by Mary 64 Replies latest jw friends
I remember an illustration given by DO. He said if you went for a bus it was better to be at the bus stop early rather than miss the bus. His point was that we might be slightly early and like waiting for a bus, time may seem to drag. But, better early than late.
That was about 40 years ago and that DO is now dead.
Eyeslice
Sounds like someone moved the busline and he was looking at an old schedule..... <pictures skeletal corpse leanin up against the bus stop pole>
I remember hearing at the meeting that we were on the last lap of an endurance race, Armageddon was not just round the corner because we were indeed on the 'final straight'.
Don't know about you, but I've never watched an athletic event where the last lap is way way longer than all the other laps put together!
I remember a talk about the organisation was the ARK. Just as Noah,s ark had a slippery substance surronding the boat so that those who did not get on the ark could NOT hang on to the Ark the Organisation also did not allow hangers on!!! You either GOT ON the ARK or drowned...Yes I am ashamed to say I conned my studdies to believe that !!!!!!
And what about having any kind of life in this system of things is like shuffling chairs about on the Titanic.....pointless. I think that was brought out quite a few decades ago.
I know it took a while for the Titanic to sink....but really...it wasn't 120 years or everyone would have survived it!
In U K slang, to be "around the corner " is one thing, but being "round the bend" is quite another. You may even be "up the creek without a paddle"
Gumby said: I just had someone tell me that "the love of the greater number is cooling off" and applied it to the Organisation. Little did he know the society's current understanding of this applies to "the world".They jump back and forth with this so often it's hard to tell WHAT the current belief is......depends on which way the wind is blowing.....doesn't the bible say Jehovah doesn't change?? So why does their interpretations constantly change??
Actually, search high and low in the WTS publications and you will not find the WTS apply the love of the greater number cooling off to the WTS. It is always to the people outside the WTS. That doesn't mean that individual JWs having made their own private interpretation, including elders. Shows how easy it is for the WTS and its members to speak out of both sides of their mouths.
*** w84 10/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***Do
Jesus’ words that "the love of the greater number will cool off" mean that this will occur among true worshipers now?With good reason we believe that Jesus was not foretelling a large-scale loss of love among Jehovah’s people.
The apostles had asked for ‘the sign of Jesus’ presence and of the conclusion of the system of things.’ Jesus foretold wars, earthquakes, food shortages and persecution of Christians. He added: "Because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off."—Matthew 24:3-12.
Much of that prophecy found a fulfillment between then (33 C.E.) and the great tribulation on Jerusalem that the Romans caused in 70 C.E. (Compare Luke 19:41-44; 21:5-28.) During that interval, did the love of most anointed Christians cool off? No. Those who fell away from Christianity during that generation evidently were in the minority. Most Christians experiencing persecution from the Jews kept up "declaring the good news of the word," displaying love for God, for unbelievers and for fellow Christians. (Acts 8:1-25; 9:36-42) But love did cool off among the Jews, who claimed to be true worshipers. The greater number of them ignored Jesus’ warning, revolted against Rome and resorted to a violent defense of their nation.
Jesus’ prophecy extends beyond the first century and has its major fulfillment today. (Revelation 6:2-8) As with the Jews back then, people have less and less effective love. Millions have turned atheistic. Even in Christendom people tend to show less neighbor love, and church attendances and knowledge of the Bible generally are declining. Many who seem to be religious try to rectify human problems through political causes. So it apparently is among such claimed worshipers of God that love is cooling off.
True Christians, though, must not become complacent. Since some Christians in the first century lost their first love or were distracted from it by problems, we could find our love cooling off. (2 Timothy 2:16-19; Revelation 2:4) While, if that happened, we would be exceptions to most of Jehovah’s people, the fact that it could happen to us individually emphasizes our need to ‘endure to the end’ so as to be saved.—Matthew 24:13.
