“If we let Him alone to go on like this, everyone will believe in Him and adhere to Him, and the Romans will come and suppress and destroy and take away our [holy] place and our nation [our temple and city and our civil organization].”
―John 11:48; Amplified Bible

Do the buildings of the Watchtower Society represent to you God’s organization? Does Jehovah have an organization, and who decides this? It is vital that we differentiate between that which God has put in place, and what man has established in addition to, within, or even in place of God’s arrangement. Why should we even be interested in whether or not there is an arrangement by which to worship God? Does it matter to God how we worship him? Does it matter to you whether or not your worship is acceptable to him?
The word “organization” does not appear in the Bible, at least not in most translations. Some argue that this in itself is compelling evidence that God does not have an organization. But it could be pointed out that the Scriptures use other words that convey the same thought or idea. Defining the word organization, Webster’s Dictionary says: The state or manner of being organized; Something organized or made into an ordered whole; A number of persons or groups united for a particular purpose.

On the other hand, the antonym for organization is disorder, disorganization, chaos, confusion.

There certainly is no disorder, chaos or confusion when it comes to worshiping the true God, for “God is a God, not of disorder, but of peace”; and he desires that “all things take place decently and by arrangement.” (1 Corinthians 14:33,40) From the moment Jehovah led his people out of Egypt he organized them, for “it was in battle formation that the sons of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt. And Jehovah was going ahead of them in the daytime in a pillar of cloud to lead them by the way, and in the nighttime in a pillar of fire to give them light to go in the daytime and nighttime.” ―Exodus 13:18-21

Jehovah wasted no time in organizing his liberated people and their worship of him. While they were yet wandering in the wilderness he gave them his Law with detailed instructions, which included a center for worship, the transportable tabernacle, or tent of meeting, constructed at Mount Sinai according to his specific instructions, and carried through the wilderness for the forty years right into the promised land. This tent was eventually replaced when Solomon built the magnificent temple in Jerusalem. Hebrews 8:4,5;9:6-10

It certainly has never been left up to each individual to decide for himself how he wants to worship God. That fact was established in the Garden of Eden when Adam rebelled against God’s clearly stated command, and was promptly expelled from his home, bringing sin and death upon all his offspring. Romans 5:12-19 God’s people have always had to learn the inescapable truth that their form of worship was not acceptable apart from what Jehovah himself had commanded. Because of their persistent disobedience the Israelites were finally led into exile and lost their glorious temple when it was destroyed by the Babylonians. Although a repentant people were restored to their homeland, and the temple was rebuilt, in time they again forgot the crucial lesson that approved worship centers around obedience. “What pleases the Lord more: burnt offerings and sacrifices or obedience to his voice? It is better to obey than to sacrifice. It is better to listen to God than to offer the fat of sheep. Disobedience is as bad as the sin of sorcery. Pride is as bad as the sin of worshiping idols.” ―1 Samuel 15:22-23; NCV.

By the time of Jesus’ birth the Jews were under the authority of Rome, able to maintain their own traditions, but not necessarily according to what they had received from Jehovah. In fact, some of these traditions brought them into conflict with God’s laws. Jesus confronted them: “Why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’” Matthew 15:3-9; NLT.

In view of Jesus’ words, what do you think: Does it matter whether or not we worship God according to his commandments? Can we acceptably worship him apart from what he has put in place, or would that be deemed as “worshiping him in vain” (NWT), making our worship a “farce”? The Bible definitely states: “God has no use for the prayers of the people who won’t listen to him.” (Proverbs 28:9; The Message) Herein lies an important lesson for us today! We cannot presume to go beyond anything that Jehovah himself has put in place and expect it to be acceptable to him. Even our prayers would go unheard by him.

