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Keeping the Flock Clean

OUR Shepherd is Jehovah God, “and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” His Son, Christ Jesus, is also a shepherd, as he himself states: “I am the right shepherd.”—Ps. 23:1; 95:7, AS; John 10:11, NW.

These two Shepherds love their sheep and want them to gain everlasting life in the new world. Since the wicked, corrupt, selfish, hateful and dying old world is doomed to destruction, a call is being sent out to all sheeplike ones: “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; cleanse yourselves, ye that bear the vessels of Jehovah.”—Isa. 52:11, AS.a

Jehovah God is interested in keeping his flock, his earthly servants, clean because they stand for his name, his Word and his clean worship. He himself is pure, righteous and holy, and so his servants, his flock, are admonished: “Therefore, become imitators of God, as beloved children, and go on walking in love, just as the Christ also loved you.”—Eph. 5:1, 2, NW.

Christ Jesus said that it was by showing love to each other that all men would know that we were his disciples. (John 13:34, 35) We show love by acting unselfishly toward one another, by looking out for each other’s welfare, by keeping clean ourselves and helping our brothers to keep clean.

But suppose that one of the sheep, after he has come to God’s organization and associated himself with God’s flock, after having turned his back on the wicked and corrupt old world, no longer exercises love, but lets selfishness creep in and returns to the ways of the world, practicing sexual immorality, dishonesty in money matters, or becomes independent and rebellious as regards the spiritual food Jehovah God is providing for his people, or relative to the manner of carrying out the commission to preach the good news of the Kingdom under the direction of the faithful and discreet slave. (Matt. 24:14, 45-47, NW) Then what?

May such a course of action be ignored? Should we feel that we must be too loving to offend such a one by taking cognizance of his course of action? Must he be permitted to remain, contaminating others and bringing reproach upon Jehovah’s name and organization?

No; the Scriptures contain many examples and much instruction showing the obligation of Jehovah’s organization, specifically the mature brothers in each congregation who supervise its activity, to take action by dismissing such a one from their midst. If guilt is established at the mouth of two or three witnesses and there is no spirit of repentance shown, these have no alternative but to disfellowship such a one, by advising the congregation of the facts and instructing them not to have anything to do with the offender. All the congregation should then cooperate so that if possible the willful transgressor may see the error of his way.—Rom. 16:17, 18; 1 Cor. 5:1-5; 1 Tim. 1:20, NW.

We want to have a share in the triumph of clean worship and gain everlasting life in Jehovah’s new world. We want men of good will, lovers of righteousness, to be drawn to God’s organization. So let each one of us exercise care that we do nothing to bring reproach upon Jehovah’s name and organization, do nothing that would drive men away from it, do nothing that will bar our entrance into the new world.

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