Distinguishing Between the Sacred
and the Secular

  
"Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction between the sacred and the secular, neither have they taught people the difference between the unclean and the clean."
—Ezekiel 22:26, Amplified Bible
 

Jehovah denounced the priests of Israel because they "made no distinction between the sacred and the secular." (Ezek. 22:26, AMP) They treated the common things as if holy, although they were instructed to "teach my people the difference between the holy and the common (between what is sacred and what is ordinary—CEV), and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean." (Lev. 10:10; Ezek. 44:23, ESV) The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, the legal instrument used by Jehovah's witnesses, and its governing body, likewise have made no distinction between the holy—God's household, his temple, which is holy—and the ordinary, the secular corporation they have formed to run their business. (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 1 Tim. 3:15)
 
According to Webster's Dictionary, "secular" refers to:
 1. Temporal rather than spiritual: worldly.
 2. Not religious or sacred

Why do we have a secular, worldly corporation that directs every aspect of worship within God's household? The Watchtower explains:

   "It is beneficial for us to have legal entities. We thereby conform to local and national laws, as required by God’s Word. (Jeremiah 32:11; Romans 13:1) Legal entities facilitate our work of spreading the Kingdom message by printing Bibles, books, magazines, brochures, and other material. Such entities also serve as legal instruments to handle matters related to property ownership, relief efforts, contracts for the use of convention facilities, and so forth. We are thankful for the services of such legal entities." —The Watchtower, January 15, 2001, pages 28-30, How the Governing Body Differs From a Legal Corporation. (Bold mine)
 
The "legal entities" satisfy the common secular needs and requirements of local governmental laws, under which we live, and for that reason they have formed several corporations, as is further explained:

   "The Pennsylvania corporation is not the only legal entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses. There are others. One is the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Incorporated. It facilitates our work in the United States. . . The International Bible Students Association is used in Britain. Other legal entities are used to promote Kingdom interests in other lands."
 
Is Caesar's Law equal to God's Law? Should these secular corporations be viewed as holy? The Governing Body believes that, and treats them as such! The same Watchtower article goes on to say:
 
     "ANNUAL meetings of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania have been held since January of 1885. When the ingathering of anointed Christians was underway in the late 19th century, the directors and officers of this corporation had the heavenly hope. In fact, this has almost always been the case.
     "There was one exception. In 1940, Hayden C. Covington—then the Society’s legal counsel and one of the “other sheep,” with the earthly hope—was elected a director of the Society. (John 10:16) He served as the Society’s vice president from 1942 to 1945. At that time, Brother Covington stepped aside as a director to comply with what then seemed to be Jehovah’s will—that all directors and officers of the Pennsylvania corporation be anointed Christians. Lyman A. Swingle replaced Hayden C. Covington on the board of directors, and Frederick W. Franz was elected vice president.
     "Why did Jehovah’s servants believe that all the directors and officers of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania should be anointed Christians? Because at the time, the board of directors and officers of the Pennsylvania corporation were closely identified with the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which has always been made up entirely of spirit-anointed men." (Bold mine)
 
Note how they fail to separate the sacred from the secular, making no distinction between elected members of the board of directors and officers of the corporation, and spirit-anointed men who are anointed by Jehovah. Under the subheading "A Historic Annual Meeting," the article further reports:
 
     "At the annual meeting held on October 2, 1944, in Pittsburgh, the members of the Pennsylvania corporation adopted six resolutions amending its charter. The charter had provided that voting shares be issued to contributors of funds to the Society’s work, but the third amendment eliminated that provision. A report on that annual meeting noted: “Membership in the Society will be limited to not more than 500 . . . Each one chosen must be a full-time servant of the Society or a part-time servant of a company [congregation] of Jehovah’s witnesses and must show the spirit of the Lord.”
     "Thereafter, directors of the Society were to be voted into office by individuals who were fully devoted to Jehovah, irrespective of the amount of money that they contributed to advance the Kingdom work. This turned out to be in accord with the progressive refinements foretold at Isaiah 60:17, where we read: “Instead of the copper I shall bring in gold, and instead of the iron I shall bring in silver, and instead of the wood, copper, and instead of the stones, iron; and I will appoint peace as your overseers and righteousness as your task assigners.” In referring to “overseers” and “task assigners,” this prophecy pointed to improvements in organizational procedures among Jehovah’s people.
     "This important step in bringing the organization into theocratic alignment came at the end of the “two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings,” mentioned at Daniel 8:14. At that time, “the holy place” was “brought into its right condition.” (Bold mine)
 
Shockingly, they go so far as to claim that the prophets Isaiah and Daniel foretold the adjustments made within the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, which they equate with the "holy place." How do you feel about all this? Are you disturbed, even "sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done in [our] midst?" Do you share Jehovah's view on matters? —Ezek. 9:4, 6.

In 1971 further adjustments were made in the operation of their corporation. Their seeming prosperity in acquiring properties around the world is to them evidence of God's blessings. To them all these worldly facilities, over which they believe they have been appointed by Christ, are holy:
 
    ‘The faithful slave’ has been ‘appointed over all his master’s belongings.’ These include facilities at headquarters in New York State, U.S.A., and the 110 branches now operating worldwide. The members of the slave class know that they will be called upon to render an account for the way in which they have used what has been entrusted to them. (Matthew 25:14-30) Yet, this does not prevent the ‘slave’ from allowing qualified overseers from among the “other sheep” to care for legal and administrative responsibilities. In fact, this allows members of the Governing Body to devote more time “to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”—Acts 6:4.
 
