Q:  • I can’t quit smoking and I hate myself for it. I love Jehovah and thoughts of the truth are in my head constantly. I keep telling others about Jehovah and the hope for mankind at every opportunity but feel like a hypocrite. I DO love the truth and I DO love studying and I DO want to be in the new system of things and my heart hurts from the feelings that I can’t be wholehearted or love Jehovah with a complete heart. I know Satan wants me to feel discouraged and I do. I feel like an idiot knowing that others have overcome even worse obstacles than that. I mentioned to an elder I was having trouble and I probably needed the WHOLE congregations help but I stopped going before we had a chance to meet about it. And of course my prayers have stopped because I felt like a liar asking Jah for help but still smoking.

I have been here before a few times and the most important thing I keep in mind is to trust in Jehovah no matter what is going on with the organization or the brotherhood worldwide.  He WILL straighten it out to his satisfaction and those whom he wants will survive or be resurrected. I would like to be in a position where Jehovah would call me his ‘friend' like he did with Abraham. Thank you for listening.
 

Another letter from a brother who was disfellowshiped for smoking and is in search of answers:

     • I was baptized in my early teens, my grandmother who was a witness having studied with me. I loved the things she taught me. A couple of years after my baptism I started to smoke secretly (bad association within my congregation started me on this road). I began to drift in and out of the truth and found I had no real friends in the congregation that I could get attached to. I was getting involved in things I am not proud of. Then my grandmother died. I was devastated. I had loved her and now felt very lonely. When I reached my late twenties I remembered the joy I used to have going to meetings, even going preaching, and the relationship I felt I once had with Jehovah, and I began to miss all that. I started to pray again and begged Jehovah to help me to return to him and overcome this bad habit I was still fighting. I say I was still fighting it because I never gave up trying to quit smoking. Although I would succeed for short periods of time I always ended up picking up a cigarette again. I finally went to an elder I used to respect for help and confessed to him all my problems. I poured my heart out to him. At the time it felt good to get all this weight off my chest. He didn't offer any help or suggestions at the time but he listened, and that's what I needed. I had started to attend meetings again. A few months later three elders came to visit me to ask me if I was still smoking, and when I said yes they became very upset. I told them I needed help. They said I should never have started and I had lots of time to have quit by now if I really wanted to. They raised their voices, even shouted, also denouncing me for having drifted in and out of the truth all these years as if I couldn't make up my mind whether or not I really wanted the truth. Since I was still smoking and attending meetings I was disfellowshiped. I was shocked, felt humiliated and totally devastated. They had offered no encouragement at all or advice on how I could return to Jehovah. Shortly after this I sank into deep depression. I didn't even bother to try and quit anymore.

That was about five years ago. I have since married and have a loving wife. Although she is not a witness she is not unfavorable to what I have shared with her from the Bible. I have started attending a few meetings again in my new location and she has accompanied me to some of them. I have a strong desire to return to Jehovah. I hope to be reinstated one day and have been battling my habit but so far without success. Recently I was doing research on the internet on Jehovah's witnesses and that's how I found your site. Your articles are encouraging and they have given me a renewed hope. What advice or help can you offer me?
 

Another brother, asked:

    • Does one have to be reinstated to benefit from Jehovah’s blessings and his favorable judgment if his day should approach in our lifetime?
________________________
 

A: The above letters raise several questions: What is Jehovah's view on addictions? Where can help be found for those who are struggling with such? What responsibility, if any, do the elders have in providing help? If a person has been disfellowshipped because of an addiction (or for some other non-scriptural reason), will he have to be reinstated before Armageddon in order to survive?

In the early Seventies the Society took a firm stand against addictions to drugs and tobacco. (see The Watchtower 1973, 6/1 pp. 337-341 pars. 8-25, Keeping God’s Congregation Clean in the Time of His Judgment) Any member of the congregation who was enslaved to an addiction, particularly smoking because it was not that uncommon, was given six months to break free and become "clean," otherwise the person would be disfellowshiped, expelled from the congregation. Also, a person could not be accepted for baptism as long as he was enslaved to tobacco. Recognizing the struggle that many experience in their attempts to quit smoking, an Awake! article in 1989 mentioned the following:

Habits and Addictions
Something . . . that affects our emotional and physical well-being is the way we treat our body. With reasonable effort on our part—eating properly, getting the needed exercise and rest, keeping clean, and so on—our body will care for itself. However, if we habitually abuse it, sooner or later it will break down, and we will suffer the consequences.

