1. What was our life like before we started studying the Bible?
What was your life like before studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses? Many of us don't even like to think about it. Perhaps our attitude and way of being reflected what the world says about what is right and what is wrong. If that was our case, we had no hope and were "without God in the world" (Eph. 2:12). But all that changed thanks to the study of the Bible.
2. What things did you learn as you studied the Bible?
As you studied the Bible, you learned that you have a heavenly Father who loves you very much. She understood that if she wanted to please Jehovah and be part of his family of servants, she would have to make important changes in her way of living and thinking. He would have to learn to respect God's high standards (Eph. 5:3-5).
3. (a) According to Colossians 3:9, 10, what does Jehovah want us to do? b) What will this article help us with?
Since Jehovah is our Creator and our heavenly Father, he has the right to say how his family members should behave. And to those who want to be baptized he says: “Put off the old personality and its practices” * (read Colossians 3:9, 10). Are you thinking of getting baptized? This article will help you answer three questions: What is “the old personality”? Why does Jehovah want us to remove it? and how can we do it? And, if we are already baptized, this article will help us so that characteristics of "the old personality" do not reappear in us.
WHAT IS “THE OLD PERSONALITY”?
4. How does someone act who allows himself to be dominated by the old personality?
Those who allow themselves to be dominated by “the old personality” usually think and act according to the flesh, that is, according to their sinful nature. He may be easily angered and selfish, ungrateful and proud. Perhaps he likes to entertain himself with pornography and immoral or violent movies. Most likely, he has good qualities and may even feel bad about what he says or does, but he lacks motivation to change his way of thinking and acting (Gal. 5: 19-21; 2 Tim. 3: 2 -5).
5. What balanced view should we have of what it means to put off the old personality? (Acts 3:19).
Because we are imperfect, none of us can completely eliminate bad thoughts and desires from our minds and hearts. Sometimes we will do or say something that we will later regret (Jer. 17:9; Jas. 3:2). But when we shed the old personality, sinful attitudes and practices no longer dominate us or define us as a person (Isa. 55:7; read Acts 3:19).
ILLUSTRATION:
A Bible student is walking down a path and leaves behind an old article of clothing. Behind him are cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, casino chips, a flag representing the gay movement, and violent video games.
When we shed "the old personality," we are no longer dominated by sinful attitudes and practices. (See paragraph 5). *
6. Why does Jehovah tell us to get rid of the bad thoughts and habits of the old personality?
Jehovah tells us to get rid of bad thoughts and habits because he loves us very much and wants us to do well in life (Isa. 48:17, 18). He knows that if we give in to evil desires, we harm ourselves and others. And it hurts him to see that happen.
7. According to Romans 12:1, 2, what decision must we make?
Perhaps some family and friends sometimes make fun of us because we are trying to change our personality (1 Pet. 4:3, 4). They may claim that we have the right to live how we want and that no one should tell us what to do. But those who reject Jehovah's standards are not truly free. In reality, they allow Satan's world to shape them (read Romans 12:1, 2). We all have to make a decision: either we stay with the old personality, which is a product of sin and Satan's world, or we let Jehovah transform us so that we are the best version of us that there can be for now (Is. 64: 8).
HOW TO GET RID OF THE OLD PERSONALITY?
8. What help do we have to leave bad thoughts and habits?
Jehovah knows that it takes time and effort to leave bad thoughts and habits. (Ps. 103:13, 14). But he gives us the wisdom, strength, and support we need to change through his Word, his spirit, and his organization. Surely you have already seen how Jehovah has helped you. Next, we will discuss what he can do to continue to shed the old personality and qualify for baptism.
9. What can God's Word help you do?
Use the Bible to do a good self-examination. God's Word is like a mirror, so it can help you examine the way you think, speak, and act (Jas. 1:22-25). His teacher and other experienced brothers can give him guidance . How? Using the Bible to help him identify his strengths and weaknesses, and teaching him to seek biblical information to help him overcome bad habits. And Jehovah is always ready to lend a helping hand. Nobody better than him to help him, because he knows what is in his heart (Prov. 14:10; 15:11). Therefore, he adopts the habit of praying to him and studying his Word every day.
10. What do you learn from Elie's experience?
Convince yourself that Jehovah's standards are the best. Everything Jehovah tells us is for our good. Those who respect his standards improve their self-esteem and achieve a meaningful life and true happiness (Ps. 19:7-11). Instead, those who ignore them suffer the consequences of being carried away by the works of the flesh. Notice what a man named Elie says about what happens when God's standards are rejected. Although his parents loved Jehovah, as a teenager he ran off with bad friends. He started using drugs, leading an immoral life and stealing. He says that his temper worsened and he became more and more violent. He confesses: "In short, he did everything I had been taught that a Christian should not do.". But she did not forget what her parents had taught her as a child. So in time he went back to studying the Bible. He worked hard to give up his vices and was baptized in the year 2000. How has following Jehovah's standards benefited you in his life? He says, "I have inner peace and a clear conscience." * As Elie's case shows, those who reject Jehovah's standards harm themselves. But he is willing to help them change.
11. What things does Jehovah hate?
Learn to hate what Jehovah hates (Ps. 97:10). The Bible says that Jehovah hates “proud eyes, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood” (Prov. 6:16, 17). He also “hates violent and deceitful people” (Ps. 5:6). Jehovah is so disgusted by these attitudes and actions that he wiped out all the wicked of Noah's day because they had filled the earth with violence (Gen. 6:13). Another thing that Jehovah hates is the one that he mentioned through the prophet Malachi: that someone betrays his innocent spouse so that the marriage ends in divorce. God rejects the worship of those who do this and will hold them accountable (Mal. 2:13-16; Heb. 13:4).