The Governing Body—as the self-proclaimed faithful slave—teaches that they have already been judged and "appointed over all [the] master’s belongings," as a reward for their faithfulness back in 1918/19. As they indicate, to them the master's belongings refers to the worldly corporation and all its assets, and their lofty position within it. But would Jehovah and Jesus view them as being faithful if they have made no distinction between the holy and the common things? Can they trample upon God's standards with impunity and then even expect to be rewarded?


In 1881, Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society was organized to facilitate the distribution of Charles Taze Russell's publications, including Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, first published in July of 1879. In 1884, Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society was legally chartered in Pennsylvania, U.S.A., and soon the Watch Tower publications were being distributed around the world. Upon C. T. Russell's death (October, 1916), J. F. Rutherford became president of the Society (January, 1917), but by no means unanimous consent. Four on the board of directors, who opposed his appointment, were expelled from the Society and denounced as the "evil slave."

J. F. Rutherford soon took control of every aspect of running, not only the Society, but also all the congregations. Elders were now officially appointed by the Society, and they were expected to have the evangelizing spirit, setting an example in the preaching work. In order to better control this activity "each congregation that desired to share in this activity was invited to ask the Society to register it as a 'service organization.' Then a director, or service director as he came to be known, not subject to yearly election, was appointed by the Society. As the local representative of the Society, he was to organize the work, assign territory, and encourage participation by the congregation in the field service. Thus, alongside the democratically elected elders and deacons, another type of organizational arrangement began to function, one that recognized appointive authority outside the local congregation and that gave greater emphasis to the preaching of the good news of God’s Kingdom." —Jehovah's Witnesses, Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, chap. 15 p. 212, Development of the Organization Structure. (Bold added)

The footnote on the above quote also states that "through the service director, the field service of those associated with the congregation, or class, was to be reported to the Society each week, starting in 1919." Yes, "another type of organizational arrangement began to function" within the congregations, but this was not put there by Jehovah, nor Jesus, the head of the congregation. The Pennsylvania corporation, that had originally been formed as a legal entity to facilitate the distribution of the Society's publications, was now effectively in control of God's household. The foretold "man of lawlessness" had seated himself within God's temple and now started to exercise his "control" over every member in every congregation. From then on every Bible Student had to report his "field service" activity to the congregation, which was then forwarded to the Society. A brother's spirituality could now be judged by consulting his report. In former days a chart was at the front of the congregation that displayed the activity for each member of the congregation. How does the reporting of our activity in God's service harmonize with Jesus words: "But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, that your gifts of mercy may be in secret; then your Father who is looking on in secret will repay you." (Matt. 6:3-4) The Society often equates the "gifts of mercy" with our preaching activity. "Engaging in the holy work of the good news of God" was now effectively controlled by the secular Society and its president, and today's governing body. —Rom. 15:16; 1 Cor. 15:58; 16:10.

This should be more than just of passing interest or curiosity to us because it involves God's coming judgment upon his people! By combining the holy with the common it has become difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between what is from Jehovah and what is merely corporate policy, or as they call it "theocratic arrangement." It explains why we have come to view everything the Society does as being from Jehovah, believing it automatically has his approval and blessing; when instead, it has brought reproach on God's name, so that "the way of the truth [is being] spoken of abusively." (2 Peter 2:2) Because of not being able to distinguish between the sacred and the secular, many have been stumbled from God's household because of things that have been done in God's name; and they now no longer believe that God has a household.

How different from the way things were done in the congregations in the First Century, as revealed in the Greek Scriptures. Today, God's people have become mere employees of a corporation. (Isaiah 26:13; Ezek. 34:27) The ones who should have set the example in humility have instead introduced the way of the world into God's house. (James 1:27) But we should not be surprised by all this for it was prophesied for our time. The day is fast approaching for our Master Christ Jesus to return and for his slaves to be held to account. Fitting the description of the "evil" slave, also identified by Paul as the "man of lawlessness," and "son of destruction," the governing body members will be dealt with according to what they have brought upon themselves. (2 Thess. 2:3-4) Instead of declaring them as "faithful and discreet," the Master has foretold that he will then punish them "with the greatest severity," and assign their portion with the hypocrites and unbelievers. —Matt. 24:48-51.

This will be in harmony with Jehovah's own judgment that he long ago pronounced upon the ones who make no distinction between the holy and the common things: "So I shall pour out my denunciation upon them. With the fire of my fury I will exterminate them. Their way I shall bring upon their own head." (Ezek. 22:27-29, 31; Zech. 10:3; 2 Thess. 2:8) Instead of following their wicked example, we share Jesus' attitude: "Pay back, therefore, Caesar's things to Caesar, but God's things to God." (Matt. 22:21) As God's holy people, we distinguish between the sacred and the secular, between what belongs to God and what he requires of us, and what is Caesar's and his laws. (1 Peter 1:15-16) And we patiently wait on Jehovah to bring us relief at his appointed time.

 
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