The Bible’s advice is: “Let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.” (2 Corinthians 7:1) How can we apply such advice, and what are the benefits? Consider the following report by the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute: “Smoking is an epidemic growing at 2.1 percent per year, faster than world population. . . . Growth in tobacco use slowed briefly in the early eighties, primarily for economic reasons, but is resuming its rapid increase. Over a billion people now smoke, consuming almost 5 trillion cigarettes per year, an average of more than half a pack a day.”

What has been the effect of this ‘growing epidemic’? The accompanying box gives some sobering food for thought. The list is by no means exhaustive, but the message is clear: Addiction to tobacco is both powerful and costly. It is a defiling habit that damages the health of both the addicted and those around them.

What about efforts to stop the habit? In spite of all the antismoking campaigns, success has been minimal on a worldwide scale. This is because overcoming the tobacco habit is a strenuous uphill battle. Research shows that only 1 in 4 who smoke ever succeed in breaking the habit. Apparently all the warnings that smoking is a health hazard are not incentive enough. (Bold mine)

However, the Bible counsel quoted above, along with its injunction for Christians to love their neighbors as themselves, has moved thousands who are now Jehovah’s Witnesses to stop smoking. Whether at their Kingdom Halls, where they meet for several hours each week, or at their conventions, where thousands of them meet for days, you will not see any of them with a cigarette. Their willingness to accept and apply the Bible’s directives has given them the needed determination to accomplish what others fail to achieve. —g89 12/8 pp. 11-12 Good Health—What Can You Do About It?

Of course, it's advantages if we have never picked up a defiling habit and become enslaved to it. Those who have never done so may not understand and thus lack empathy for the struggle that others have in trying to break free from its firm grip. As acknowledged in the above article, it is a very difficult thing for a smoker to quit, for as it states, "only 1 in 4 who smoke ever succeed in breaking the habit." Does that mean that there is no hope of worshiping Jehovah for the other 3 out of 4 who have failed in their attempts? Will they miss out on the benefits of Christ's ransom, even though exercising faith in it? (John 3:16-21; 1 Cor. 15:22) Can anyone who at present is smoking, especially those who have been disfellowshipped, hope to be among the survivors of the great tribulation? —Rev. 7:9, 13-17.

How does Jehovah and Jesus view those who struggle with addictions? The Bible gives us insight into their attitude. The Pharisees criticized Jesus for associating with tax collectors and "sinners." The apostle Matthew, himself a tax collector, recounts what happened on one occasion in his home: "Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with such scum?' When Jesus heard this, he said, 'Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.' Then he added, 'Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: "I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices." For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.'” —Matthew 9:10-13, New Living Translation.

The "sinners," or common people, were the ones who were drawn to Jesus. They were the ones "hungering and thirsting for righteousness," and they responded to Jesus' message that "they will be filled." (Matt. 5:6) How different from the proud Pharisees who did not considered themselves lacking in righteousness, and looked with contempt upon others. (John 7:47-49) The important thing to us, of course, is not how others view us, but rather what we are in God's estimation:

"Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 'Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: "I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income." But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, "O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner." I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." —Luke 18:9-14, NLT.

The Pharisee was proud of his assumed righteousness before God. He certainly did not view himself like the others, a sinner. He boasted that he did not cheat, nor sin, neither did he commit adultery; and to this we might add today, neither did he smoke or struggle with other addictions. He fasted twice a week and gave a tenth of his income for the worship of God. This was really in excess of what God required. Today we may have among us, within God's household, individuals who have a self-righteous attitude much like that Pharisee. They too consider themselves to be superior to any despised person who is battling an addiction. They may feel that way because of spending many hours in the preaching work, perhaps as a pioneer (more than twice a week), or putting money in a Contribution box (maybe a tenth of their income). But how different God's estimation of the proud Pharisee was compared to the lowly tax collector. Do we get the point? Jesus did not condemn sinners who were struggling in their desire to please God. Rather, "he felt sorry for [the crowds] because they were hurting and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." But he did condemn the religious leaders, mincing no words: "I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do." —Matt. 9:36; 21:31, NLT.

