Where are the People of God to be found today?

by stevieb1 26 Replies latest jw friends

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  stevieb1

  This is a matter I have wrestled with. Who are the people of God, where are they to be found. I feel that there are some within the Watchtower organization as there are in other churches. How do you feel about the Society's take on the question of whether faithful Christians are to be found in all religions. Obviously they feel they are only to be found within "Jehovah's organization". What would be your reasoning on the so-called "proof" they offer below?

  *** rs 283 Organization ***
  Are those who are faithful servants of God simply individuals who are scattered in the various churches of Christendom?

  2 Cor. 6:15-18: "What portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? . . . 'Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,' says Jehovah, 'and quit touching the unclean thing'; 'and I will take you in.' 'And I shall be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me,' says Jehovah the Almighty." (Is a person really a faithful servant of God if he continues to share in worship with those who show by their way of life that they really are unbelievers? See the main heading "Babylon the Great.")

  1 Cor. 1:10: "Now I exhort you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among you, but that you may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought." (Such unity does not exist among the varied churches of Christendom.)

  John 10:16: "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd." (Since Jesus would bring such ones into "one flock," is it not obvious that they could not be scattered in Christendom's religions?)
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  Budda Belly

  Why not ask:

  Where is God to be found today?

  is he/she/it with a

  Muslim?

  Christian?

  Buddist?

  Jew?

  Sihk?

  Why is God so anti-social?
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  drahcir yarrum

  stevieb1:

  Perhaps a question of equal importance is where can god be found? Other than some confusing and contradictory scriptures in the Torah, Koran, Bible and other tomes, he/she has been remarkably incommunicado for the last 6,000 years.

  I see and read about good people every day of my life, but in 52 years I haven't seen god yet. He hasn't spoken to me from a burning bush or anywhere else.

  So I am satisfied to say to god, "come out, come out whereever you are!"
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  Unclepenn1

  Stevie, I will attempt to answer your questions.

  First of all, the 'other' sheep Jesus is referring to in that passage is gentiles. (He came for the lost sheep of Israel, but they rejected him so he invited those to the banquet who were not originally invited)

  Secondly, being a child of God does not depend on religious affiliation, how kind you are to the poor, or if you have achieved a certain level of good works. The basis of salvation is Christ and Christ alone. We are all guilty before God because of our sin but Christ has purchased us with His blood, those who follow Him. 4 years ago I cried out to God to save me and He did. I turned from my life of sin to follow the Savior and He took away my heart of stone and gave me a heart of flesh. I live to serve and to please God and it is what I live for. Not in a religious 'works' type thing, but rather He has made His desires, my desires. I have been born again as the Bible speaks of. The body of Christ is an invisible union that people all over the world have with Christ, doing the will of God all over the earth. Not some legalistic Pharasaical organization based on 'towing the line'

  Penn

  Please email me if you want to talk or have any other questions :)

  Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me."
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  Budda Belly

  And remember:

  Christians have been at each throats about who is
  a "true Christian" for centuries.

  An example would be a Chuck Smith Born Again
  putting dowm a JW as false, or a JW puttiang
  down a Catholic as false.

  Research all of the worlds religions and you
  will find that christians are not the only fish
  in the sea of humanity with the monopoly of LIFE.

  If you need a group to be with , you can allways
  choose one of your liking.

  As I recall.. we all seek religion thru study and association.
  God has never come to us. All of humanity has sought God out.
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  Unclepenn1

  Budda wrote- If you need a group to be with , you can allways choose one of your liking.

  With all do respect, choosing religion is not like choosing ice cream flavors. What you prefer has no basis on what is true or not. Let's say I want to kill a bunch of Americans. I can choose this radical sect of Islam to justify my desires and still go to heaven.

  Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me."
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  BobsGirl

  The basis of salvation is Christ and Christ alone. We are all guilty before God because of our sin but Christ has purchased us with His blood, those who follow Him.

  So can I assume that we won't be finding the people of god in China, the middle east ... India ...

  BobsGirl

  "May the work of your hands be a sign of gratitude and reverence to the human condition." - Mahatma Gandhi
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  Budda Belly

  Dear Penn,

  Religions are a reflection of peoples.

  Many are extreme, some today are a toned
  down versions of the original.

  Consider the Jewish faiths of today and
  think about the softening that has taken
  place over many years.

  But than again look at Christianity today.
  It seems to be a diferent religion
  than what Christ said...
  Todays Christianity is of a Pauline mindset.
  I perfer the Jamesian mindset, with the focus
  on what Christ said. But wait a minute..
  Jesus was a Jew, does that mean his soft
  approach was appostate.

  How can I be certain that Jesus is the answer?
  How about Allah?
  Or Jehovah?

  Why should I even narrow my spiritual life down to one
  book when there exists many more.
  Case in point:
  Is the Bible Canon complete? Hardly..

  Its not a sin against god to consider other teaching
  that may be foreign to you.
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  BobsGirl

  This is a topic about which I can really get worked up ..... I have spent so much time being force fed concepts that I do not believe… that I have not really formed a firm understanding of what i DO believe. This however is what I know ....

  If I take away anything created by the hand of man (ie: WTBS, Bible, Koran, Torah, Book of Mormon, etc) and look at Gods' creation ,I see people with divergent and fiery opinions, who are more alike than different... but OH BOY the differences! I see a myriad of colors, flowers ... etc. (All of the arguments that the WTBS uses to convince us of Gods love) and I think WOW. God must really celebrate diversity....

  My heart tells me that this God who could be so loving and so diverse would not create these differences and then offer only one path to Him...

  Now hold on guys …… I KNOW…. I have read the bible from front to back more than once. Any answer I am looking for can be found therein.. but I have found answers in The Book of Mormon and the Torah as well. Believe it or not I have even found an answer or two in the pages of the Watchtower. But the key here is that they were MY answers to MY questions. My answers will not be the same as yours … I am not you … there they are again .. those brilliant GOD GIVEN differences.

  Maybe Gods chosen people are the ones who have the courage to have the relationship with Him that He built into their hearts ….. despite the outside pressures and influences.

  BobsGirl

  "May the work of your hands be a sign of gratitude and reverence to the human condition." - Mahatma Gandhi
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  Unclepenn1

  Bobs Girl- Fact : There are more Christians in China than in the United Staes (by far, BTW) China and Japan send missionairies to the US. Keep in mind, Christianity is not a western religion. Christ was born in Asia, performed miracles in Asia, Died in Asia, rose again in Asia, et al)

  Buddha- If you would be open to it, I would like to begin a dialogue with you over the email as to why Jesus is the only way to God and why the BIble is without a doubt God's message for humanity. Please consider this and let me know.

  Penn

  Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me."