What God Will Do About Badness

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The Bible clearly tells us what Jehovah and his Son, Jesus Christ, will do about the suffering caused by Satan the Devil. “For this purpose the Son of God [Jesus] was made manifest,” declares the Bible, “to break up the works of the Devil.” (1 John 3:8) The present system of things based on greed, hatred, and wicked deeds will be broken up. As for “the ruler of this world”—Satan the Devil—Jesus promises that he “will be cast out.” (John 12:31) Without Satan’s influence, a righteous new world will be established, and this earth will become a peaceful place.—2 Peter 3:13.

What about those who stubbornly refuse to change their ways and who insist on doing bad things? Reflect on this straightforward promise: “Only the upright will reside in the earth, and the blameless will remain in it. As for the wicked, they will be cut off from the earth, and the treacherous will be torn away from it.” (Proverbs 2:21, 22) Gone will be the influence of wicked humans. Under such peaceful conditions, obedient humans will gradually be set free from inherited imperfection.—Romans 6:17, 18; 8:21.

In that new world, how will God eliminate badness? Not by nullifying the gift of free will and making humans robots. Rather, he will teach obedient humans his ways, helping them to turn around from harmful thoughts and actions.

God will remove all causes of suffering

What will God do about unforeseen calamities? He has promised that his Kingdom governmentwill shortly take control of the earth. The God-appointed King of that Kingdom is Jesus Christ, who has the power to cure the sick. (Matthew 14:14) Jesus also has the power to control the forces of nature. (Mark 4:35-41) Hence, gone will be the suffering caused by “time and unexpected events.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Under Christ’s rulership, no calamity will befall mankind.—Proverbs 1:33.

What about the millions of innocent people who have suffered tragic deaths? Shortly before bringing his friend Lazarus back to life, Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) Yes, Jesus has the power to resurrect, or bring back to life, those who have died!

If the idea of living in a world where bad things will not happen to good people appeals to you, why not make it your aim to learn more about the true God and his purpose by studying the Bible? Jehovah’s Witnesses in your area will be happy to help you to gain that knowledge. You have our warm invitation to contact them locally or to write to the publishers of this magazine.

Hope for the Dead—The Resurrection

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Do you believe in the Bible’s promise of a resurrection? * The prospect of being reunited with our loved ones who have died is appealing, to say the least. But is it realistic to nourish such a hope? To help answer that, we do well to consider the example of the apostles of Jesus Christ.

The apostles firmly believed in the resurrection of the dead. Why? For at least two reasons. First, their hope was primarily based on this fact: Jesus himself had been raised from the dead. The apostles—and “more than 500 brothers at one time”—saw the resurrected Jesus. (1 Corinthians 15:6) Additionally, Jesus’ resurrection was widely attested to and accepted, as the four Gospels show.—Matthew 27:62–28:20; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-53; John 20:1–21:25.

Second, the apostles had witnessed Jesus carry out at least three resurrections—first at Nain, then at Capernaum, and finally at Bethany. (Luke 7:11-17; 8:49-56; John 11:1-44) The last of those resurrections, described earlier in this issue, involved a family especially close to Jesus. Let us look further at what happened.

“I AM THE RESURRECTION”

“Your brother will rise.” Jesus spoke those words to Martha, whose brother, Lazarus, had been dead for four days. Martha did not at first understand the meaning of Jesus’ words. “I know he will rise,” she responded, but she thought that it would be at some time in the future. Imagine her surprise when after hearing Jesus say, “I am the resurrection and the life,” she saw Jesus raise her brother from the dead!—John 11:23-25.

Where was Lazarus during the four days after his death? Lazarus said nothing to suggest that he had been alive somewhere else during those four days. No, Lazarus did not have an immortal soul that had gone to heaven. By resurrecting Lazarus, Jesus did not bring him back down to earth, dragging him away from enjoying heavenly bliss in a place near to God. So where was Lazarus during those four days? He was, in fact, asleep in the grave.—Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10.

Remember, Jesus compared death to a sleep from which one is awakened by resurrection. The account reads: “‘Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep, but I am traveling there to awaken  him.’ The disciples then said to him: ‘Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get well.’ Jesus, however, had spoken about his death. But they imagined he was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly: ‘Lazarus has died.’” (John 11:11-14) By resurrecting Lazarus, Jesus gave him back his life and reunited him with his family. What a marvelous gift Jesus gave to that family!

The resurrections Jesus performed when on earth were a foregleam of what he will do in the future as King of God’s Kingdom. * During his rule over the earth, the heavenly Jesus will bring back to life those humans who are asleep in mankind’s common grave. That is why he said: “I am the resurrection.” Think of the happiness you will feel when you see your loved ones again! Think, too, of the joy that resurrected ones will experience!—Luke 8:56.

Think of the happiness you will feel when you see your loved ones again!

FAITH FOR EVERLASTING LIFE

Jesus said to Martha: “The one who exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life; and everyone who is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all.” (John 11:25, 26) Those whom Jesus resurrects during his thousand-year reign will have the prospect of living forever—as long as they truly put faith in him.

“The one who exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life.”—John 11:25

After making those remarkable statements about the resurrection, Jesus asked Martha a soul-searching question: “‘Do you believe this?’ She said to him: ‘Yes, Lord, I have believed that you are the Christ, the Son of God.’” (John 11:26, 27) What about you—would you like to develop the kind of faith in the resurrection hope that Martha had? A first step is to take in knowledge of God’s purpose for humankind. (John 17:3; 1 Timothy 2:4) Such knowledge can lead to faith. Why not ask Jehovah’s Witnesses to show you what the Bible teaches about this subject? They will be happy to discuss with you the marvelous hope of the resurrection.

Death Does Not End It All!

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Bethany was a small village that lay two miles (3 km) from Jerusalem. (John 11:18) A tragedy unfolded there a few weeks before Jesus’ death. Lazarus, one of Jesus’ close friends, unexpectedly became seriously ill and died.

When Jesus first heard the news, he told his disciples that Lazarus was asleep and that he intended to awaken him. (John 11:11) But Jesus’ disciples did not grasp his meaning, so Jesus told them plainly: “Lazarus has died.”—John 11:14.

Four days after the burial, Jesus arrived at Bethany and sought to comfort Martha, a sister of the deceased. “If you had been here, my brother would not have died,” Martha said. (John 11:17, 21) “I am the resurrection and the life,” Jesus replied. “The one who exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life.”—John 11:25.

“Lazarus, come out!”

To demonstrate that those words were not an empty promise, Jesus then approached the tomb and cried out: “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43) And to the astonishment of the onlookers, the dead man emerged.

Jesus had performed at least two resurrections previously. On one occasion he raised a young girl from the dead—the daughter of Jairus. Right before Jesus resurrected her, he also described her as being asleep.—Luke 8:52.

