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“My dear brothers, stand firm, immovable” (1 COR. 15:58).
1, 2. In what sense are Christians similar to a certain skyscraper in Tokyo? (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Christians are like a Tokyo skyscraper, in the sense that we must maintain a balance between firmness and flexibility. Just as the skyscraper was designed to be solid and at the same time flexible to cushion the shaking of earthquakes, Christians must be firm and immovable in our beliefs and principles, but also flexible and reasonable when necessary.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Because this skyscraper was made in a very solid but also flexible way to cushion the shaking of earthquakes because it is a seismic zone and these buildings sway despite having 60 floors.
1 Corinthians 15:58 Good says that people who serve Jehovah must maintain a balance between firmness and flexibility and on the one hand they have to be firm and immovable when it comes to supporting Jehovah's rules and laws.
And in the paragraph at the end he mentions that there are five tactics that Satan tries to weaken us, that is, there are also earthquakes that we have to be firm.
Just as this skyscraper was designed to be solid and earthquake resistant, Christians must be firm and unwavering in their faith and commitment to God's rules and laws. Since they must be willing to obey and not compromise their principles under any circumstances. And while Christians must be firm in their faith, they must also be flexible and reasonable when necessary. This means that they must be adaptable in situations where rigidity is not essential, but rather be willing to show understanding and consideration towards others.
The comparison is used to illustrate the importance of finding a balance between firmness in faith and reasonable flexibility in the life of a Christian. This allows us to stand firm in our beliefs while showing love and understanding towards others in appropriate situations.
IN WHICH FIELDS SHOULD WE BE FIRM?
3. What laws does Jehovah give us in Acts 15:28, 29?
The laws he gives us are to reject idolatry and worship Jehovah alone, which means not worshiping idols or participating in religious practices that go against the only true God, Jehovah.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
In Acts15:28,29 Jehovah gives us the following laws. For example he commands us to abstain from sacrifices to idols, abstain from blood and abstain from fornication.
Jehovah also gives us the law to respect blood as something sacred, this means that Christians must abstain from consuming blood or participating in practices that involve the inappropriate use of blood. Blood is considered Sacred and should be treated with respect.
Furthermore, Jehovah commands us to faithfully comply with the high standards of sexual morality that are in the Bible, this implies abstaining from sexual and moral behaviors and maintaining sexual relations only within marriage between a man and a woman.
Something that caught my attention about these 240-meter buildings in Japan is that all the floors are the same height. As Christians, all Christians, according to Jehovah, have the same rules to obey and Jehovah expects us to do so.
Yes, apart from saying that Jehovah is a legislator, it says that Jehovah is our judge and our King, so he is the supreme authority that we have to take into account.
4. What does it mean to give exclusive devotion to Jehovah? (Revelation 4:11).
It involves worshiping him only and not worshiping objects or images.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
And sometimes in the world, religious or sports leaders are seen as God, but in our case we could also see some people that way.
Giving exclusive devotion to Jehovah means rejecting idolatry and worshiping him alone, since he is the creator of all things and deserves our worship and loyalty. This means that we do not venerate religious images, nor do we idolize any human being, religious leader, politician, or sports and entertainment star as if they were gods.
Exclusive devotion involves recognizing Him as the only true God and worshiping Him as such, without allowing anything or anyone to take His place in our lives. And Jesus himself taught this principle when he was tempted by the devil and refused to worship Satan.
Feeling excessive admiration for singers or soccer players because perhaps sometimes it can draw attention to how they develop their talent but going to an extreme with excessive admiration can make us want to copy either their character or their actions and we know that in their The vast majority of everything they do goes against what Jehovah teaches, so this is a subtle way of having idolatry because we would perhaps be putting the actions of those people above what Jehovah is teaching us.