What can we learn from the above? Do we have God's view on matters? He tells us: “'For the thoughts of you people are not my thoughts, nor are my ways your ways,' is the utterance of Jehovah. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.'" (Isa. 55:8,9) Jesus certainly expressed Jehovah's view on everything he said and did. Imitating Jesus in this is especially important for the elders in the congregations who have been entrusted with the care of God's sheep. (Acts 20:28) We all love Jehovah, isn't that true? Yet all of us, without exception, no matter who we are, have in one way or another a continuous struggle against our inherited sinful nature; for we are all still imperfect, and that includes even the elders. (Luke 6:41,42) The apostle Paul himself tells us that he was no exception:

“And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. ¹⁹ I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. ²⁰ But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

²¹ I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. ²² I love God’s law with all my heart. ²³ But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. ²⁴ Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? ²⁵ Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. —Romans 7:18-25, New Living Translation.
 

Are Paul's words not echoing the sentiments of the two letters above? Paul realistically tells us that everyone of us has an ongoing fight against our sinful nature, some to a greater degree than others. It is as the Scripture says: “For there is no man righteous in the earth that keeps doing good and does not sin.” (Eccl. 7:20; Rom. 3:23) Elders in the congregations are no exception! They too have a struggle, just like Paul, and that is why they need to deal with the flock in a loving manner, "to be gentle toward all, qualified to teach, keeping himself restrained under evil, instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed." (2 Tim. 2:24,25; 1 Thess. 2:7,8) They keep in mind that Jesus said, "For with what judgment you are judging, you will be judged." (Matt. 7:2) All lovers of Jehovah who desire to please him have a continual fight against sinful tendencies, such as with pride; strife; jealousy; fits of anger; envies; controlling our appetite and/or liquor consumption; being quick to judge (criticize) fellow believers; or cause hurt through gossip or slander; or fail to show kindness and hospitality; etc. etc. It often takes another person to point out our own weaknesses, which we usually do not receive kindly. It requires constant effort to "put on the new personality which was created according to God's will in true righteousness and loyalty." (1 Tim. 6:4,5; Eph. 4:20-32; Col. 3:5-10, 12-14) Jesus noted, “The spirit, of course, is eager, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:41) Can we really say that one struggle is less or more important than another, when it is true regarding the entire catalog of the "works of the flesh" that "those who practice such things will not inherit God's kingdom"? —Gal. 5:19-21; James 2:10-13.

Jehovah is not expecting perfection from any of us! He has provided us with help in our struggles so that we won’t get disheartened and give up on ourselves. May it be of encouragement to know that "Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help." (Heb. 4:15,16; CEV) We have the assurance that “if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one. And he is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 2:1,2) The “propitiatory sacrifice” that Jesus provided would be of no value to any of us if it were to cover our sins just that one time, in the beginning when we were first baptized “for forgiveness of [our] sins.” —Acts 2:38; 22:16.

As long as we are still worshiping Jehovah in our imperfect sinful bodies we will continue to fall short in measuring up to God’s standards. That is what sin means! And no one is exempt! “If we make the statement: ‘We have no sin,’ we are misleading ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8,9) Jehovah does not condemn us because of our weaknesses. For some worshipers of Jehovah their addictions may be so overwhelming that it may not be until the new system that they will finally break entirely free from it. We are not yet living under God's righteous rule where "no resident will say: 'I am sick.'" And we do not yet have access to the "trees of life," the leaves of which are for the curing of the nations. (Isa. 33:24; Rev. 21:1,2) Jehovah is greater than our hearts. He well knows our emotional and physical makeup, and the cause of our problems in the first place. —1 John 3:19-24.

