A question for those who believe in God and the Bible....

restrangled

I am one of them. How do you feel about the gifts he gave us as humans? Don't you find it strange that the WBTS or F&DS and other extremist religions would have their adherents believe he wants our entire lives spent in worship and preaching?

All of us have been given special talents, gifts of special abilities such as art, humor, music, writing and so on. Does it not seem logical that persuing these gifts are a form of worship? To ignore our special abilities is a slap in his face? He also gave us our family connections and to destroy those is unnatural....(you know ....Disfellowshipping.

Does God really expect humans to be worshiping him 24 seven ignoring everything else that was given to us? He even gave himself a day off!

Think back to Genisis where he was searching for Adam at the "Breezy part of the day".....(that says, to me) , God has a lot more going on and gave humans privacy. Letting them pursue their own interests and enjoy what he had given mankind.

What is your opinion?

r.

Sad emo

Well we all know what happened to the guy who buried his one talent in the parable!

Says it all really doesn't it? Did the WTS have any teaching on that particular parable btw?

snowbird

I agree wholeheartedly. The word worship has the same root as the word worthy. I believe the God of the Bible is certainly worthy of our reverence.

However, we can show that reverence in as many and varied ways as we are many and varied individually.

Great topic, Restrangled.

sir82

Did the WTS have any teaching on that particular parable btw?

Of course!

The one who buried his talent corresponds to someone who...

wait for it....

you'll never guess....

..refuses to go preaching! I know, what a shock! Who'd a thunk it?

restrangled

Sad Emo.....I don't know that parable...what happened?

r.

snowbird

Yep, Sir82 is absolutely right. I remember a full-scale exposition in the God's Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached book. The apostle Paul's words as outlined below from The Message Bible were completely overlooked:

Ephesians 4 7 -13 But that doesn't mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift. The text for this is,
He climbed the high mountain,
He captured the enemy and seized the booty,
He handed it all out in gifts to the people. Is it not true that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth? And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.

Each person is uniquely different. All this should have been taken into consideration - but wasn't.

Sylvia

Sad emo

For you R:

Matthew 25

The Parable of the Talents

14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents [a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 " 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Sir82:

..refuses to go preaching! I know, what a shock! Who'd a thunk it?

I should've guessed lol!

Outaservice

I understand there are some tests that will tell you or help you to understand your 'spiritual gifts'. And yes, I do think worship includes these whether these be music, art, etc.,etc. The Society wanted us all to be the same (robots) in looks, actions, etc. and only do what they considered most important, i.e. worshiping the organization and selling their crap.

Outaservice

poppers

Great post, restrangled.

restrangled

Thanks sad emo, after I started reading it I remembered.

Seems, the master wants all of us who were given gifts in any area to use them, which gives back to the "master" and those around us. To bury our gifts and hide them away, has a negative effect on ourselves and the master maker.

Some of us were given more talent than others, but thats ok because we all benefit when it is invested! Think of the great Masters of music, art and the ability to write......We all enjoy and are inspired!

r.

A question for those who believe in God and the Bible....

The Parable of the Talents

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