I told him I had questions about Salvation, The Mosiac Law and Christmas/Holidays.
Salvation:
I know the JWs say that Salvation is of works, and noone knows that they are saved/have salvation until after they die. But, I came across a few scriptures that says otherwise.
Salvation is of grace, not of works. is mentioned in Eph 2:8-9, Gal 2:16 and Titus 3:5. I have also looked up the word Salvation, in the Greek, which is the word Soteria, which means:
- deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation
- deliverance from the molestation of enemies
- in an ethical sense, that which concludes to the souls safety or salvation
- of Messianic salvation
- salvation as the present possession of all true Christians
- future salvation, the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God
Now, I can't find that word anyplace in James in my Greek Bible. . Also, from what JWs have told me, there is no way that I can be assured Salvation, if that is the case, then why does I John5:8-15, in particular Verse 13 say otherwise?
2. Mosiac Law.
JWs have been telling me that I shouldn't be tithing, shouldn't be doing this, or that, or a few other things because that was under the Mosaic Law, and we are not bounded by that. I actually did research under the Mosaiac Law, and I have 2 slants on it. 1, Tithing was never mentioned in the Mosaiac law and 2, if we aren't bound my ANY law in the Mosiac law, I guess I'm free to have relations with a jackrabbit then.
The laws are too long to post here, but Here is a link to read them
Now with that said, I never hear anything about the Abrahamic Covenant, the Noahide Laws, mentioned from JWs. And from what I personally understand, all of these laws are still in tack, because God never breaks a Covenant, Here is some scripture that says this. Everlasting
Genesis 8:20-22; 9:1-17; Psalms 105:8,10; Isaiah 54:10 ; 61:8 God faithful to
Leviticus 26:44,45; Deuteronomy 4:31 ; 7:8,9 ; Judges 2:1 ; 1 Kings 8:23; Psalms 105:8-11; 106:45; 111:5 ; Micah 7:20 . (links disabled)
Now, the Jews did break them but God never did. He disperesed them to other lands until 1948, when he bought them back home (but thats a totally different tangent.)
Christmas.
The celebration of Holidays and Birthdays dosen't please Jehovah from what my JW friend have told me. And by celebrating Christmas, you are honoring Jesus, not the father, which is a big no-no, according to a JW friend.
Well, in the Book of Ester, they had a feast/celebration/Holiday after the Jews were saved from destruction. Also, in the book of Job, Job himself threw at least 2 Birthday parties for his kids. from what I have read, Jehovah never Got mad in those cases. Also, about honoring Jesus, there is a scripture in the Bible that says " That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him" John 5:23..spoken by Jesus himself (Context is John 5:17-45, with Jesus speaking from 19-45.)