What does the Bible really teach?

225 Pages·2005·5.031 MB·English

by  Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York

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WHAT DOES
THE BIBLE
Really TEACH?
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WHAT DOES
THE BIBLE
Really
TEACH?
THIS BOOK IS THE PROPERTYOF
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(cid:2)2005
WatchTowerBibleandTractSocietyofPennsylvania
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PUBLISHERS
WatchtowerBibleandTractSocietyofNewYork,Inc.
Brooklyn,NewYork,U.S.A.
2009Printing
Thispublicationisnotforsale.ItisprovidedaspartofaworldwideBible
educationalworksupportedbyvoluntarydonations.
Unlessotherwiseindicated,Scripturequotations
arefromthemodern-language
NewWorldTranslationoftheHolyScriptures—WithReferences
WhatDoestheBibleReallyTeach?
English(bh-E)
MadeintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
IsThisWhatGodPurposed?(cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 3
1. WhatIstheTruthAboutGod?(cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 8
2. TheBible—ABookFromGod (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 18
3. WhatIsGod’sPurposefortheEarth? (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 27
4. WhoIsJesusChrist? (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 37
5. TheRansom—God’sGreatestGift (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 47
6. WhereAretheDead? (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 57
7. RealHopeforYourLovedOnesWhoHaveDied (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 66
8. WhatIsGod’sKingdom? (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 76
9. AreWeLivingin“theLastDays”? (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 86
10. SpiritCreatures—HowTheyAffectUs(cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 96
11. WhyDoesGodAllowSuffering? (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 106
12. LivinginaWayThatPleasesGod (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 115
13. AGodlyViewofLife(cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 125
14. HowtoMakeYourFamilyLifeHappy (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 134
15. WorshipThatGodApproves (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 144
16. TakeYourStandforTrueWorship (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 154
17. DrawClosetoGodinPrayer (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 164
18. BaptismandYourRelationshipWithGod (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 174
19. RemaininGod’sLove (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 184
Appendix (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 194
Is This What God Purposed?
READ any newspaper. Look at televi-
sion, or listen to the radio. There
are so many stories of crime, war,
andterrorism!Thinkaboutyourown
troubles.Perhaps illness or the death
ofalovedoneiscausingyougreatdis-
tress.Youmayfeellikethegoodman
Job, who said that he was “drenched
withmisery.”—Job10:15,TheHolyBi-
bleintheLanguageofToday.
Askyourself:
ˇ IsthiswhatGodpurposedforme
andfortherestofmankind?
ˇ WherecanIfindhelptocopewith
myproblems?
ˇ Isthereanyhopethatwewillever
seepeaceontheearth?
The Bible provides satisfying an-
swerstothesequestions.
4
THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT
GOD WILL BRING ABOUT THESE
CHANGES ON THE EARTH.
“Hewillwipeouteverytear
fromtheireyes,anddeathwillbenomore,
neitherwillmourningnoroutcrynorpain
beanymore.”—Revelation21:4
“Thelameonewill
climbupjustasastag
does.”—Isaiah35:6
“Theeyesofthe
blindoneswillbe
opened.”
—Isaiah35:5
“Allthoseinthememorial
tombswill...comeout.”
—John5:28,29
“Noresidentwillsay:
‘Iamsick.’”
—Isaiah33:24
“Therewillcometobe
plentyofgrainontheearth.”
—Psalm72:16
6 WhatDoestheBibleReallyTeach?
BENEFIT FROM WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES
Do not quickly dismiss what is
presented on the preceding pag-
es as mere wishful thinking. God
haspromisedtobringthesethings
about, and the Bible explains how
hewilldoso.