Also giving exclusive devotion to Jehovah is a commitment of absolute loyalty to God as the only object of worship and the Supreme Source of authority and truth. And this means rejecting any form of idolatry and maintaining an exclusive relationship with Jehovah as creator, as mentioned in Revelation 4:11, where we recognize God as worthy of receiving glory, honor and power.
5. Why do we respect life and blood as something sacred?
Because Jehovah says that blood represents life, and life is a beautiful gift from him, furthermore when Jehovah told them for the first time that human beings will feed on the flesh of animals, he forbade them to eat their blood, and He repeated this command over time to his servants.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We must respect blood because blood represents life itself, and life is considered a Divine gift. Jehovah had prohibited the consumption of blood since ancient times, establishing this rule as a command for his followers throughout history.
Well, because Jehovah says so that blood represents life and that then we must abstain from blood and this reminder, this mandate from Jehovah, was given on three different occasions, if we think about the ancient history of the people of God in three important moments. That command was highlighted, so it is something important to Jehovah.
In Leviticus 17:14 there is the definitive explanation of why Jehovah did not authorize the consumption of blood, it specifically says that the life of all types of flesh of his blood is life, so Jehovah put this regulation directly already when Noah descended from the ark, which was the first time that he authorized the consumption of meat, but then he repeated it for the nation of Israel, he repeated it in the first century, so they are specific orders in different times, this was recorded as the pattern of behavior and norms of Jehovah with This relationship is clearly established in the Bible throughout time.
And when it comes to medical treatment, that is precisely where this conflict is generated because we know that blood here is used as a medicine, so taking into account all the very clear principles that are in the Bible, we must be firm because Many times, let's say, there is a point between life and death where, according to doctors, a blood transfusion is required, then a lot of firmness is required to reject and obey these principles.
6. What measures will help us obey Jehovah’s high moral standards?
The apostle Paul advises us that we should put to death the members of our body, in order to eliminate our evil desires. That is why we avoid looking at or doing anything that could lead us to sexual immorality, and we immediately reject any thought or action that could harm our friendship with God.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
It is important to strive to control sexual desires and passions, recognizing that they must be directed and limited in accordance with the moral standards that Jehovah has established in his word the Bible.
We must also avoid exposing ourselves to visual or auditory stimuli or situations that may arouse inappropriate sexual desires or lead to sexual immorality. This may include selectively choosing entertainment, music, movies, and friendships that promote moral values.
When faced with tempting situations, it is essential to immediately reject any thoughts or actions that could lead to sexual immorality. This involves being aware of temptations and acting with determination to resist them.
Yes we see that this issue is not something optional if someone sees me if someone does not see me, Hebrews 13:4 clearly says that Jehovah is going to judge people who are immoral, so we see that it says that when we are faced with a temptation like this We must reject outright immediately as it is studied many times in our publications. Jehovah has no middle ground in this.
Well he had control over what he looked at and only showed romantic interest in his wife, so that would show that well we would not feed carnal desires by perhaps watching pornography, one of those and another not looking with any interest at people other than his spouse.
7. What should we be determined to do, and why?
And to obey its rules because it says that its laws are for our good and are not negotiable as Isaiah 48:17 and 18 shows.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, Jehovah wants this because he is our creator, so we owe him our obedience and it is part of our relationship with him to be obedient, and obeying these commandments is also a show of respect and devotion to Jehovah.
We should be determined to love Jehovah and obey his rules. This is because Jehovah is our creator and heavenly father, and he has given us instructions to live full and happy lives.
We must be determined to obey Jehovah's standards, because we are his creations and we owe him obedience as part of our relationship with him. Obeying his commandments is a sign of respect and devotion to God.
And we obey Jehovah's rules and laws because they are designed for our own well-being. By following them, we avoid destructive and harmful behaviors that can have negative consequences in our lives and in our service to Jehovah.
The interesting thing that is mentioned in the letter of the Romans is to be obedient from the heart, not because someone else sees it or stops seeing it, but from the heart.