Notice that regarding the death of both Lazarus and Jairus’ daughter, Jesus compared death to sleep. That is a fitting comparison. Why? Sleep is an unconscious state and suitably conveys the idea of rest from pain and suffering. (Ecclesiastes 9:5; see the accompanying box,  “Death Is Like a Deep Sleep.”) Jesus’ early disciples clearly understood the true condition of the dead. “To the followers of Jesus death was a sleep, and the grave a resting-place . . . for those who had died in the faith,” * states theEncyclopedia of Religion and Ethics.

It comforts us to know that the dead are asleep in the grave and are not suffering. Death thereby loses its mystery and no longer needs to cause us dread.

“IF A MAN DIES, CAN HE LIVE AGAIN?”

But while we appreciate a good night’s rest, who wants to go to sleep forever? What hope do we have that the dead who lie asleep in the grave will return to life—as Lazarus and Jairus’ daughter did?

The patriarch Job raised that very question when he felt near to death. “If a man dies, can he live again?” he asked.—Job 14:14.

Addressing Almighty God, Job answered his own question, saying: “You will call, and I will answer you. You will long for the work of your hands.” (Job 14:15) Job felt sure that Jehovah longed for the day when He would resurrect His faithful servant. Was that mere wishful thinking on Job’s part? Not at all.

The resurrections performed by Jesus offered clear proof that God gave Jesus power over death. In fact, the Bible says that Jesus now possesses “the keys of death.” (Revelation 1:18) So Jesus will unlock the gates of the grave, just as he ordered that the stone of Lazarus’ tomb be rolled away.

The Bible repeats this resurrection promise time and again. An angel assured the prophet Daniel: “You will rest, but you will stand up for your lot at the end of the days.” (Daniel 12:13) Jesus told the Sadducees, Jewish leaders who denied the resurrection promise: “You are mistaken, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:23, 29) The apostle Paul said: “I have hope toward God . . . that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”—Acts 24:15.

WHEN WILL THE DEAD ARISE?

When will this resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous occur? The angel told righteous Daniel that he would rise up “at the end of the days.” Martha likewise believed that her brother, Lazarus, would “rise in the resurrection on the last day.”—John 11:24.

The Bible connects this “last day” with Christ’s Kingdom rule. Paul wrote: “For he [Christ] must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet. And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing.” (1 Corinthians 15:25, 26) This is a powerful reason why we should pray for God’s Kingdom to come and for God’s will to be done on the earth. *

As Job well knew, God’s will is to resurrect the dead. When that day arrives, death will truly be brought to nothing. And never again will anyone wonder, ‘Does death end it all?’

 Death Is Like a Deep Sleep

• “Give light to my eyes, so that I may not fall asleep in death.”—Psalm 13:3.
• “‘Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep, but I am traveling there to awaken him.’ The disciples then said to him: ‘Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get well.’ Jesus, however, had spoken about his death.”—John 11:11-13.
• “David, on the one hand, rendered service to God in his own generation [and] fell asleep in death.”—Acts 13:36.
• “Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep in death.”—1 Corinthians 15:20.
• “We do not want you to be ignorant about those who are sleeping in death, so that you may not sorrow as the rest do who have no hope.”—1 Thessalonians 4:13.

The Dead Will Rise

• “Your dead will live. My corpses will rise up. Awake and shout joyfully!”—Isaiah 26:19.
• “Many of those asleep in the dust of the earth will wake up.”—Daniel 12:2.
• “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.”—John 5:28, 29.

Mankind’s Fight Against Mortality

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COVER SUBJECT | DOES DEATH END IT ALL?

Death is a fearsome enemy. We fight it with all our might. We may try to deny it when it strikes someone dear to us. Or, in the exuberance of youth, we may imagine that the enemy will never come to claim us—a delusion we cling to as long as we can.

Few thought more about immortality than the ancient Pharaohs. They spent much of their own lives—as well as the lives of thousands of workers—in an attempt to conquer death. The pyramids they built testify to their quest—and to their failure.

EMPEROR QIN SHI HUANG

EXPLORER PONCE DE LEÓN

Chinese emperors followed a similar dream of immortality, albeit through a different route—that of the mythical elixir of life. Emperor Qin Shi Huang demanded that his alchemists find a magic potion that could keep death at bay. But many of their concoctions contained toxic mercury, and one of their mixtures likely killed him.

In the 16th century C.E., the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León sailed the Caribbean reportedly in search of a fountain of youth. He discovered Florida, U.S.A., in the process but died a few years later after a skirmish with Native Americans. And no fountain of youth has ever been found.

The Pharaohs, emperors, and explorers all sought to conquer death. And who of us would have belittled their goal, even if we disliked their methods? Deep down, practically all of us want to keep living.

CAN DEATH BE CONQUERED?

Why do we rebel against death? The Bible explains the reason. Regarding our Creator, Jehovah God, * it says: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has even put eternity in their [mankind’s] heart.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) We  would like to enjoy earth’s beauty forever, not for a mere 80 years or so. (Psalm 90:10) That is our heart’s desire.

Why did God put “eternity” in our hearts? Merely to frustrate us? That is unthinkable. On the contrary, God promises us that there will come a victory over death. The Bible repeatedly speaks about the elimination of death and God’s promise of everlasting life.—See the accompanying box,  “Victory Over Death.”

Jesus Christ himself clearly stated: “This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3) So the battle against death is not a hopeless one. Jesus confirms, however, that only God can win that battle for us.

 Victory Over Death

• “He will swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will wipe away the tears from all faces.”—Isaiah 25:8.
• “This is the will of my Father, that everyone who recognizes the Son and exercises faith in him should have everlasting life.”—John 6:40.
• “The last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing.”—1 Corinthians 15:26.
• “[We have the] hope of the everlasting life that God, who cannot lie, promised long ago.”—Titus 1:2.
• “He will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more.”—Revelation 21:4.

The Sting of Death

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COVER SUBJECT | DOES DEATH END IT ALL?

Death is an uncomfortable subject. Many people prefer not to talk about it. But sooner or later, we must confront it. And the sting of death is sharp and painful.

Nothing can fully prepare us for the loss of a parent, a spouse, or a child. A tragedy may strike unexpectedly or unfold relentlessly. Whatever the case, the pain of death cannot be eluded, and its finality can be devastating.

Antonio, who lost his father in a road accident, explains: “It is like somebody sealing up your house and taking away the keys. You cannot return home, even for a moment. You are left with only your memories. This is the new reality. Although you try to deny it—since it seems so unfair—there is nothing you can do.”

When faced with a similar loss, Dorothy, who became a widow at the age of 47, resolved to find some answers. As a Sunday-school teacher, she never felt that death ended it all. But she had no clear answers. “What happens to us when we die?” she asked her Anglican minister. “No one really knows,” he replied. “We will just have to wait and see.”

