Chapter 10

Worshipers of God Love His Truth

From our examination of various holy books, we realize that the Bible is unique as God’s inspired Word. It is not just a book about God, but it is from God. It teaches us all we need to know about true worship, our happiness, and the future.

² To receive God’s blessing, as we have seen, we need to worship him not only out of love but also in truth. The Bible states: “God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.” (John 4:24) Jehovah God is “a Spirit,” invisible to human eyes. To worship him “with spirit” means that our sacred service to God is motivated by a heart full of love and faith. (Matthew 22:37-40; Galatians 2:16) How do we worship God “with . . . truth”? By rejecting falsehoods and by learning to do God’s will as revealed through the pages of the Bible.

Help to Understand the Scriptures

³ Each one of us can learn much by reading the Bible personally. To gain an understanding of its teachings, however, we must accept help from the true servants of God. Nearly 2,000 years ago, an Ethiopian court official was reading from the prophecies of Isaiah when Philip, a disciple of Jesus, approached him and asked: “Do you actually know what you are reading?” Humbly the man replied: “Really, how could I ever do so, unless someone guided me?” Because Philip was associated with the true Christian congregation, he was able to answer the man’s questions correctly.—Acts 8:27-38.

⁴ Today, Jehovah’s Witnesses, just like Philip, are helping millions of men and women worldwide to understand the Bible. No matter what your caste, color, or creed, you too can benefit from free Bible discussions at a time convenient for you and your family. With the help of appropriate study aids, you will be able to consider  matters affecting both your faith and your loved ones. As you discover God’s answers to your questions, you will feel that ‘the eyes of your heart have been enlightened’ and thus will find yourself drawing closer to him.—Ephesians 1:18.

Make Spiritual Progress

⁵ Some people do not like to study, and others may feel they are too old to learn. But learning about God is not burdensome if we desire to deepen our love for him. Many filmgoers who normally dislike reading often find themselves absorbed in a film-world magazine. Why? Because of their love of movies. Similarly, by reflecting on God’s love for you and the privilege of serving him, you can overcome any negative feelings about reading and discussing God’s Word.

⁶ Social or secular pressures can easily encroach upon time you may have set aside for discussing God’s Word.  Instead of leaving your study to chance or putting it off, carefully consider its value. Because of not knowing the value of a jewel, a child who finds one will probably lose it. In contrast, a jeweler will treasure it and spend time cutting and polishing it so as to increase its value. Similarly, by making time for spiritual things, you demonstrate to God that you value his truth and will not let it slip away because of other, less-important activities.—Compare Ephesians 5:15-17.

⁷ In order to grow in knowledge of truth, be careful not to spoil your spiritual appetite. The Bible is a complete and perfect guide from God and therefore needs no other sacred book to supplement it. (Psalm 19:7; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17) Instead it exhorts: “Look out: perhaps there may be someone who will carry you off as his prey through the philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men.” (Colossians 2:8) A person who values and loves God’s truth sees no wisdom in continuing to pursue human philosophy.

⁸ The Bible speaks of those who gather teachers “to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories.” (2 Timothy 4:3, 4) Like them, you too may be kept away from God’s truth if you pay attention to religious myths and legends. For this reason the Bible counsels: “Turn down the false stories which violate what is holy . . . Be training yourself with godly devotion as your aim.”—1 Timothy 4:7.

Overcoming Discouragement

⁹ Although many people claim to have a respect for truth, they do not always make a real effort to look for it. Some who do search for truth meet with discouragement from others. When you experience opposition because of examining the Bible, what should you do? Keep praying to Jehovah, asking him to give you the necessary courage to continue learning about him. Also, apply Jesus’ counsel: “Continue to love your enemies, to do good to those hating you, to bless those cursing you, to pray for those who are insulting you,” as this is the right thing to do.—Luke 6:27, 28.

¹⁰ Choosing to serve the true God, you will not be alone. You will have the backing of millions of Jehovah’s worshipers, who make up an international  brotherhood. In comparison with any friends you may lose because you worship Jehovah, you will receive “a hundredfold” in the community of God’s people. (Mark 10:29, 30) All have a loving, familylike concern for your welfare. Join with them to gain strength when they meet to pray and to discuss the Bible.

¹¹ In a world in which so many people are being misled, truth is a priceless possession. Treasure it. (Matthew 7:13, 14) Knowing Bible truth enables you to demonstrate to God that you love him with your whole heart and mind. It leads you to worship God in the only way that gains his approval, which brings rich blessings.

¹² True happiness belongs to those who have the truth. Truth will open up to you the sure hope of living forever in a new world, where those who worship God in love and truth will remain forever. The nucleus of that new world already exists as the brotherhood of millions of people from all races and tongues who are now worshiping Jehovah. What a privilege for you and your family to be counted among them!—2 Peter 3:13; 1 John 2:15-17.

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Can All Paths Lead to God?

Of the many Hindu paths today, four are considered primary: Karma (works), jnana (knowledge), Yoga (meditation), and bhakti (devotion). These different paths, it is believed, are not exclusive, but ultimately all or any one of them can lead to the same goal. How did they come about?

“The birth of the Upanishads, with their emphasis on knowledge and meditation, and of the Bhakti literature with its emphasis on love and adoration, were revolts against the formalism of the Vedic system [the path of Karma],” notes Hindu scholar K. M. Sen.—Hinduism, K. M. Sen, 1981, pages 45-6.

Kalidas Bhattacharyya, however, counters the view that the paths are complementary when he says: “Jñāna and karma alike reject bhakti, but bhakti is entirely indifferent to these. Jñāna, again, rejects karma.”—The Hindu Quest for the Perfection of Man, Troy Wilson Organ, 1980, page 341.

The sages who established these new paths were searching for an acceptable one. Had they felt that each existing path was right and would lead to God, would they have felt the need to start new ones?

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The True Sanatana Religion

Hindus believe that their religion has remained unchanged since God first revealed it to man. For this reason, Hinduism in modern times is described as sanatana, meaning “eternal” or “ancient.” How ancient are Hindu beliefs?

Popular Hinduism is of later origin than the Vedic religion of the days of Rama. So, as Hindu World notes, today “the Vedic gods have been largely abandoned, and the Vedic sacrifices are now virtually obsolete.” The ancient Vedic religion, in its turn, had developed from earlier religious teachings brought in by the Aryans when they began to settle in India. Their “beliefs and practices were distinct enough from those of later Hinduism,” adds Hindu World.—Hindu World, Benjamin Walker, 1983, Volume 2, pages 558, 561.

In the light of these facts, successive Indian generations have evidently transmitted faiths different from those of their forefathers. How, then, can we today rediscover the true divinely revealed religion? Only by identifying Sruti, God-inspired scriptures, as we have done in these closing chapters.