Watchtower Study, Week of February 12-18, 2024, What you hope for will come true, Underlined Answers.

Watchtower Study, February 12-18, 2024, What you hope for will come true, Underlined Answers.

Yellow: Direct Response.

Dark Yellow: Additional Response.

Light Blue: Additional Points.

“Hope does not disappoint” (ROM. 5:5).

1. Why can we say that Abraham's hope was secure?

JEHOVAH promised his friend Abraham that through his descendants all the nations of the Earth would obtain a blessing (Gen. 15:5; 22:18). Since Abraham had great faith in God, he was sure that this promise would be fulfilled. However, when Abraham was 100 years old and his wife was 90, these faithful servants of God still had no children (Gen. 21:1-7). Now, the Bible says that Abraham “relyed on hope and had faith that he would be the father of many nations, just as it had been said” (Rom. 4:18). And, as we know, his hope was fulfilled: Abraham became the father of Isaac, the son he had long awaited. Why was Abraham so sure that Jehovah would fulfill his promise?

2. Why was Abraham fully convinced that Jehovah would keep his promise?

2 Because Abraham knew Jehovah very well , he was “fully convinced” that he would fulfill what he had promised him (Rom. 4:21). Because of his faith, Jehovah considered him righteous and approved of him (James 2:23). As Romans 4:18 indicates, there was a relationship between Abraham's faith and his hope. Let's now look at what the apostle Paul says about hope in chapter 5 of Romans.

3. What does Paul explain about hope?

3 Paul explains why we can be sure that “hope does not disappoint” (Rom. 5:5). He also helps us understand how our hope can become stronger. As we look at what Romans 5:1-5 says, think about how your hope has grown stronger over time. Plus, this analysis will show you what you can do to make it even stronger. First we are going to talk about a wonderful hope that, as Paul says, will not end in disappointment.

OUR WONDERFUL HOPE

4. What does Romans 5:1, 2 talk about?

4 (Read Romans 5:1, 2). Paul wrote these words to the brothers of the congregation in Rome. They had learned about Jehovah and Jesus, had shown faith, and had become Christians. So God declared them “righteous as a result of faith” and anointed them with holy spirit. From that moment on, they had a wonderful and sure hope.

5. What hope do the anointed have?

5 Later, Paul spoke to the anointed Christians in Ephesus about the hope God had given them. He explained to them that they would receive an “inheritance for the saints” (Eph. 1:18). And he told the Colossians where they would receive the reward they were expecting. He told them, “It is reserved for you in heaven” (Col. 1:4, 5). So anointed Christians have the hope of being resurrected and living eternally in heaven, where they will reign with Christ (1 Thess. 4:13-17; Rev. 20:6).

6. What did an anointed brother say about his hope?

6 Anointed Christians wholeheartedly value the hope they have. For example, in 1991 Brother Frederick Franz put it this way: “Our hope is certain, and it will be completely fulfilled in the case of each and every one of the 144,000 members of the little flock to a degree that will surpass even what we have imagined. ”. How did you feel after serving God faithfully for decades? He explained: “We have not lost our sense of the value of that hope. Instead, […] we appreciate it even more the longer we have to wait for it. It is something worth waiting for, even if it took a million years. I hold our hope in higher regard than ever before.”

ILLUSTRATION

Brother Frederick Franz. Next to it is a quote that says: “Our hope is sure […]. It is something worth waiting for.” Brother Frederick Franz explained that anointed Christians are sure of the hope they have. (See paragraph 6).

7, 8. What hope do most of God's servants have? (Romans 8:20, 21).

7 Most people who serve Jehovah today have another hope. Which? The same one that Abraham had: to live forever on Earth under the Kingdom of God (Heb. 11:8-10, 13). Paul also wrote about this wonderful hope (read Romans 8:20, 21). When you learned about what the Bible promises for the future, what stood out to you the most? Did you like the idea of ​​being free from sin and being perfect? Were you excited to discover that your loved ones will be resurrected and live in Paradise? Thanks to the hope that God gives, you have an extraordinary future ahead of you.

8 We all have a hope that makes us very happy, whether it is to live forever in heaven or on Earth. And the hope we have can grow stronger every day. How can we achieve it? To find out, let's continue looking at what Paul wrote. His words will help us be even more sure that our hope will not end in disappointment.

HOW HOPE IS STRENGTHENED

9, 10. Like Paul, what do we know is going to happen to us? (Romans 5:3; see also images).

9 (Read Romans 5:3). Paul said something that may surprise us: going through difficulties can strengthen our hope. Well, all Christians know that we will face difficult situations. Consider what Paul said to the Christians in Thessalonica: “When we were with you, we used to warn you that we would be in trouble, and as you know, this is what happened” (1 Thess. 3:4). And to the Corinthians he wrote: “We want you to be aware of the problems we had […], to the point of fearing for our lives” (2 Cor. 1:8; 11:23-27).

10 This is still true today. Christians know that we will go through difficulties (2 Tim. 3:12). What have you faced since you began to have faith in Jesus and follow him? Perhaps your friends or family have made fun of you, or even treated you badly. Have you had problems at work because you were determined to be honest in everything? (Heb. 13:18). Have you faced opposition from the Government for talking to others about your hope? Whatever difficulties we have, Paul says we should rejoice. Because?

ILLUSTRATION

Images of siblings undergoing trials: 1. A young woman who is about to pray to give thanks for the food notices that two of her schoolmates are whispering right behind her. 2. A sister is yelled at by her husband, who is not a Witness. 3. A brother refuses to accept a bribe at work. 4. A brother looks out of his cell. All Christians know that we will face difficult situations. (See paragraphs 9 and 10).