Are we condemned merely to “wait and see”? Is there any way we can know for sure whether death ends it all?

Jesus

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THE BIBLE’S VIEWPOINT

Is Jesus God?

    “No man has seen God at any time.”—John 1:1

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

 Many people believe that Jesus is not God. Still, others point to Bible verses that supposedly indicate that Jesus is equal to God.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

 The Bible does not portray Jesus as being Almighty God or equal to God. On the contrary, it clearly teaches that Jesus is inferior to God. For example, the Bible records Jesus’ own words: “The Father is greater than I am.” (John 14:28) The Bible also says: “No man has seen God at any time.” (John 1:18) Jesus cannot be God because many people didin fact see Jesus.

Jesus’ early followers did not claim that he was God. For example, the Gospel writer John said concerning the things he recorded: “These have been written down that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God.”—John 20:31. *

 When was Jesus born?

“There were . . . shepherds living out of doors and keeping watches in the night over their flocks.”—Luke 2:8

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

 Some people observe Christmas on December 25—thought by some to be the date of Jesus’ birth. Others observe the birthday of Jesus in early January.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

 The Bible does not state the date on which Jesus was born. However, it does say that at the time of Jesus’ birth, “there were . . . shepherds living out of doors and keeping watches in the night over their flocks.” (Luke 2:8) It is very unlikely that those shepherds would have kept their flocks outside at night during December and January. Why?

The area where Jesus was born experiences some of its coldest weather during December and January. Regarding that time of year, the Bible reports that people were “shivering . . . on account of the showers of rain.” (Ezra 10:9, 13; Jeremiah 36:22) That would have been no time of year for shepherds to be “living out of doors” with their flocks.

Did Jesus really come back to life after he died?

“God raised him [Jesus] up from the dead.”—Acts 3:15.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

 Some people believe that it is impossible for anyone, including Jesus, to have come back to life after death.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

 Jesus taught his followers that he would “suffer many things . . . and be killed, and on the third day be raised up.” (Matthew 16:21) The Bible reports that after he was killed and resurrected, Jesus appeared to upwards of 500 people. (1 Corinthians 15:6) Those eyewitnesses were convinced beyond doubt that he had been raised from the dead. They were even willing to die for that belief!—Acts 7:51-60; 12:1, 2.

WHY IT MATTERS

 The Bible teaches that Jesus’ death and resurrection opened the way for all humans to benefit from the Bible’s promised Paradise on earth. (Psalm 37:11, 29; Revelation 21:3, 4) We have the prospect of enjoying a happy, unending life in that earthly Paradise thanks to the love shown by Jesus and his Father, the Almighty God, Jehovah.—John 3:16; Romans 6:23.

“Look! I Am Making All Things New”

THE WATCHTOWER DECEMBER 2013

APPEARED IN

 DRAW CLOSE TO GOD

“Look! I Am Making All Things New”

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Do you desire good health and a long life for yourself and your family? Do you long to live in a world where pain, suffering, and death will be things of the past? Such a world is not a figment of the imagination. On the contrary, a righteous new world will soon be a reality, for Jehovah God has purposed it. Note how the fulfillment of his purpose is described at Revelation 21:3-5.—Read.

“[God] will wipe out every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 21:4) What kind of tears will he wipe out? Neither tears of joy nor the tears that protect our eyes. God’s promise refers to tears caused by suffering and sorrow. God will not merely dry off such tears; he will wipe them out completely by removing the causes of unwanted tears—suffering and sorrow.

“Death will be no more.” (Revelation 21:4) What has caused more unwanted tears than the enemy death? Jehovah will release obedient humans from the grip of death. How? By eliminating the real cause of death: sin inherited from Adam. (Romans 5:12) Jehovah will lift obedient humans to perfection on the basis of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. * Then the last enemy, death, will be “brought to nothing.” (1 Corinthians 15:26) Faithful humans will be able to live as God purposed for them to live—forever in perfect health.

“Neither will . . . pain be anymore.” (Revelation 21:4) What kind of pain will be no more? All the mental, emotional, and physical pain that has resulted from sin and imperfection and made life miserable for countless millions will be no more.

A life without tears, death, and pain will soon be a reality. ‘But where?’ you may ask. ‘Is God’s promise perhaps about life in heaven?’ No. Consider why not. First, the promise is introduced with the words “the tent of God is with mankind,” and mankind lives on earth. (Revelation 21:3) Second, the promise describes a world where “death will be no more”—a world where death once existed but will cease to exist. Death has never existed in heaven, but it has had a long existence here on earth. Clearly, then, God’s promise of a better life will be fulfilled right here on earth.

God will dry up the rivers of tears that have flowed because of suffering and sorrow

Jehovah wants us to believe his promise of a righteous new world. Right after describing the blessings to come, he guarantees his promise, saying: “Look! I am making all things new.” Then he adds: “These words are faithful and true.” (Revelation 21:5) Why not learn more about how you and your loved ones can be among the happy worshippers who will see God’s promise become a glorious reality?

Suggested Bible reading for December 1 Peter 1-5; 2 Peter 1-3; 1 John 1-5; 2 John 1-13; 3 John 1-14;Jude 1-25–Revelation 1-22

What is the purpose of Christ’s return?

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BIBLE QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What is the purpose of Christ’s return?

Before Jesus Christ ascended to heaven in 33 C.E., he promised to return. He likened himself to a nobleman who went away for a long time and returned with power to rule as king. The purpose of Jesus’ return is to provide mankind with good government.—ReadLuke 19:11, 12.

Jesus will bring good government to mankind

In what form does Christ return? He was resurrected as an invisible spirit person. (1 Peter 3:18) Then, he went to heaven and sat at God’s right hand. (Psalm 110:1) Much later, Jesus was brought before Jehovah God, “the Ancient of Days,” who granted Jesus power to rule over mankind. So Jesus returns, not as a human, but as an invisible King.—Read Daniel 7:13, 14.

What will Jesus do when he arrives?

When Jesus arrives invisibly with his angels, he will judge mankind. He will destroy wicked people but grant everlasting life to those who accept him as King.—Read Matthew 25:31-33, 46.

Jesus’ rule as King will transform the earth into a paradise. He will resurrect the dead so that they can enjoy life in that earthly Paradise.—Read Luke 23:42, 43.

The Lie That Made God Cruel

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WHAT MANY BELIEVE

“Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, ‘eternal fire.’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church) Some religious leaders say that hell is a state of complete isolation and separation from God.

THE TRUTH FROM THE BIBLE

“The soul that is sinning—it itself will die.” (Ezekiel 18:4) The dead “are conscious of nothing at all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) If the soul dies and is unconscious, how could it suffer “eternal fire” or even the pain of everlasting separation from God?

