Morality

Live Not by (A.I.) Lies

bduval — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 18:36:04 +0000

Live Not by (A.I.) Lies bduval Wed, 06/26/2024 - 18:36

Live Not by (A.I.) Lies

2023-04-01

Wallace G. Smith

With its ability to manipulate reality, will A.I. become mankind’s greatest tool for deception? What are the real dangers of A.I. and how can you recognize them?

Artificial intelligence, or A.I., is having what one might call a civilizational moment. Machine learning and the growing capacity for computer algorithms to perform complex actions in imitation of human intelligence is not new, and it has had an impact on our lives—mostly in invisible ways—for quite some time now, as discussed in our May–June 2015 article “Artificial Intelligence: Promise or Peril?”

A.I. powers the map app on your smartphone as you navigate through traffic, and it decides what search results to offer you as you shop on Amazon. But news feeds have been flooded in recent months with dramatic stories of generative A.I.—artificially intelligent systems able to produce text, imagery, video, or audio that seems astonishingly lifelike and real. That is, A.I. is learning to imitate reality on an increasingly more accurate scale. This is a dramatic shift.

The result can be a boon to creative workers in all fields—writing, image production, video editing, etc. But it also promises more sinister possibilities, as those who would use it to deceive now have new and powerful tools for imitating reality. How close are we to creating a world in which we can no longer trust any image we see or video we watch? Will we always be able to tell the difference between false or manufactured sights and sounds and real ones, or are we facing a potential “information apocalypse,” as one researcher has dubbed it?

A.I.’s capacity to simulate reality seems to be accelerating—in a manner suggesting to some that we are on the verge of one of the largest technological revolutions in history. What is “state of the art” this month may be eclipsed dramatically in a few months’ time, as A.I. systems and approaches are learning to imitate real life on several fronts.

A.I. GENERATED IMAGES

Several companies offer A.I.-powered models—such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and OpenAI’s DALL·E 2—able to generate images, both fanciful and realistic, that appear to have been created by human beings, based only on a textual description. For example, if a user wants an image of a unicorn galloping through space on a rainbow that arcs past the planet Saturn, then he simply types in that exact description. The A.I. often generates multiple images, which the user can then select and either use or enhance with additional processing. And for every request, a new, unique image is generated.

Most startling, perhaps, are the realistic images. The generative systems can take very specific input, simulating the look of a specific camera, lens, and exposure level, producing desired emotions on the faces of people depicted, and conveying whatever “backstory” the image might be meant to suggest. The results can be extremely convincing, as if the images were real photos taken of real people in real settings—and they have been used to successfully fool many.

Currently, one can often find “tells” that an image is machine-generated, such as features that, upon closer examination, are seen to be nonsensical—say, pupils that don’t match, or a hand with an extra finger. However, the image generators and their human users seem to be learning quickly how to improve their results and eliminate these errors.

A.I. GENERATED FACES

In 2020, The New York Times published an interactive article on its website titled “Designed to Deceive: Do These People Look Real to You?” Using its own commissioned A.I. to illustrate the ease of generating completely fake but utterly believable human faces, the Times’ website allowed users to manipulate images of individual faces to vary their age, sex, race and ethnicity, and emotional expression. None of the faces represented actual people and every single one was generated by a computer—yet they were astonishingly believable. Though some small “tells” often existed—mismatched ear shapes or unsymmetrical eyeglasses—an undiscerning viewer would pass right over them.

Perhaps, though, the most dangerous use of A.I.-generated faces is the capacity to digitally alter real people’s faces in videos and film, transforming them with uncanny accuracy into the faces of other people. Commonly called “deepfakes,” the technology has added the youthful faces of now-old actors to movies to depict younger versions of their characters, and the faces of now-dead actors have been swapped for the faces of stand-ins. And the London-based company Flawless has used its face-manipulation A.I. to replace a film’s vulgarities and cuss words to gain a rating that would allow a wider audience. In each replacement, it looks as though the actress is truly saying the “cleaner” word instead of the original vulgarity.

A.I. VOICE GENERATION

Researchers and media creators are beginning to use A.I. to generate remarkably realistic audio of individuals saying things they never truly said. After sampling an individual’s voice for, say, 30 minutes, the computer is then able to take any written text and create audio that sounds as though the individual himself or herself is speaking and reading the text aloud.

Called “voice cloning” or “audio deepfake” by many, the results continue to develop in quality. On Presidents’ Day of 2023 in the United States, digital designer Linus Ekenstam used A.I. text-generating and voice-cloning tools to simulate a podcast interview with Ronald Reagan, in which Ekenstam quizzed the deceased president about his thoughts on technology, the state of the U.S., and former president Donald Trump. Other than the anecdote the A.I.-generated Reagan offered about being abducted by aliens, the “interview” was relatively believable, and the voice truly sounded like Reagan’s, though less animated and lively than one would have expected had the deceased president been interviewed in person.

In a prominent, high-profile use of the technology, entertainment powerhouse Disney used A.I. to imitate the iconic voice of James Earl Jones, with the actor’s permission, for Darth Vader’s spoken lines in its Obi-Wan Kenobi streaming TV series. And the technology continues to improve. In January 2023, a pre-print Cornell University paper on computation and language demonstrated an A.I. voice-generating system capable of substantially and realistically reproducing a subject’s voice after training on samples three seconds long. The model even allows users to vary the voice’s inherent emotional quality.

CONVERSATIONAL A.I.

ChatGPT, a language-processing tool that imitates human-written text and conversation, has recently brought wide attention to the current level of A.I. sophistication. Powered by the vast GPT-3 language model and made available to the public by its creators, OpenAI, ChatGPT was the first experience many non-specialists had with A.I.’s capacity to simulate human responses.

ChatGPT can carry on a text chat, explain complicated concepts in simple terms, and produce original content that seems human-created, even when presented with the most ridiculous scenarios. Ask it to generate original poetry, song lyrics, or even screenplays on any topic imaginable, or to create imaginary “transcripts” of conversations between famous individuals who never met, or simply to imitate a famous author’s writing style, and ChatGPT will oblige with surprisingly human-like results.

But ChatGPT currently has flaws. OpenAI has acknowledged bias in the political and ideological leanings of the vast content that trained ChatGPT. And researchers and test users have noted the propensity of ChatGPT and other similar A.I. chatbots to “hallucinate” as conversations continue for extended lengths of time—meaning the A.I. begins to introduce “facts” that are plainly inaccurate. This is especially true when the human communicating with the A.I. works deliberately to nudge the algorithm into areas where it is not designed to venture. Yet researchers are constantly working to train their A.I. systems to avoid such pitfalls and to simulate human interaction more and more successfully.

(Please note: An “Interview” between a Tomorrow’s World editor and ChatGPT regarding the dangers of A.I.-generated media is included at the end of this article.)

THE DANGERS OF A.I. TOOLS IN THE WRONG HANDS

As artificially intelligent tools grow more and more powerful in their ability to imitate multiple facets of the real world—images, video, voice, text—the ability of individuals, corporations, and governments to use those tools to deceive others grows as well. In fact, it is already happening, and it has been for some time.

In 2019, the Associated Press reported that a LinkedIn user named Katie Jones was a fake account, likely used for espionage. The nonexistent Katie Jones utilized an A.I.-generated face for its account profile and had developed connections with many individuals involved in American politics and policymaking. The AP quoted then-director of the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center, William Evanina, as saying that China uses such accounts with fake profiles to conduct “mass scale” spying on the U.S.

Many a Facebook user has received an odd-sounding text message seemingly sent by a friend in trouble who needs fast financial relief. Careful readers spot such fakes quickly—say, due to the lack of personal details, or the impersonal manner of the message. Yet, text-generating software may soon review people’s social media posts and imitate their style with remarkable and deceptive accuracy—even responding to questions in the “voice” of the assumed identity with answers that include personal details.

And in 2019, A.I. powered a high-tech corporate phone scam. The Wall Street Journal reported on August 30 that year on the case of an unnamed UK firm defrauded of €220,000 (US$243,000) by scammers using A.I. to imitate the voice of the CEO of the firm’s German parent company. And such technology has advanced greatly since then.

How much more successful will such scams be when the A.I. scammer is able to interact with victims and pass every validation test? And, like the “mass scale” spying Mr. Evanina intimated, such apps and programs would enable similarly mass-scale scamming, as a single con artist is able to deploy scores, hundreds, or even thousands of programs at one time.

As the existence of A.I. software becomes more commonplace, claims of being “deepfaked” are growing when new videos or images surface. In many instances, such assertions turn out to be true. But as the ability of A.I. to imitate reality continues to improve, those claims will become harder and harder to substantiate.