And it also shows in verse 9 he tells us not to be deceived, that is, sometimes we could look for something that justifies some reasoning that may even support the way of thinking, but he clearly tells us that we cannot deceive ourselves, if we fall into any of this we will not inherit the blessings of the Kingdom.
WHAT TACTICS DOES SATAN USE TO WEAKEN OUR DETERMINATION?
8. For what purpose does Satan use persecution?
Satan uses persecution to weaken our determination to stand firm in our beliefs and principles. He attacks us physically and emotionally to try to make us give up our faith and friendship with Jehovah. However, if we remain steadfast and trust in Jehovah, we can overcome any type of persecution and maintain our friendship with him.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Persecution can manifest itself in a variety of ways, both physically and emotionally, and its purpose is to undermine faith and faithfulness to Jehovah.
And we know that he cares little if a Christian dies because if one dies faithful to Jehovah, he promises the resurrection. He is interested in us abandoning Jehovah, which is why he uses physical tactics and when emotional tactics do not work for him, and he knows that in these fields When he realizes that a Christian is not spiritually strong, he clings to that and attacks us emotionally.
9. Explain with an example why we should be on guard against more subtle pressures.
An example of why we should be on guard against the most useful pressures is the case of Bob, who was hospitalized for major surgery. He told the doctors that under no circumstances would he accept a blood transfusion, but one of the doctors, after his family left, told him that during the operation he would bleed his hand in case it was necessary, thinking that perhaps he would change his mind. , but no, our brother was determined to remain firm in his decision not to have blood transferred to him no matter what.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
It may be that when faced with a question the answer is imminent, at that moment perhaps one feels supported by another person who is next to a family member, above all things, it is not reasonable and this is what who knows what this anesthetist gave him, which in the case of this brother of Bob's who had initially rejected the blood, now when he was alone I approached him and said well, you know what, we know that you are not going to accept blood but just in case, rest assured that if necessary we will have it on hand but he In no way from a point of view did he accept this, he said that no he was not going to accept blood, this is a subtle way that Satan often uses things not suddenly to attack that the person realizes but subtly.
And just because they are subtle does not mean that they are not also dangerous and that is why it is very important that what Ephesians 6:11 says is that we always have the full armor on.
This is an example of how Satan can use subtle pressures to weaken our resolve and make us give up our beliefs and principles. Therefore, we must be on our guard and be firm in our beliefs, even in difficult situations.
10. Why is the thinking of those who do not serve Jehovah dangerous? (1 Corinthians 3:19, 20).
Because generally the wisdom of this world pushes people to follow their own desires, that is, to think about themselves, not about others.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Human thinking can lead us to deviate from Jehovah's standards and principles, following our own desires and accepting the ideas and teachings of the world that conflict with divine truth. This can lead us to tolerate immorality, idolatry, and other practices that are contrary to God's will.
Some Christians allowed themselves to be influenced by the people around them, they were immoral and worshiped idols, so they were not people who did not serve Jehovah, they were Christians, they allowed themselves to be influenced by those people who did not serve Jehovah, in our case the same thing can happen, we have to Be careful because that influence is the way of thinking of family friends and so on, they could affect us and in this way now distance us from Jehovah.
Verse 20 says that Jehovah knows that these reasonings are useless and has seen for centuries that this is the case. Today we see the results of human beings having allowed themselves to be influenced only by their selfish desires and sometimes we want to be there in the line of being. a little here and a little there to test if they are really useless but they are telling us that they are.
Therefore, it is important to be on guard and not be influenced by the world's mentality, but rather to stand firm in the truth and obey Jehovah's laws and regulations.
Those who do not serve Jehovah often adopt a moral perspective based on their own desires and values, rather than following religious norms and teachings. This may lead them to ignore or reject ethical moral principles, which are considered sacred by those who serve Jehovah.