In the Bible, the Hebrew and Greek words often translated “hell” actually refer to the common grave of mankind. For example, when Job suffered a painful illness, he prayed: “I wish you would hide me in my grave [“in hell,” Douay-Rheims Version].” (Job 14:13, Holy Bible—Easy-to-Read Version) Job wanted to rest, not in a place of torment or alienation from God, but in the grave.

WHY IT MATTERS

Cruelty does not endear us to God; it repels us. “From infancy I was taught the doctrine of hellfire,” says Rocío, who lives in Mexico. “I was so terrified that I could not imagine that God had any good qualities. I thought that he was angry and intolerant.”

The Bible’s clear statements about God’s judgments and the condition of the dead changed the way Rocío viewed God. “I felt free—that a big emotional burden had been lifted off me,” she says. “I began to trust that God wants the best for us, that he loves us, and that I can love him. He is like a father who takes his children by the hand and wants the best for them.”—Isaiah 41:13.

Many have striven to be pious out of fear of hellfire, but God does not want you to serve him because you are terrified of him. Rather, Jesus said: “You must love Jehovah your God.” (Mark 12:29, 30) Moreover, when we realize that God does not act unjustly today, we can trust his future judgments too. Like Job’s friend Elihu, we can confidently say: “Far be it from the true God to act wickedly, and the Almighty to act unjustly.”—Job 34:10.

The Lie That Made God a Mystery

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COVER SUBJECT | LIES THAT MAKE GOD SEEM UNLOVABLE

WHAT MANY BELIEVE

The Christian religion “in its three classic forms of Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism acknowledges one God in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. According to Christian theology, this acknowledgment is not a recognition of three gods but that these three persons are essentially one.”—The New Encyclopædia Britannica.

THE TRUTH FROM THE BIBLE

Jesus, the Son of God, never claimed to be equal to or of the same substance as his Father. Rather, he said: “I am going my way to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am.” (John 14:28) He also told one of his followers: “I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.”—John 20:17.

The holy spirit is not a person. Early Christians “became filled with holy spirit,” and Jehovah said: “I shall pour out some of my spirit upon every sort of flesh.” (Acts 2:1-4, 17) The holy spirit is not part of a Trinity. It is God’s active force.

WHY IT MATTERS

The Trinity, explain Catholic scholars Karl Rahner and Herbert Vorgrimler, “could not be known without revelation, and even after revelation cannot become wholly intelligible.” Can you really love someone who is impossible to know or understand? The doctrine of the Trinity, therefore, is a barrier to knowing and loving God.

Marco, quoted in an earlier article, saw the Trinity as a barrier. “I thought God was hiding his identity from me,” he says, “and that just made him even more distant, mysterious, and unapproachable.” However, “God is not a God of confusion.” (1 Corinthians 14:33,American Standard Version) He has not hidden his identity from us. He wants us to know him. Jesus said: “We worship what we know.”—John 4:22.

“When I learned that God is not part of a Trinity,” says Marco, “I was finally able to establish a personal relationship with him.” If we view Jehovah as a distinct Person rather than a mysterious stranger, it is far easier to love him. “He that does not love has not come to know God,” says the Bible, “because God is love.”—1 John 4:8.

Is There Hope For The Dead?

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BIBLE QUESTIONS ANSWERED

 

Is there hope for the dead?

Death is like sleep in that the dead are unconscious and cannot do anything. However, the Creator of life can bring the dead back by means of a resurrection. In proof of that, God empowered Jesus to raise several dead people to life.—Read Ecclesiastes 9:5; John 11:11, 43, 44.

In what sense is death like sleep?

God has promised that the dead who are in his memory will be resurrected to life in a righteous new world. Those who will be resurrected must remain in death until God gives them life again. Almighty God yearns to use his power to restore life to the dead.—Read Job 14:14, 15.

What will the resurrection be like?

When God resurrects people, they will be able to recognize themselves, their friends, and their family. Even though a person’s body decomposes, God can resurrect that same person with a new body.—Read 1 Corinthians 15:35, 38.

Relatively few individuals are raised to life in heaven. (Revelation 20:6) Most resurrected ones will return to life in a restored paradise on earth. These will be given a fresh start, with the prospect of living forever.—Read Psalm 37:29; Acts 24:15.

Good News for All Mankind

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COVER SUBJECT | WHAT IS THE BIBLE ALL ABOUT?

The resurrection of Jesus filled his disciples with conviction and zeal. The apostle Paul in particular traveled throughout Asia Minor and the Mediterranean, organizing congregations and strengthening Christians to stand firm in the face of moral pressures and violent opposition. Despite such challenges, Christianity flourished and spread.

Paul himself was put in prison. Yet, even there he wrote letters of encouragement and counsel to the Christian congregations. He warned of an even greater threat—apostasy. Guided by God’s holy spirit, Paul foresaw that “oppressive wolves” speaking “twisted things” would enter in among them and “draw away the disciples after themselves.”—Acts 20:29, 30.

By the end of the first century, this apostasy had begun. About that time the resurrected Jesus gave the apostle John the Revelation, a symbolic view of the future. As John then wrote, neither opposers nor false teachers would prevent God from completely realizing his original purpose for the earth and humankind. “Every nation and tribe and tongue and people” will hear the good news about God’s Kingdom. (Revelation 14:6) Paradise will be restored on earth, and anyone who wishes to do God’s will can be part of it!

Does that sound like “good news” to you? If so, learn more about God’s message for mankind as found in the Bible and how it can benefit you today and in the future.

You can read the Bible for yourself online at www.jw.org. On that Web site, you can also examine the brochures The Bible—What Is Its Message? and Good News From God! as well as the book What Does the Bible Really Teach?along with other publications that discuss why we can trust the Bible and how we can apply its practical counsel in our family and personal life. Or ask any of Jehovah’s Witnesses for further information.

—Based on Acts, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon,1 John, Revelation.

“We Have Found the Messiah”!

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COVER SUBJECT | WHAT IS THE BIBLE ALL ABOUT?

Some four centuries after the last book of the Hebrew portion of the Bible was written, Micah’s prophecy about the Messiah was fulfilled: Jesus was born in Bethlehem. About 30 years later, in 29 C.E., the first part of Daniel’s prophecy about the coming of the Messiah was fulfilled. Jesus was baptized, and God anointed him with holy spirit. Right on time, the long-awaited Messiah, the Seed, had arrived!

Jesus immediately began his ministry, “declaring the good news of the kingdom of God.” (Luke 8:1) Just as it had been prophesied, Jesus proved to be kind, gentle, and genuinely concerned about others. His teaching was practical and loving, and he cured people of “every sort of infirmity,” demonstrating that God was with him. (Matthew 4:23) People of all ages flocked to Jesus and concluded: “We have found the Messiah”!—John 1:41.

