Are You Living Up to Your Dedication?

“Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah, and not to men.”​—COLOSSIANS 3:23.

1. In the secular context, what is implied by the word “dedication”?

HOW do athletes reach their peak performance? In tennis, soccer, basketball, baseball, track, golf, or any other sport, the best reach the top only by unwavering dedication. Physical and mental conditioning are priorities. This fits well with one of the definitions of the word “dedicated,” which is “wholly committed to a particular course of thought or action.”

2. What does “dedication” mean in the Bible? Illustrate.

² However, what does “dedication” mean in the Biblical sense? “Dedicate” translates a Hebrew verb that has the meaning “keep separate; be separated; withdraw.” * In ancient Israel, High Priest Aaron wore on his turban “the holy sign of dedication,” which was a shining plate of pure gold engraved with the Hebrew words for “Holiness belongs to Jehovah.” That served as a reminder to the high priest that he must avoid doing anything that would profane the sanctuary “because the sign of dedication, the anointing oil of his God, [was] upon him.”​—Exodus 29:6; 39:30; Leviticus 21:12.

3. How should dedication affect our conduct?

³ We can see in this context that dedication is a serious matter. It implies voluntary identification as a servant of God, and it requires clean conduct. Therefore, we can appreciate why the apostle Peter quoted Jehovah as saying: “You must be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15, 16) As dedicated Christians, we bear a heavy responsibility to live up to our dedication, being faithful to the end. But what is involved in Christian dedication?​—Leviticus 19:2; Matthew 24:13.

4. How do we reach the step of dedication, and to what can it be likened?

⁴ After we gained accurate knowledge of Jehovah God and his purposes and of Jesus Christ and his role in those purposes, we made the personal decision to serve God with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. (Mark 8:34; 12:30; John 17:3) That might even be viewed as a personal vow, an unreserved dedication to God. Our dedication was not made as the result of an emotional caprice. It was carefully and prayerfully thought through, using the power of reason. Thus, it was not a temporary decision. We cannot be like someone who starts to plow a field and then gives up partway through because it is too much hard work or because the harvest seems to be too far off or by no means certain. Consider the examples of some who have ‘put their hands to the plow’ of theocratic responsibility through thick and thin.​—Luke 9:62; Romans 12:1, 2.

They Did Not Renounce Their Dedication

5. How was Jeremiah an outstanding example of a dedicated servant of God?

⁵ Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry in Jerusalem spanned more than 40 years  (647-607 B.C.E.), and it was no easy assignment. He was very aware of his limitations. (Jeremiah 1:2-6) He needed courage and endurance to face the hardheaded people of Judah on a daily basis. (Jeremiah 18:18; 38:4-6) However, Jeremiah trusted in Jehovah God, who strengthened him so that he proved to be a truly dedicated servant of God.​—Jeremiah 1:18, 19.

6. What example did the apostle John set for us?

⁶ What about the faithful apostle John, who was exiled to the inhospitable island of Patmos in his old age for “speaking about God and bearing witness to Jesus”? (Revelation 1:9) He endured and kept true to his dedicated status as a Christian for about 60 years. He lived beyond the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Roman armies. He was privileged to write a Gospel, three inspired letters, and the book of Revelation, in which he foresaw the war of Armageddon. Did he quit when he learned that Armageddon would not come in his lifetime? Did he slump into apathy? No, John remained faithful to his death, knowing that although ‘the appointed time was near,’ the fulfillment of his visions was for a later date.​—Revelation 1:3; Daniel 12:4.

Modern Examples of Dedication

7. How was one brother a fine example of Christian dedication?

⁷ In modern times, thousands of faithful Christians have zealously stuck to their dedication in spite of not surviving to witness Armageddon. One such individual was Ernest E. Beavor of England. He became a Witness in 1939 at the beginning of World War II, and he gave up a flourishing press photography business in order to take up the full-time ministry. Because of maintaining his Christian neutrality, he went to prison for two years. His family stood by him, and in 1950 his three children attended the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead for missionary training, in New York. Brother Beavor was so zealous in his preaching activity that friends called him Armageddon Ernie. He loyally lived up to his dedication, and right down to his death in 1986, he proclaimed the imminence of God’s war of Armageddon. He did not view his dedication as a limited-time contract with God! *​—1 Corinthians 15:58.

