Salvation thru Christ or Organization?

Think

Some believe that Jesus Christ is the Salvation. Others have opinion that THE ORGANIZATION is The salvation. Where is the TRUTH?

People like to read the Bible in theirs homes without any interference from others. But there is also a strong opinion, especially from organized religions, that we are not intelligent to understand the Bible alone,

They try to convince us, that we need THEM to explain to us THE BIBLE, and we MUST ADOPT their beliefs, because ACCORDING TO THEM, only THEM know the truth, and ONLY THEM have the intelligence to explain THE BIBLE and THE TRUTH. What is YOUR Opinion?

Billygoat

But there is also a strong opinion, especially from organized religions, that we are not intelligent to understand the Bible alone,

To be honest, the only organized religion I've seen do this is the Jehovah's Witnesses. I've been a member of Bible, Christian, Baptist and Catholic congregations. Not ONE of them had this opinion. Perhaps I've been lucky, but not all churches teach this. Perhaps in years past, they did, but many today do not. The Witnesses would like you to believe that, but then again, they are known to teach inaccurate and archaic crap.

Super_Becka

Some believe that Jesus Christ is the Salvation. Others have opinion that THE ORGANIZATION is The salvation. Where is the TRUTH?
People like to read the Bible in theirs homes without any interference from others. But there is also a strong opinion, especially from organized religions, that we are not intelligent to understand the Bible alone,
They try to convince us, that we need THEM to explain to us THE BIBLE, and we MUST ADOPT their beliefs, because ACCORDING TO THEM, only THEM know the truth, and ONLY THEM have the intelligence to explain THE BIBLE and THE TRUTH.

Hmm, I'm with Billygoat on this one, I've never heard of any Christian denomination forcing their followers to accept a viewpoint like this, except, of course, for Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm an Anglican and while I don't go to church very often, I know enough about my faith to know that the Church of England doesn't make its followers feel stupid and inferior, nor does it claim that the C of E and ONLY the C of E is "right" when it comes to Christianity and the Bible.

Instead, we're encouraged to have our own faith and read the Bible for ourselves, and the church is always there to help us understand what we read if we need help. My grandmother reads the Bible every single day with no help from a member of the clergy or any member of the church, and she understands it her own way. I have never been made to feel inferior or unworthy in my church, and if I don't attend services for a while, nobody is going to give me a dirty look or lecture me on it, I am always welcomed back with smiles and open arms when I do attend a service, and it's a nice feeling. In my church, I always feel welcome, I always feel like an equal and I never feel like I'm unworthy.

I think that only Christian sects like the WTS force their followers to accept a level of inferiority when it comes to worshipping God and reading the Bible, and I firmly believe that that is one of the methods of mind-control practiced by these groups. Make the people feel dumb, inferior and unworthy, and they'll do whatever you tell them to gain salvation and be accepted by God. After all, nobody wants to be "destroyed at Armageddon", right??

Just my opinion.

-Becka :)

Think

I value your opinion !

TheListener

These are some of the scriptures I've learned about how important a personal relationship with Jesus is and why we shouldn't be dependent upon an organization but the holy spirit.

john 16: 12-15 -"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

1 John 2:27 -As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

John 3:16-21: 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, [f] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. [g] 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (from bible gateway)

John 3: 31-36: 31 "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God [k] gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." [l]

Matthew 18:20 -"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

1 Cor. 11:3 - Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

Think

Billygoat, Super_becka, TheListener thank you !

Good points !

Elsewhere

Billygoat: To be honest, the only organized religion I've seen do this is the Jehovah's Witnesses. I've been a member of Bible, Christian, Baptist and Catholic congregations. Not ONE of them had this opinion. Perhaps I've been lucky, but not all churches teach this. Perhaps in years past, they did, but many today do not. The Witnesses would like you to believe that, but then again, they are known to teach inaccurate and archaic crap.

I know a great book I think you would enjoy. It is called The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse and talks about high-control churches. I was surprised to find that there are many churches as bad or even worst than the WTS. The difference is that most of these churches act alone or in small groups unlike the large WTS. Because they are so small it is hard to nail them down like the WTS.

This is not a "death to religion" book, instead it tries to guide abused "abused sheep" back to Jesus.

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse
by David Johnson

Saoirse

I would say that the vast majority believe that the only way to be saved is through Jesus Christ. There are some bad churches but I believe that they are the exception rather than the rule. My church teaches that it doesn't matter what church you attend, as long as they are Christian. That would exclude JWs, Mormons, and the Unity church.

Goldminer

Here is how I see it,

Jn 3:16-For God loved the world so much that He gave His only-begotten Son,in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed,but have everlasting life.

Jn 14:6-Jesus said to him: I am the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me.

Now if the WTS says we have to be a part of their organization in order to approach God or have salvation then they are making themselves equal to Jesus.

1 Cor.1:13-The Christ exists divided.Paul was not impaled for you,was he? Or were baptized in the name of Paul?

We might have been baptized in the name of the WTS (contrary to scripture) but the WTS was never impaled for our salvation.

Mt 6:24-No one can slave for two masters...

Hope this helps.

Goldminer

Think

Doing some research I discovered some "NEW LIGHT FROM ONLY ONE WISE GB TOWER" :

" The Bible is an organizational book, and belongs to the Christian congregations as an organization, NOT TO INDIVIDUALS, regardless of how sincerely they may believe they can interpret the Bible. For this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah's visible organization ( the Watchtower Society ) in mind. "

Is it not what Russell was trying to sell to others, that only his understandings about Armagedon coming in 1914 is "proper" ?

How REALLY proper was ? Did Armagedon happened in 1914?

How about the other Churches ? Look like according to this statement Their combined wisdom is ... aa... ZERO ?

Salvation thru Christ or Organization?

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