*** w84 12/15 p. 30 Do You Remember? ***
When,
at Matthew 24:12, Jesus said that "the love of the greater number will cool off," was he predicting this to happen to true worshipers now?Jesus’ words were part of a prophecy about ‘the sign of his presence and of the conclusion of the system of things.’ (Matthew 24:3) These words found an application in the first century among Jews claiming to worship God. With their lack of love they did not heed Jesus’ warning, and they suffered the consequences when the Roman armies invaded Jerusalem. Comparably, among professing Christians today not only is neighbor love diminishing but so is love for God. This is the principal application of Jesus’ words, yet they should act as a warning for all true Christians as well.—10/1, page 31.
*** w67 12/1 pp. 735-736 Questions from Readers ***
Does
Jesus’ prophecy at Matthew 24:12 about the cooling off of the love of the greater number find fulfillment in Christendom or among Jehovah’s Christian witnesses?—P. A., U.S.A.The things that have occurred in this generation show that both Christendom and God’s true servants are involved in the fulfillment of this prophecy. In the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew Jesus Christ was describing to four of his disciples different aspects of the composite sign that would be observed during his second presence. After mentioning wars, food shortages, earthquakes and persecution of true Christians, he added: "Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; and because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off."—Matt. 24:11, 12.
The various aspects of this composite sign have been in evidence since the establishment of God’s kingdom in 1914, including the leading of people away from the Bible and fundamental Christian beliefs. The clergy of Christendom joined the trend to label the Bible as mythological; then they mixed in among their teachings human theories such as evolution, and now they spread the "God is dead" idea. Whereas people in Christendom claiming to be Christian used to read the Bible and view it as God’s inspired Word, many have now been led away from it by their ‘false prophet’ religious leaders. And some of the leaders have as much as admitted this. One clergyman told a Baptist convention: "A spirit of lethargy has overcome the people . . . and it is our fault." Another minister told the same group: "We have drifted away from the practice of scriptural Christianity."—Houston Post, December 5, 1964, page 15.
With millions of persons in Christendom rejecting the Bible as the standard to follow, morals have been adversely affected. There has been an increase of lawlessness. Some think that if there is a God he is not concerned with what they do. The people in general are frightened by the resulting crime and lawlessness, but, instead of their turning to God, they drift farther away from Him. As the aforementioned clergyman noted, they become lethargic and what love for God and fellowman they had diminishes; it cools off.
Some wonder how these can be the "greater number" referred to in this text, since they are not even true Christians. But they claim to be so. Of all the people professing to be Christians, these having little love for God and neighbor constitute the majority, the greater number.
However, those who are actually Christians can also be involved in this prophecy. For a time following the setting up of the Kingdom in 1914 Jehovah’s servants were in a state of spiritual captivity. There was persecution from the outside, and even within the organization of true Christians there were problems. Some had allowed their love for God to grow cold and they tried unlawfully to seize control of the organization. When they failed, they fell away and became an "evil slave" class, opposing those who continued to show true love for God. (Matt. 24:48-51) And over the years others have been influenced by the lawlessness of the world or have let their love die down for some other reason. The cooling off of their love caused them to abandon true worship and to join the imitation Christians, thus adding to the "greater number."
Yet there appears to be no reason to conclude that the greater number of those in Jehovah’s organization of Christian witnesses now are going to lose their love for God in the future. The lawlessness and lack of love in the world is already well advanced, but most of Jehovah’s witnesses are remaining devoted to God and with strong love. Even so, we each need to be concerned with our own spirituality so that our love for God remains strong. (Matt. 22:37) If that is the case with each one of us, Jesus’ words in the next verse of Matthew chapter 24 will be fulfilled in us: "He that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved."—Matt. 24:13.
The WTS gives me such a headache. They are going to be saying that the end is almost within reach...or just about at hand...or actually AT hand...or some version of said crapola until the WTS and Jehovah's Witnesses no longer exist. Its all they've got that sets them apart, sells their magazines and brings in new converts. They can never abandon their mantra that the end is almost here.