11. Why should we be determined to endure?

11 We are happy when we go through difficulties because they help us develop an important quality. Romans 5:3 says, “Difficulties produce endurance.” As all Christians go through difficulties, we must all be determined to endure. Only if we endure will we receive the reward we have been waiting for so long. We don't want to be like the people Jesus had in mind when he talked about seeds falling on rocky ground. They accept “the word” with joy, but “when difficulties or persecution arise” they stumble (Matt. 13:5, 6, 20, 21). Of course, no one likes to suffer opposition or face trials, but enduring benefits us. Let's see why.

12. What are the advantages of holding on?

12 The disciple James highlighted the advantages of enduring. He wrote, “Let endurance complete his work, so that you may be complete and healthy in every way, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4). So endurance has a work or a job to do. Which? He helps us to be more patient, to have more faith and to trust more in God. But that is not all. Holding on has another great advantage.

13, 14. What happens when we endure, and what effect does it have on our hope? (Romans 5:4).

13 (Read Romans 5:4). Paul mentioned that “endurance earns us the approval of God” (Rom. 5:4). That does not mean that Jehovah is happy when we go through difficulties, but that he is happy when we endure. Doesn't it encourage you to know that, if you remain faithful and endure, you can make Jehovah happy ? (Ps. 5:12).

14 Let us think of Abraham. He earned God's approval because he endured the trials he faced. Jehovah saw him as his friend and considered him righteous (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:13, 22). The same happened to us. God's approval does not depend on everything we do in his service or the responsibilities we have in the congregation, but it depends on our remaining faithful and enduring. And that is something that is available to everyone, regardless of our age, our circumstances or our abilities. Are you facing a test right now? Keep in mind that if you remain faithful, you will have God's approval. Knowing that Jehovah is happy with us has a very powerful effect: it strengthens our hope.

AN EVEN STRONGER HOPE

15. How did Paul continue his explanation, and what might we wonder?

15 As we saw, Paul said that we will have God's approval if we endure. Now notice how he continued his explanation: “The approval of God produces hope, and hope does not disappoint” (Rom. 5:4, 5). A little earlier, in Romans 5:2, Paul had already said that the Christians in Rome had one hope, “the hope of receiving the glory of God.” That is why we may wonder: “If those Christians already had hope, why does Paul speak about hope again?”

16. Explain how someone can become convinced that the hope the Bible gives is real. (See also images).

16 We can understand what Paul meant if we keep in mind that hope has the ability to become stronger. Think, for example, about the first time someone told you about the hope of living forever in a paradise on Earth. He maybe he thought the idea was too good to be true. But as he got to know Jehovah and what the Bible promises better, he became more and more convinced that this hope would come true.

17. How has your hope strengthened after you were baptized?

17 Even after he was baptized, his hope has continued to grow stronger as he has learned and matured spiritually (Heb. 5:13-6:1). Surely the same thing that Romans 5: 2-4 mentions has happened to him, that is, he has had difficulties and has seen that Jehovah approves of it. Because he knows that Jehovah is happy with you, he is even more convinced that he will fulfill what he has promised. His hope is stronger than he was at the beginning. It is more real, more personal, more intense. He influences all aspects of his life, such as how he treats his family, what decisions he makes, and how he uses his time.

ILLUSTRATION

Images of the same brothers from before: 1. The young woman preaches to a classmate. 2. The sister who is married meditates on what she reads from the Bible. 3. The brother who rejected the bribe comments at the meeting. 4. The brother prays from his cell. The beautiful hope he has now is much stronger, more intense and deeper than when he first learned it. (See paragraphs 16 and 17).

18. What guarantee does Jehovah give us?

18 After Paul mentioned that God's approval produces hope, he added a very important detail: we can be sure that that hope will be fulfilled. Because? Because Paul gave this guarantee from God to Christians: “Hope does not disappoint; for the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the holy spirit which we have received” (Rom. 5:5). So you can be completely sure that his hope will come true.

19. What are we sure of?

19 It is good that he remembers Abraham. Jehovah made him a promise, approved him and saw him as his friend. And what Abraham hoped for was fulfilled. The Bible says, “After Abraham showed patience, he received this promise” (Heb. 6:15; 11:9, 18; Rom. 4:20-22). Like Abraham, we are confident that if we are faithful to Jehovah, our hope will not end in disappointment, but we will be rewarded. Our hope is real, and that makes us feel very happy (Rom. 12:12). Paul wrote, “May the God who gives hope fill you with happiness and peace through your trust in him, so that you may have much hope through the power of the holy spirit” (Rom. 15:13).

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

What hope did Paul talk about in Romans 5:2?

The Romans had learned about Jehovah and Jesus, which led them to become Christians and have faith. We today can be declared righteous in the eyes of Jehovah as a result of our faith. 

According to Romans 5:3, 4, what is the process that Christians go through?

In Second Timothy 3:12, we see that all of us who desire to go with devotion to God will also be persecuted. Today, going through trials or difficulties will be a process that will strengthen our hope. 

How has the hope you have now changed from the hope you had when you learned the truth?

We have all suffered difficulties, and having endured them has been largely due to the help that Jehovah has given us. In Romans 5:4, we see that endurance brings about God's approval, and God's approval brings about hope. Therefore our hope is stronger than it was at the beginning of knowing the truth.