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had set up their own system of worship within God’s arrangement, even in conflict to what Jehovah had given them at Mt. Sinai, although he had clearly commanded them: “And now, O Israel, listen to the regulations and the judicial decisions that I am teaching you to do. . .You must not add to the word that I am commanding you, neither must you take away from it, so as to keep the commandments of Jehovah your God that I am commanding you.” “And you people must take care to do just as Jehovah your God has commanded you. You must not turn to the right or to the left.” “Every word that I am commanding you is what you should be careful to do. You must not add to it nor take away from it.” ―Deuteronomy 4:1,2;5:32;12:32.

What Jehovah requires of his people is obedience. That is a basic truth and has been the issue from the very beginning. Jesus taught that in order for our worship to be acceptable we must worship “with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him.” (John 4:23,24) Worshiping God “with spirit and truth” means that we willingly submit to him. We listen to him and obey him without attaching our own conditions. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day did not concern themselves with God’s requirements. Their main worry was that if they left Jesus to continue to expose their God dishonoring teachings and traditions, and the people would listen to him, then their authority would be undermined, and this would lead to instability and disorder of their organized system. This, they feared, would cause the Romans to “come and suppress and destroy and take away our [holy] place and our nation [our temple and city and our civil organization].” (John 8:44-47; 11:48; Amplified Bible) As it turned out, that is exactly what happened.

Are All Religions Approved by God?

The countless diverse religions of this world are regarded by many as simply different avenues of worshiping the same God. But not to be overlooked is this vital fact: Without accepting God’s provision for salvation, that is, the ransom sacrifice of Christ Jesus, one’s worship is in vain, because “you can’t be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given us no other name under heaven that will save us.” (Acts 4:12; NIRV) How many of the world’s religions acknowledge that Jesus is the only means for salvation? Rather than viewing the many religions as multiple ways of reverencing the one God, the apostle Paul declared: “I say that the things which the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers with the demons. You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of ‘the table of Jehovah’ and the table of demons. Or ‘are we inciting Jehovah to jealousy’?” ―1 Corinthians 10:20-22.

The Corinthian Christians must have struggled against the influence of their demon worshiping neighbors, for Paul found it necessary to remind them a second time: “You are not the same as those who don’t believe. So don’t join yourselves to them. Good and evil don’t belong together. Light and darkness cannot share the same room. How can there be any unity between Christ and the devil? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? God’s temple cannot have anything to do with idols, and we are the temple of the living God. As God said, “I will live with them and walk with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Lev. 26:11-12) “So come away from those people and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch anything that is not clean, and I will accept you.” (Isa. 52:11) “I will be your father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord All-Powerful.” ―2 Corinthians 6:14-18; ERV.

Even among those who say they accept Christ as their Lord and Savior notable differences exist. “Attend the church of your choice” is a popular slogan in countries where most worshipers profess to be Christians. Why is there such a variety, really, a smorgasbord of Beliefs among the many denominations who quote the same Bible? Can we pick and choose to suit our individual tastes or preferences as to how we “serve [God] day and night in his Temple”? (Rev. 7:15; NLT) When his people Israel deviated from worshiping him, according to what he had commanded them, was their worship acceptable to God? Listen to what the record indicates: “During Rehoboam’s reign, the people of Judah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, provoking his anger with their sin, for it was even worse than that of their ancestors. For they also built for themselves pagan shrines and set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. There were even male and female shrine prostitutes throughout the land. The people imitated the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.” (1 Kings 14:22-24; NLT) It is not sincerity that determines whether or not a person’s worship is acceptable, but rather obedience.

Jehovah has standards that he himself strictly abides by. He does not accept worship that is in the least bit tainted with worship promoted by Satan, who is the “god of this world.” (2 Cor. 4:4, NIRV; 1 John 5:19) Jesus told his disciples that worshiping God on his terms would include the necessity to separate themselves from this world, which in turn would result in persecution for them: “If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you. When that happens, remember this: Servants don’t get better treatment than their masters. If they beat on me, they will certainly beat on you. If they did what I told them, they will do what you tell them. They are going to do all these things to you because of the way they treated me, because they don’t know the One who sent me.” ―John 15:17-21; The Message.

