20, 21.

We can assume that Jesus Christ too will conscript ‘all the people who are not part of the spiritual Israel for forced labor as slaves.’ He will follow his father’s example, who even in the New Jerusalem will have “slaves” that must “offer him sacred service.” (Revelation 22:3) What wonderful prospects lie ahead!

“Every man is a liar.”

(Romans 3:4, KJV)

This short statement in the Bible is of great significance. “The Bible itself tells us that its contents of sixty-six smaller books were written by men.” (Holy Spirit – The Force Behind the Coming New Order!, page 57) “Jesus was a man” too (“Come Be My Follower”, page 152) And we must not forget that “even … the ‘faithful and discreet slave’ [is] made up of imperfect fleshly men.” – The Watchtower, August 15, 1981, page 28.

But were the Bible writers not inspired by God? The apostle Peter wrote that “men spoke from God.” (2 Peter 1:21) The “faithful and discreet slave has also been called God’s channel of communication,” at least by himself. (The Watchtower, September 1, 1991, page 19) However, although God “cannot lie,” it is still possible that his delegates do so. In the days of King Ahab “Jehovah allowed a spirit creature to become ‘a deceptive spirit’ in the mouth of Ahab’s prophets. That is to say, this spirit creature exercised his power upon them so that they spoke, not truth.” (Insight on the Scriptures, volume II, page 245) God made his prophets lie, and he might have influenced the Bible writers or the “faithful and discreet slave” the same way.

The Bible writers, Jesus Christ, the “faithful and discreet slave” – they all are men, and “all men are liars,” whether they are lying on behalf of God or on their own accord. (Psalm 116:11, NASB; 1 Kings 22:23) So it is completely out of the question “that it is folly to trust in imperfect humans,” because “trusting in man leads to disaster.” (The Watchtower, March 15, 1988, page 10; May 15, 1979, page 3) Furthermore, we cannot be saved anyway, since “all people are liars,” and “all the liars … will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.” – Psalm 116:11, ISV; Revelation 21:8.

“Out of the heart’s abundance his mouth speaks.”

(Luke 6:45)

As Christians we must ‘guard what we feed our mind.’ (Awake!, June 22, 1984, page 5) When we need to decide whether a topic is worth pondering or not, we should follow Jesus Christ’s example. How did he feed his mind? We can learn this from his statements, for “what we usually talk about is a good indication of what our heart is set on.” – The Watchtower, October 15, 2001, page 23.

What did Jesus “usually talk about?” One of his favorite topics was wine; he talked about wineskins, vine dressers, vineyards, and a winepress. (Matthew 9:17; 20:1; 21:28, 33; 26:29; Luke 10:34; 13:6) “Jesus often drank wine” and told his disciples: “I am the true vine … I am the vine.” – The Watchtower, December 15, 1996, page 25; John 1:1, 5.

Are alcoholic beverages taking the first place in your life, too? If not, “it may be time to think seriously about the use of alcohol in your home.” (Awake!, February 8, 1975, page 18) As Christians we must “imitate the perfect example of Jesus Christ” and develop “a godly view of alcoholic beverages.” – The Watchtower, July 1, 1977, page 407; December 15, 1996, page 25.

Jesus did not only talk about wine though. Harlots, fornication, and virgins also played a major role in his stories. (Matthew 5:32; 19:9; 21:31, 32; 25:1; Luke 15:30) We should imitate him in this regard too. We must avoid being distracted by unimportant issues. A young Christian remembered: “I couldn’t concentrate on sex as long as I was concentrating on something else.” (Awake!, July 22, 1993, page 22) Whether we go for wine, virgins, or harlots – all Christians should heed the counsel: “Always look to the example and teachings of Jesus Christ, and do your best to imitate him.” – The Watchtower, June 15, 1976, page 380.

“Master, leave it alone for one more year until I dig around it and put on manure.”

(Luke 13:8)

In the first place, the parable of the barren fig tree was fulfilled by Jesus himself. “During … [the] fourth year of his ministry, he is … symbolically digging and putting manure around the Jewish ‘fig tree’ by zealously preaching and teaching in Judea and Perea.” (The Watchtower, October 15, 1988, page 8) His teaching was “manure.” Back then, “dung was used as manure,” and in the Bible, “dung or manure is also employed as a simile.” (Insight on the Scriptures, volume I, pages 658, 659) So, in a spiritual sense, Jesus spread dung in Judea and Perea.