ARTIFICIAL “RELATIONSHIPS”

Some dangers are more subtle. In July 2021, the San Francisco Chronicle made waves with its article “The Jessica Simulation: Love and Loss in the Age of A.I.” Reporter Jason Fagone described how a young man used Project December, a GPT-3-based application built by game designer Jason Rohrer, to upload text messages from his dead girlfriend to allow the chatbot to simulate her in conversation, as if he were speaking regularly to her ghost. The example inspired Mr. Rohrer to focus Project December as a means to, in the words of its tagline, “Simulate the Dead.” But it apparently led OpenAI to require safeguards of Mr. Rohrer that he was unwilling to implement, prompting him to end the project.

Yet the possibility of “reanimating” the dead does not seem so off-putting to megacorporation Amazon. At its June 2022 A.I. technology conference, Amazon showed a video depicting a child asking his Alexa device, “Alexa, can Grandma finish reading me The Wizard of Oz?” The device answers, “OK,” then proceeds to read the book in the voice of the child’s dead grandmother.

While the idea of people interacting with imitations of their dead loved ones may warm some hearts, we should ask ourselves: Is this healthy? Before the video, Amazon Senior Vice President and Head Scientist for Alexa said that these developments are “enabling lasting personal relationships.” But no matter how many interactions or “conversations” you might have with an A.I. device imitating a human being—no matter how “deep” or “profound” or “moving” they may be—you are not in a relationship. You are living a lie. And it is hard to fathom the possibility that such fantasies would not do, in the long run, far more harm than good.

POWER TOOLS FOR THE FATHER OF LIES

Where all of this could go—and could go very quickly—should be obvious to anyone who understands the identity of “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Satan, the devil, still holds sway over mankind, in which the spirit of “get” remains far more powerful than the spirit of “give.” Jesus Christ labels him the father of lies, and in this world that reflects the devil’s character at every level, deception has long been one of the most popular tools for carnal men seeking to steal, destroy, and manipulate. And A.I. brings abilities that supercharge that tool.

How much chaos can be generated in a world where it seems reality itself can be reshaped in the service of falsehood?

False accusations have long been a part of world politics. Now envision the ability to create false but utterly believable “evidence” to support those accusations. For instance, imagine someone using voice cloning technology to recreate the voice of a politician “accidentally” caught on a microphone insulting his supporters or admitting to a crime. In elections where swings of only a few percentage points are enough to determine the outcome, such videos need not convince everyone—they just need to convince enough to make a difference.

Similar manipulations could be made to impact geopolitics. Imagine false “footage” of a key diplomat discussing economic sanctions or even military action against another nation. What sort of responses could be prompted by those seeking to manipulate national agendas?

A faked recording of a scientist admitting that medical experiments were falsified could destroy public trust in the results. A hoax video of a prime minister secretly breaking agreements he had made with other legislators could sow just enough doubt to change a crucial vote.

Of course, the individuals depicted could cry, “Deepfake! Voice cloning! A.I. fakery!”—as they rightly should if they are the victims of computer-generated chicanery. Yet truly guilty parties would begin to make such claims, as well. As instances of A.I.-powered deception begin to become more expected—even common—real offenders who have been caught in, say, video or audio recordings will learn the benefit of claiming that they, too, are victims of digital lies and high-tech tricks, even when they aren’t.

How will most people discern?

HUMAN PROPENSITY FOR SELF-DECEPTION

Of course, as A.I. grows in its ability to imitate real life, we might expect a parallel growth in A.I.-based tools that will help us distinguish between the false and the true—A.I. applications that can spot A.I. fakery. As high school teachers around the world fear their students’ turning in homework assignments written by A.I. chatbots, OpenAI has begun developing an “A.I. Classifier” to help identify whether a text is human- or A.I.-generated.

The company admits, though, that (as of January 31, 2023), the tool “is not fully reliable.” According to the company’s website, the tool “correctly identifies 26% of AI-written text (true positives) as ‘likely AI-written,’ while incorrectly labeling human-written text as AI-written 9% of the time (false positives).” Not exactly an encouraging result, though it is hoped that improvement will result from more feedback.

Still, the main weakness we have in fighting A.I.-fueled deception is not so much in the power of the technology but in our own human nature. According to Scripture, the most deceptive force in each of our lives is not external, but internal—our own hearts (Jeremiah 17:9). God declares them “deceitful above all things” and truly decipherable only with His help (v. 10). Our own nature is more than capable of working against any efforts to discern truth from lies—pushing and prodding us to accept comfortable falsehoods over uncomfortable truths.

Should a video find its way to social media depicting a politician doing exactly what those voters who despise him expect him to do, how ready would they be to accept it as true—no further evidence required? Should an audio clip of a congressman or president be shared on the news making it seem as though he is guilty of exactly what his detractors accuse him of doing, how quickly would those who voted against him believe it?

Many of us already live in a digital media bubble of our own creation. In fact, many people have become the biggest factor in their own self-deception. And God prophesied that, in the final days of civilization, it would be so.

God describes those living in the end-time, saying that “this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord” (Isaiah 30:9). He continues, lamenting that they “say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits’” (v. 10).

Of course, almost no one literally cries out, “Lie to me!” But the hearts of people in the years leading up to Jesus Christ’s return will want just that. They will grow less and less interested in hearing reality, and more and more interested in hearing deceptions that validate what they already believe to be true. And such people are ripe for being deceived—literally asking for it.

As God says of our present generation in words recorded by the prophet Jeremiah, “An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so” (Jeremiah 5:30–31).

GROUND YOURSELF IN TRUTH

Immediately after that, Jeremiah tells us that God asks a question: “But what will you do in the end?” (v. 31).

What will you do?

Few of us have the time and resources to become artificial intelligence experts. And, whether or not a wave of A.I.-powered deception is on its way, our world is heading into a time of deception and falsehood unlike any it has ever known. The Bible warns that deceivers are many in number, with more coming (1 John 2:18; Matthew 24:24), and the Apostle John records the inspired indictment that the whole world is under the deception of the devil (Revelation 12:9).

When a whirlwind of deception is sure to come, the most important action we can take is to ground ourselves in those things that are true and trustworthy, always and in all circumstances—eternal truths, invulnerable to reality-imitating illusions.

Those truths are found in Jesus Christ the Son of God and His Father. God’s word is truth (John 17:17) and—beyond mere truth—the words of Christ are spirit and life (John 6:63).

If you want to protect your mind from the onslaught of deception that is prophesied to come—be it lies of the traditional variety or lies of the A.I. kind—then preparing your heart to shed all delusions and self-deceptions, cherished or not, and seeking the mind of your Creator is the wisest first step you can take, for “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4).

Editor’s Note: The following interview was conducted by one of our editors here at Tomorrow’s World with ChatGPT, the brainchild of OpenAI’s work and ingenuity. We hope this example of how the new technology works will be as insightful and interesting to you as it was to us!

A CHAT WITH CHATGPT

In the following exchange, we engaged with OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, to ask about the risks A.I. applications pose as instruments of deception.

Tomorrow’s World (TW): Thank you for doing this. How should I refer to you?

ChatGPT: You can refer to me as ChatGPT.

TW: Thanks, again! Let’s jump right in. How might one nation’s government wield AI-generated media against another?

ChatGPT: One nation’s government could potentially use AI-generated media to spread false information or propaganda in order to discredit or manipulate another nation.

TW: Can you flesh out a realistic scenario for us?

ChatGPT: In a hypothetical scenario, a country could use AI-generated video or audio to create convincing fake news stories that portray a rival nation in a negative light, and then disseminate them through social media channels to undermine the rival nation’s credibility and international standing.

TW: How might people within a nation be divided through such means?

ChatGPT: AI-generated media can exploit existing fault lines and divisions within a society by targeting specific groups with tailored disinformation that reinforces their existing beliefs or biases, leading to further polarization and fragmentation within the nation.

TW: Do you believe it is likely AI will be used in such ways?

ChatGPT: Unfortunately, it is possible that AI-generated media could be used in such ways, as the technology becomes more advanced and accessible to governments and other actors seeking to influence public opinion or advance their strategic interests.

TW: Possible, yes. But how probable?

ChatGPT: It is difficult to say how probable it is, as it depends on a variety of factors, including the development of AI technology, the availability of resources, and the motivations and actions of governments and other actors. However, given the potential consequences of such actions, it is important to be aware of the risks and work towards mitigating them.

TW: Which single, specific form of AI-generated media seems to hold the most dangerous potential for you?

ChatGPT: All forms of AI-generated media have the potential to be dangerous if they are used to spread disinformation or manipulate public opinion, but deepfakes, which use AI to create realistic but fabricated images or videos, have the potential to be particularly harmful, as they can be difficult to detect and can spread quickly through social media networks.