Jesus foretold that just before his Kingdom took complete control, the world would experience wars, earthquakes, and many other troubles. He urged all to “keep on the watch.”—Mark 13:37.

Jesus was a perfect man who remained obedient to God, but he had enemies who eventually had him killed. His death thus provided the perfect offering to buy back for us what Adam and Eve had lost—the prospect of endless life in Paradise.

Jesus’ death fulfilled prophecy, as did God’s resurrecting Jesus as a powerful spirit creature three days later. Jesus then appeared to more than 500 of his disciples. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus commissioned his followers to take the good news about him and his Kingdom to “people of all the nations.” (Matthew 28:19) How thoroughly did they carry out that assignment?

—Based on Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, 1 Corinthians.

A Biochemist Explains Her Faith

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INTERVIEW | PAOLA CHIOZZI

For more than 20 years, Dr. Paola Chiozzi has worked as a molecular biologist at the University of Ferrara in Italy. Awake! asked her about her science and her faith.

Tell us about your background.

My father was a cobbler, and my mother was a farmworker. But I wanted to be a scientist. The beautiful flowers, birds, and insects around my home fascinated me. I felt that they were products of superhuman wisdom.

So you always believed in a Creator?

No. In fact, my doubts about God began when I was a child. My father suddenly died of a heart attack, and I wondered, ‘Why would the Creator of so much beauty allow suffering and death?’

Did your study of science help you to find an answer?

Not at first. When I became a molecular biologist, I began to study death—the normal, programmed death of the cells that make up our body. This is very different from the uncontrolled cell death that causes inflammation and gangrene. Until a few years ago, scientists paid little attention to this process, even though it is vital to our health.

In what way is programmed cell death vital?

Well, our body is made up of trillions of microscopic cells. Practically all of them must die and be replaced. Each type of cell has a different life span; some are replaced every few weeks, and others every few years. Our body’s system of programmed cell death has to be highly controlled to maintain the delicate balance between cell death and cell formation.

 What can go wrong?

Some studies indicate that when cells fail to die as they should, rheumatoid arthritis or cancer may result. On the other hand, when cells die before they should, it could cause Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease. My research is linked to finding ways to treat these diseases.

How did your study of cell death affect you?

Frankly, it puzzled me. This marvelous process was clearly designed by someone who wants us to be healthy. So I was still left with the question, Why do people suffer and die? I couldn’t find an answer.

But you were convinced that the system of programmed cell death was designed.

Yes. The complexity of the whole process is mind-boggling, yet its elegance displays exceptional wisdom. I believe it’s the wisdom of God. I use powerful microscopes to study the many complex mechanisms that regulate the process. Some mechanisms can trigger the destruction process within seconds if need be. The cells participate in their own self-destruction. The process is so well-designed that it’s absolutely awe-inspiring.

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Since nearly all our cells are regularly replaced, living forever is certainly feasible

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You had questions about God and suffering. How did you find answers?

A couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses called at my home in 1991, and I asked them why we die. They showed me the Bible’s answer: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin.” (Romans 5:12) If the first man had not disobeyed God, he would have lived forever. I immediately realized that this harmonized with what I had learned from my research. In fact, it’s clear to me that God didn’t intend for people to die. Since nearly all our cells are regularly replaced, living forever is certainly feasible.

What convinced you that the Bible is God’s Word?

I learned what the Bible says about God at Psalm 139:16: “Your eyes saw even the embryo of me, and in your book all its parts were down in writing.” As a biochemist, I study the genetic information that is written in our cells. How did the psalmist know about such writing? The more I learned from the Bible, the more I was convinced that it is inspired of God.

How were you helped to understand what the Bible teaches?

One of Jehovah’s Witnesses offered to study the Bible with me. Finally, I learned why God has allowed suffering. I also learned that, as the Bible states, God purposes to “swallow up death forever.” (Isaiah 25:8) It will be easy for our Creator to make the marvelous systems of our body operate perfectly so that we can enjoy life without end.

How have you used your knowledge of the Bible to help others?

Well, I became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1995, and since then I have freely shared with others the things I’ve learned from the Bible. For example, a colleague of mine was devastated when her brother committed suicide. Her church teaches that God never forgives suicide. But I showed her how the Bible gives a hope of a resurrection. (John 5:28, 29) She was deeply comforted to learn that the Creator cares for us. At such moments, I feel that sharing Bible truths with others brings me more satisfaction than science itself!

What Is Judgment Day?

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The Bible’s Viewpoint

The Bible says that God “has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth.” (Acts 17:31) For many people the prospect of being subjected to any kind of judgment is unwelcome. Is that how you feel?

IF SO, you can find comfort in the fact that Judgment Day is a loving arrangement that will bring great blessings to the human family—including those who have died. (Matthew 20:28; John 3:16) Why is Judgment Day necessary? What will actually occur during that “day”?

Judgment Day—Why Needed?

When God placed humans on the earth, he did not intend it to be merely a proving ground for future life in another realm. He created humans to live forever on the earth. Although physically and mentally perfect, the first human couple rebelled against God. As a result, they lost the prospect of eternal life for themselves and brought sin and death to all of their descendants.—Genesis 2:15-17;Romans 5:12.

Judgment Day will be a period of a thousand years during which humans will have the opportunity to regain what Adam and Eve lost. * Notice that Acts 17:31, quoted above, says that Judgment Day will affect those living on “the inhabited earth.” Those receiving favorable judgment will live on earth and will enjoy everlasting life in perfect conditions. (Revelation 21:3, 4) Thus, Judgment Day helps to accomplish God’s original purpose for humans and the earth.

God’s appointed Judge is Christ Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus will “judge the living and the dead.” (2 Timothy 4:1) Who are “the living” that will be judged? How will the dead come to life again on “the inhabited earth”?

Jesus Judges “the Living”

We are now nearing the foretold end of the present system of things, when God will destroy all elements of corrupt human society  and remove the wicked. Survivors of this system’s end are “the living” who will be judged.—Revelation 7:9-14; 19:11-16.

During that period of judgment, which will last 1,000 years, Christ Jesus along with 144,000 men and women resurrected to life in heaven will rule over the earth. They will serve as kings and priests, administering the benefits of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice and progressively elevating faithful humans to physical and mental perfection.—Revelation 5:10; 14:1-4; 20:4-6.

During Judgment Day, Satan and the demons will be restrained from influencing human activity. (Revelation 20:1-3) However, at the end of Judgment Day, Satan will be allowed to test the loyalty of every human living. Those who remain loyal to God will have passed the test that Adam and Eve failed. They will be judged worthy of receiving everlasting life in the restored Paradise earth. Those who choose to rebel against God will be permanently destroyed, as will Satan and the demons.—Revelation 20:7-9.

