1-2. What must a person do before getting baptized?

 DURING the past five years, more than a million people have been baptized as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many of these, like the first-century disciple Timothy, were taught the truth “from infancy.” (2 Tim. 3:14, 15) Others learned about Jehovah as adults, some late in life. A while back, a woman who studied the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses got baptized at the age of 97!

² If you are a Bible student or if you are being raised by parents who are Witnesses, are you thinking about getting baptized? That is a commendable goal! Before getting baptized, though, you will need to dedicate yourself to Jehovah. This article will explain what dedication involves. It will also help you to see why there is no reason to hold back from taking that step, along with baptism, when you are ready to do so.

WHAT IS DEDICATION?

3. Give Bible examples of people who were dedicated to Jehovah.

³ In the Bible, dedication signifies a setting apart for a sacred purpose. The Israelites were a nation dedicated to Jehovah. But some individuals in the nation were dedicated to Jehovah in a special way. For example, Aaron wore a “holy sign of dedication”​—a shining gold plate on the front of his turban. That gold plate indicated that he was set apart to serve in a special capacity​—as Israel’s high priest. (Lev. 8:9) The Nazirites  too were dedicated to Jehovah in a special way. The word “Nazirite,” which comes from the Hebrew word nazirʹ, means “Separated One,” or “Dedicated One.” Nazirites were to live by the restrictions that were set out for them in the Mosaic Law.​—Num. 6:2-8.

4. (a) In what way are those who are dedicated to Jehovah set apart for a sacred purpose? (b) What does it mean to “disown” yourself? (See also picture.)

⁴ When you dedicate yourself to Jehovah, you choose to become a disciple of Jesus Christ and make the doing of God’s will the most important thing in your life. What will Christian dedication require of you? Jesus said: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself.” (Matt. 16:24) The Greek phrase translated “let him disown himself” can also be rendered “he must say no to himself.” As a dedicated servant of Jehovah, you will need to say no to anything that conflicts with his will. (2 Cor. 5:14, 15) That includes saying no to “the works of the flesh,” such as sexual immorality. (Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Cor. 6:18) Will such restrictions make your life difficult? Not if you love Jehovah and are convinced that his laws are for your own good. (Ps. 119:97; Isa. 48:17, 18) A brother named Nicholas puts it this way, “You can view Jehovah’s standards either like the bars of a prison that keep you from doing what you want to do or like the bars of a lion cage that protect you from danger.”

5. (a) How do you dedicate yourself to Jehovah? (b) What is the difference between dedication and baptism? (See also picture.)

⁵ How do you dedicate yourself to Jehovah? You promise him in prayer that you will worship only him and that you  will put his will first in your life. Really, you are promising Jehovah that you will continue to love him “with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind and with your whole strength.” (Mark 12:30) Your dedication is made in private, between you and Jehovah. In contrast, baptism is public; it shows onlookers that you have made a dedication. Your dedication is a sacred vow, and Jehovah expects you to live up to it, just as you expect that of yourself.​—Eccl. 5:4, 5.

WHY DEDICATE YOURSELF TO JEHOVAH?

6. What motivates a person to dedicate himself to Jehovah?

⁶ The main reason you dedicate yourself to Jehovah is that you love him. Your love is not based on emotion alone. Rather, it is rooted in “accurate knowledge” and “spiritual comprehension”​—the things that you learned about Jehovah that caused your love for him to grow. (Col. 1:9) Your study of the Scriptures has convinced you (1) that Jehovah is real, (2) that the Bible is his inspired Word, and (3) that he uses his organization to accomplish his will.

7. What should we be doing before we dedicate ourselves to God?

⁷ Those who dedicate themselves to Jehovah should know the basic teachings found in God’s Word and be living in harmony with its standards. They share their faith with others to the extent that their circumstances allow. (Matt. 28:19, 20) Their love for Jehovah has  grown, and their heartfelt desire is to give him exclusive devotion. Is that not so of you? Having this kind of love, you will not view dedication and baptism as something you do just because you want to please your Bible teacher or your parents; nor do you view it as something you do to fit in with your friends.

8. How does gratitude play a role in your decision to dedicate yourself to Jehovah? (Psalm 116:12-14)

⁸ The decision to dedicate yourself to Jehovah is only natural when you think of all that he has done for you. (Read Psalm 116:12-14.) The Bible rightly calls Jehovah the Giver of “every good gift and every perfect present.” (Jas. 1:17) The greatest of those gifts is the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus. Just think! The ransom has made it possible for you to have a close relationship with Jehovah. And he has given you the prospect of living forever. (1 John 4:9, 10, 19) Dedicating yourself to Jehovah is a way to show your appreciation for that greatest expression of love ever made, along with all the other blessings Jehovah has given you. (Deut. 16:17; 2 Cor. 5:15) Such appreciation is highlighted in lesson 46 point 4, of the Enjoy Life Forever! book, which includes the three-minute video Presenting Your Gifts to God.