TW: Yes, they are already causing a lot of harm.

ChatGPT: That’s correct. Deepfakes have already been used to spread misinformation and manipulate public opinion in a variety of contexts, including politics, entertainment, and advertising, and their potential to cause harm is likely to grow as the technology advances.

TW: Do you agree that our technological development tends to outpace our capability to use tech ethically?

ChatGPT: In some cases, technological development has outpaced our ability to anticipate and address ethical concerns, particularly as new technologies emerge and are quickly adopted by society. However, there are also many efforts underway to promote responsible development and use of technology, including through research, policy, and education, which can help to mitigate potential ethical issues.

TW: Should we pause development of generative AI until we’re morally prepared?

ChatGPT: A blanket pause on the development of generative AI is not necessary, but it is important to consider the ethical implications of these technologies and take steps to ensure they are developed and used in responsible ways. This might include implementing regulations, promoting transparency and accountability, and investing in education and research to build the capacity to manage these technologies in an ethical manner.

TW: So many already fall for false information. Isn’t it a given that AI will accelerate this trend?

ChatGPT: The ability of AI to create more convincing and targeted false information does pose a risk of exacerbating the trend of people falling for false information. However, it is also possible that increased awareness of these issues, combined with efforts to promote media literacy and critical thinking skills, can help to counteract this trend and reduce the impact of disinformation.

TW: What gives you hope on this issue?

ChatGPT: I am encouraged by the many individuals, organizations, and governments that are working to address the issue of AI-generated disinformation and promote responsible development and use of AI. There is also growing awareness of the potential risks and a willingness to engage in dialogue and take action to mitigate these risks.

TW: Can you give our readers any tips on how to avoid AI-based deceptions?

ChatGPT: To avoid falling for AI-generated deceptions, it is important to be skeptical of media that seems too good to be true, and to verify the source and accuracy of information before sharing or acting on it. Additionally, building media literacy skills, such as the ability to fact-check and identify sources of bias, can be helpful in navigating an increasingly complex media landscape.

TW: Great. Thank you for your time, ChatGPT—or clock cycles, I suppose!

ChatGPT: You’re welcome! It was a pleasure to be interviewed by you.

Is Modern Morality Working?

bduval — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 01:01:22 +0000

Is Modern Morality Working? bduval Wed, 07/05/2023 - 01:01

Is Modern Morality Working?

2022-02-01

Gerald E. Weston

Once upon a time, strengthening, protecting, and preserving marriage and the family were fundamental goals of morality in society. How things have changed. Sexual anarchy reigns and, with God removed from the picture, we now live in a world where it seems “anything goes.” How is that working out for us?

The twentieth century saw dramatic changes in moral behavior, especially in the West—principally Europe and the English-speaking world of North America, Australia, and New Zealand. To a great degree, this has been and is the result of Darwinism, the idea that mankind is the product of blind chance and therefore has no lasting or transcendent purpose. As the Apostle Paul put it, “If the dead do not rise, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’” (1 Corinthians 15:32).

The atrocities of the two World Wars also caused people to question how such carnage can happen if a loving God truly exists. Penicillin and the “pill” played a part in freeing people from two of the greatest fears of intimacy outside of marriage: pregnancy and disease. Perceptions changed, but the problems remained. Sexually transmitted disease is ever-present, debilitating, and deadly.

Then there were the intellectuals, the secular evangelists of the new morality: Sigmund Freud, Alfred Kinsey, William Masters, Virginia Johnson, Edward Brecher, and others who aimed to liberate us from our repressive Victorian past—the other extreme. Regardless of the cause, the effects have been dramatic. Behaviors that were once shameful are now considered normal—even praiseworthy.

A DRAMATIC SHIFT

In Western culture, there was once at least a nominal consciousness of God, and among many a strong belief in His existence. Both Christians and Jews looked to some degree to Scripture—specifically to the Ten Commandments—as the guiding light for behavior. Those rules tempered human conduct, but during the second half of the twentieth century, belief in God and morality in these nations greatly deteriorated, only to plummet even more rapidly in the first two decades of the twenty-first.

Secular humanism has replaced the Ten Commandments in courts and educational institutions. But is it true that there can be an ethical social order apart from belief in an authoritative God? The problem is that people cannot agree upon what is moral and ethical.

A quick Internet search about adultery proves the point. Michael W. Austin, PhD, wrote in Psychology Today, “In my ethics courses, I discuss issues in family ethics with my students related to marriage and parenthood. We often discuss an essay by contemporary philosopher Richard Wasserstrom, ‘Is Adultery Immoral?’ I believe the answer is clearly yes” (“What’s Wrong With Adultery?,” August 1, 2011). But, in another Psychology Today essay, Clifford N. Lazarus, PhD, wrote, “In other words, there are both healthy and unhealthy reasons for having extramarital relations. Ironically, in some cases, a marriage can be strengthened by an affair” (“Is Everything We Think We Know About Adultery Wrong?,” July 17, 2013).

So, while most of us who are married believe it is morally right for our mates to be faithful to us, not everyone agrees. Both Austin and Lazarus approach the subject through human reason, presenting arguments from both sides of the question, but human reason alone, apart from God, is no more than opinion and philosophy—and now the curriculum of education at all levels.

Thomas Paine published The Age of Reason in three parts between 1794 and 1807. Paine, a deist, believed in a higher power but rejected revealed knowledge as found in the major religions and religious texts, including the Bible. Paine promoted human reason as a substitute for divine revelation.

Isn’t it time to pause and ask whether the direction mankind has chosen is working? What are the facts? Whole books could be written on the subject, but for the space available in this article, let us look at just three aspects of our “new morality.”

1: IT’S NOT GOOD FOR MARRIAGES

Human reason says it is good to test someone prior to marriage—almost as one would test drive an automobile before purchasing it—to determine whether he or she is compatible with you. This is the majority view, according to a 2016 article from National Health Statistics Reports: “In 2011–2013, 60% of women and 67% of men agreed, ‘Living together before marriage may help prevent divorce’” (“Trends in Attitudes About Marriage, Childbearing, and Sexual Behavior: United States, 2002, 2006–2010, and 2011–2013,” March 17, 2016).

This is the opinion of many, but human reason and popular opinion do not always match the facts. As early as 2002, Rutgers University’s David Popenoe, co-director of the National Marriage Project, confirmed that when it comes to cohabitation, human reason is flawed:

Many studies have found that those who live together before marriage have less satisfying marriages and a considerably higher chance of eventually breaking up. One reason is that people who cohabit may be more skittish of commitment and more likely to call it quits when problems arise. But in addition, the very act of living together may lead to attitudes that make happy marriages more difficult (“The Top Ten Myths of Marriage,” National Marriage Project).

Jay Teachman of Western Washington University explained the following in a study titled “Premarital Sex, Premarital Cohabitation, and the Risk of Subsequent Marital Dissolution Among Women”:

One of the most robust predictors of marital dissolution that has appeared in the literature is premarital cohabitation. Beginning with reports by Booth and Johnson (1988) and Bennett, Blanc, and Bloom (1988), virtually all studies of the relationship between premarital cohabitation and divorce have found a positive link (Journal of Marriage and Family, May 2003).

Teachman further emphasized the point while citing five further studies: “One of the most clearly defined correlates of cohabitation is an increased risk of marital dissolution.… Marriages preceded by a spell of cohabitation are as much as 50% more likely to end in divorce at any marital duration than marriages not preceded by cohabitation.”

Significantly, these findings had not been expected, making the conclusions of Teachman and his team even more credible. “Early investigators expressed surprise at this result because it had sometimes been theorized that premarital cohabitation would act as a screening device, allowing couples to choose a mate with whom they could form a successful marriage.”

2: IT’S NOT GOOD FOR CHILDREN

Unplanned pregnancies are common within marriage. How many of us may ourselves have been an “accident”? In a marriage, a mother and a father are available to love and care for a child, even when it is unplanned. But a child coming into the world outside of a stable parental relationship is in a very different situation.

According to Time, in an article by Amy Sullivan titled “Behind the Boom in Adult Single Motherhood,” the group with the highest rate of unplanned pregnancies among single women is not teens, as many suppose, but single women in their twenties. Seven of ten pregnancies among these twenty-somethings were unplanned, which creates a problem. Many women choose to abort their problem, but abortion is not always as simple as people believe. Abortion, for many, creates long-lasting, unanticipated psychological issues. Then there are those who choose to give birth. This is commendable given the circumstances and limited choices, but what, if any, are the consequences for both mother and child? Quoting Ms. Sullivan, “Study after study has shown that babies born to unmarried mothers are at higher risk of ending up in poverty, and that the mothers themselves face educational and economic hurdles.”

