Sunday, October 23 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has everlasting life remaining in him.​—1 John 3:15.

[Áine]

Sunday, October 23

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has everlasting life remaining in him.—1 John 3:15.

 

The apostle John urged us not to hate our brothers or sisters. If we fail to heed that counsel, we leave ourselves open to being manipulated by Satan. (1 John 2:11) This happened to some at the end of the first century C.E. Satan was doing all that he could to promote hatred and divide God’s people. By the time John wrote his letters, men who showed the same spirit as Satan had slipped into the congregation. For instance, Diotrephes was creating serious divisions in one congregation. (3 John 9, 10) He was disrespectful to traveling representatives of the governing body. He even tried to throw out of the congregation those who were hospitable to people whom he disliked. How arrogant! Satan is still desperately trying to divide and conquer God’s people today. May we never allow hatred to drive us apart. w21.01 11 ¶14

[Wayne]

1 Tim 4:15,16  Paul points out four specific actions he asks Timothy/and US, to take:

. . .“Ponder over these things 

. . . be absorbed 

. . .pay constant attention 

. . . persevere.” 

 

When we think about it “ his recommendations for Timothy are most intensely personal to all of us!

 

Paul warns that what we have may be taken away from us. What we have undertaken we must keep on doing, advancing, seeking the guidance of Jehovah’s holy spirit in guarding the trust we have been given. Our guard must be kept up continually. Never for a moment may we entertain contradictory or false knowledge, but with close adherence to the Word and spirit we shall guard well what is laid up in trust with us.—1 Tim. 4:13, 15;