Judging “the Dead”

The Bible says that during Judgment Day the dead will “rise up.” (Matthew 12:41) Jesus said that “the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28, 29) This is not referring to disembodied souls of those who have died. The dead are totally unconscious and do not have a soul that survives death. (Ecclesiastes 9:5; John 11:11-14, 23, 24) Jesus will bring those asleep in death back to life again on earth.

Under Christ’s rule, those who have died will be resurrected to a paradise earth

Will the judgment of resurrected ones be based on what they did before their death? No. The Bible teaches that “he who has died has been acquitted from his sin.” (Romans 6:7) So, like those who survive the end of this system, those resurrected to life on earth will be judged “according to their deeds” during Judgment Day. (Revelation 20:12, 13) Depending on the final outcome of their actions, this will turn out to be either a resurrection that results in everlasting life or a resurrection that results in destruction. Many of those restored to life will for the first time come to know about Jehovah God and his requirements for life. They will have the opportunity to live in harmony with God’s will and receive everlasting life on earth.

No Reason for Fear

Judgment Day will be not only a time of instruction from God but also a time for those alive to apply what they learn and enjoy the blessings that result. Just imagine your joy at being reunited with resurrected loved ones and growing to human perfection along with them!

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Just imagine your joy at being reunited with resurrected loved ones

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God will allow Satan to test the loyalty of human creatures at the end of Judgment Day. But there is no need to be anxious or fearful. By the end of Judgment Day, all living will be fully equipped to face this final test. Judgment Day will thus be a part of the accomplishment of God’s purpose to undo all the effects of the original rebellion against God in the garden of Eden.

HAVE YOU WONDERED?

• What is Judgment Day?—Acts 17:31.
• Who will be judged?—2 Timothy 4:1.
• How long will Judgment Day last?—Revelation 20:4-6.

Do You Feel That You Are the Only People Who Will Be Saved?

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No. Many millions who lived in centuries past and who weren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses will have an opportunity for salvation. The Bible explains that in God’s promised new world, “there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15) Additionally, many now living may yet begin to serve God, and they too will gain salvation. In any case, it’s not our job to judge who will or won’t be saved. That assignment rests squarely in Jesus’ hands.—John 5:22, 27.

 

 

“Let Your Kingdom Come”

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The Bible—A Book of Accurate Prophecy—Part 8

“Let Your Kingdom Come”

This is the final article in an eight-part series in Awake! examining an outstanding feature of the Bible—its prophecies, or predictions. The articles set out to answer these questions: Are Bible prophecies merely the work of clever humans? Do they bear the hallmark of divine inspiration? We invite you to weigh the evidence.

FOR some two thousand years, professed Christians have been praying for God’s Kingdom to come. The practice is based on Jesus’ own words. He taught his disciples to pray: “Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.”—Matthew 6:10.

What is the Kingdom for which so many people pray? It is God’s heavenly government, and it will replace all other governments. As the appointed King of this Kingdom, Jesus Christ carries out God’s will in heaven and on earth. (Daniel 2:44;7:13, 14) In due time, God will answer this model prayer by bringing an end to wickedness and suffering and providing salvation for an unnumbered “great crowd” of loyal worshippers. (Revelation 7:9, 10, 13-17) Then, “the righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”—Psalm 37:29.

Is there any way of knowing what specific conditions we can anticipate under Christ’s rule? There certainly is! When Jesus was on earth, he demonstrated both his desire to solve mankind’s problems and his ability to do so. Let us examine four Bible prophecies and consider how Jesus provided foregleams of what he will do earth wide as King in God’s heavenly Kingdom.

 Prophecy 1:

“Jehovah . . . is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons he burns in the fire.”—Psalm 46:8, 9.

Fulfillment: Jesus Christ, the “Peaceable Prince,” will bring permanent tranquillity to our planet. By means of a peaceful program of education and global disarmament, God’s Kingdom will unite all mankind in one true international brotherhood.—Isaiah 2:2-4; 9:6, 7, footnote; 11:9.

What history reveals:

Jesus taught his followers, not to take up arms, but to live at peace with one another. When one of his disciples tried to come to his defense with weapon in hand, Jesus said to him: “Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26:51, 52) Jesus stated that true Christians would be identified by the love they show for one another.—John 13:34, 35.

Prophecy 2:

“There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow.”—Psalm 72:16.

Fulfillment: God’s Kingdom will eradicate malnutrition, food shortages, and starvation. Everyone will have an abundance of good food.

What history reveals:

Jesus’ sincere compassion for hungry people was clearly evident, and his miraculous ability to feed large crowds was awe-inspiring. One eyewitness reported: “[Jesus] commanded the crowds to recline on the grass and took the five loaves and two fishes, and, looking up to heaven, he said a blessing and, after breaking the loaves, he distributed them to the disciples, the disciples in turn to the crowds. So all ate and were satisfied, and they took up the surplus of fragments, twelve baskets full. Yet those eating were about five thousand men, besides women and young children.”—Matthew 14:14, 19-21.

Prophecy 3:

“No resident will say: ‘I am sick.’” (Isaiah 33:24) “The eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. At that time the lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness.”—Isaiah 35:5, 6.

Fulfillment: God’s Kingdom will wipe out every kind of disease and infirmity. The blind  will see, and the deaf will hear and speak. Never again will anyone need medication, hospitals, or doctors.

What history reveals:

When Jesus taught people about God’s Kingdom, he gladly cured all their diseases and disabilities. Thus, on a small scale, Jesus demonstrated what he will do earth wide as King of God’s heavenly Kingdom.—Luke 7:22; 9:11.

Prophecy 4:

God “will actually swallow up death forever.”—Isaiah 25:8.

Fulfillment: During Christ’s rule as King of God’s Kingdom, “those in the memorial tombs” will be resurrected to life on a paradise earth. (John 5:28, 29) Jesus will vanquish death, our most relentless enemy, enabling us to enjoy everlasting life.—Psalm 37:29.

What history reveals:

On at least three occasions, Jesus demonstrated his power by bringing a dead person back to life. (Luke 7:11-15; 8:41-55; John 11:38-44) After Jesus himself died, some 500 eyewitnesses could testify that he had been raised from the dead.—1 Corinthians 15:3-8.

This eight-part series of articles has discussed numerous Bible prophecies that have come true. All those prophecies, along with many others, show that the Bible is not merely the work of clever humans. Rather, it bears the hallmark of divine inspiration. There can be no doubt that “everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word.”—2 Timothy 3:16, Contemporary English Version.

Because the Bible is a book of unerring prophecy, you have every reason to believe that “just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; and you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”—Psalm 37:10, 11.