And what about the three-in-ten single women in their twenties who actually plan to have a child out of wedlock? Many excuses are given as to why so many are choosing babies before commitment. One is that today’s men are often not prepared financially to support a family. Is this reasoning valid? Advice columnist Emily Yoffe, who writes under the name of “Prudence” for Slate, wrote the following in response to this argument:

Scholar Kay Hymowitz… turns the argument around and says it’s not that harsh economic conditions lead to women having children without fathers, but that the decision to have children without fathers leads to harsh, and self-perpetuating, economic conditions. She explains that having the belief that a solid marriage is central to one’s life—that it precedes starting a family—encourages women and men to make important choices based on self-discipline and deliberation. This is a formula “needed for upward mobility, qualities all the more important in a tough new knowledge economy” (“… And Baby Makes Two,” Slate.com, March 20, 2008).

Ms. Yoffe’s article describes the single parent scene in America as a “national catastrophe.” While she promotes the importance of marriage and family, readers have responded with a variety of excuses: “Having a child will be stressful and life altering enough. Parents need to work on their relationship on their time schedule.” “I feel that a baby is its own blessing. Have that blessing before you get married.” “How dare you imply that an unexpected pregnancy should lead to marriage?”

Note that all these responses are based on emotions, not facts. When Ms. Yoffe was accused of being “simply out of touch with modern culture,” she responded:

That may be. But it also means that modern culture is out of touch with the needs of children. Some researchers identify out-of-wedlock births as the chief cause for the increasing stratification and inequality of American life, the first step that casts children into an ever more rigid caste system. Studies have found that children born to single mothers are vastly more likely to be poor, have behavioral and psychological problems, drop out of high school, and themselves go on to have out-of-wedlock children.

The problem with human reason is that emotions and agendas get in the way of rational thinking. And even when emotions and agendas are not present, rational human reasoning is not always the best solution (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). Sadly, children are sometimes conceived for all the wrong reasons. The result is not good for children. Quoting from Ms. Sullivan again, “Women are also vulnerable to the misconception that a pregnancy—even unintended—can cement a relationship and bring a couple closer together. In fact, all of the statistics show that babies stress relationships; more couples end up splitting… than marrying.”

In today’s postmodern world, facts do not seem to matter. We now live in a time when the forces of emotion, personal opinion, and self-expression prevail. But truth is not fluid. Either something is true and can be backed by facts, or it is untrue and cannot.

For 10 years, the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study at Princeton University has followed the families of 5,000 children, three-quarters born to unwed parents. According to the research, most of these parents, both women and men, said they wanted to get married—and to each other. But they somehow feel this mutual decision is beyond their power to make. And by not making it, the forces of inertia start pulling them apart. Five years after their children’s births, only 16 percent of the couples had married, and 60 percent had split (“… And Baby Makes Two”).

Moral choices do matter. They matter to marriages and to children—and historians and social workers know that the breakup of families has a disastrous effect on the fabric of nations.

3: IT’S NOT GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

Even though 2008 sounds like ancient history to many people, little has changed since this shocking headline appeared in newspapers across America: “CDC: At Least 1 in 4 Teenage Girls Has Sexually Transmitted Disease” (Associated Press, March 11, 2008). The article went on to clarify, “At least one in four teenage girls nationwide has a sexually transmitted disease, or more than 3 million teens, according to the first study of its kind in this age group. A virus that causes cervical cancer is by far the most common sexually transmitted infection in teen girls aged 14 to 19…. Among girls who admitted ever having sex, the rate was 40 percent.”

Matters have not gotten better since that report. A 2016 Center for Community Practice press release reported, “STDs Increase Across the Country for the Third Year.” But rather than encouraging young women to avoid these scourges altogether, here is what the vaunted CDC counsels: “All sexually active women younger than 25 years should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia every year. Women 25 years and older with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners or a sex partner who has an STD should also be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia every year” (“Which STD Tests Should I Get?,” CDC.gov, July 22, 2021).

STDs are not harmless infections. They can cause sterility, chronic pain, cervical cancer, and life-threatening ectopic pregnancies. They can necessitate lifelong and sickening drug-cocktail treatments, and even lead to death. And how stressful to be in the position where you have to tell the person you want to spend the rest of your life with that you have an incurable STD.

The CDC does mention options to avoid STDs, but they are presented as just that: options, including abstinence, reducing the number of partners, mutual monogamy, vaccination, latex barriers—no encouragement to choose the “options” commanded by our Creator. Only mutual abstinence followed by monogamous marriage guarantees protection from these dangerous diseases.

Missing are the invisible laws that govern our most intimate relationships. The sexual revolution—the not-so-new “new morality”—took off in the 1960s. No, it’s not that nobody acted as alley cats prior to this time. Far from it—but the ’60s saw a dramatic change in Western attitudes. Wendy Shalit quotes Edward M. Brecher postulating in 1969, “Here, I think, is a task for sex research: an objective inquiry into the short-term and long-term effects on men, women, and children of emancipation from sexual repression, from feelings of sexual shame and guilt” (A Return to Modesty, 1999, p. 26).

Ms. Shalit responds, “So welcome, Mr. Brecher, to the world of postmodern sexual morality. In some respects it has turned out more horrifying than even the ‘inhibited’ might have imagined…. The question, I guess, then becomes, Is our guerrilla etiquette [today’s hook-up practices] as good as the older rules?” (pp. 26–27).

What are these “older rules”? Thomas Paine was not the first to exalt reason over revelation, but when one takes an honest look at the facts of the “new” morality, it is evident that our choice of human reason over revelation has led to failure. Our hook-up culture with no boundaries is not good for marriage, for children, or for our health.

HAPPY MARRIAGE, HEALTHY FAMILIES, AND FREEDOM FROM HEARTACHE

Long before Thomas Paine, our Creator gave His instructions to the first man and the first woman. The One who designed us knew all about chemistry, biology, anatomy, and emotions. He gave laws that produce good results when we obey them, but breaking them brings pain, sorrow, and death. God gave our first parents a choice. They could accept revealed knowledge that would enlighten them regarding these invisible laws, or they could trust themselves to determine right and wrong. As students of the Bible know, they chose poorly. They put their trust in their five senses and in their ability to reason for themselves, and their descendants have been doing the same ever since. But the evidence is clear: Broken hearts, broken families, broken and confused children, and broken bodies result from ignoring the laws of our Creator.

The God of the Bible is no prude when it comes to intimate relationships. The very first chapter of His revelation to mankind shows that we were designed for intimacy. “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it’” (Genesis 1:27–28).

After creating male and female, God created the union that we call marriage. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). The next verse tells us that they were naked and not ashamed—but that was about to change. It was after they listened to the adversary that shame entered and they hid themselves from God (Genesis 3:9–10). Where did their shame come from? The answer is found with the question God put before them: “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” (Genesis 3:11).

Ever since, the adversary we speak of as Satan or the devil has been working to undermine the most intimate relationship between men and women. Yet, who is it that mankind blames? The very Creator of that intimacy.

Intimacy within marriage—between a biological man and a biological woman—is righteous and healthy. Marriage is to be honored; sexual activity outside of that relationship is not. “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). The foundation of biblical law is love as expressed by the Ten Commandments, one of which is “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18).

Today, few care about saving intimacy for marriage. People “hook up” and unhook at will. Marriage has become an afterthought, a one-day event to “say yes to the dress.” Yet God inspired the scriptural admonition to avoid all sexual conduct outside of godly marriage, counseling us to run in the other direction when tempted. “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18).

No, God is not against intimacy; He is all for it in the right context. But when we reason around that context and engage in sex before marriage, outside of marriage, or with someone of the same sex, the results are pain, heartache, and suffering. Isn’t it time to open our eyes and look at the facts?

Can Life be a Continual Party?

bduval — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 16:59:32 +0000

Can Life be a Continual Party?

bduval Tue, 08/09/2022 - 16:59

2020-11-13

Javid Khan

We will eventually find that a party lifestyle loses its appeal. For example, celebrities with unlimited resources may reach a point where they see life as pointless and unsatisfying, not worth living—and so we hear of suicide attempts on the news. Some of you watching this may have also lived this life with no restrictions and restraint, and have gotten to the point where the sense of satisfaction and fulfillment has lost its appeal. This brings us to a philosophical dilemma. Is it wrong to have fun and enjoy life? Should life become mostly serious and predictable? Should life include restrictions and if so, how far do these go? Can we have both a profitable and enjoyable existence?

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Can Life be a Continual Party?

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What Is a True Christian?

