Study of the Book of the congregation, Week of April 10 to 16, 2023, Jehovah's rules benefit us, Lesson: 42 and note 4, summary, review and "Resolve this." Answers.

Congregation Book Study, April 10-16, 2023, Lesson: 42 and note 4, summary, review, and “Resolve This” Answers.

Congregation Bible study (30 min.): lff lesson 42 and note 4.

In some cultures, people think that to be happy you have to get married. But not all married people are happy and not all single people are unhappy. The truth is that the Bible says that both singleness and marriage are a gift.

1. What are the advantages of being single?

Being single is advantageous in the sense that the person will not have to worry about the welfare of their husband or wife. In addition, singleness gives more freedom for service and more time to strengthen the friendship relationship that one has with Jehovah.

1 Corinthians 7:32 and 33. It says that the married person is worried about the things of the world. Such as earning a living, earning a living for the family, or earning the approval of your partner. But as for the single person, he will worry about the Lord's things. Consequently, the bachelor can extend the service of him. For example, traveling to other places to preach the good news of the kingdom. Hence verse 38 adds: So he who marries does well, but he who does not marry better.

For some it is easier to serve Jehovah in an attractive way, for example, traveling to another place to preach the good news and the main advantage of singles is that they can spend more time strengthening their relationship with Jehovah.

2. What are the advantages of being legally married?

Just as singleness has advantages, marriage also has its advantages, as long as it is done in Jehovah's way. Ecclesiastes 4:9 says that two are better than one. This refers to marriage where the couple is legally married and also puts bionic principles into practice. These advantages are in a relationship where there is love, commitment, respect, mutual care, security, stability and a safe environment for children.

The Bible says that two are better than one. So that married couples who put Biblical principles into practice have. Because they help each other and support each other.

3. What does Jehovah think of marriage?

Genesis 2:24 shows Jehovah's view of marriage. This verse says that a man will leave his father and his mother and join his wife. This makes it clear that Jehovah wants a husband and wife to love each other and stay together as long as they live.

Jehovah instituted marriage between a man and a woman so that they could live in harmony, loving and caring for each other until death do us part. that is why he only authorizes divorce in case of adultery. In addition, in the case of adultery, the divorce decision has left the spouse innocent. This makes it very clear what Jehovah thinks of marriage. Hence, Jehovah does not accept these modern marriages where a person marries more than one wife, nor does he accept same-sex marriage.Jehovah is the creator of marriage. So he said that the man would have to leave his father and his mother and join his wife. Jehovah wants a husband and wife to love each other and stay together as long as they live and only authorizes divorce when one of them commits adultery.

ANSWER BASED ON NOTE 4.

The separation

According to 1 Corinthians 7:10,11. Jehovah does not recommend separation, and I am sure that those who are separated are not free to remarry. However, he does give a biblical basis for a separation in marriage under exceptional circumstances. Such as the husband's refusal to support the family, physical abuse in serious cases where the health of one of the spouses is put at risk, and in the event that there is a risk of losing Jehovah's friendship. 

LET'S DEEPER INTO THE SUBJECT

4. Make the most of the gift of singlehood

For Jesus, singleness was a gift, a gift (Matthew 19:11, 12). Read Matthew 4:23 and discuss the following:

How did Jesus take advantage of his singleness to serve his Father and help others?

Matthew 4:23 shows that Jesus took advantage of his singleness by traveling throughout Galilee teaching in Jewish synagogues and preaching the good news of the kingdom far and wide. He also cured sickness and disease of all kinds of people. Thus he served his father and helped others.

This same text from Matthew 4:23 shows how Jesus and the disciples, Andrew, John and James, undertook a preaching campaign throughout Galilee. This campaign spread through Syria, through the Decapolis and through the towns on the other side of the Jordan, as well as throughout Judea. Jesus also healed all kinds of people from all kinds of sicknesses and ailments. This was a large and successful campaign, but it required a lot of time and effort. Today many single brothers and sisters also extend their service in many ways to serve Jehovah more and to help others more. This is a clear advantage of being single.

Jesus took advantage of his singleness in the best way, he had time to carry out his ministry, he healed people and he had no obstacles that prevented him from expanding his facet of service. So being single for him was a big plus.

Single Christians can be happy if they make the most of their singleness, as Jesus did. Watch the VIDEO and talk about the following:

VIDEO: Singles Who Imitate Christ (3:16)

How can Christians take advantage of being single?