All of this, of course, does not mean that we do not need to struggle against our sinful nature. Paul was constantly aware of not giving up. Like him we must “pummel [our] body and lead it as a slave,” in this way demonstrating to Jehovah that we genuinely want to obey him. (1 Cor. 9:27; Rom. 8:26,27) We need to continually fight to do what we know to be right, despite setbacks, and not allow our addictions to lead us into a course of willful sin. (1 Cor. 6:9-11) We are counseled: “Let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.” And also: "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.'”(2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 1:14-16, NLT) Jehovah is able to "discern thoughts and intentions of the heart," and helps us according to what he sees in us. (Jer. 17:10; Heb. 4:12) In time, with the help of his holy spirit, we will notice progress in our struggle, perhaps even to the point of overcoming any addiction completely. Many have done so! Of course, don't let their success discourage you, if you have not as yet seen the same progress in yourself.

Instead of being judged and shunned by our fellow brothers, who are not aware of our individual efforts to overcome our weaknesses, how comforting it would be to know that we could rely on their help and encouragement. (Rom. 15:1,7) Isn't that what we need most when we are down and vulnerable? And yet, even if we are shunned and excluded, we are never alone! Always remember that we have a helper in Christ Jesus who “pleads for us.” (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25) Yes, on the basis of his sacrifice we can have the assurance that Jehovah will not only forgive us when we fall short, but also help us with his holy spirit to continue any struggle we have against the flesh, as long as we continue to ask for his help, never giving up.

What of those who have been disfellowshiped from the Christian congregation? Do they need to be reinstated in order to survive Jehovah's day?

Unless a person has been expelled from the Congregation for willfully and unrepentantly breaking God's clearly stated law, Jehovah will not acknowledge or accept the disfellowshipping of someone. He will rather view it as a dealing harshly with his sheep on the part of the shepherds. Struggling with our sinful flesh, such as with an addiction, is not a legitimate reason in itself for disfellowshipping, as already discussed. (Matt. 18:15-17; 1 Cor. 5:1-4, 9-13) Doing so could perhaps destroy a sheep, throwing it out into the world as prey for the wolves. The shepherds who deal harshly with the flock "will render an account" to the owner of the sheep. (Heb. 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-4) As has been pointed out many times on this website, the basic truth is that the sheep are precious to Jehovah; yes, more so than the shepherds. (Luke 15:4-7) It is therefore vital for the elders to understand that Jehovah has appointed them as shepherds for the sake of his sheep, and not the other way around—not sheep for the sake of the shepherds. Remember that God sent his only-begotten Son to die for them. (John 3:16; 10:11-15; Heb. 13:20; 1 John 4:9) He has forewarned that he will remove and destroy any wicked and oppressive shepherds, and replace them with loving ones, in his due time when their master returns. In fact, the entire 34^th chapter of Ezekiel is devoted to his sheep, as Jehovah pronounces his judgment upon the shepherds who have devastated his flock. At the same time he holds out hope for his battered and scattered sheep, and promises that "none will be missing" when he brings them back. (Jer. 23:4) Look at how the present situation within God's household was foretold regarding the wicked shepherds, as described in the Message Bible:

1-6 God's Message came to me: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherd-leaders of Israel. Yes, prophesy! Tell those shepherds, 'God, the Master, says: Doom to you shepherds of Israel, feeding your own mouths! Aren't shepherds supposed to feed sheep? You drink the milk, you make clothes from the wool, you roast the lambs, but you don't feed the sheep. You don't build up the weak ones, don't heal the sick, don't doctor the injured, don't go after the strays, don't look for the lost. You bully and badger them. And now they're scattered every which way because there was no shepherd—scattered and easy pickings for wolves and coyotes. Scattered—my sheep!—exposed and vulnerable across mountains and hills. My sheep scattered all over the world, and no one out looking for them!

 
7-9 "'Therefore, shepherds, listen to the Message of God: As sure as I am the living God—Decree of God, the Master—because my sheep have been turned into mere prey, into easy meals for wolves because you shepherds ignored them and only fed yourselves, listen to what God has to say:

10 "'Watch out! I'm coming down on the shepherds and taking my sheep back. They're fired as shepherds of my sheep. No more shepherds who just feed themselves! I'll rescue my sheep from their greed. They're not going to feed off my sheep any longer!