12. What does it mean to hate what is bad?
Jehovah commands us: “Hate what is bad” (Rom. 12:9). The word loathe suggests a strong emotional reaction. It implies feeling aversion, disgust or rejection for something. Imagine how we would react if we were asked to eat a plate of rotten food. Just thinking about it would turn our stomachs. That is what we should feel at the thought of doing something that Jehovah says is wrong.
ILLUSTRATION:
A woman looks with disgust at some rotten food in the fridge.
Doing something that Jehovah says is wrong should be just as disgusting to us as eating rotten food. (See paragraphs 11 and 12).
13. Why should we be careful what we think?
Be careful what you think. What we think influences what we do. This is why Jesus taught that we should reject any thought that might lead us to commit serious sin (Matt. 5:21, 22, 28, 29). Is it true that we want to please our heavenly Father? In that case, it is very important that we immediately reject any bad thoughts.
14. What do our words say about us, and what questions should we ask ourselves?
Control your words. Jesus said, “Things that come out of the mouth come from the heart” (Matt. 15:18). That's how it is. Our words say a lot about who we are inside. Ask yourself, “Do I always tell the truth, even if it hurts me to do so? If I am married, am I careful not to flirt with other people? Do I completely avoid immoral conversations? Do I respond calmly when someone gets on my nerves? Take time to think about these questions. Words are in our personality like the seams in a garment. If we make an effort to avoid insults, lies, and immoral talk, the old personality will no longer have "seams" holding it up.
15. What must we do to nail our old personality to the tree?
Act decisively. The apostle Paul used a very powerful image to help us understand that making the necessary changes is a very serious matter. He said that we must nail the old personality to the tree (Rom. 6:6). Jesus was willing to be nailed to the tree because he wanted to please Jehovah. Similarly, if we want to please God, we must be willing to put an end to attitudes and customs that he hates. Only if we do this will we have a clear conscience and the hope of living forever (John 17:3; 1 Pet. 3:21). Let us remember that Jehovah will not change his standards to please us. Rather, it is we who must change to conform to his standards (Isa. 1:16-18; 55:9).
16. Why must you be determined to continue fighting with your weaknesses?
Keep fighting your weaknesses. Even after you are baptized, you will still have to struggle with evil desires. Think of the experience of Mauricio, who from a young age became homosexual. In time, he met Jehovah's Witnesses and began to study the Bible. He made changes in his life and was baptized in 2002. Although he has been serving Jehovah for many years, he says: “I admit that I have had to fight against bad desires more than once.” But he does not let this discourage him, for he adds: “It comforts me to know that if I do not carry them out, Jehovah is pleased with me”.
17. What encourages you about the Nabiha experience?
Ask Jehovah for help and lean on the holy spirit, not on your own strength.—Gal. 5:22; Philipp. 4:6. To take off the old personality and not put it back on, you have to work very hard. Take the case of a woman named Nabiha. Her father abandoned her when she was only six years old. She says: "That was a hard blow that caused me great emotional pain." As she grew older, she became more irritable and aggressive. She became involved in drug dealing, was arrested and spent several years in jail. Visiting Witnesses at the prison began giving him Bible lessons. Then she started to make big changes. She confesses: “Some vices I easily overcame. […] Breaking away from tobacco, however, was very different”.For more than a year he struggled to give up the vice, and in the end he succeeded. How? He says: “It was thanks to constant prayers to Jehovah that I finally got it.” And she concludes by saying: “I am sure that if I could change in order to please Jehovah, anyone can.”
YOU CAN FILL THE REQUIREMENTS TO GET BAPTIZED
18. According to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, what have many servants of God accomplished?
In the first century, some of the men and women whom Jehovah chose to rule with Christ had done bad things in the past. For example, they had been adulterers, homosexuals, and thieves. But with the help of the holy spirit they managed to change their personality (read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Today, the Bible has also helped millions of people to change. * They have left behind deep-rooted customs. His example shows that you, too, can change your personality and give up bad habits in order to qualify for baptism.
The Bible changed their lives
In 2008, a section titled “The Bible Changed Their Lives” was published in The Watchtower. These articles tell the story of people who made great changes to get to baptism. On jw.org, you can find many similar articles and video interviews. These experiences can cheer you up if you're struggling to break a bad habit or change a personality trait. Chances are, you'll find a story of someone who passed trials similar to yours. You will find these articles in the Jehovah's Witnesses Study Guide under the topic “The Bible,” then “Practical Value,” and then “The Bible Changed Their Lives (Watchtower Section).” Or you can go to jw.org and type in the search box “The Bible changed their lives.”
19. What will the next article analyze?
Apart from striving to put off the old personality, those who wish to get to baptism must strive to put on the new one. The following article will look at how we can do that and how others can help us.
HE REMEMBERS?
What is "the old personality"?
He is the one who generally thinks and acts according to the flesh, that is, with his sinful nature. He may be easily angered and selfish, ungrateful and proud. Perhaps he likes to entertain himself with pornography and immoral or violent movies.
Why should we throw off “the old personality”?
Because by stripping away the old personality, we can convince ourselves that Jehovah's standards are the best. Everything Jehovah tells us is for our good. Those who respect his rules improve their self-esteem and achieve a meaningful life and true happiness. Instead, those who ignore them suffer the consequences of being carried away by the works of the flesh.
What can we do to take off the old personality and not put it back on?
Let us ask Jehovah for help and lean on the holy spirit, not on our own strength. To take off the old personality and not put it back on, you have to work very hard.
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