NO MORE FREAKISH WEATHER

God’s Kingdom will do something no other government could ever do: it will take control of natural forces. Jesus demonstrated that he has power over the wind and the sea, as well as vegetation and living creatures. Therefore, when Christ rules over the earth, mankind will never again be the victims of natural disasters.—Mark 4:36-41; 11:12-14, 20-23;Luke 5:4-11.

 UNDER GOD’S KINGDOM:

All badness will be eradicated

Revelation 21:3, 4

• No crime or corruption
• No child abuse
• No racial prejudice

The whole earth will be a paradise

Psalm 72:5-9

• No nuclear threat
• No pollution
• No natural disasters

Mankind will enjoy ideal living conditions

Isaiah 65:21-25

• Proper housing for everyone
• Satisfying employment for all
• Perfect health
• Peace and happiness
• Never-ending life

A Meaningful Life—Jesus Shows the Way

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“Walk just as Jesus walked.”—1 John 2:6, NET Bible.

AS WE discussed in the preceding article, Jesus led a meaningful life. So if we want to fill our life with meaning, we do well to imitate his example and listen to his advice.

Jehovah, in fact, urges us to do just that, as the above scripture shows. Walking as Jesus walked involves patterning our entire way of life after his example and teachings. Doing so will help us to gain God’s approval and have a meaningful life.

Jesus’ teaching included principles that can help us to walk just as he walked. We find a number of these principles in his famous Sermon on the Mount. Let us consider a few of the principles and how we can apply them in our life.

PRINCIPLE: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.”—Matthew 5:3.

HOW THE PRINCIPLE CONTRIBUTES TO A MEANINGFUL LIFE:

 Jesus indicated that humans have an innate spiritual need. We long to know the answers to such questions as these: Why are we here? Why is there so much suffering on this earth? Does God really care about us? Is there life after death? We need to know the answers to such questions in order to have a meaningful life. Jesus knew that there is only one reliable source that can answer those questions—God’s Word. In prayer to his Father, Jesus said: “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) Can God’s Word really help us to satisfy our spiritual need?

REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE:

 As the lead singer of a popular band, Esa was well on his way toward becoming a rock star. Even so, Esa felt that something was missing. “Although I enjoyed being in the band, I longed for more meaning in my life,” he says. In time, however, Esa came in contact with one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. “I bombarded him with questions,” Esa admits. “His logical, Scriptural answers intrigued me, so I agreed to have him study the Bible with me.” What Esa learned from his study of the Bible touched his heart and moved him to dedicate his life to Jehovah. “In the past, I constantly drifted in and out of problems and crises,” he says. “Now I have a real purpose in life.” *

PRINCIPLE: “Happy are the merciful.”—Matthew 5:7.

HOW THE PRINCIPLE CONTRIBUTES TO A MEANINGFUL LIFE:

 Mercy involves showing compassion to others, being kind and considerate toward them. Jesus showed mercy to those in need. Moved by deep compassion, he took the initiative to relieve the suffering of others. (Matthew 14:14; 20:30-34) When we imitate Jesus in being merciful, we add meaning to our lives, for those who show mercy to others are happy as a result. (Acts 20:35) We can show mercy to others by our kind words and deeds, bringing relief to those who need our help. Does showing mercy really enhance our well-being?

Maria and Carlos

REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE:

 Maria and her husband, Carlos, are examples of being merciful. Maria’s father is a widower, and in recent years he has become bedridden. Maria and Carlos have taken him into their home and are looking after his every need. They have had many sleepless nights, even rushing him to the hospital when he has a diabetic crisis. They admit that they get really tired at times. But they are happy, just as  Jesus said, because they have the deep satisfaction of knowing that they are providing Maria’s father with the care he needs.

PRINCIPLE: “Happy are the peaceable.”—Matthew 5:9.

HOW THE PRINCIPLE CONTRIBUTES TO A MEANINGFUL LIFE:

 To be “peaceable” literally means to be a “peacemaker.” How does being a peacemaker make life more meaningful? For one thing, we enjoy better relationships with those around us. We do well to heed the Bible’s advice: “If possible, as far as it depends upon you, be peaceable with all men.” (Romans 12:18) “All men” include family members and others who may not share our beliefs. Can being peaceable toward “all men” really add meaning to our life?

Nair

REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE:

Consider the experience of a woman named Nair. Over the years, she has faced many pressures that have tested her ability to maintain peace, especially within her own family. Ever since her husband abandoned her about 15 years ago, she has been bringing up her children on her own. One of her sons had a drug problem and often became uncontrollable and threatened her and her daughter. Nair believes that what she has learned from the Bible has given her the strength to be peaceable, even under such trying circumstances. She tries not to argue or fight about things. She endeavors to be kind, sympathetic, and understanding toward others. (Ephesians 4:31, 32) She is convinced that learning to be peaceable has enabled her to have the best possible relationships with family members and others.

TAKING THE FUTURE INTO ACCOUNT

If we follow Jesus’ wise advice, we will find happiness and contentment in life. For a truly meaningful life, however, we also need to know what the future holds. After all, how meaningful can life be if all we know is that we will eventually grow old, get sick, and then die? Yet, these are the realities of life in this world.

There is, however, good news! Jehovah has many blessings in store for all those who endeavor to “walk just as Jesus walked.” Jehovah promises that he will soon bring about a righteous new world, where faithful humans will live as Jehovah purposed for them to live—forever in perfect health. His Word says: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:3, 4.

Maria, the 84-year-old woman mentioned in the first article in this series, rejoices in the prospect of seeing those words come true. What about you? Would you like to know more about “the real life”—the one to come under God’s Kingdom? (1 Timothy 6:19) If so, you can ask Jehovah’s Witnesses locally or write to the publishers of this magazine. *

Is a Meaningful Life Really Possible?

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“The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow.”—Psalm 90:10,New International Version.

HOW true those words are! Life in this world is so often glutted with “trouble and sorrow.” Perhaps you have wondered, ‘Is it even possible to have a truly meaningful life now?’

Take, for example, Maria. She was always a very active person, but now, at the age of 84, she has become practically housebound. She is mentally active, but her body, it seems, no longer cooperates. How can she possibly feel that such a life is meaningful?

How about you? You may at some time have asked yourself whetheryour life is meaningful. Your work may be repetitive, tiring, and tedious. Your efforts or work may not be recognized. Even if you do have a measure of success, you may feel insecure regarding your future. At times, you may also feel lonely or depressed. Your family life may be marked by conflict and strife. You may have lost a loved one in death. A man named André was very close to his father, who suddenly fell ill and died. For André, it was a terrible blow, and it left a void that he feels will never be completely filled.