Singleness allows Christians to help more people instead of focusing on themselves. They also have more time and flexibility to achieve their spiritual goals, more time to expand their services and to improve their personal preparation, more time and Freedom to share with their brothers. And by not having the worries that married people have, they can be more focused on the work of the Kingdom.

The Christian can take advantage of his singleness by using his time, energy and resources to dedicate them to Jehovah and the work of the Kingdom. As we can see, it is not just about being single, but about using the gift or gift of singleness well to be more for Jehovah, the work of the kingdom and for others. For example, a single person may move to another country or place of greater need, serve at Bethel, or pioneer full-time.

Singleness is a wonderful gift, and singles have more time to expand their ministry, serving as regular pioneers, at Bethel, or in any field of Jehovah's Organization.

I knew it?

1 Corinthians 7:36, Advises young people not to rush into marriage when they feel the awakening of sexual impulses, since marriage requires commitment. and living up to that responsibility requires maturity. Hence, it is better to wait until that period has passed in which the sexual desires that can nucleate the person's judgment intensify.

5. Choose your partner well

Choosing who to marry is one of the most important decisions of your life. Read Matthew 19:4-6, 9 and discuss the following:

Why should a Christian think things through before getting married?

You must think it through, because marriage will form a permanent bond between the man and the woman. This bond is so strong that it is as if the two were glued together, since they must form a single body or a single being. Therefore, they must be faithful and inseparable. Hence, Jehovah wants the couple to see marriage as something sacred that no one should contaminate and that only a death can undo.

These verses also make it very clear that just because someone gets divorced does not mean that they are Biblically free to remarry. Jehovah only authorizes divorce when the cause is adultery. However, in this case he leaves the decision in the hands of the innocent spouse. So a divorce for another cause turns the couple into adulterers. And we know that adultery is a serious sin for Jehovah.

You have to think carefully before making the decision to get married, because they come, you have to try to solve them by seeking God's guidance, why marriage should last forever. 

The Bible will help you know what qualities a good husband or wife should have. First of all, find someone who loves Jehovah. Read 1 Corinthians 7:39 and 2 Corinthians 6:14. Then talk about the following:

If a true Christian decides to get married, why should he choose someone who has the same beliefs?

These verses give the answer. The true Christian who decides to marry knows that before Jehovah he will be married to that other person until death breaks the marriage bond. Hence, if he decides to marry, he must do it with someone who has the same values, the same goals and the same beliefs. That is, he must marry only in the Lord, or what is the same, with another true Christian. He alone in this way will demonstrate loyalty to Jehovah and his righteous standards and will be worthy of his blessings.

Otherwise, when the yoke is unequal in marriage, terrible consequences are suffered. The weak yoke will have to work to keep up with the strong yoke. While the strong yoke will have to bear a greater load. This will bring suffering and setbacks to both spouses. For example, when trying to agree on fundamental things such as the worship of Jehovah and the education of children.

When choosing a spouse, it is important to keep in mind the principle that we have read in 2 Corinthians 6:14. Marriage can be compared to a yoke. A yoke is a piece of wood that is put on two animals so that they work together in the field, and a farmer could not work together with two different animals. In the same way, if a servant of Jehovah marries a non-believer, he will have many problems, hence he should marry only in the Lord.

If you marry someone who does not love Jehovah, how do you think he will feel?

Jehovah would feel very sad, because he has not been guided by his wise laws.

Jehovah is the one who instituted marriage and legislated about it. Hence he commands his servants to marry only in the lord. Those who obey show obedience and loyalty. Those who do not, betray Jehovah and despise his just standards. So we can imagine how sad, offended and betrayed Jehovah must feel when his servant marries someone who does not love him.

ILLUSTRATION

A strong bull and a small donkey struggling under the same wooden yoke. If they put two very different animals under the same yoke, they both suffer. In the same way, a Christian who marries someone who does not love Jehovah will have many problems.

 6. See marriage as Jehovah sees it

In ancient Israel, some divorced their wives for selfish reasons. Read Malachi 2:13, 14, 16 and discuss the following:

Why does Jehovah hate when someone gets divorced for a reason other than what the Bible says?