Jehovah requires that his people must be different from those in the world around them. The disciple James adds that the “external religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father” includes keeping “oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.” (James1:27; Amplified Bible) Jehovah has made it possible for us to worship him while keeping ourselves unspotted and uncontaminated from this world, just as he had done with his people who he had liberated from Egypt and entered into a covenant with. In fact, everything that he had put in place in connection with the old covenant foreshadowed this new arrangement under the new covenant.

“A Shadow of the Good Things to Come”

The Jewish temple that stood in Jerusalem and was the center for worshiping the true God is long gone, destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E. (Matthew 24:1,2) It had served its purpose and became “obsolete” with the “vanishing away” of the old covenant. But even before its destruction there had already come into existence a new “holy temple for Jehovah. . .a place for God to inhabit by spirit.” This holy temple is likewise God’s arrangement for worshiping him under the new and “correspondingly better” covenant. Jehovah is the builder of this temple for he himself has laid its foundation. It is the only place where sacred service is rendered today that is acceptable to him. As we shall see, there is no other. ―Ephesians 2:21,22; Hebrews 8:6, 13.

The system of organized worship that Jehovah had given his people under the old covenant did not consist of irrelevant statutes, idle ceremonies and burdensome observances. They had deep significance, although his people did not understand this at the time. But we today can understand how this involves our worship of God under the new covenant. The Scriptures tell us that the Law was “our tutor leading to Christ.” The tent, or tabernacle, first constructed in the wilderness, served “as a pattern and as a foreshadowing of [what has its true existence and reality in] the heavenly sanctuary.” ―Galatians 3:24; Hebrews 8:5 Amplified Bible.

Therefore, let us briefly consider Jehovah’s arrangement of his worship under the old covenant. Because these things, “the tabernacle and the system it represented,” served as “an illustration pointing to the present time (for the appointed time that is now here―NWT),” it is evident that God still has a system of worship in place that we need to abide by, if our worship is not to be in vain. Consider: If Jehovah insisted on, and enforced, even on pain of death, worship that was intended as “a shadow of the good things to come,” then of how much greater importance is the reality itself. For example, Jehovah required that all sacrifices presented to him had to be offered at the entrance to the tabernacle, “the tent of meeting.” Any Israelite, or even alien resident, offering up his burnt offering at some other place, such as in the field, would be “cut off from his people.”―Leviticus 17:9; Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 10:28,29.

According to Insight on the Scriptures, “the entire arrangement, including the courtyard of the tabernacle and the temple courts, was a holy place. (Exodus 38:24; 2 Chronicles 29:5; Acts 21:28) The primary items located in the courtyard were the altar of sacrifice and the copper basin. These were holy objects. Only those persons ceremonially clean could enter into the tabernacle courtyard at any time; likewise, no one could go into the temple courts in an unclean state. . .Evidently even a state of continued uncleanness on the part of the Israelites was considered to be a defiling of the tabernacle. (Le 15:31) Those presenting offerings for cleansing from leprosy brought their sacrifice only as far as the gate of the courtyard. (Le 14:11) No unclean person could partake of a communion sacrifice at the tabernacle or the temple, on pain of death. (Le 7:20, 21).” ―it-1 pp. 1133-1134; Holy Place.

Inside the tent were two compartments, or rooms. The first, or larger compartment, was the Holy Place, as distinguished from the innermost room, the Most Holy. It was two thirds the total length of the structure. Inside the Holy Place of the tabernacle were located the golden lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table of showbread. Describing the inside of the Holy Place Insight on the Scriptures says, “When inside the tabernacle’s Holy Place, the priest would see, between the parts of the panel frames of the walls, and on the ceiling, the colorful embroidered cherubs of the tabernacle’s inner covering. (Exodus 26:1,15) Suspended from four golden pillars was the curtain to the Most Holy, likewise embroidered with cherubs. (Exodus 26:31-33) The screen to the tabernacle entrance was also of colorful material. (Exodus 26:36) In the temple, the walls of this room had carvings of cherubs, palm-tree figures, gourd-shaped ornaments, and garlands of blossoms, all covered with gold. —1Kings 6:17, 18, 22, 29.