But the Bible does more
than that. It provides the
key to your enjoying a
truly satisfying life even
now. Think for a mo-
ment about your own
anxieties and trou-
bles.Theymayinclude
money matters, family
problems,lossofhealth,or
thedeathofalovedone.The
Biblecanhelpyoutodealwith
problemstoday,anditcanprovide
reliefbyansweringsuchquestionsasthese:
ˇ Whydowesuffer?
ˇ Howcanwecopewithlife’sanxieties?
ˇ Howcanwemakeourfamilylifehappier?
ˇ Whathappenstouswhenwedie?
ˇ Willweeverseeourdeadlovedonesagain?
ˇ HowcanwebesurethatGodwillfulfillhis
promisesforthefuture?
IsThisWhatGodPurposed? 7
The fact that you are reading this book shows that
you would like to find out what the Bible teaches. This
bookwillhelpyou.Noticethattheparagraphshavecor-
respondingquestionsatthebottomofthepage.Millions
have enjoyed using the question-and-answer method
when discussing the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses.
We hope you will too. May you have God’s blessing as
younowenjoythethrillingandsatisfyingexperienceof
learningwhattheBiblereallyteaches!
GET TO KNOW YOUR BIBLE
THERE are 66 books and letters that make up the Bible.
These are divided into chapters and verses for easy refer-
ence.Whenscripturesarecitedinthispublication,thefirst
number after the nameindicatesthe chapterof the Bible
bookorletter,andthenextreferstotheverse.Forexample,
the citation “2 Timothy 3:16” means the second letter to
Timothy,chapter3,verse16.
YouwillquicklybecomefamiliarwiththeBiblebylook-
ingupthescripturescitedinthispublication.Also,whynot
startaprogramofdailyBiblereading?Byreadingthreeto
fivechaptersaday,youcanreadtheentireBibleinayear.
CHAPTER ONE
What Is the Truth
About God?
Does God really care about you?
What is God like? Does he have a name?
Is it possible to get close to God?
HAVEyou ever noticed thewaychildrenask questions?
Many start asking as soon as they learn to speak. With
wide,eagereyes,theylookupatyouandasksuchthings
as:Whyistheskyblue?Whatarethestarsmadeof?Who
taughtthebirdstosing?Youmaytryhardtoanswer,but
itisnot alwayseasy.Evenyourbest answer mayleadto
yetanotherquestion:Why?
2Childrenarenottheonlyoneswho
askquestions.Aswegrowup,wekeep
asking.Wedothisinordertofindour
way,tolearnofdangersthatweneed
to avoid, or to satisfy our curiosity.
Butmanypeopleseemtostopasking
questions, especially the most impor-
tant ones. At least, they stop searching
fortheanswers.
3Thinkaboutthequestion
onthecoverofthisbook,the
questionsraisedinthepreface,
1, 2. Whyisitoftengoodtoaskquestions?
3. Whydomanystoptryingtofindanswersto
thequestionsthatmattermost?
WhatIstheTruthAboutGod? 9
or those at the beginning of this chapter. These are
someof themostimportantquestionsyoucanask.Yet,
many people have given up trying to find the answers.
Why? Does the Bible have the answers? Some feel that
itsanswersaretoohardtounderstand.Othersworrythat
askingquestionscouldleadtoshameorembarrassment.
Andsomedecidethatsuchquestionsarebestlefttoreli-
giousleadersandteachers.Whataboutyou?
4Very likely you are interested in getting answers to
life’s big questions. No doubt you sometimes wonder:
‘Whatisthepurposeoflife?Isthislifeallthereis?What
isGodreallylike?’Itisgoodtoasksuchquestions,andit
isimportantthatyoudonotgiveupuntilyoufindsatis-
fying, reliable answers.The famousteacher Jesus Christ
said:“Keeponasking,andit willbegivenyou;keepon
seeking,andyouwillfind;keeponknocking,anditwill
beopenedtoyou.”—Matthew7:7.
5Ifyou“keeponseeking”foranswerstotheimportant
questions, you will find that the search can be very re-
warding.(Proverbs2:1-5)Despitewhatotherpeoplemay
havetoldyou,thereareanswers,andyoucanfindthem
—in the Bible. The answers are not too hard to under-
stand.Better yet,theybringhopeandjoy.Andtheycan
helpyoutoliveasatisfyingliferightnow.Tobegin,letus
consideraquestionthathastroubledmanypeople.
IS GOD UNCARING AND HARDHEARTED?
6Manypeoplethinkthattheanswer tothatquestion
isyes.‘IfGodcared,’theyreason,‘wouldnottheworldbe
4, 5. Whataresomeofthemostimportantquestionswecanaskin
life,andwhyshouldweseektheanswers?
6. WhydomanypeoplethinkthatGodisuncaringwhenitcomes
tohumansuffering?