The influence of people who do not share the same religious beliefs can lead to adopting behaviors and attitudes contrary to faith. In the example of the congregations of Pergamum and Thyatira, some Christians were influenced by those who were immoral and worshiped idols, which was condemned by Jesus.
11. What should we avoid?
And we must avoid adding rules invented by ourselves because in its words the Bible has clear instructions and through organization I also mean that we must try to avoid going beyond what is written in the Bible.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We must avoid adding rules or rules of our own invention to the clear instructions that Jehovah has given us in his word, the Bible, and through his organization. We should not go beyond what is written in the Bible or impose personal standards on matters that are not specified in the word of God.
Jehovah provides us with clear instructions through his word and his organization. By respecting these instructions and not adding our own interpretations or rules, we are acknowledging divine authority and demonstrating our submission to God as the ultimate authority.
Adding additional rules or regulations can become a heavy burden for people. In Jesus' day, religious leaders made the mistake of imposing human rules that complicated people's lives. Jehovah provides us with a clear and direct path to follow, avoiding confusion and unnecessary burden.
A simple example is clothing, for example, there are no strict laws in the Bible about how the clothing we have to wear has to be, but we have the principle that it has to be of good taste and modest that helps us decide and with those In simple words we already have the way to decide correctly in the sight of Jehovah.
12. How does Satan promote false reasoning?
And well today Satan mainly uses social media to spread all that false news.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Satan promotes false reasoning by propagating human ideas and philosophies that are at odds with divine teachings. This can lead people to stray from the truth and follow wrong paths based on the wisdom of the world instead of the wisdom of God.
In the modern era, Satan uses the media and social networks to spread conspiracy theories and fake news that can confuse people and sow discord. This can undermine faith and trust in reliable sources of information and promote misinformation.
But Interesting how Satan is adapting, if today he used philosophical movements one would not pay attention to it but I liked to see how they used the example of covid because it is something that affected us all and Satan also, as the paragraph mentions, was clearly behind manipulating the information because what it seeks is to confuse and when people get confused everyone does their own thing, so if someone out there did the same thing or out there in these situations they tend to try to do their own thing over and over again instead of following the instructions of the organization, we are losing that virtue that should characterize us of being firm and immovable, like Satan, we are slowly moving.
Of course, and that is why they are so dangerous because they make us stop paying attention to the true source of wisdom, which is Jehovah, to waste time and perhaps start ourselves to spread this type of information using the networks that is useless.
The article cited here is precisely noted by Jehovah who warns us about believing everything we see and everything we hear and be careful even with the things that appear in the news says proverbs 14:15 he quotes it there says the naive believes everything what he tells him but Jehovah wants us to be prudent and concentrate on analyzing what he tells us.
13. Why should we not allow anything to distract us?
We must not allow anything to distract us because distractions can divert our attention and thus we will focus on things that are not a priority or that go against Jehovah's principles, and in Philippians 1:10, we are urged to discern what is More importantly, stay focused on it.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Distractions can divert our attention and focus us on things that are not a priority or that go against Jehovah's principles. And in Philippians 1:10, we are urged to discern what is most important and to stay focused on it.
Furthermore distractions can come in different forms, such as worldly concerns, excessive entertainment, inappropriate relationships or even persecution. If we allow these distractions to dominate us, we run the risk of neglecting our relationship with Jehovah and distancing ourselves from his will.
As we see in the paragraph, it mentions the principle of no bad thing but it talks about eating, drinking, entertainment, work and these are things that we need, but it also tells us that we do not have to give it too much attention why because if it cannot reach to be the center of our life and in this way, giving it too much attention takes away from us what we have in the first place, which is the service to Jehovah and the life that we have dedicated to him, so as Luke mentions we have to watch ourselves so that our hearts Never become overwhelmed or overloaded with these things.
And for this to happen we really need to put in the effort and put balance first, because Philippians 1:9 and 10 says that we have to make sure of the most important things the most important things are the things that relate to the service of Jehovah, and we see that these concerns of daily life, especially the time that is very small in the day, tend to want to take away from us the most important part, which is the service of Jehovah, which is why we must strive to be balanced.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO STAY FIRM?