What was the significance of this arrangement? The apostle Paul explains: “When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties. But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use. This is an illustration pointing to the present time.” ―Hebrews 9:6-9; NLT.

Note that while the priests served in the first room, the Holy, only the high priest was able to enter into the Most Holy Place, and that only once a year, on the day of Atonement, to present before Jehovah the blood of the sacrifice in behalf of himself and the people. Paul continues to explain the greater significance of this: “Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come to pass, through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. . .For Christ entered, not into a holy place made with hands, which is a copy of the reality, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the person of God for us.” —Hebrews 9:11, 23-25.

Upon his resurrection and ascension to heaven Christ appeared before the very presence of Jehovah with his sacrificial blood, entering into what was pictured by the innermost compartment of the tabernacle, namely, the Most Holy. (Hebrews. 8:1-5; NCV) Since the Most Holy compartment represented heaven itself, then what about the first room, the Holy Place? What did it foreshadow? The answer will help us understand Jehovah’s arrangement for worshiping him today, and how it involves us.

God’s Spiritual Temple

“And they will certainly become mine,” Jehovah of armies has said, “at the day when I am producing a special property. And I will show compassion upon them, just as a man shows compassion upon his son who is serving him.
—Malachi 3:17

Before the formation of the Christian congregation, under the old covenant, priests officially represented God to the people they served. They were primarily the ones instructing them about God and teaching the Law, reading and explaining it to those coming to the sanctuary to worship. (Nehemiah 8:1-8; Malachi 2:7) They also represented the people before God. They interceded and pleaded on behalf of the people, and their duties involved every aspect of offering the sacrifices, including slaughtering and cutting up the animals, sprinkling the blood on the altar, keeping the altar fire burning, cooking the meat, and accepting all other offerings, such as the grain offerings. Although their responsibilities kept them busy at the temple, it is of special interest to note that “no other priest could be in the sanctuary when the high priest went into the Most Holy to make atonement. (Lev. 16:17).” —it-2 pp. 685, Priest.

Under the new covenant there is no longer any need for priests to represent God to his people, or his people before God, for God has “reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of the reconciliation, namely, that God was by means of Christ reconciling a world to himself; not reckoning to them their trespasses, and he committed the word of the reconciliation to us.” (2 Corinthians 5:18,19) Now that we have been reconciled to God, that is, God has “received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself” (Amplified Bible) by means of Christ, we have only the one mediator, Christ Jesus, to represent us before God. (1 Timothy 2:5,6) He is the one who now pleads for us. (Romans 5:34; 1 John 2:1) Since he, as high priest, has entered into the Most Holy to make atonement for our sins, therefore, as was foreshadowed under the old covenant, there are no other priests serving in the sanctuary at this time who represent God to his people, or his people before God.

All of Jehovah’s people today are worshiping in his temple. That is evident from the fact that those of the “great crowd,” that come out of the great tribulation, are “before the throne of God; and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple.” Yes, “the One seated on the throne will spread his tent over them,” placing them inside the tent, or tabernacle. This tent is not in heaven for we are told that “the tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people.” (Revelation 7:14,15; 21:3; Psalms 15:1) Remember, it was the Most Holy compartment in the temple that represented heaven, Jehovah’s presence, as Paul explained. The larger Holy Place pictured where Jesus served before entering heaven, that is, here on earth. This is where his disciples also worship Jehovah. The members of the great crowd are permitted to render God sacred service inside his temple because they are clean, having “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Their sins have been forgiven them. —Revelation 7:14; Matthew 26:27,28; Acts 22:16.

Since God’s people are “rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple,” what is this temple? Remember, when Paul was admonishing the Corinthian congregation to keep themselves separate from unbelievers he had told them, according to the Contemporary English Version, “Can people who follow the Lord have anything in common with those who don’t? Do idols belong in the temple of God? We are the temple of the living God, as God himself says, ‘I will live with these people and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) Yes, Jehovah’s clean worshipers are his temple: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple? God’s Spirit lives in you. If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. God’s temple is holy. And you are that temple.“—1 Cor. 3:16,17; NIRV.

