Consecrated Service
Consecration to doing the Father’s will is a question of intensity – the degree of devotion we have toward His divine ideals. And it must be voluntary, wholehearted and sophistry-proof. Our Heavenly Father refuses to coerce or compel the submission of the spiritual free wills of mankind. We must of ourselves – in our own hearts – recognize, love, and voluntarily worship Him. Our affectionate dedication to the doing of the Father’s will is our choicest gift to God and, in fact, our only possible gift of true value to the Father.
Such a choice is not a surrender of will. It is a consecration of will, an expansion of will, a glorification of will, a perfecting of will. This choosing does not so much consist in the negation of man’s will – “Not my will but yours be done” – as it consists in the positive affirmation: “It is my will that your will be done.” And if this choice is made, it will not matter what organizations do. Such consecrated people can rise up as bright lights and do that which their religions refuse to do. As Jesus said:
“Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. . . But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.”
– John 4:21, 23
The religious mountain is not what is important. What is important to the Father is our individual achievement of personal survival status by way of a consecration to doing His will – worshiping with spirit and truth. The ‘bottom up’ approach to impartially spreading the plain and open teachings is a way to create a brotherhood of worshipers instead of hierarchical religious organizations. And our individual efforts can go far in assisting those taking the lead to turn away from ‘old wine’ and antiquated ways of clergy/laity distinctions and become brothers and fellow workers in the field under cultivation.
All those who ‘have the mind of Christ.’ (1 Corinthians 2:16) have an obligation to conduct ourselves as Jesus did and deal impartially with all mankind as part of our consecrated service to the Father. We must support the fairness in universal law to give all men the opportunity to work out their own salvation through progressive enlightenment by means of spirit-filled worship and willing adherence to the leading of divine truth. Who can challenge the Father’s wisdom of divine patience in this regard? Really, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” (1 Corinthians 2:16)
Let us, therefore, rejoice with our Catholic brothers and sisters and do what we can to help them see the plain and open teachings of Jesus. Who knows – perhaps the simple message of Christ has reached the Vatican through the many sons of God who are developing in Catholic dominated lands. We are certain that any changes that will occur in the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses will come as a result of the efforts of the developing sons of God in the Watchtower Society. But only time will tell the tale.
While we await to see what develops on the world religious scene, let us do our part in supporting, not hindering, progress. We know there will be scoffers and naysayers. We know some will be bitter and doubtful. But we can take the Father’s view of matters, the one “whose will is that all sorts of people should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) And we can all take heed to Paul’s counsel to the Romans:
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.”
– Romans 12:9-16
At this time in history, we need more than ever to exercise impartiality toward all as part of our consecrated service to the Father. The Spirit of Truth is active in ways that exceed our imagination, and he will continue without letup until the Father’s will is done. Let us, therefore, find ourselves on the favorable side of events by accepting all as brothers and sons of the one Universal Heavenly Father, as demonstrated and taught by our Lord Christ Jesus.