In the above expressed judgment against the wicked and abusive shepherds, there is hope for all who have been unjustly disfellowshipped. Jehovah says that he will collect and bring back his lost and ailing sheep from all the places to which they had been scattered on account of the shepherds, and appoint loving shepherds over them. When will he do this? He says this will take place in connection with “the day of clouds and thick gloom.” That day of cloud and thick gloom refers to the “great day of Jehovah.” (Ezek. 34:12; compare Joel 2:1,2; Amos 5:18, 20; Zeph. 1:14,15) Jesus said that at his return he will settle accounts with the slaves who had been assigned the responsibility of looking after the members of his household to feed them. For the wicked shepherds it would have been better never to have taken on that responsibility than to accept it and abuse its position. —Matt. 25:24-30; Luke 12:45,46.

The apostle Paul also speaks of the "day of Jehovah" and God's coming judgment, in connection with an apostasy and a “man of lawlessness” who would then get revealed. (see 2 Thess. 2:1-12, NWT) This man of lawlessness would seat himself right inside God's temple and elevate himself over everyone else within the temple. No, Jehovah is not the source of his presence or position, for Paul writes that it is "according to the operation of Satan." Who is this man of lawlessness? Is it referring to the clergy of Christendom, the wicked shepherds as we have been taught in our publications? Well, he is ruling inside God's temple, even having taken authority upon himself that rivals Jehovah's himself. Paul explains that God's temple is his people—his sheep—"a place for God to inhabit by spirit." (1 Cor. 3:16,17; 2 Cor. 6:16-18; Eph. 2:19-22) Therefore this "lawless one," as he is also referred to, and "the son of destruction," has elevated himself and exercises authority over God's people everywhere. It is not at all unusual for many of the shepherds to refer to him as "mother," in recognition of their submission and his authority over them as a governing body. This is the source of our policies on how Jehovah's sheep are treated in the congregations. Since neither the presence nor the authority is from Jehovah, we can understand that Jehovah does not accept the unjust disfellowshipping of any sheep. Soon now, immediately after the removal of this man of lawlessness, whom "the Lord Jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his presence," Jehovah will turn his attention to his lost and strayed sheep and bring them back. Then he will also appoint loving shepherds. This will be just before the great tribulation begins, through which they will be protected. This is his promise:

““What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the Lord.
2 Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to these shepherds: “Instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction. Now I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done to them. 3 But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number. 4 Then I will appoint responsible shepherds who will care for them, and they will never be afraid again. Not a single one will be lost or missing. I, the Lord have spoken! —Jeremiah 23:1-4, New Living Translation.

Do we not want to be counted among God's sheep? Anyone who has been guilty of sinning by carelessly breaking God's clearly stated law and disfellowshipped for lack of repentance, should strive to set matters straight with Jehovah as quickly as possible. Jehovah has told us that he will forgive a repentant sinner in a large way. (Isaiah 1:18,19; Ezek. 18:21-23) The now repentant person might be able to do so by approaching the elders in his congregation, and be welcomed back. (Matt. 18:18-20; 2 Cor. 2:6-11) Since the "older men" arrangement has God's approval, and there are still loving elders, we should want to seek them out and give them the opportunity to help us. —Titus 1:5-9; James 5:14-16.

Even those who have been disfellowshipped unjustly might want to seek reinstatement, for it is definitely easier to worship Jehovah in association with the brothers in the congregation than having to do it apart from them, and being shunned. It is to our advantage to feel accepted and have loving friends. (Prov. 11:17; 18:24) Yet, if the elders refuse to reinstate someone, perhaps because of having been disfellowshipped on the bogus charge of apostasy (for not accepting everything the governing body teaches as coming from Jehovah), or for an ongoing struggle with an addiction, as discussed above, one still has the assurance that he is not alone. Jehovah cares for his sheep. Stay close to him through regular and earnest prayer. (Phil. 4:6,7) May Jehovah's good promises, which we have confidence he will fulfill regarding his precious sheep, continue to sustain us for "just a little while longer," as we strife to always be pleasing him in everything we do. We should never give up in our struggle to win the battle over sinful tendencies. Jehovah does not fail to notice our hard fight. It is not in vain! In the end "each one will have his praise come to him from God." —Joshua 23:14; Psalms 37:10,11, 29; 1 Cor. 4:5; Gal. 6:9,10.  

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