14. What can help us stand firm at Jehovah's side?
What can help us remain firm at Jehovah's side is to remember why we dedicate ourselves and are baptized. For we must remember how we came to know Jehovah, and to see him as our heavenly father and to respect and love him. We can also remember how our faith grew and motivated us to repent of our sins and stop doing the things that Jehovah hates.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Another thing that will help us is to remember how we felt when we saw that God forgave us, and how we decided to go to the meetings and talk to others and about the wonderful teachings that we were learning.
Remember why we dedicate ourselves and get baptized, we want to be on Jehovah's side and do what pleases him and also by seeing how our heavenly parents we can come to love him.
And I could get to know Jehovah better and stop doing the things that he hates and enjoy today being a mature Christian and also being dedicated and baptized but always walking in the path of Jehovah.
ILLUSTRATION
We see that what it says in Colossians 2:6 and 7 is fulfilled. He is building his faith to be able to continue following the path of Jehovah and remain firm.
It is proven that the deepest roots of trees occur in soils that are drained or well nourished. No, if we want to be well established in the truth, we have to have the soil of our heart, so to speak, well nourished, ready for the truth to take root. there and well when difficulties come to be able to be firm in the face of it.
And he is filling out the medical document, so this shows that it is something very personal because he is doing it, he is studying it and there is no one who can stop this decision, not even one's spouse because it is between Jehovah and us that we are making and therefore That must be investigated because it is not according to the conscience of another.
Series of images: 1. A very tall building is built on a firm and solid foundation. 2. A brother fills out his blood refusal card. Next to him he has his tablet with lesson 39 of the book “Enjoy life”. To remain firm, let us think about why we dedicate ourselves and baptize, let us study the Word of God and meditate on it, have a firm heart and trust in Jehovah. (See paragraphs 14 to 18).
15. How does studying the Word of God and meditating on it help us?
It helps us by giving us the wisdom we need to make certain decisions.
And also when we study and meditate it strengthens our faith and that convinces us more.
Studying the word of God and meditating on it is a fundamental practice to strengthen our faith, obtain wisdom, remain firm in our beliefs and live in accordance with divine principles. This deeply connects us to God and equips us to face life's challenges with confidence and determination.
16. How did having a strong heart help Bob? (Psalm 112:7).
Bob was able to maintain a firm heart by trusting Jehovah completely. Since his sincere desire to make God happy and his study of the word of God about the sanctity of life and blood helped him greatly to strengthen his conviction, he was convinced that Jehovah would reward him if he followed his rules, it is because This is why his firm heart allowed him to make quick and firm decisions, without doubting or worrying about the consequences. His trust in Jehovah gave him the strength to face any trial that came his way.
It helps us a lot because it strengthens our trust in Jehovah and helps us remain firm in our faith. The Bible also provides us with principles and divine wisdom that help us make wise and correct decisions in our daily lives. By meditating on God's word, we can have discernment and direction in our choices.
17. What do we learn from Bob's experience? (See also images).
From Bob's experience, we learn the importance of having a firm heart and trusting fully in Jehovah. Despite the pressures and temptations he faced, Bob remained steadfast in his conviction not to accept blood transfusions, based on his personal study of God's word and his desire to please Jehovah. This example teaches us the importance of knowing and applying biblical principles in our daily lives, even when we face challenges and opposition. It also shows us the importance of trusting in Jehovah and his promises, knowing that he will reward us for our faithfulness.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Bob did not wait until he was in a hospital to make a firm decision regarding his faith and refusal to receive a blood transfusion. He had made that decision long before. This highlights the importance of having a strong conviction and firm commitment to our beliefs before facing difficult trials or situations.