ARE YOU READY FOR DEDICATION AND BAPTISM?

9. Why should a person not feel pressured to make a dedication?

⁹ You may feel that you are not ready for dedication and baptism. Perhaps you still need to make changes in your life to conform to Jehovah’s standards, or perhaps you need more time to strengthen your faith. (Col. 2:6, 7) Not all students progress at the same pace, and not all young ones are ready for dedication and baptism at the same age. Try to evaluate your spiritual progress according to what you are able to do and not in comparison with someone else.​—Gal. 6:4, 5.

10. What can you do if you conclude that you are not yet ready for dedication and baptism? (See also the box “ For Those Being Raised in the Truth.”)

¹⁰ Even if you realize that you are not yet ready to dedicate yourself to Jehovah, keep that step before you as a goal. Pray for Jehovah’s blessing on your efforts to make whatever changes are necessary. (Phil. 2:13; 3:16) You can be certain that he will hear your prayer and respond.​—1 John 5:14.

WHY SOME HOLD BACK

11. How will Jehovah help us remain faithful to him?

¹¹ Some who are ready for dedication and baptism still hold back. They may wonder, ‘What if afterward I commit a serious sin and get disfellowshipped?’ If you have that fear, be assured that Jehovah will give you everything you need “to walk worthily of [him] in order to please him fully.” (Col. 1:10) He will also give you the strength to do what is right. He has already proved that he can do that by how he has dealt with many others. (1 Cor. 10:13) That is one reason why relatively few people are expelled from the Christian congregation. Jehovah equips his people to remain faithful.

12. How can we avoid getting involved in serious sin?

¹² Every imperfect human is tempted  to do wrong things. (Jas. 1:14) However, whether you act on temptation is a choice​—your choice. The fact is that ultimately you are the one who is in control of how you will live. Though some people may make claims to the contrary, you can learn to control your impulses. And even if some improper impulses surface, you can refrain from acting on them. To that end, pray every day. Maintain a good routine of personal study of God’s Word. Attend Christian meetings. Share your faith with others. Taking these steps consistently will give you the strength to live up to your dedication vow. And never forget that Jehovah will help you to do so.​—Gal. 5:16.

13. What good example did Joseph set for us?

¹³ You will find it easier to live up to your dedication if you decide beforehand what you will do if faced with temptation. The Bible tells us of a number of people who evidently did that, even though they too were imperfect humans. For example, Potiphar’s wife repeatedly tried to seduce Joseph. But he did not have any doubts about the stand he would take. The Bible tells us that “he refused,” and he stated: “How could I commit this great badness and actually sin against God?” (Gen. 39:8-10) Clearly, Joseph knew how he would react even before she tried to tempt him. That made it easier for him when he was actually faced with temptation.

14. How can we learn to say no to wrongdoing?

¹⁴ How can you show a similar resolve to that of Joseph? You can decide now what you will do if a temptation arises. Learn to say no immediately to things that Jehovah hates, even refusing to dwell on them. (Ps. 97:10; 119:165) That way you will not waver when tempted. You will already know how you will respond. You will already have settled on your course.

15. How can a person show that he or she is “earnestly seeking” Jehovah? (Hebrews 11:6)

¹⁵ In your case, you may know that you have found the truth and that you want to serve Jehovah with all your heart but something still holds you back from dedication and baptism. You can take to  heart the example of King David. You can beg Jehovah: “Search through me, O God, and know my heart. Examine me, and know my anxious thoughts. See whether there is in me any harmful way, and lead me in the way of eternity.” (Ps. 139:23, 24) Jehovah blesses those who are “earnestly seeking him.” Your working toward the goal of dedication and baptism shows him you are doing just that.​—Read Hebrews 11:6.

KEEP DRAWING CLOSE TO JEHOVAH

16-17. How can those being raised in the truth be drawn by Jehovah? (John 6:44)

¹⁶ Jesus said that his disciples are drawn by Jehovah. (Read John 6:44.) Consider what a profound thought that is and how it applies to you. Jehovah sees something good in each person he draws to himself. He views the individual as his “special property,” or “treasured possession.” (Deut. 7:6; ftn.) That is true in your case too.

¹⁷ It may be, though, that you are a young person who is being raised in the truth. You might feel that you simply are being carried or towed along. Nevertheless, the Bible says: “Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.” (Jas. 4:8; 1 Chron. 28:9) When you take the initiative to draw close to Jehovah, he responds by drawing close to you. Jehovah does not view you as just being part of a group. He draws each individual​—including each individual who is being raised in the truth. When such a person takes the initiative to draw close to Jehovah, He responds, as we noted at James 4:8.​—Compare 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

18. What will we discuss in the next article? (Psalm 40:8)

¹⁸ When you dedicate yourself to Jehovah and get baptized, you reflect the attitude of Jesus. He willingly presented himself to his Father to do whatever was asked of him. (Read Psalm 40:8; Heb. 10:7) In the next article, we will discuss what will help you to keep serving Jehovah faithfully after your baptism.