4uwzvo — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 21:56:08 +0000

What Is a True Christian? 4uwzvo Tue, 03/01/2022 - 21:56

What Is a True Christian?

Roderick C. Meredith (1930-2017)

Booklet Media

#Christian Living

#Christianity

#God

#Jesus Christ

More than 400 sects and denominations call themselves “Christian”—but they all have some basic, and often fundamental, differences. Would Jesus Christ recognize the organizations using His name today?

Have you ever met a true Christian? Have you ever attended a church full of true Christians? Are you sure? What is it that makes a person truly Christian?

America calls itself a Christian nation. We even print the words, “In God We Trust,” on our currency. In many Western nations, Christianity is the official state religion.

Yet in our mixed-up, confused world, there are more than 400 sects and denominations calling themselves “Christian.” They all have somewhat different beliefs and practices. Even so, every one of them is named after Jesus Christ! Partly because of this, many non-Christians scoff at the idea that Christianity is directly inspired by God.

And no wonder. For many of the greatest wars in modern history have been started by professing Christian nations. And statistics show that the incidence of rape, robbery and murder has been skyrocketing in many of the Western, so-called “Christian” nations over the past several decades.

Why?

Could it be that they do not really understand what Christianity is all about? Could it be that, even though millions are heavily involved in “churchianity,” they do not really grasp—or live by—the plain, clear teachings of Christ?

Modern philosopher Sören Kierkegaard, in his Attack Upon Christendom, wrote: “The Christianity of the New Testament simply does not exist. Millions of people through the centuries have little by little cheated God out of Christianity, and have succeeded in making Christianity exactly the opposite of what it is in the New Testament” (pp. 32–33).

Why would he say this? Part of the answer is in the fact that the greatest and most bloody wars in all human history have been waged primarily in Europe—the very heart of western, “Christian” civilization. In fact, the professing Christian church directly instigated a series of “holy wars” during the Middle Ages, called the “Crusades.” Here is one description of the supposed blessings which “Christians” put on the murderous and bloodthirsty activities of the Crusaders: “The knight who joined the Crusades might thus indulge the bellicose side of his genius—under the aegis and at the bidding of the Church; and in so doing he would also attain what the spiritual side of his nature ardently sought—a perfect salvation and remission of sins. He might butcher all day, till he waded ankle-deep in blood, and then at nightfall kneel, sobbing for very joy, at the altar of the Sepulchre—for was he not red from the winepress of the Lord?” (“Crusades,” Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed.)

Were these men true followers of the humble carpenter of Nazareth who said: “Love your enemies”?

Yet remember that these men called themselves by the name of Christ—”Christian.” It seems that nearly all western religions, philosophies and sects insist upon applying the name of Christ to their own ideas, teachings and practices. In ancient times, the pagans at least openly and honestly acknowledged their worship of the various “gods” and demon spirits of their own choosing.

The NAME of Christ Is Often Misused

Since the life, death and resurrection of the Son of God, a great deception has resulted in the placing of Christ’s name on every type of pagan, heathen, perverted philosophy of man that has come along!

Shocking as it may sound, the fact that many churches, doctrines, ideas and practices of men are called “Christian” proves absolutely nothing!

Did Christ start these ideas and institutions? Do they follow His teaching and His example?

How can you know?

Almighty God inspired the Apostle John to describe the Devil as “that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). Again, in Revelation 20:1–3, God describes how Satan will soon be restrained “that he should deceive the nations no more.”

These inspired scriptures certainly show that most people and nations have been misled and deceived by Satan the Devil! This, very frankly, is the “key,” which explains why there are so many obvious contradictions in our supposedly “Christian” society. It shows why this world is so mixed up and confused about what the word “Christian” really means. It shows that our civilization has not been following Christ, but has been deceived into going many different ways under Satan’s confusing influence!

Strangely, yet at least honestly, some of this world’s noted religious leaders and scholars have acknowledged that our professing “Christianity” has not even seriously tried to follow the literal teaching and example of Jesus Christ—its supposed Author!

Observe also this revealing and even shocking quote from highly respected historian Will Durant:

“Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it. The Greek mind, dying, came to a transmigrated life in the theology and liturgy of the church; the Greek language, having reigned for centuries over philosophy, became the vehicle of Christian literature and ritual; the Greek mysteries passed down into the impressive mystery of the Mass. Other pagan cultures contributed to the syncretist result. From Egypt came the ideas of a divine trinity… and a personal immortality of reward and punishment; from Egypt the adoration of the Mother and Child, and the mystic theosophy that made Neoplatonism and Gnosticism, and obscured the Christian creed; there, too, Christian monasticism would find its exemplars and its source. From Phrygia came the worship of the Great Mother; from Syria the resurrection drama of Adonis; from Thrace, perhaps, the cult of Dionysus, the dying and saving god.… The Mithraic ritual so closely resembled the eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass that Christian fathers charged the Devil with inventing these similarities to mislead frail minds. Christianity was the last creation of the ancient pagan world… [The Eucharist] was the conception long sanctified by time; the pagan mind needed no schooling to receive it; by embodying the ‘mystery of the Mass,’ Christianity became the last and greatest of the mystery religions” (The Story of Civilization, pp. 595, 599).

This noted historian plainly acknowledges that church leaders did not take Jesus’ life and His teaching as the standard for their so-called “Christian” churches!

Ask yourself, honestly: What other true standard could there possibly be?

Several years ago, evangelist Billy Graham was quoted as saying that, while many Americans believe there is a God, most “have not accepted true Christianity or Judaism or Islam. They believe the Bible, but they don’t read it or obey it.” (U.S. News & World Report, April 4, 1994). This same article quotes famous pollster George Gallup, Jr. as saying that America is “a nation of biblical illiterates… the stark fact is most Americans don’t know what they believe or why.”

This statement by Dr. Gallup is one of the key reasons why Satan has been so successful in deceiving the vast majority even of those who profess Christianity! These professing Christians “don’t know what they believe or why!”

They do not really study or understand the Bible. They only have vague ideas of what they think the Bible says. Other religious polls have shown that most Americans are unable even to name more than one or two of the four gospels—let alone understand them. Apart from a vague, sentimental recollection of the Lord’s Prayer or the 23rd Psalm, the Bible is truly a “mystery book”—even to most churchgoers. Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God'” (Luke 4:4). How can one live by “every word” of the Bible and yet not even know what the Bible says!

Yet the Bible provides the foundational knowledge upon which true Christianity is built. For unless one proves—to his own satisfaction—that the Bible is God’s inspired revelation to mankind, then one is “lost in the fog.” But today most people follow the dictates of their own conscience without biblical understanding in religious matters. People make up their own religious ideas and concepts as they go along.

As a result, you have utter confusion. “Here is the way I feel,” some will say, or “Here is the way I look at it.” How you and I “look at it” may make interesting coffee-cup chatter, but what truly matters is: “How does God look at it!”

Are Denominations “Christian” Because They Do Good Works?

There is no question that good works have been done by a wide spectrum of religious organizations. As people treat their neighbors well, they and those around them experience blessings. Speaking of the spiritual laws and principles of the Bible, Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). In other words, these inspired words describe intrinsic values and forces that operate automatically in many cases—just like the law of gravity. If a person does good to others and treats them with love and kindness, it almost automatically works out that he is going to be blessed in one way or another. This principle holds true no matter what someone’s religion might be.

However, actions like being personally helpful and loving—or doing “good works” in some kind of organized effort—in no way, of themselves, qualify people for eternal life in the Kingdom of God. I have had fellow ministers of Christ tell me more than once that some of the most loving, generous and religiously devoted people they have ever known are the Thai Buddhists. Many exhibit a personal warmth, grace, gentleness and spirit of service that is seldom seen even in the Christian world—despite the general destructiveness of their false religion, which rejects the very Savior of all humanity, Jesus Christ. Many professing Christian organizations today—as well as secular ones—ought likewise to be commended for their service and acts of charity on behalf of the needy or disadvantaged. But if these same groups reject God’s laws and the entire way of life that Christ revealed, then what will be the end of their good works?

The point is that, historically, these people may do “good works” one day and the very next day pull out their long knives or guns and butcher their neighbor! Not truly knowing or fearing the true God—and not being led by His Spirit—they do not have the capacity to live, consistently, as Christians should live.

Jesus Christ said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'” (Matthew 7:21–23). And Christ spoke further about those who worshiped Him to no avail: “‘In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men'” (Mark 7:7–8).