No matter what trouble we may face, there is something we desperately need to know: Is a meaningful life really possible? We can find the answer in the life of a man who walked the earth some 2,000 years ago—Jesus Christ. In spite of all the obstacles that confronted him, Jesus truly had a meaningful life. So can we if we follow his example.

How Jesus’ Death Can Save You

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ALMOST 2,000 years ago, on the Jewish Passover of the year 33 C.E., an innocent man died so that others might live. Who was that man? He was Jesus of Nazareth. And who stand to benefit from that noble act? The entire human race. A well-known Bible verse sums up that lifesaving sacrifice: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”—John 3:16, King James Version.

Although many are familiar with that scripture, few really understand its meaning. They wonder: ‘Why do we need Christ’s sacrifice? How can one man’s death rescue humankind from the fate of eternal death?’ The Bible provides clear and satisfying answers to these questions.

How Death Came to Rule Over the Human Race

Some people believe that humans were created to live a short time on earth, go through trials, enjoy some happiness, and then die and move on to a better place. According to this thinking, death is part of God’s purpose for mankind. The Bible, however, shows that death afflicts humans for a different reason. It says: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) This verse shows that people die as a result of sin. Who, though, is the “one man” through whom the fatal effects of sin infected the human race?

The World Book Encyclopedia observes that most scientists believe that all humans have descended from the same source, and the Bible plainly identifies that one source—the “one man.” At Genesis 1:27, we read: “God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.” Thus the Bible states that the first human pair were the crowning glory of Almighty God’s creation.

The Genesis record gives further details of human life after Jehovah God created the first human. Significantly, in that entire account, God made no mention of death except  as a consequence of disobedience. (Genesis 2:16, 17) He wanted humans to live on a beautiful paradise earth, happy and healthy forever. He did not want them to suffer the effects of old age and eventual death. How, then, did death become master over all mankind?

Genesis chapter 3 records how the first human pair made the willful decision to disobey their Life-Giver, Jehovah God. Consequently, God carried out the sentence that he had made known to them in advance. He told the man: “Dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19) True to God’s word, the two disobedient humans eventually died.

The damage, however, reached far beyond the first human pair. Their disobedience dashed the prospect of perfect life that their offspring would have enjoyed. Jehovah included those yet unborn humans in his purpose when he told Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) In time, the human family would fill the earth and enjoy an immeasurably happy life without dying. But their forefather Adam—the “one man”—sold them as slaves to sin, with death as the inevitable destiny. The apostle Paul, a descendant of the first man, wrote: “I am fleshly, sold under sin.”—Romans 7:14.

Just as vandals have damaged priceless works of art in recent times, Adam, by sinning, seriously damaged God’s marvelous creation—humankind. Adam’s children had children of their own, then grandchildren, and so on. Each successive generation was born, grew up, produced offspring, and then died off. Why have they all died? Because they have all descended from Adam. The Bible states: “By one man’s trespass many died.” (Romans 5:15) Sickness, old age, a tendency to do wrong things, and death itself are sorry consequences of Adam’s betrayal of his own family. That family includes all of us.

In his letter to the Christians in Rome, the apostle Paul wrote about the pitiful condition of imperfect humans, including him, and the frustrating struggle against the  effects of sin. He exclaimed: “Miserable man that I am! Who will rescue me from the body undergoing this death?” A good question, is it not? Who would offer Paul—and all others who yearn for it—rescue from enslavement to sin and death? Paul himself supplied the answer: “Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:14-25) Yes, our Creator has made provision to rescue us by means of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ Role in God’s Rescue of Humanity

Jesus described his role in rescuing humankind from deadly enslavement to sin. He said: “The Son of man came . . . to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28, King James Version) How does Jesus’ life serve as a ransom? How does his death benefit us?

Jesus offered up his life to counterbalance the effects of Adam’s sin

The Bible describes Jesus as being “without sin” and “separated from the sinners.” Throughout his life, Jesus perfectly obeyed God’s Law. (Hebrews 4:15; 7:26) Jesus’ death was, therefore, not the consequence of sin and disobedience as was Adam’s. (Ezekiel 18:4) Rather, Jesus accepted a death that he did not deserve in order that he might carry out his Father’s will to rescue mankind from sin and death. As stated above, Jesus willingly came “to give his life a ransom.” With love unmatched throughout history, Jesus willingly ‘tasted death for every man.’—Hebrews 2:9.

The life that Jesus sacrificed was an exact equivalent of the life that Adam forfeited when he sinned. What was the result of Jesus’ death? Jehovah accepted that sacrifice as “a corresponding ransom for all.” (1 Timothy 2:6) In effect, God used the value of Jesus’ life to buy back, or redeem, the human race from slavery to sin and death.

The Bible repeatedly mentions this great act of love by man’s Creator. Paul reminded Christians that they “were bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23) Peter wrote that God used, not gold or silver, but the blood of his Son to deliver Christians from their death-bound way of life. (1 Peter 1:18, 19) With Christ’s ransom sacrifice, Jehovah arranged to rescue humans from the destiny of eternal death.

Will You Benefit From Christ’s Ransom?

Regarding the far-reaching benefits of Christ’s ransom, the apostle John wrote: “[Jesus Christ] is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s.” (1 John 2:2) Yes, Christ’s ransom is available to all humanity. Does that mean that everyone will automatically benefit from this priceless provision? No. Those who wish to benefit from Christ’s ransom sacrifice cannot simply wait for God’s blessing. They need to take action.

What action does God require? John 3:36 tells us: “He that exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; he that disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.” God requires that we have faith in Christ’s sacrifice. And there is more. “By this we have the knowledge that we have come to know [Jesus], namely, if we continue observing his commandments.” (1 John 2:3) It is clear, then, that the key to being rescued from sin and death is that we have faith in Christ’s ransom and obey Christ’s commands.

One important way to express faith in Jesus’ ransom is to show appreciation for his death by commemorating it, as he commanded. Before dying, Jesus set up a symbolic meal with his faithful apostles, and he told them: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) Jehovah’s Witnesses deeply treasure their friendship with the Son of God, and they obey that command. This year, the Memorial of the death of Jesus Christ will be observed on Tuesday, March 26, 2013, after sundown. We cordially invite you to attend that special meeting in obedience to Jesus’ command. Jehovah’s Witnesses in your area can tell you the time and location for that event. At the Memorial you will learn more about what you need to do so that Christ’s ransom can free you from the deadly effects of Adam’s sin.

Few people today have full appreciation for the great sacrifice their Creator and his Son have made to rescue them from destruction. Those who exercise faith in it enjoy a special source of happiness. The apostle Peter wrote regarding his fellow Christians: “You exercise faith in [Jesus] and are greatly rejoicing with an unspeakable and glorified joy, as you receive the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8, 9) By developing love for Jesus Christ and faith in his ransom sacrifice, you can fill your life with joy now and look forward to being saved from sin and death.