OUT OF THE FIRE INTO THE FRYING PAN!
In their efforts to preach the “Good News of the KINGDOM the Witnesses go door to door. They are imparting the knowledge that they have gleaned from those in positions of authority in their own Religious organization. Not from their own private personal diligent study of the Bible. They just accept everything told them as word of God. They are trying to shows these other people that they have been seriously misled. And they have! They have sat there in their pews and passively accepted every word that they have been taught as carved in stone. Just like the ones at the door.
Few if any follow the scriptural direction in 1 John 4:1 Romans 12:2 or 1 Thessalonians 5:21. They do not “Test” what they are taught. They do not “Prove to themselves” they do not “make sure of all things.” Why? They are not allowed to question the authority of their Religious Leaders! I f they dare to do that out they go! Sound like a familiar scenario?
Some time back I read an article in the Globe and mail paper. It was discussing what the Pope had to say about this very subject. I do not remember at this point the exact quote. The upshot of this article was that “anyone who did not accept all of the teachings of the Catholic Church was to be excommunicated” … Is it any wonder that they do not have knowledge of the Bible as Jehovah has revealed it?
When the Witnesses appear on their doorstep with their message what they hear if they take the time to listen is a message that is very close to the truth. Being untrained as they are some of them accept that message. They are truth hungry individuals and what they are hearing sounds like the truth. Some accept it as such.
The problem is those at the door at not allowed to follow the direction contained in the three scriptures previously mentioned. Anyone who has been associated with the Watchtower Society is well aware that all that are part of that organization “must accept all of the teachings of the Society without question” If they do not out they go. They have knowledge no one can argue that but they do not possess the “Wisdom of God” in order to make a correct application of said knowledge. I say that because any who are going door to door who refuse to follow the direction in 1 John 4:1, Romans 12:2 1Thessalonians 5:21 will never receive the “Wisdom from above”. So what we have here is a prime example of the “Blind leading the blind.” Both are going into “the pit.” Matthew 15:14 neither those answering the door nor the one’s knocking on the door follows the direction in those three scriptures. Both are threatened with removal if they do so. So they do not!
It becomes rather funny when you think about it. These one’s that are accepting everything they are being taught as the truth, are in actuality no better off than they were when they first started. Because when they become baptized they still do not test anything they are being taught. They still are expected to sit and passively accept everything they are being taught as carved in stone. So how are they any betters off than they were at first? All they have done is exchange one oppressive organization for another. Out of the frying pan into the fire as it were.
What both organizations have been failing to take into consideration are Jesus own words at John 7:16. “My teaching is not my own, but His who sent me.” Those failing to get the sense of that statement will never receive “the wisdom from above.” Lacking that wisdom they will never gain appreciation for all the rest of the scriptures. Nor will they understand them correctly. Nor will they have Jehovah’s Holy Spirit on them. Nor will they ever be able to set forth a proper interpretation of scripture. The many failed predictions of the Watchtower Society are proof of that. The many false teachings of the Churches of Christendom are also.
Jesus said very clearly that what He taught belonged to His Father. Further He tells us in John 15:15 “But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from Him.” That is just as true today as it was in the first century. Nothing has changed. There are those today who have been given the “Wisdom from above.” Jesus has made known to them everything that He has heard from the Father. In order to discover who these ones are it is necessary to “TEST” 1 John 4:1 everything being taught by any religious organization today. We must “Prove to ourselves” that what they are teaching is “The good and acceptable and perfect will of God” Romans 12:2. Again He tells us in John 13: 15 “I have given you an example so that you may copy everything that I have done to you.” The Apostle John in 1 John 2:6 adds this to all that: “Whoever says he abides in Him ought {as a personal debt} to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.” So then whether we are setting forth an interpretation of scripture or teaching anything related to scripture it must of necessity be done in full harmony with what Jesus Himself taught. If it isn’t what we will end up setting forth is our own personal interpretations, our own words.
When we begin teaching in harmony with Bible teachings it will become clearly evident to all listeners. Some will listen with great interest and act on what they hear. Others will manifest hatred towards us. Note Jesus own words concerning this at John 7:17 “If any man desires to do His will {God’s pleasure}, he will know {have the needed illumination to recognize, and can tell for himself whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking from myself and of my own accord and on my own authority. ” The Watchtower Society tells us that “we cannot understand the Bible apart from them.” But read again John 7:17 “ If any man desires to do His will he will know … and can tell for himself whether the teaching is from God” … So anyone who desires to do Jehovah’s will is a “faithful slave” and will be “appointed over all of Christ’s belongings.” Matthew 24:45 This bit of information puts the Watchtowers Governing Body in a very embarrassing position to say the least. There past record of failed prophecies is proof that they have not had “the wisdom from above” nor do they have it now! The reason being that when those who do have it rise up and try to correct them on any spiritual matter they are quickly gotten rid of. According to Jesus own words they were able to” tell for themselves whether a teaching was from God.” When it wasn’t they courageously stood up and informed them that it wasn’t. That is what Jehovah wanted them to do!
The Governing Body teaches that all of the members world- wide “must accept all teachings” as though they come out of “the mouth of God.” They are saying without actually saying it: “We do not allow you to “Test the inspired expression” You are not allowed “to prove to yourself the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” {We’re God} you are not allowed to “make sure of all things. Since” everything we speak is from God.” “All of that is not necessary.” What did Jesus have to say about Religious leaders that manifested this type of attitude? In John 7:18 it reads: “He who speaks on his own authority seeks to win honor for himself {He whose teaching originates with himself seeks his own glory.} But he who seeks the glory and is eager for the honor of Him who sent him. He is true; and there is no unrighteousness or falsehood or deception in him.”
It is common knowledge that much of what the Society teaches as well as some of their interpretations are not Bible based. Their teachings originate with themselves. Jesus said they were seeking to “win honor for themselves.” They were and are right now “seeking their own glory.” They have it! The entire worldwide Brotherhood bows to the Governing Body in Brooklyn New York as though they were God. No one even dares to question their authority out of fear of losing their honored positions within that arrangement. Jesus` words at John 12:43 apply to them all. “ For they loved the approval and the praise and the glory that come from men {instead of and} more than the glory that comes from God. {They value their credit with men more than their credit with God.”} What will be their end if they continue on the coarse that they are on? Jesus words at Matthew 23: 15 should help them see the need for quick change. “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, pretenders {hypocrites}! For you travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes one {a proselyte}, you make him doubly as much a child of hell {Gehenna} as you are.”
They are all aware of the changes that they must make now. If no changes come then it may become true in their case ” Out of the frying pan into the fire.” The fire of Gehenna!