That is the reason why we need to keep ourselves clean if we want our worship to be acceptable, as Peter strongly admonishes, “So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:14-16; NLT) If Jehovah enforced his clean standards under the old covenant, then what about today? Is it any less important?

Just as the tent in the wilderness had been set up according to Jehovah’s instructions, Jehovah is also the builder of his spiritual temple, for he himself put in place its cornerstone. The apostle Peter explains: “You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.” In addition to the cornerstone there are other foundation stones as Peter goes on to say, “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say, ‘I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.’ Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ And, ‘He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.” —1 Peter 2:4-8; NLT.

It is clear that Jesus is the cornerstone of God’s temple, as Peter explains. (Mark 12:10,11; Acts 4:10,11) But who are the ones Peter refers to when he says, “you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple, . .you are his holy priests”? The apostle Paul helps shed light on this when writing to the congregation in Ephesus: “Certainly, therefore, you are no longer strangers and alien residents, but you are fellow citizens of the holy ones and are members of the household of God, and you have been built up upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone. In union with him the whole building, being harmoniously joined together, is growing into a holy temple for Jehovah. In union with him you, too, are being built up together into a place for God to inhabit by spirit.” —Ephesians 2:19-22.

At Pentecost, when the foundation of God’s temple was laid, there were 120 disciples present, the twelve apostles, including Matthias who had been chosen to replace Judas, and 108 other “prophets” who all received the holy spirit. We know who the apostles are, but who is meant by the “prophets” Paul mentions? That he is not talking about ancient prophets is seen a little later in the same letter when he writes: “God did not reveal [this plan regarding Christ] to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.” (Ephesians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 12:28,29) And, of course, these “prophets” had to be present at Pentecost. Everyone of these have been personally chosen and anointed by Jehovah. They comprise the foundation stones of his holy temple and together with the twelve apostles number 144,000.

Paul could not have known the full number of these foundation stones because this was not revealed until John received the Revelation a few decades later. These are the ones Peter calls “holy priests,” for they “will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years.” (Rev. 20:6;14:1-3) But please note, they will be priests of God and of the Christ only during the thousand years, not before. First they have to prove themselves worthy of this honor by humbly serving and caring for God’s people within his temple arrangement.—Matthew 24:45-47.

Paul speaks of God’s “holy temple” as a building, and as we know, a building does not consist of only a foundation; and neither is a foundation made up of only the cornerstone. (compare Luke 14:28-30) Therefore, Jehovah has been building upon his solid foundation by collecting “out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues” countless others, “all those who [are] rightly disposed for everlasting life” by becoming obedient believers. This he started to do immediately after the outpouring of the holy spirit at Pentecost, when “on that day about three thousand souls were added.” These had listened to Peter’s stirring witness and responded by repenting of their sins and getting baptized. Yes, unitedly they are “rendering [God] sacred service day and night in his temple.”—Revelation 7:9,10; Acts 2:37-41;13:48;1 Corinthians 12:12,13.

Those who make up the foundation stones of God’s temple are primarily the ones who support or care for the members of God’s household. That is their responsibility and that is where Jehovah is directing all who would worship him. That’s how it was in the first century and has continued until today. (Acts 2:46,47) There is no other place, no other arrangement that God acknowledges. “But the foundation that God has laid is solid. On it is written, ‘The Lord knows who his people are.’” (2 Timothy 2:19; CEV) Curiously, many who claim to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior as the foundation upon which they base their faith, refuse to recognize the temple that he is the foundation of.

The Scriptures demonstrate that Jehovah has an organized way of worshiping him. After all, it is his temple arrangement. Therefore, it can be said that God has an organization, and it does not matter what identifying label one attaches to it. It is not up to any man or group of men to decide otherwise. We may recoil at the idea of an organization, because of the negative connotations attached to this word. Organizations are seen, at best, as impersonal; and tyrannical and oppressive at their worst.