8, 9. (a) What example was set by many young men in Spain during the Franco regime? (b) What questions are appropriate?

⁸ Another example of undiminished zeal comes from Spain. During the Franco regime (1939-75), hundreds of dedicated young Witnesses took a stand as Christian neutrals. Many of them spent ten years or more in  military prisons. One Witness, Jesús Martín, even accumulated sentences that amounted to 22 years in prison. He was severely beaten while being held in a military prison in North Africa. None of this was easy, but he refused to compromise.

⁹ Most of the time, these young men had no idea when, if ever, they would be released, for they were subject to multiple, consecutive sentences. Yet, they kept their integrity and maintained their zeal for the ministry while in captivity. When the situation finally began to improve in 1973, many of these Witnesses, then in their early 30’s, were released from prison and went straight into the full-time ministry, some becoming special pioneers and traveling overseers. They lived up to their dedication in prison, and most have continued to do so since their release. * What about us today? Are we being faithful to our dedication like these loyal ones?​—Hebrews 10:32-34; 13:3.

Proper View of Our Dedication

10. (a) How should we view our dedication? (b) How does Jehovah view our service to him?

¹⁰ How do we view our dedication to God to do his will? Is it the first thing in our life? Regardless of our circumstances, whether young or old, married or single, healthy or sick, we should strive to live up to our dedication, in accordance with our circumstances. One person’s situation may allow him to serve in the full-time ministry as a pioneer, as a volunteer in a branch office of the Watch Tower Society, as a missionary, or in the traveling ministry. Some parents, on the other hand, may have their hands full, caring for the physical and spiritual needs of the family. Are their relatively few hours spent in the ministry each month worth any less in Jehovah’s eyes than the many hours spent by a full-time servant? No. God never expects from us what we do not have. The apostle Paul stated this principle: “If the readiness is there first, it is especially acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what a person does not have.”​—2 Corinthians 8:12.

11. On what does our salvation depend?

¹¹ In any case, our salvation depends, not on anything we might do, but on Jehovah’s undeserved kindness through Christ Jesus, our Lord. Paul clearly explained: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and it is as a free gift that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness through the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus.” However, our works are proof of our active faith in God’s promises.​—Romans 3:23, 24; James 2:17, 18, 24.

12. Why should we not make comparisons?

 ¹² There is no need for us to make comparisons with others in regard to our time in God’s service, our placements of Bible literature, or the number of Bible studies we conduct. (Galatians 6:3, 4) Regardless of what we accomplish in the Christian ministry, all of us have to remember Jesus’ humbling words: “So you, also, when you have done all the things assigned to you, say, ‘We are good-for-nothing slaves. What we have done is what we ought to have done.’” (Luke 17:10) How often can we really say that we have done “all the things assigned” to us? So the question is, What should be the quality of our service to God?​—2 Corinthians 10:17, 18.

Making Each Day Count

13. What attitude do we need as we carry out our dedication?

¹³ After giving counsel to wives, husbands, children, parents, and slaves, Paul writes: “Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah, and not to men, for you know that it is from Jehovah you will receive the due reward of the inheritance. Slave for the Master, Christ.” (Colossians 3:23, 24) We are not serving to impress men by what we accomplish in Jehovah’s service. We are trying to serve God by following the example of Jesus Christ. He carried out his relatively short ministry with a sense of urgency.​—1 Peter 2:21.

14. What warning did Peter give regarding the last days?

¹⁴ The apostle Peter too demonstrated a sense of urgency. In his second letter, he warned that in the last days, there would be ridiculers​—apostates and doubters—​who, according to their own wishes, would raise questions about Christ’s presence. However,  Peter said: “Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. Yet Jehovah’s day will come as a thief.” Yes, Jehovah’s day is certain to come. Therefore, we should make it our daily concern as to how certain and solid our faith in God’s promise really is.​—2 Peter 3:3, 4, 9, 10.