Bob's main motivation was to make Jehovah happy. His desire to please God and obey His rules was the driving force behind his determination. This reflects the importance of having a sincere heart and a genuine desire to please God in all our decisions and actions.
Bob prepared for the situation by studying what the Bible and the literature of his faith said about the sanctity of life and blood. This shows the importance of acquiring a deep knowledge of religious teachings and the religious beliefs that support our convictions. Solid knowledge is essential to defend our beliefs in a well-founded way.
ILLUSTRATION
Series of images: 1. The building is still standing. Instead, those around them collapsed due to a natural disaster. 2. The brother, who is now hospitalized, talks to a doctor late at night. If we develop strong faith, we can stand firm in the face of any trial that comes our way. (See paragraph 17).
18. What does Barak's example teach us? (See cover drawing).
Barak's example teaches us the importance of trusting in Jehovah and obeying his instructions without hesitation. And in the drawing on the cover we see Barak leading the troops of Israel in battle against the Canaanites. Although he initially hesitated to face the enemy, he ultimately obeyed Jehovah's word through Deborah and charged into battle with courage and trust in God.
Barak trusted Jehovah's instructions and did not hesitate to follow his direction, despite the challenging and seemingly unfavorable circumstances he faced. His trust in God was fundamental to his success.
Barak obeyed the direction he received through the prophetess Deborah and acted according to divine instructions. This highlights the importance of obeying the teachings and direction that Jehovah provides through his organization today.
The story of Barak shows how Jehovah can intervene in seemingly impossible situations and provide victory to those who trust in him and follow his will. This highlights the importance of depending on divine help and not our own struggles and challenges.
ILLUSTRATION
In the middle of a downpour, Barak and his men quickly go down the mountain. They are determined to fight Sisera's army, whose chariots are stuck in the mud. Barak and his men bravely pursue Sisera's army. (See paragraph 18).
LET US BE DETERMINED TO STAY FIRM
19. Why do you want to remain firm?
Well this is a way to show our love for Jehovah.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
And we see ourselves dedicated to Jehovah so we have to fulfill this contract that we made with Jehovah, so we do it out of love as mentioned but we also know that we benefit from doing Jehovah's will.
I want to remain steadfast because I want to please Jehovah and maintain a close relationship with him. Because I understand that following his commandments and principles will bring me blessings and protection in my life. Additionally, I want to be a positive example for others and help strengthen the faith of my brothers and sisters in the faith.
WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?
In what areas should we firmly obey Jehovah's laws and regulations?
In the field of idolatry in respect for life and blood and also in moral issues.
We must firmly obey Jehovah's laws and regulations in all aspects of our life, including sexual morality, that is, we must maintain firm sexual morality, avoiding immorality and promiscuity, we must also pray to Jehovah in accordance with his teachings. and avoid idolatry and false religious practices, and respect life and blood.
What tactics does Satan use to try to weaken our resolve to stand firm?
Well Satan uses false reasoning, as he promotes human ideas and philosophies that contradict God's teachings, he also uses the distractions of the world, such as daily worries, worldly activities, and social and political debates, in order to divert our attention. of what is really important. He can also use the influence of family, friends or strangers to try to persuade us to follow the flow of the world and compromise our convictions.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Satan can also incite persecution and opposition against Jehovah's servants in an attempt to weaken their faith and cause them to abandon their determination to stand firm through the study of God's word, prayer, and association with our fellow believers. .
The pressures, the persecution, the satanic way of thinking, the false reasoning and it is in all areas, the advertisements, people have to be egocentric because they say you are worth it, you have to buy this, you deserve it, so it is in all areas.
What four things will help us stay strong?
It will help us a lot to think about why we dedicate ourselves and are baptized, study the Bible and meditate on what we read, have a firm heart and trust completely in Jehovah.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
One of the things is to remember to meditate on why we dedicate ourselves and baptize and study the word of Jehovah and meditate on it.
And we also have to have a firm heart and trust in Jehovah no matter the circumstances.
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