Matthew 24;14--any thoughts?

by Hannah 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  gumby

  Jesus taught something called the "Way" which was a way of living, a "Way" of life.

  Didn't Jesus say "I am the way"? He didn't say "my way of life is the way". He said I am the only way to the father and nobody gets to the father except through me". He also said "you must eat my flesh and drink my blood" to have life....not just copy my way of life.

  Are you saying a person could follow Jesus lifestyle and gain life.....even if they did not except him as gods saviour to mankind that all must accept?

  Gumby.....who still wants to have a smoke with ya
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  serendipity

  Hi Hannah, welcome to the forum!
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  anewme

  I really wonder if the preaching work responsibility doesnt fall on the shoulders of the anointed.
  The beating of their earthbound followers to do the work for them seems unscriptural when all they were foretold to do was hold onto their skirt fringe of the privileged "jew".
  
  I resented the preaching work very much and how much it controlled my life.
  My marriage partner was very zealous but had a handicap. I had to be his unwilling partner for years while he auxillary pioneered during the year and every Saturday and Sunday. Of course being sincere he also had Bible Studies that had to be visited during the week and their kids had to be studied with and dinners had to be served at our house and midnight emergencies with Bible Studies had to be handled. And of course we had to have the Book study at our house and the weekend F.S. and invite all the visiting speakers and C.O.s to our home. Of course all this zeal led to his eldership appointment which drove us further into the org.
  Now add talks during the week and outside to various halls on Sunday. The spare time was spent studying and practicing talks and repairing our old vehicle to keep up with the theocratic schedule.
  I will NEVER FORGET standing with him at a door sick with PNEUMONIA while he and the householder argued for an hour and a half. I went to the hospital (drove myself) right afterwards.
  
  I left him when it was apparent he was determined to have me "die faithful"! NO THANKYOU!!!
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  A Paduan

  Does anyone have any thoughts on Jesus' words of preaching the good news to the entire inhabited earth?

  Yeh - I expect that it will be good news, truly good, refreshing, welcome, comforting and good news.
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  Alwayshere

  Hannah, Matthew 24: 3-51 was fullfilled during the life time of Jesus' diciples. Jesus said "Truly I say to you that THIS generation will by no means pass away untill all these things occur." [Matthew 3 ; 34 ] Who was he talking to? Matthew 24:3 shows he was talking to his diciples. So they understood it meant their generation. The preaching of the good news was fullfilled before 70 C. E. At Colossions 1: 23 Paul said it had been preached "in all creation." So as verse 3 says " the end would come after it had been preached It did in 70 C.E. Now the Watchtower Society wants you to believe it had a greater fullment but no where did Jesus say it did. Where did they read it at in the Bible if it does? Hope this helps you to see the preaching work is not binding on us today.
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  dozy

  
  "When I went to get my mail, 2 'tracts' about Jesus and being saved were on my porch. This is the 2nd or 3rd group of people who have come through my neighborhood in a year. The message they carry is pretty simple: Jesus."

  Therefore they weren't preaching the Good News of God's Kingdom (Mt 24:14 , Mk 13:10) - no mention of God , no mention of His Kingdom.

  They were simply preaching a message of "Religion Lite" - accept Jesus as your saviour - no effort required - & you'll be OK. Put a few tracts through letterboxes (but please don't actually engage anybody in conversation).
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  LittleToe

  Hannah:

  Welcome to the board

  How does that text compare to Paul's words in Rom 1:8: "First of all, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ concerning all of YOU, because YOUR faith is talked about throughout the whole world."?

  Compare also Luke.2:1; Acts.11:28.

  Jgnat:
  So the population of the earth has increased by over 50% since 1975 - interesting!

  Dozy:

  The Apostle Paul appeared to have this problem, too, as evidenced by his own confession in 1Cor.2:1, 2: "And so I, when I came to YOU, brothers, did not come with an extravagance of speech or of wisdom declaring the sacred secret of God to YOU. For I decided not to know anything among YOU except Jesus Christ, and him impaled."
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  acadian

  Hey Gumby,

  Are you saying a person could follow Jesus lifestyle and gain life.....even if they did not except him as gods saviour to mankind that all must accept?

  Pretty much, yep!

  From the research I've done on "Nazarene Essene's" They did not believe in a ransom sacrafice, or any animal sacrafices for that matter.

  The Nazareian essene's taught the "Way" to Salvation, yes a lifestyle, but not just any lifestyle either.
  They didn't teach like Paul did, to just call on the name of the lord and you will be saved.
  No Jesus the "Nazarene" taught there was a narrow path, few on it, diffitcult to traverse, a bit differant than Paul's teaching.

  The Nazarene's taught that we all have the ability to become exactly what Jesus became, "Christlike" and that's what Jesus was teaching, that if we follow in his foot-steps we can become Christ's ourselves or "Christlike" the word "Christ" means "Anointed" or "Anointed One".

  Gumby.....who still wants to have a smoke with ya

  LOL... I call that having communion together, and enjoying God's Sacraments...

  Acadian
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  KW13

  I tell you one thing, in my mind when i see preaching i see spending time with people, making new friends, having a relaxed discussion regarding the bible and religion not knockin on the door. Have a beer, sit back and chat about it!
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  tmo1965

  Introducing The Gospel

  (1 Corinthians 15:1-8 )

  1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,

  2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

  3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

  4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

  5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

  6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

  7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;

  8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.