15. How should we look at each day in our life?

¹⁵ To live up to our dedication in a conscientious manner, we should use each day to Jehovah’s praise. At the end of each day, can we look back on it and see how we contributed in some way to the sanctification of God’s name and the proclamation of the Kingdom good news? Perhaps it was by our clean conduct, our upbuilding conversation, or our loving concern for family and friends. Did we use available opportunities to share our Christian hope with others? Have we helped someone to think seriously about God’s promises? Let us accrue something positive in a spiritual sense each day, building, as it were, a healthy, spiritual bank account.​—Matthew 6:20; 1 Peter 2:12; 3:15; James 3:13.

Keep Your Vision Clear

16. In what ways does Satan try to weaken our dedication to God?

¹⁶ We are living in times that are becoming more difficult for Christians. Satan and his agents try to blur the distinction between good and bad, clean and unclean, moral and immoral, ethical and unethical. (Romans 1:24-28; 16:17-19) He has made it so easy for us  to pollute our hearts and minds by means of a TV remote control or a computer keyboard. Our spiritual vision can become blurred, or out of focus, so that we fail to discern his crafty acts. Our resolve to live up to our dedication can be weakened and our grip on the “plow” loosened if we compromise our spiritual values.​—Luke 9:62; Philippians 4:8.

17. How can Paul’s counsel help us to maintain our relationship with God?

¹⁷ Paul’s words to the congregation in Thessalonica are therefore most timely: “This is what God wills, the sanctifying of you, that you abstain from fornication; that each one of you should know how to get possession of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in covetous sexual appetite such as also those nations have which do not know God.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5) Immorality has led to some being disfellowshipped from the Christian congregation​—those who neglected their dedication to God. They allowed their relationship with God to weaken, so that he no longer counted in their lives. Yet, Paul said: “God called us, not with allowance for uncleanness, but in connection with sanctification. So, then, the man that shows disregard is disregarding, not man, but God, who puts his holy spirit in you.”​—1 Thessalonians 4:7, 8.

What Is Your Determination?

18. What should be our determination?

¹⁸ If we appreciate the seriousness of our dedication to Jehovah God, what should we be determined to do? Our firm determination should be to hold a good conscience with regard to both our conduct and our ministry. Peter exhorted: “Hold a good conscience, so that in the particular in which you are spoken against they may get ashamed who are speaking slightingly of your good conduct in connection with Christ.” (1 Peter 3:16) We may have to suffer and face abuse because of our Christian conduct, but so did Christ because of his faith and loyalty to God. “Therefore,” Peter said, “since Christ suffered in the flesh, you too arm yourselves with the same mental disposition; because the person that has suffered in the flesh has desisted from sins.”​—1 Peter 4:1.

19. What do we want to have said about us?

¹⁹ Indeed, our firm determination to live up to our dedication will protect us from the trappings of Satan’s world that is sick spiritually, morally, and physically. But more than that, we will gain confidence that we have God’s approval, which is far better than anything Satan and his agents can offer. Thus, never let it be said that we have left the love that we had when we first knew the truth. Rather, let it be said of us as it was of those in the first-century congregation in Thyatira: “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and ministry and endurance, and that your deeds of late are more than those formerly.” (Revelation 2:4, 18, 19) Yes, let us not be lukewarm regarding our dedication, but let us be “aglow with the spirit,” zealous down to the end​—and the end is near.​—Romans 12:11; Revelation 3:15, 16.

[Footnotes]

Do You Recall?

• What does dedication involve?

• What ancient and modern examples of dedicated servants of God are worthy of our imitation?

• How should we view our service to God?

• What should be our determination regarding our dedication to God?

[Study Questions]

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Jeremiah stayed faithful in spite of atrocious treatment

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Ernest Beavor set the example for his children as a zealous Christian

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Hundreds of young Witnesses in Spanish prisons kept their integrity

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Let us accrue something positive in a spiritual sense each day