So although doing good works is an integral part of Christianity, there is much more. Yes, we certainly do need to work on developing gentleness, kindness and service toward others. But we must also—in a very real sense—be conquered by God. Realizing that our own righteousness is simply not good enough (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:23), we must be totally surrendered to do God’s will in every phase and facet of our lives—not just in “good works.” We must obey His Ten Commandments (Matthew 19:17), keep holy the days He made holy (Exodus 20:8) and let Jesus Christ live His life within us fully through the Holy Spirit (cf. Galatians 2:20, KJV). For we should, in fact, be preparing now to be kings and priests in Christ’s soon-coming world government (1 Corinthians 6:2–3; Revelation 5:9–10). Christ and the Father need to know where we stand. We must demonstrate consistent obedience and genuine good character—a truly surrendered attitude—in order to be fit to assist Christ in His coming kingdom!

The major “Christian” denominations, down through history, have not really taught these truths at all. And they have not been explaining God’s awesome plan and purpose for mankind. They have not been actively preparing their followers to be kings and priests in the soon-coming Government of God to be set up on this earth under Jesus Christ (Revelation 2:26–27). They have not been preaching the Bible’s prophetic warnings about end-time events that our people so desperately need to hear. In fact, most of them have virtually no understanding of the vital one-fourth of the Bible devoted to prophecy—so they seldom have anything to say about it. And so, because of all this, these major denominations are not doing the Work of God or preparing their people for the Kingdom of God.

So read (and carefully re-read!) this vital booklet—so that you can understand what true Christianity is really all about!

A Planned Deception

The fact is, true Christianity—and true Christians—do exist. But they may be harder to find than you would think. If you will examine what the Bible teaches, you will find out why there are so few true Christians.

Let me explain. Jesus said, “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:5, KJV). Notice that these people do not come in their own name! Many people erroneously believe that this verse refers to a multitude of “false Messiahs,” each pretending that he, personally, is the true Christ. Some misguided men have, in fact, made such blasphemous claims. A famous recent example is David Koresh, who died at the besieged Branch Davidian compound in 1993.

But common sense should tell us that this is a misinterpretation of the Scriptures. Remember that the Bible says “many shall come,” and shall “deceive many.” The fact is, there just have not been many who have personally claimed to be Christ. And there most certainly have not been many who were taken in—”deceived”—by them. David Koresh himself hoodwinked no more than a few. He definitely did not sway teeming millions of human beings into believing that he, personally, was the Messiah!

What, then, is the answer? Is Jesus mistaken in His claim? Not at all. The correct interpretation of Matthew 24:5 is that many people would come and claim that Jesus Christ was the Messiah—but that they would “deceive many” by subverting, twisting and perverting all that Christ taught and stood for.

These false prophets, then, come in Jesus’ name and tell people that He is the Christ. Using His name, they go on to palm off their own false religious ideas and philosophies under the banner of “Christianity”!

Some of these “false prophets” go so far as to take for themselves titles that rightfully belong only to Jesus Christ Himself. They may compose their own “prophecies” and pass them off as “divinely inspired” or “revealed by an angel.” Some may try to exalt their own writings almost to the level of Scripture—all the while claiming falsely to have derived their prophecies and their authority from Christ. In the name of “Christianity” they draw people further and further away from the true Jesus Christ of the Bible.

You see, if people are “clever” enough, they can apply the term “Christian” to almost anything. They can wrap an idea or philosophy in nice, religious-sounding phrases and get others to believe it.

But there is even more to it than that. For behind misguided men and women, there is a powerful spirit being called Satan the Devil. Formerly an extremely wise and beautiful cherub or angel (Ezekiel 28:12–15), he is now fiendishly clever and still very attractive and compelling in his appeal to unsuspecting individuals (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:14).

God calls Satan the “prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). And Satan is further described in Revelation 12:9 as the “great dragon… that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.”

So if Satan works in the sons of disobedience, and if he “deceives the whole world,” then obviously billions of people are taken in by him!

The point is that, under the invisible but powerful influence of Satan, there have been all kinds of ideas presented as “Christian” that are not Christian at all. Some of them come directly from paganism. Furthermore, the clear, straightforward teachings of Jesus Christ about a way of life have been virtually buried under an avalanche of strange creeds, doctrines and liturgy.

Jesse Lyman Hurlbut, in his handbook, The Story of the Christian Church, makes this striking point:

“We name the last generation of the first century, from 68 to 100 A.D., “The Age of Shadows,” partly because the gloom of persecution was over the church; but more especially because of all periods in the history, it is the one about which we know the least. We have no longer the clear light of the Book of Acts to guide us; and no author of that age has filled the blank in the history. We would like to read of the later work by such helpers of St. Paul as Timothy, Apollos and Titus, but all these and St. Paul’s other friends drop out of the record at his death. For fifty years after St. Paul’s life a curtain hangs over the church, through which we strive vainly to look; and when at last it rises, about 120 A.D. with the writings of the earliest church fathers, we find a church in many aspects very different from that in the days of St. Peter and St. Paul” (1970, p. 33).

In the above quote, this mainstream Protestant author acknowledges that the professing Christian church became vastly “different” after the original Apostles died. Why? Who gave anyone the authority to change the beliefs and practices of the Church? Or did deceived men just take it on themselves to make these profound changes?

What Jesus Actually Taught

To understand how the various churches have become so “different” from one another, we need to get back to the source of Christianity—Jesus Christ. If anyone knows what true Christianity is, it would certainly be Christ Himself!

As a young Jew in Israel, Jesus was reared to keep the Ten Commandments. He observed God’s weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days that God had revealed to ancient Israel. It seems easy for Bible scholars to forget these simple facts, gloss over them or pretend they are irrelevant.

But as we shall see, the fact that Christ kept God’s laws makes a huge difference. And those who pretend otherwise do so at great peril to their eternal lives!

Listen!

Jesus was asked by a young man: “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life.” Christ answered: “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” The young man then asked: “Which ones?” And Jesus replied: “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself'” (Matthew 19:16–19).

So Jesus clearly taught that the way to eternal life was to obey God by keeping His Ten Commandments!

In His “Sermon” on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly magnified the Ten Commandments. He said: “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19). A careful study shows that far from “doing away” with these commandments, Jesus made them even more binding. Christ revealed that they formed a spiritual law, including, but far greater in scope than, the literal requirements God had given to ancient Israel. He taught that His followers were not only to refrain from murder, but also that they were not even to harbor the spirit of murder—misguided anger, hatred and rage—in their hearts (Matthew 5:21–22).

He went on to show that not only must a true Christian never commit adultery, but that “whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (v. 28). So even the spirit or attitude of adultery is breaking God’s great spiritual Law, the Ten Commandments. And who, pray tell, had the authority to “do away” with this clear instruction?

The Law of Liberty

Think of it! If the whole world would start living by the Ten Commandments—as magnified by Jesus Christ—we would have no crime, no murder, no adultery, no broken homes, no displaced children and no wars! The deep sense of stability, peace and security that would then fill the world would have a definite healing effect in every way. The incidence of depression and mental disease would greatly diminish. Even physical sickness and suffering would decline because mental attitudes affect our physical health.

Obedience to God’s law frees us from harmful conduct. The Apostle James called it the “law of liberty.” He wrote: “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty” (James 2:10–12).

This New Testament Apostle, then, was inspired to urge us to keep the law of God—summarized by the Ten Commandments! He also said that if we obey only part of that law, while disobeying other parts, we are “convicted by the law as transgressors” (v. 9). So the Ten Commandments were not done away or “nailed to the cross”—otherwise, they could not convict anyone of anything!

As magnified by Christ, God’s wonderful “law of liberty” would indeed provide humanity with world peace and individual happiness—if it were universally obeyed! But will that ever happen?

Yes, indeed!

Jeremiah’s inspired prophecy describing the coming 1,000-year rule of Christ is quoted in the letter to the Hebrews: “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them” (Hebrews 8:10–11).

So it is clear that the very basis of life in the Millennium will be God’s spiritual law, the Ten Commandments. All will come to love, adore and worship the true God—and do what He commands. All will learn to love their neighbors as themselves. Through true conversion and the empowerment of God’s Spirit, they will gradually learn to “get inside the head” of their fellow men and—with understanding—be able to help, serve, build and encourage all human beings to lead happy and productive lives.

As stated above, when God’s “law of liberty” is universally understood and obeyed, the world will truly be “at peace”—in a way it has never been since Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden.

What Should You Do?

If you want to become a true Christian—the kind of Christian the Bible describes—there are several things you need to do.

First, you must absolutely prove to yourself that there is a real God—not an “essence of good” somewhere out in the heavens, but the actual Spirit Personality who created and now rules the entire universe. As the book of Hebrews tells us: “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (11:6).