In our time it is “Jehovah’s Witnesses who are carrying out the good work started by Jesus Christ.” (The Watchtower, March 15, 2000, page 8) “Millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses are … preaching and teaching” today, spreading “magazines, books, and brochures.” (The Watchtower, December 15, 1987, page 18; 2008 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, page 144) Thus these publications, “especially The Watchtower,” are the Greater Dung. – 1994 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, page 201.

“After Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, look! astrologers from the East came to Jerusalem.”

(Matthew 2:1)

Some years ago, the faithful and discreet slave advised Christians: “Ask yourself, ‘Would I invite practicers of … spiritism … into my house?’” (Awake!, March 22, 2003, page 12) The three men who visited Joseph and Mary were “astrologers” or “magi” (Footnote), hence for sure they were ‘practicers of spiritism.’ If they had been Jehovah’s Witnesses, they would not have been allowed to let these demonic men into their house. As Jews it would have been their obligation to follow these instructions: “A man or a woman who is a medium or a wizard, must be put to death. The people must kill them with stones. They must be killed.” – Leviticus 20:27, ETR.

But instead of stoning, or at least rejecting, the astrologers, Joseph and Mary let them into their house. (Matthew 2:11) They even accepted gifts from the astrologers, though worshippers of God must under any circumstances reject or destroy “gifts received from practicers of spiritism.” (Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life, page 115) To “associate … with those known to dabble in the occult and to accept gifts from them” can make one “come under demon influence.” – Is This Life All There Is?, page 87.

Why did Joseph and Mary act this way? Did they arbitrarily defy Jehovah’s principles? This was obviously not the case, for God himself blessed the astrologers and protected them on their way home. (Matthew 2:12) The reason for this is: “Jehovah is … perfectly adaptable” and not “locked into some rigid, unadaptable standard of justice.” (The Watchtower, August 1, 1994, pages 10, 11) His ordinary “standard of justice” proposes death penalty for astrologers and spiritists. (Leviticus 20:6) But if such persons contribute generously to “advance the interests of God’s Kingdom,” Jehovah can be “quick to alter course or adapt to new situations.” (2007 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, page 3; The Watchtower, August 1, 1994, page 17) In a similar way, Jehovah’s Witnesses are very considerate of persons who have stumbled or have loose moral standards, but support the congregation with generous donations. This way they imitate the first Christians who also favored wealthy visitors. – James 2:2, 3.

“Costly in the eyes of Jehovah is the death of his loyal ones.”

(Psalm 116:15)

Granted, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe “that God will destroy the wicked.” (The Watchtower, November 1, 2008, page 8) Like David in former times, they pray to Jehovah: “O God, if only you would slay the wicked!” (Psalm 139:19) But in actual fact, only “what he pleases or delights in will be done” – and Jehovah stated clearly: “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” (Man’s Salvation Out of World Distress at Hand!, page 117; Ezekiel 33:11) Jehovah showed this attitude even at the very beginning of human history, when Cain slaughtered his brother Abel and so became the first “wicked” in history. God was afraid that someone would kill Cain, and “so Jehovah set up a sign for Cain in order that no one finding him would strike him.” (Genesis 4:15) The Bible proves that “the wicked live on” according to Jehovah’s purpose. – Job 21:7.

Whose death does please Jehovah, then? The first person ever killed was Abel, of whom we know “that he was righteous.” (Hebrews 11:4) Later Jehovah instructed Abraham to offer up his son Isaac – who was counted among the “great cloud of witnesses” – “as a burnt offering.” (Hebrews 11:20; 12:1; Genesis 22:2) The righteous “were stoned … they were sawn in two … they were slaughtered.” (Hebrews 11:37) Jesus was the most righteous man who ever lived, and, without doubt, his death was pleasing to Jehovah. (God’s Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached, page 69) “There exists the righteous one perishing in his righteousness, and there exists the wicked one continuing long in his badness,” for “costly in the eyes of Jehovah is the death of his loyal ones.” – Ecclesiastes 7:15, NWT 1984; Psalm 116:15.

“See, you have become well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse does not happen to you.”

(John 5:14)

Jesus said these words to a former lame man whom he just had healed. We can learn two deep truths from his simple statement. First: “Sickness can be a direct result of sin” (though “each sickness is not necessarily a result of a specific sin”). (The Watchtower, October 15, 1981, page 5; August 15, 1982, page 31) Second: It is possible to sin no more. If the man would have been fated to sin, Jesus would not have instructed him to “not sin anymore.” But obviously Jesus expected that the healed man would heed his previous command: “You must … be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) Thus true Christians are perfect, as perfect as God. They can easily stop sinning. Only because of this they have “the prospect of living forever,” because “the person who sins will die.” – Awake!, October 8, 1988, page 25; Ezekiel 18:4, GWT.