Malachi explains it well. Jehovah has witnessed the union in the marriage of the couple. So when one of the spouses betrays the other he is also betraying Jehovah. And when they divorce for a reason other than what the Bible authorizes, it is as if they also divorced Jehovah. This is so because marriage is not a covenant only between the spouses. it is a pact between the spouses and Jehovah. Hence Jehovah or divorce when there is no biblical basis for it.

Jehovah hates divorce, because he wanted those who marry to be united for life, and when this covenant is broken without just cause, it is something that greatly displeases Jehovah. 

ILLUSTRATION

A heartbroken mother watching her husband leave their home. The daughter, hurt, hugging her mother. Adultery and divorce do a lot of harm to both the innocent spouse and the children.

Watch the VIDEO and talk about the following:

VIDEO: Marriage: A Lifelong Union (4:30)

If you are married to someone who does not love Jehovah, what can you do to have a happy marriage?

In this case, you have to be patient and not force things. Maintain a good attitude in order to win over our non-believing partner. Although it is not easy to serve Jehovah in a spiritually divided home, nor to maintain the marriage relationship or agree on the upbringing and education of children, it is not impossible either. So we have to focus on what we can do and stop worrying about what we can't. We must respect our husbands and hope that with Jehovah's help they, too, can come to love Jehovah. 

In the video we could see how this sister lived with a person who did not want anything with Jehovah, but she mentions that although she was not a witness, she had to respect him and love him. Because, after all, she was her husband and she also remembered Abigail's case that helped her make her marriage happy. 

7. Obey Jehovah's rules on marriage

It can be very difficult for some to put Jehovah's standards for marriage into practice. c But he blesses those who make this effort. Watch the VIDEO: Jehovah Helps Us Obey His Rules on Marriage (4:14)

Read Hebrews 13:4 and discuss the following:

Do you think that Jehovah's rules on marriage are reasonable? Why do you think so?

Yes, they are reasonable, because they avoid all kinds of conduct that could deteriorate the marriage and because they help to take measures to strengthen it. Also, as we saw in the video, Jehovah greatly blesses those who strive to obey his rules on marriage, but in Hebrews 13:4 he warns fornicators and adulterers of their grave sin.

Of course, Jehovah's rules on marriage are good, because he commands us in his word to honor marriage and we know that this is true because it is Jehovah who gives us the guide so that we can do well in marriage.

Jehovah expects the Christian to register both the marriage and the divorce, since it is a legal requirement in most of the world. Read Titus 3:1 and discuss the following:

If you are married, are you sure that your marriage is legal and recognized by the authorities?

We must have our marriage certificate, that shows that we are legally married as required by terrestrial law and divine law.

In the video we saw how a Cambodian woman had been married according to the traditions of her country, but not before the authorities, so she did not have a legal certificate. In Titus 3:1 Jehovah reminds us to submit to authorities and be obedient to the laws. So Jehovah's servants must get married before the civil authorities of the country where we reside, to obtain the certificate that legalizes our marriage. 

WHAT SOME ASK: “Why get married? Do you really need a paper?

What would you answer?

The answer is that a paper is necessary, since living as a couple or having sex without being legally married is sexual immorality and a grave sin according to Jehovah's just standards. So, if it is necessary to get married legally and have a valid marriage certificate before the laws and authorities of the country where we reside.

SUMMARY

Singleness and marriage are gifts from Jehovah. Both single and married we can have fulfilling and happy lives if we do things God's way.

Review

How can a person make the most of being single?

You can take advantage of it by dedicating more time, energy, and resources to your Christian ministry, striving to achieve your spiritual goals, taking time for personal study, sharing more with your brothers, and serving Jehovah and your neighbor more, especially where the need is greatest.

During the time that one is not married we can do more in the service of Jehovah, since we do not have any obstacles that prevent us from doing so. 

Why does the Bible say that Christians should only marry someone who believes like them?

Because if they marry only in the Lord they will not have as many problems as other marriages.

Because if a true Christian marries someone who doesn't have the same beliefs, they are unequally yoking that person. Where the strongest would carry a higher load, and also drag the weakest. While the weaker would have to make a greater effort to keep up with the stronger. Over time, this inequality would also be reflected in important decisions, in the education of children and in the worship of Jehovah. It would also bring suffering and many problems and setbacks.

According to the Bible, what is the only valid reason for divorce?

The only biblical ground for divorce is adultery.

The Bible is very clear, there is no other reason, only adultery is a biblical basis for divorce. So we must keep that in mind, because for Jehovah marriage is very important.