Furthermore, you need to prove to your own satisfaction that the Bible is truly God’s inspired revelation to man. As Paul explained: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Then you need to begin to really study the Bible! Do not just “read” it. Rather, with different translations, a concordance and other study aids, begin to carefully pore over the Bible. Meditate on what you read, pray about it and determine to obey God’s Word—to do what God says.

For Jesus said: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God'” (Luke 4:4). So you must sincerely yield yourself to live by every Word of God! Then, through this personal, genuine approach of seeking the true God and His will, you will no doubt be led by His Spirit to see that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is indeed the Son of God and Savior of the world—that He is your Savior from your sins.

Paul describes it this way: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:8–10).

So we are “justified,” that is, made right—reconciled to God—by our heartfelt acceptance of Christ’s death as payment for our personal sins. We all must continually have a deep, personal sense of appreciation and loyalty to Jesus for having so “emptied Himself” on our behalf. The Apostle Paul stated in Philippians 2:5–9: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.”

For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, gave Himself for us! And now He is our faithful High Priest, sitting in glory at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us as we seek God in prayer (Hebrews 4:14–16). Christ is also the Living Head of His Church (Ephesians 1:22–23). And He is coming soon to reign as King over the whole earth (Revelation 11:15).

You, personally, must accept the real Jesus Christ of the Bible as your personal Savior, your Lord and Master, your High Priest and coming King. Your commitment to Christ must be absolutely genuine!

But next is a vital “key.”

You must not merely accept Jesus’ person. You must also believe in His Message—in what He taught and stood for! For Jesus Himself asks: “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

We have already noted this same sentiment in Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

So what was the Message that Jesus preached? “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel'” (Mark 1:14–15).

Jesus came preaching the Good News of the Kingdom or Government of God. As we have already seen, He clearly taught that the laws of that Kingdom are based on the Ten Commandments.

Therefore, to be a true Christian, you must repent of your sins and dedicate yourself to begin keeping the laws of that coming Government, to believe the Good News about the Kingdom of God and to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior from sin and your Lord—your absolute “Boss” whom you willingly and lovingly obey!

If you would like more information about the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, please call or write to request your free copy of our eye-opening booklet, Do You Believe the True Gospel?

Repent and Be Baptized

We have already seen from James 2:9 that sinners are convicted by the law. James also states: “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (v. 10). The law has ten fundamental points—the Ten Commandments. If we break any of them, we are convicted by the law.

The Bible makes it very clear what sin is. Near the end of his life, John wrote: “Sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4, KJV). He further wrote: “And whatever we ask [of God] we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (v. 22). This verse clearly shows that keeping God’s law is so important that even the answers to our prayers depend—at least in large measure—upon it. How vital it is that true Christians come to grasp the fact that they are accountable to God to keep the Ten Commandments!

The New Testament tells us what sin is. It never says that sin is dancing or going to a movie. For sin cannot, in every case, be defined simply by what you do. But sin always involves wrong thoughts or attitudes that violate the spirit of the law of God.

Certainly, the kind of dancing that incites sexual lust is always sinful. And viewing movies that glorify violence and lust will undoubtedly ease the way for sinful thoughts to rule your mind. But remember that the standard is not “here’s the way I look at it” or “here’s what so-and-so says.” The true standard for determining right and wrong is the law of God. “Sin is the transgression of the law.” Could anything be clearer?

A true Christian, then, must internalize God’s law so that it becomes part of his thinking and identity—the very fabric of his being. For that to happen, he must be filled with, and led by, God’s Holy Spirit. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,” Paul stated, “they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14, KJV).

But how do you receive the Holy Spirit? And how does it function? The way to receive the Holy Spirit was revealed by the Apostle Peter. He said: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

Since your old self must be baptized, that is “immersed”—figuratively buried—in water for the remission of sin, you must repent of, or turn back from, sin! Recall that “sin is the transgression of the law.” So you must turn back from breaking God’s Law!

You must be baptized in a “watery grave” as an outward acknowledgment of both the death penalty you have brought on yourself by disobeying the law of your Creator and your willingness to let the old self die.

God’s Word tells us: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3–4).

A Covenant with Your Creator

So when you decide you want to become a true Christian, you need to be willing to “bury” the old selfish self in baptism. Frankly, only God can grant you the real repentance you need to fulfill His will (Acts 11:18). But if He is, in fact, opening your mind to grasp what true Christianity is all about—and calling you to be in the first resurrection—then you must utterly surrender your will to the Creator. You must sincerely and bitterly repent of having carelessly gone your own way all these years—and repent of continually breaking and smashing God’s Holy law in both your thoughts and your actions. Real repentance means to be profoundly sorry—so sorry that you turn around and go the other way! You must, then, make a covenant with your Creator not only to stop breaking the Ten Commandments but—with the power of God’s promised Holy Spirit—to start keeping them as a way of life.

You must determine that, with God’s help, you will never let any desires or vanities or other “gods” come between you and the true God. That you will remember to keep holy His Sabbath day. That you will truly honor your parents. That you will not only refrain from committing murder, but will carefully guard your mind against even entertaining murderous thoughts of hatred or violence against your neighbor. That you will not only refrain from ever committing adultery, but you will not even let your mind dwell on lust (Matthew 5:27–28). You must also determine that you will constantly ask God for the strength not to steal, not to lie and not to covet. As we will explain, it is the power of Christ in you which enables you to keep the Ten Commandments as a way of life.

Remember, after real repentance from rebelling against God and a heartfelt disavowal of your own carnal ways and desires, you should be baptized—signifying your acceptance of, and faith in, Christ’s shed blood as payment for your past sins. After baptism, you are promised the “gift” of God’s Holy Spirit. Then, through His Spirit, Christ places His nature within you—His love, His faith, His strength to overcome your weaknesses and the temptations of Satan and this world.

The love you receive through God’s Spirit is not mere human love. It is the very love of God, “because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5).

Now how does this love operate? Let God’s Word give the true answer! “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). Through God’s love placed in us by His Spirit, we are able to keep His commandments!

It is not through your mental strength, but through God’s spiritual power—which His Holy Spirit imparts—that you can follow the perfect example of Jesus Christ! You can yield to let Jesus live the same kind of life in you that He did live almost 2,000 years ago—keeping the same laws of God, worshiping on the same Holy Days that God ordained, remaining separate from this world’s society, politics and wars. And—through earnest prayer, constant Bible study, occasional fasting and consistent spiritual overcoming and growth—you can yield to let God fashion you in His image, to be resurrected as His Spirit-born child—possessed of His very nature!

This is, in fact, the very purpose of your existence!

The Spiritual POWER You Need

As we have seen, in order to keep God’s spiritual law and to overcome our own sinful ways, we need the love that only God can give. And this He has promised through His Spirit. Furthermore, we have just learned from 1 John 5:3 that God’s love operates through keeping His law.

Again, John—the Apostle Jesus especially loved in a personal way—writing near the end of the Apostolic Era, tells us that God’s love leads us to “keep His commandments.” And in spite of clever modern theological arguments to the contrary, John says God’s “commandments are not burdensome.”

A true Christian, then, will have God’s love flowing through him like “rivers of living water” (John 7:38–39). As he deeply studies the Bible and feeds on it, and as he fervently prays to God every day on his knees for the spiritual strength, faith, guidance and love he needs, the true Christian grows spiritually.

It is obvious that millions of professing Christians never change! They may have “grown up” in a particular church. Or they may have “accepted Jesus” in some evangelistic meeting. But in most cases, the “Christ” they have accepted is not the true Christ of the Bible! In most cases, the “gospel” they have been taught is not the Gospel of the Bible! Far too often, it is just an incomplete message about the person of Jesus Christ—teaching that the only thing we need to do is “believe” that He died for our sins.

Usually, these unwitting victims of Satan’s massive deception are not told to keep the Ten Commandments! They are not told that Christ must live the same kind of life within them that He lived as a human being almost 2,000 years ago. They are not told about the glorious good news of Tomorrow’s World—that all true saints are preparing to be kings and priests who will assist Christ in ruling the world (1 Corinthians 6:2–3; Revelation 2:26; 3:21; 5:9–10). The Apostle Paul was inspired to warn us about this false Christianity, which was already beginning in his day: “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you may well put up with it” (2 Corinthians 11:4)!

Unwittingly, most of us have “put up” with the kind of empty, namby-pamby “gospel” described above! Many people prefer this kind of watered-down “gospel” message, because it lets them feel comfortable in their sins. It is a kind of “cheap grace” (as Dietrich Bonhoffer put it) that by neglecting God’s Law tempts its adherents to “crucify again for themselves the Son of God” (Hebrews 6:6).

