DAILY TEXT, Today Saturday, November 18, 2023, Shepherd the flock of God that is in your care (1 Pet. 5:2).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2023

Saturday November 18

Shepherd the flock of God under your care (1 Pet. 5:2).

Jehovah's people serve in unity the one true God. Jehovah has given the elders the serious responsibility of keeping the congregation clean. Therefore, if a Christian commits a serious sin, Jehovah waits for the elders to decide whether he can continue to be a part of the congregation. Among other things, they have to find out if the person is truly sorry. They must analyze questions such as the following: although that person claims that he is sorry, does he really hate what he did? Is she determined not to commit that sin again? If bad friendships led her to sin, is she willing to cut them off? The elders pray to Jehovah, analyze the facts according to what the Bible says, and take into account the person's attitude toward what he did. They then decide whether he can remain in the congregation or not. Depending on the case, the sinner may have to be expelled (1 Cor. 5:11-13). w22.02 5 paras. 11, 12.

What could worry us if a family member or friend of ours is expelled?

If someone who is not our friend or family member is expelled, we may quickly accept the elders' decision. But what if someone who is very close to us is expelled? Then our trust in the elderly could be tested. We may worry that they did not take all factors into account or that they did not judge the matter in Jehovah's way. What will help us see the elders' decision with the right attitude?

What should we remember if the elders decide to expel a family member or friend of ours?

We must remember that expulsion is a measure that Jehovah has established for the good of the congregation and the sinner. If someone who has not repented were allowed to remain in the congregation, this person would be a bad influence (Gal. 5:9). Furthermore, he may not realize the seriousness of his sin and that he must change his way of thinking and acting to regain his friendship with Jehovah (Eccl. 8:11). We can be sure that the elders take their responsibility to decide whether someone should be expelled or not very seriously. Like the judges of ancient Israel, they know that they “judge not for man but for Jehovah” (2 Chron. 19:6, 7).

Why do we need to trust in Jehovah's guidance today more than ever?

The end of this system is getting closer. Therefore, today more than ever we have to trust in Jehovah's way of doing things. This is because during the great tribulation we may receive instructions that seem strange, impractical, or illogical. Of course, Jehovah will not speak directly to us. He will probably use his representatives here on Earth to give us instructions. This will not be the time to doubt and wonder if these instructions come from Jehovah or if the responsible brothers are doing things his way. Will we trust Jehovah and his organization at this important moment in history? How we react now to the organization's guidance will help us know the answer. If we trust the instructions we receive now and obey them immediately, we will probably do the same during the great tribulation (Luke 16:10).

How will our confidence in Jehovah’s decisions soon be tested?

There is another matter we must ponder: what our reaction will be when Jehovah judges the people at the end of this system. We now have hope that many of those who do not serve Jehovah, including some of our relatives, will decide to do so before the end comes. But at Armageddon it will be Jehovah, through Jesus, who decides what will happen to them (Matt. 25:31-33; 2 Thes. 1:7-9). It will not be up to us to decide who will receive Jehovah’s mercy and who will not. (Matt. 25:34, 41, 46) Will we trust in Jehovah, or will we turn our backs on him because we do not agree with what he has decided? It is clear: we must strengthen our trust in Jehovah now so that we can fully trust him in the future.

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