The sad thing is that there will always be some poor fools that will ride the roller coaster up, down, around and around all their lives and be just as excited the 20th go 'round as they were the first time the WTS took them for a ride.
Actually, search high and low in the WTS publications and you will not find the WTS apply the love of the greater number cooling off to the WTS.
Nice quotes Blondie girl
I suppose if they claimed this applied to their own ranks, they'd then have trouble re-defining the scripture they use in Joel ( I think ) that says in the latter part of the days people would be STREAMING to the mountain of Jehovah......which is the scripture they have always used to describe their fast increase. I'm not too sure they still use this scriptures with their o% growth rate.
Gumby
How about imminent?
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w04 1/15 p. 13 Jehovah’s Greatness Is Unsearchable ***Anointed Christians zealously began to seek out and bring into their association these fellow worshipers from all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues. This "great crowd" will survive the imminent "great tribulation," with the prospect of eternal life in Paradise as permanent members of the "new earth."
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w03 5/15 p. 24 Remain Steadfast, and Win the Race for Life ***Yes, the great day of Jehovah is imminent. However, we have nothing to fear as long as we stay close to God. If we firmly adhere to his righteous standards and remain steadfast, we can successfully run the race for life eternal!
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w03 6/1 p. 16 "Do Not Be Afraid or Be Terrified" ***What an opportune time to praise Jehovah courageously! No, living in expectation of Gog’s imminent attack does not cause them to shrink back in fear.
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w03 9/15 p. 25 "The Law of the Wise One"—A Source of Life ***For example, we know that God’s new world is imminent
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w02 6/15 p. 7 Mankind’s Problems Soon to End! ***Yet, the most stunning step will be the imminent intervention by Christ Jesus and his associate rulers in the heavenly Kingdom government
*** w01 7/15 p. 11 Be Joyful Harvest Workers! ***Because among the blessings of Kingdom rule is the imminent end of the present wicked system.
*** w00 1/15 p. 7 God’s Prophetic Word Gives Hope for the Future ***The first was against wayward Judah and the second against oppressive Babylon. The final one, yet to be fulfilled, applies to the imminent destruction of all wicked humans
*** w00 1/15 p. 26 Cultivate Intimacy With Jehovah ***Even during the imminent great tribulation
*** w00 9/1 p. 16 Show a Waiting Attitude! ***’ God’s faithful worshipers know that Christ’s Millennial Reign is imminent
*** w99 5/1 p. 22 Be Vigilant and Be Diligent! ***. A Christian today might similarly be distracted so that he is not fully prepared for Jesus’ imminent arrival.
*** w99 8/15 p. 5 Enjoy "the Real Life" ***This will include people whom God protects through the imminent destruction of this wicked system of things.
*** w99 10/1 p. 12 "A Time for Peace" Is at Hand! ***Yet another reason why the present can be viewed as a time for war is that "the day of vengeance on the part of our God" is imminent.
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*** w54 10/1 p. 581 Flee for Your Life! ***Thinking Bible students, however, see in present world conditions grave portents for the future. Accepting God’s Word as truth, a beacon light for their path, they see in it a warning of imminent death for the present chaotic system of things
*** w54 12/1 p. 734 Living Now as a New World Society ***And living as a New World society means that we are to be a happy people. Rather than introvertedly dwelling on the mistakes of the past let us take joy in the fact that the Kingdom is established, the King is present, the great ingathering is taking place and the complete vindication of Jehovah’s name is imminent.
*** w52 12/1 p. 709 Walking Blamelessly Through the Last Days ***
But now, by occurrence of every detail of the great sign Jesus gave, we know that we face the imminent end of the present world system.
No no it's not 'around the corner'..that's just way too tacky. It's 'AT HAND'!!! Don't tell me you missed the DC u slacker.