This has also been true in the case of God’s organization, for from it has emanated deceit and lies, resulting in much suffering and the stumbling and scattering of God’s precious sheep. But this has not originated with Jehovah. Rather, there are false prophets “in the intimate group of [his] people,” yes, right inside God’s temple, that have “visioned what is untrue.” Jehovah emphatically states that although they speak in his name, he “himself has not sent them,” yet “they have waited to have a word come true.” Thankfully, they will be unmasked in connection with “the day of Jehovah.” (Ezekiel 13:3-10) The apostle Paul also prophesied regarding this wicked element within “the temple of The God” at that particular time. (2 Thessalonians 2:2-4) Who are these, and why has God allowed them to remain for so long?

Where is God’s Temple Today?

• 2 Timothy 2:19, “For all that, the solid foundation of God stays standing, having this seal: ‘Jehovah knows those who belong to him.’” 
  
  Under the old covenant (Mosaic Law) Jehovah was worshiped at his temple in Jerusalem. But at Pentecost, with the outpouring of the holy spirit upon the 120 disciples, the new covenant became operative and God’s temple of true worship came into existence. That is where Jehovah is now worshiped “with spirit and truth.” This temple is not located at any geographical site, such as was the case of the temple in Jerusalem upon Mount Zion, as Jesus explained to the Samaritan woman; but, rather, under the new covenant God’s temple consists of his true worshipers. That is what the Psalms and prophecies are mainly about. (John 4:21-24;  2 Corinthians 6:15-18; Heb. 8:1-10) The foundation of this temple came into existence with the anointing of the 120 disciples, foremost among them the twelve apostles (Matthias having replaced Judas Iscariot). 
  
  Upon installing the first members of the foundation by holy spirit, God immediately began to build upon that foundation by adding 3,000 disciples to his temple when they were baptized. (Acts 1:15; 2:1-4; 37-41) Since then, the foundation and the temple built upon it has grown throughout the many centuries, as God kept enlarging the foundation as the need arose, to support the many disciples that were streaming to true worship, and who also themselves have become living stones within the temple as members of his household, built upon the foundation.Micah 4:1-7 
  
  Paul explains in his letter to the Gentile Ephesian congregation that they too were now members of God’s temple, “fellow citizens of the holy ones and members of the household of God, and you have been built up upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone. In union with him the whole building, being harmoniously joined together, is growing into a holy temple for Jehovah. In union with him you, too, are being built up together into a place for God to inhabit by spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Corrinthians 3:16-17; 1 Peter 2:4-6) 
  
  God’s temple will be completed when the foundation, made up of the full number of 144,000 has been sealed by God, prior to the great tribulation. (Matthew 28:20; Revelation 7:1-4; Revelation 7: 9-17;14:1-4; 21:3-4)
  
  False teachers, such as Hymenus and Philetus, against whom Paul warned Timothy, were a danger of undermining the faith of some believers by their false teachings; but they could not undermine the solid foundation of God’s temple, nor the true worship rendered to God within his temple. It is as Paul notes, “For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:16-19; 2 Corinthians 13:8) 
  