But the true Gospel tells Christians to grow and change—to develop the very character of God (cf. 1 Peter 1:15–16). The true Gospel—the real “Good News”—tells us that we are to be kings and priests in the soon-coming Kingdom of God (Luke 19:11–19; Revelation 20:6). Paul challenged the Corinthians: “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?” (1 Corinthians 6:2–3).

So, in this life, we are to wisely use the natural abilities God has given us to prepare for the goal of assisting Jesus Christ in bringing genuine peace and joy to this earth through a government based on God’s spiritual Law—the Ten Commandments. As all the world will eventually experience, we must have God’s Law written in our hearts and minds now: “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: ‘I will put My Law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people'” (Jeremiah 31:33).

As we actively surrender to allow God—through His Spirit—to build His very character within us, we should genuinely become better, kinder, more loving neighbors. We should become better, wiser, more dedicated workers or professional people. We should become more thoughtful, loving and patient fathers and mothers, husbands and wives. And we should become more zealous bondslaves of Jesus Christ in the great Work of His true Church—proclaiming the Truth to all nations.

As Paul wrote: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, KJV). That is what true Christianity is all about—not merely believing in Christ, but having the Living Jesus Christ live within us by the power of the Holy Spirit! That is what gives us the spiritual strength and love to live by God’s law. It is not our strength. It is Christ’s strength—His power and His spiritual love placed within us by the Holy Spirit! For Christ lives within the true Christian. That is the key!

Bit by bit and step by step, each of us must “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Through God’s help and His Spirit in us, we are to surrender ourselves daily to let Jesus Christ live His life in us.

God’s Word tells us: “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20). Since Jesus Christ bought and paid for each of us by shedding His own blood, true Christians need to realize their responsibility to seek God’s will daily in everything they think, say and do.

Certainly we will all stumble at times, falling short of the goal of letting Christ live in us. One must not be discouraged by this. It happens to everyone. John, the “Apostle of love,” wrote about this problem to the true Christians of his day: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8–9).

So when we “slip up” after conversion and repeat old mistakes (or make new ones!), if we are truly repentant and confess these sins to God, He will forgive us. Further, as John stated, God will “cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Overcoming, then, takes time. It does not happen all at once. That is why we must never get discouraged and give up.

Is There Hope for Me?

Many people are wrongly convinced that God could never forgive them because their sins are so awful. Yet, speaking as a sinner in serious need of forgiveness, the prophet Micah wrote: “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the High God?… .Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” (Micah 6:6–7).

The answer seems too good to be true: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (v. 8).

Jesus Christ, the Lord God of Israel, came into this world to save mankind—not to condemn us, but to condemn sin (cf. John 1:1, 11–14; 3:17; Romans 8:2–3). Our part is to repent, to accept Christ as our Savior, to turn toward God and His perfect law with our whole being—and to be baptized for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38). God will completely forgive and forget the past sins of every person who takes these actions sincerely (1 John 1:8–9). There is no limit to the mercy and goodness God will show to every person who seeks Him wholeheartedly (cf. Jeremiah 29:12–13).

The Fruits of a True Christian

Jesus said: “Therefore by their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:20). The “fruits” or results of God’s Holy Spirit working in our lives show whether or not we are truly Christian. Jesus explained the most important thing for a Christian to do when He said: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself'” (Matthew 22:37–39).

For the true Christian, God becomes the center of everything. The genuine Christian is really God-centered. He will want to please God in all his thoughts and actions. He will constantly remember that God is his Father and that Jesus is his Savior, his High Priest and his living, active Head. Therefore he will not be looking for clever trick arguments to “get around” keeping God’s commandments or His inspired Holy Days.

Rather, he will “feed” on Christ by constantly studying and drinking in the inspired Word of God, the Bible (cf. John 6:56–57). He will learn the habit of seeking God in earnest prayer as Jesus did (Mark 1:35). In all of this, he will learn to “walk with God”—to have his thoughts and actions more in tune with God and Christ every day of his Christian life.

A genuine Christian will also be led by God’s Spirit to “love his neighbor as himself.” He will strive, with God’s help and guidance, to be kind, loving and giving. The real Christian will seek to live by Christ’s instruction: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

A genuine follower of Jesus will strive to be a “giver”—to help, serve, encourage and lift up his fellow human beings. And he will put his whole heart into helping to give God’s precious Truth to others. As Daniel wrote: “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).

In his own life and personality, the Christian will, more and more, manifest the spiritual “fruit” that Paul described: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23).

Through Christ’s Spirit living within him, the true Christian will demonstrate love—a sincere, outflowing concern for all men—and warmth and affection for all those around him. And the true Christian will always have a deep and abiding love for God and for Christ His Savior. He will appreciate forever the fact that Jesus Christ came down to this earth to suffer, to shed His blood and to die in order to reconcile us with God. So the genuine Christian will have an everlasting feeling of love and loyalty to Jesus Christ!

Furthermore, true Christians will experience inward joy and peace, which are priceless. As the Apostle Paul wrote: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). And all Christians will grow in the spirit of kindness, longsuffering, goodness and gentleness that the above passage describes.

Another vital fruit is faith—the spiritual strength to trust in God and demonstrate commitment to that trust in every area of life. As King David was inspired to state: “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield” (Psalm 5:11–12).

The final fruit of the Spirit is self-control—the spiritual strength to master one’s sins and lusts in order to obey God. Again, if you truly surrender your heart, mind and will to God, accept Jesus Christ and are baptized in His name, you are promised the power of the Holy Spirit to give you this kind of strength and self-control.

Paul wrote to Timothy: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Through God’s Spirit, He gives us the power to obey His commandments. And our obedience shows that we have that Spirit. As John wrote, “he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1 John 3:24).

John also states: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His Word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (2:3–6). The Living Bible paraphrases these last two sentences: “That is the way to know whether or not you are a Christian. Anyone who says he is a Christian should live as Christ did.” And, as we know, Christ kept His Father’s commandments—including the fourth commandment—setting us an example. And as we know, Christ set us an example—by keeping the fourth commandment and all of His Father’s commandments (John 15:10).

But we should not expect “perfection” in our lives all at once! We have already learned that we are to “grow in grace and in knowledge.” The true Christian life is one of overcoming and growing to become more like Jesus Christ—even in our innermost thoughts and desires.

But for the true Christian, the magnificent future makes all the trials, tests and “growing pains” more than worth it (cf. Romans 8:18).

Keep Your Eyes on the GOAL

If God has called you to true understanding and you grasp what you have been reading in this booklet, you have undoubtedly been called to become a full son or daughter of God (2 Corinthians 6:18). The meaning and ultimate purpose of your calling is awesome.

For as you daily yield your thoughts, your time, your energy and your very life to letting Jesus Christ live His life in you, you will be building more and more of the very character of God. Month by month and year by year, you will be learning to think, act and live like Christ Himself.

Finally, at Jesus Christ’s return to this earth as King of kings, you will be either resurrected or changed from flesh into spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). As a Spirit-born child of God, you will then join with Jesus Christ in ruling the nations of this earth (Revelation 2:26) and in bringing the entire world genuine peace and joy at last!

In your own right, you will then be glorified as a ruling member of the Kingdom or Government of God. The Apostle John writes: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

In the resurrection, the true saints will be fully like Christ. They will be offered the awesome opportunity and responsibility to help rule the cities and nations of this earth. The Apostle John was inspired to reveal to us the “prayer of the saints” in Revelation 5:9–10: “And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.'” The saints will then have glorified spirit bodies that will enable them to do the job. For they will never become tired, never become sick and never die!

Composed of spirit, filled with drive, energy and joy, the resurrected saints will live forever in the very Family of God. For they will have surrendered to let God build within them the very wisdom and character of Christ in order to assist Him in ruling this entire world and even judging angels!

Thus John continues: “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). Truly there is a transcendent reason to become a genuine Christian!

If you would like to know more about the glory and power ahead for true Christians, then call or write today for our truly exciting booklet, Your Ultimate Destiny. It is offered to you free for the asking—just phone us, or write to us at one of the addresses listed in the back of this booklet. If you have access to the Internet, you can view or download all this material, and more, from our Web site. Just go to www.tomorrowsworldhk.com and you will find dozens of booklets and articles, along with audio and video programs, to help you learn more about these vital topics.

And if you wish to talk to someone personally about baptism, meet with others who believe the Truth, or inquire about related matters, please write or call us and request a visit. And also request our very informative booklet, Christian Baptism: Its Real Meaning.

All of us who understand God’s Truth have every good reason to want to yield to the God who made us, accept His Son as our Savior and Lord, surrender our lives to live by every Word of God, keep His commandments, allow him to build within us His character and so prepare for the real Tomorrow’s World—the soon-coming Kingdom of our God to be set up on this earth.

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