Personal Relationship?

by Carmel 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Carmel

  I don't mean to be trite or argumentative, but I keep hearing all the time about having a "personal relationship with Jesus" as the solution to leaving the Witlesses. For the life of me, I really don't know what this term means. I can only compare it to its literal counterpart, i.e. having a personal relationship with a human. To do that I know the person intimately, like living with them day in and day out. How does one do that with an historical figure that is only sparsely referred to in an ancient book written by a variety of individuals, some of which never even met Him. (Paul of course comes to mind)

  How much of what is called a "personal relationship" is mear emotional attachtment to a composite set of idealized notions, with a generous sprinkling of filling in the blanks?

  carmel of the "real people want to know" class
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  rwagoner

  How does one do that with an historical figure that is only sparsely referred to in an ancient book written by a variety of individuals, some of which never even met Him. (Paul of course comes to mind)

  Faith, belief, emotion.....for those who "believe" it isn't such a stretch. For those without that belief/faith, I could never explain it.

  I would also not try to press my beliefs on them or belittle them simply because I did not understand or agree..
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  unclebruce

  I agree Carmel,

  I can't for the everlasting life of me work it out either. As a dub I kinda felt a personal relationship with Jehovah but the Jesus thing alluded me.

  As witnesses we sometimes discussed which gospel writter/version of Jesus we could most relate to (I prefered Matthew). I think the 'high on Jesus' thing puzzles a lot of dubs. Perhaps it's related to non-trinitarianism. Who do dubs say 'formed' Adam again? YHWH or his only befuddled son?

  befuddledunc
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  Mrs Smith

  Just read the Greek Scriptures without the "watchtower filter" see what understanding you get from it. I find it simple to understand. Don't need a bunch of old men to explaine it all to me.
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  mellisamouse

  I don't see Jesus as some all mighty powerful being. ( I don't believe in the bible)

  I just think he was a good example.

  I think just following your concience and common sense is the best way to true happiness.

  If you wanna have a relationship with God, look within YOURSELF.

  He wispers to everyone in some way or another............it is not something to find outside of yourself in my opinion.
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  LittleToe

  Do you think it's possible to have a personal relationship with me, through this medium, even though we'll likely never physically meet?

  The role-confusion, experienced due to WTS dogma, is a common one. More than half the things we attributed to "Jehovah" as JWs, an unbiased reading of the New Testament attributes to Christ. Lee's comment reminds me of the statement "if you know me you know the Father", a bit of a reversal on his personal relationship with "Jehovah".

  While many start with externalising a concept, you'll more likely hear Christians talk of an internal "Christ in your heart". The ultimate marriage isn't onw of two becoming one flesh, but many becoming one "spirit", in Christ. Oh, and it can be as tangible as a lover's embrace, for some...

  ..other's won't let him quite that close, for whatever reason (consious or sub-conscious), but I think that's often ok too!
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  vitty

  LT I dont think you can compare a relationship here with you and having one with Jesus.

  I dont think you would call it a relationship, if I constantly, everyday read your old posts and you never posted again for a few years. If I asked you questions and you never answered me. I would give up trying to contact you
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  Narkissos

  Preliminary assumption: language is essentially metaphorical; what we use to call the proper, or non-figurative use of a word is actually a dead metaphor; when we say that X means Y we are basically substituting one metaphor to another. We are not any closer to whatever is meant (signifié). Language means indirectly, drawing the shape of ideas with clusters of metaphors. Adding or substracting a metaphor makes another idea.

  Even when I was deep into christology (I still am in a way) I never liked and hardly used the metaphor of "personal relationship with Jesus," nor the implied notion of "friendship". I find none of them in the NT (the fringe metaphor of "brotherhood" has a completely different emphasis, generation and right of birth etc.). As has been said what we do find is the paradoxically commutative "in" (mutual indwelling, Christ in me and me in Christ), which the NWT mistranslates with the plainly commutative "in union with". Thinking again, I guess I dislike the "personal relationship" metaphor for exactly the same reason I disliked the "in union with" translation.
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  *jeremiah*

  For those who believe in this, it goes something like this:

  They believe that Jesus died for you. You can be saved by asking Him for forgiveness from your sins. If you are willing to repent of your sin, He is waiting to forgive you. It doesn't matter what you have done in the past, if you cry out to Jesus for forgiveness, He will not reject you. The word "repent" literally means "to turn away from." You need to look at your life, admit that you are a sinner, genuinely desire to turn your back on that sin, and ask Him to forgive you. If you do this, He promises to forgive you.

  1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.(Gal. 5:1)

  7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. (Eph. 1:8)

  Then at some point a person says a prayer of faith something like this:

  "Jesus, I know that I have sinned against you. I know the truth is that I have sinned by my own choice, and I am the one responsible for it. I know that I have earned punishment from You, and that the fair punishment would be death. Jesus, I believe that You died in my place. Forgive me for my sin. I cannot cover or take my sin away, I am relying totally and only on You. You are the only one who can save me. I reject my sin, I turn away from it, I repent. Come into my life, take away my sin, and show me how to live my life in a way that is right and pleasing to You."

  "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," [ d ] that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." [ e ] 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."(Romans 10:8-13)

  Once this is prayed, they believe YOU ARE SAVED! You are now completely forgiven, a new creation, innocent in the eyes of God.

  This is when the personal relationship begins. The relationship is fostered through reading God's word and prayer. Fellowship is also a means of encouragement.

  16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19)

  20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"(Gal. 2:20-21)

  Hope this helps.
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  hambeak

  A relationship with Jesus can be as close or as distant as you personally want. Read the Greek scribtures and you will get to know what he stood for, and from that you make up your mind to either accept or reject and go from there