  This has meaning for us today, because we know that there is nothing that the “man of lawlessness” within God’s temple can do to undermine the “solid foundation”, where he has seated and elevated himself over God’s people; because the true worship of Jehovah God remains forever. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12) We have the assurance that “Jehovah knows those who belong to him”, and he will protect his loyal servants at the time when he removes all the wicked ones from within his temple. At that time “the righteous one will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matthew 13:41-43; Malachi 3:16-18) 
• At the present time Jehovah still has “a people for his name” who are his temple, and they remain faithful to him. But at the same time, there still exist wicked men within God’s temple—especially the “man of lawlessness,” and those who follow him. (Acts 15:14-18; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; 8-12) But these rotten fish do not make God’s kingdom part of Christendom, anymore than the wicked among the Jews turned the Jews into Gentiles. The sad fact is that, for the most part, God’s people have always been rebellious. 
• God’s present temple came into existence at Pentecost, as we know; whereas Christendom came into being about three hundred years later, in 325 CE at the council of Nicaea, with the Roman Emperor Constantine as its supreme head. That was Satan’s version of his own “Pentecost,” when he brought into existence a counterfeit religion meant to resemble and replace the one founded by Jesus. But never ever has Jehovah acknowledged this worldly religion as belonging to him, not even as the apostate part of his kingdom. The foretold apostasy, against whom we are warned, exists right within his own temple, among his own people. This is where the danger lurks that we need to be on guard against! (Matthew24:24-25) What makes it so confusing for some is the fact that the real apostates within God’s temple always point to Christendom in an effort to deflect from their own wickedness and condemnation. 

Another difference between Christendom and God’s kingdom is the fact that a person cannot worship the true God, Jehovah, while at the same time belonging to any of its churches; for he must first “get out from among them and separate [himself], and quit touching the unclean things,” before Jehovah will accept him as a son or daughter. (2 Corinthians 6:17-18; James 1:27; Revelation 18:4) That of course does not apply to God’s own house, where we may still be rubbing shoulders with the wicked, as illustrated in the dragnet. But the wicked among God’s people will suddenly be broken, with no warning. (Prov. 6:12-15; Rev. 2:23-25) If anyone within God’s house turns wicked, and becomes unsuitable for the kingdom, he will be removed as Jesus explained in his illustration. He may then decide to join himself to Christendom or some other worldly religion, thereby being thrown away. (Heb. 6:4-6; 2 Peter 2:20-22) 

God’s faithful servants throughout the centuries have never been part of the world that belongs to Satan, including Christendom. (John 15:18-21; James 1:27; 4:4) Many of them translated and printed the Bible, while preaching the good news of the kingdom, for which they were persecuted. Jehovah knows each and every one of them! You will meet them when they return in the resurrection of the righteous. (John 5:28-29; 15:18-21; 2 Timothy 2:19) 

It doesn’t matter under what name God’s people are known. In the first century they were called Christians, “by divine providence.” (Acts 11:26) After 325 C.E., and with the council of Nicaea, the name “Christian” came to be identified with the apostate religion that Emperor Constantine adopted as the religion of his empire. Seven hundred years later that religion split into the western and eastern parts; and still later it fractured into many other religions, each one adopting a different name to distinguish it from the others. What do you think: Would Jehovah be offended on account of his people identifying themselves with his name, calling themselves “Jehovah’s witnesses,” in order to designate themselves as being separate from the many other religions who call themselves “Christians”? (Matthew7:21-23; Isaiah 43:10-12) To be sure, identifying oneself with God’s name carries with it great responsibility, for Jehovah will execute his judgment upon anyone who defiles his holy name; but he also protects and blesses anyone who takes refuge in his name. (Romans 2:24; Isaiah 48:9-11; Jeremiah 7:8-16; 14:7; Ezekiel 36:22-23; Psalms 91:14-16)  

How exactly is a worshiper of Jehovah built upon the foundation? By accepting and acknowledging that this arrangement is from Jehovah; and that it includes not only Jesus, but also the “holy ones.” (Daniel 7:13,14,27) Any person who desires to worship God must accept not only the foundation cornerstone, but the entire foundation upon which God’s temple is built. That is what Jesus meant in his parable of the sheep and the goats, for the sheep did good to Christ’s “brothers,” and he views it as having been done to him personally. The “sheep” are built upon the foundation of his brothers. (Matthew 25:31-46) There is no other people on earth who accept the 144,000 brothers of Christ as an essential part of worshiping God in his temple. To all others these foundation stones remain God’s mystery, his sacred secret. (Ephesians 3:8-11;7-18  Revelation 7:14,15)

Suggest reading the series on The Man of Lawlessness, Son Of Destruction

Article Contributed by Perimeno