PRESENT THE TRUTH AS TAUGHT BY THE MASTER!
Tuesday, December 04, 2001
There are many religious doctrines that are presented to us today by various Christian scholars; and individuals who believe that the Bible supports their beliefs. But when called upon to support their beliefs with scripture they are unable to present a solid scriptural discussion that cannot be refuted.
A case in point is the belief of the “Trinity Doctrine.” Another is the belief in the teaching of an “Immortal Soul.” Still another is the belief in “Torment” “in a fiery place called Hell.” “Purgatory” is still another.
Are these teachings biblically sound? If so how should they be presented to others? Does the Bible mark out a particular way to present these teachings so that it is impossible to refute them? We will see that it does. If it does not then they are false teachings and to be avoided.
If we find that the Bible does not support these teachings would we be willing to discard them in favor of what the Bible really does say about them?
What is the scriptural way to present all of the truths found in the Bible? What did Jesus Himself have to say about this matter? What method of teaching did He impart to the 1st century Christians? How did He say that we should worship His Father Jehovah?
The answer to the last question can be found in the account in John 4: 5-26.
… Jesus said: “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know; for salvation comes from the Jews. But the hour will come- in fact it is here already- when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth: this is the kind of worshiper the Father wants. God is Spirit, and those who worship MUST worship in spirit and truth.” {Verses 21-24} Before I discuss this scripture any further I would like to draw attention to what the Bible has to say in the prophecies of Daniel. “But you O, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the the time of the end. {Then} many shall run to and fro and search anxiously {through the book}, and knowledge {of God’s purposes as revealed by His Prophets} shall be increased and become great.” {Daniel 12:4} … “And they who are wise and understanding among the people shall instruct many and make them understand” … {Daniel 11: 33} … “and none of the wicked shall understand, but the teachers and those who are wise shall understand.”
When Jesus appeared on the earth the end of the Jewish system of things was very close at hand. So at that time they were living in the “time of the end.” In Matthew 24: 1, 2 Jesus foretold the complete destruction of the Jewish Temple. In 70 c. e. that prophecy was fulfilled when the Roman Army led by General Titus completely destroyed the Jewish Temple. That is now a matter of history.
From Daniel’s time right up to time of Christ the Book was sealed. So no one alive in that time of spiritual darkness could understand what was written in Jehovah’s word of truth. It was sealed until the time of the end. As Christ began His ministry the seal on the book was removed. Then the first application of Daniel 12:4 went into effect. … “Knowledge of God’s purposes as revealed by His Prophets was increased and became great.” {Daniel 12:4} This of course would have a chain reaction. Those who were wise and who understood Jesus teachings would in turn impart their knowledge to other wise ones. We read in Romans 10:18 about the great impact Jesus Ministry had on the World of Mankind at that time. Those whom He chose to send out filled the entire inhabited earth of their time with that knowledge.
This brings us back to where Jesus spoke to the Samaritan Woman at the side of the well. The conversation He had with this woman explains how they accomplished this feat. “The hour will come- in fact it is here already when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” …John 4:23 Those He taught were able to accomplish that earthshaking preaching campaign because they were worshiping the Father in “spirit and truth.” What exactly does that mean? Turning to 1 John 5:6 informs in part: “the spirit is the truth.” In 2 Peter 1: 19-21 we learn this: “So we have conformation of what was said in prophecies and you will be right to depend on prophecy and take it as a lamp for lighting a way through the dark until the dawn comes and the morning star rises rises in your minds. At the same time we must be most careful to remember that the interpretation of scriptural prophecy is never a matter for the individual. Why? Because no prophecy ever came from man’s initiative. When men spoke for God it was the Holy Spirit that moved them.” In 1 John 5:6 we learn that “the Spirit is the truth.” The Apostle John informs us “that no lie can come from the truth.” 1 John 2:21. Compare Titus I: 2-Hebrews 6:18. Speaking about those faithful men who took the lead in the first century the Apostle John in Revelation 14:5 tells us about them: “ They never allowed a lie to pass their lips and no fault can be found in them.” Every word they taught was exactly what Jehovah wanted them to say. They were all “filled with Holy Spirit.” They gained and maintained that Spirit right to the end of their lives. But how did they gain that spirit in the first place? Was it just a free gift in the sense that they didn’t have to do anything to get it?
Peter explains what was necessary for them to do in order to receive this free gift. “And Peter answered them. REPENT {change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it} and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the free gift of the Holy Spirit.” {Acts 2:38} Without true repentance, without turning around and “doing work’s that befit repentance” they would never have received that free gift. The Holy Spirit is the teacher! It teaches complete truth. There is no error whatsoever in teaching or interpretation. The teachings are God’s, the interpretations are God’s. When taught by Holy Spirit one comes to fully understand the Bible. Without it they would have never understood the Bible. But they did understand. That is why they were able to fully accomplish their ministry. They first repented. And then they displayed works that showed that they were genuinely repentant. Then they were baptized. {Acts 2: 1-13, 14-21} Then they received that free gift. If the repentance was not displayed they would not have received the “free gift” of the spirit. No repentance, no gift. It is that simple!
This is the reason that there are so many false and conflicting teachings being propagated today. They are without the Holy Spirit. So they are not God’s teachings, nor are they His interpretations. Jesus is the one entrusted with the Holy Spirit. He is the one who pours it out or with holds it.
In our day are we able to follow a like course? Of necessity we must! The way to do exactly as all of Jehovah’s faithful witnesses have done is clearly marked out in the Bible.
Beginning with 1 Corinthians 1:10 we read this: “But I urge and entreat you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in perfect harmony and full agreement in what you say, and that there be no dissension’s or factions or divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your common understanding and your opinions and judgments.”
So everything we believe and teach must be exactly in harmony with those 1st Century Christians with absolutely no deviation. Paul counseled us … “not to go beyond the things that are written” 1 Corinthians 4:6. In harmony with that statement are the words of the Apostle Luke at Acts 26:22 where he stated: “ to this day I have had the help which comes from God … and so I stand here testifying to small and great alike, asserting nothing beyond what the Prophets as well as Moses declared would come to pass.” Then we learn from the Apostle Paul, this: … “Every fact is to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” 2 Corinthians 13:1 so in every teaching or interpretation of scripture that we put forth must be in full harmony with those early Christians. We must examine every teaching today by looking to those ancient writers for guidance. We must use these faithful men as our “two or three witnesses” to establish every teaching as to whether it is true or false.
In the matter of the Trinity doctrine we will look to what those ancient Prophets believed to see if it harmonizes with their teaching. It must be remembered I only need three of the ancient witnesses to establish what I say as the truth! At Deuteronomy 6:4 we read this: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is ONE LORD.” {The only LORD} This same witness penned these words in Psalms 83:18. “That they may know You, whose name ALONE is Jehovah, are the most High over all the earth.” The Prophet Malachi wrote: “Have we not all ONE FATHER? Has not ONE GOD created us?” Malachi 2:10. Zechariah wrote: “And the LORD shall be King over all the earth; in that day the LORD shall be ONE … and His name ONE.” Zechariah 14:9 Compare I Corinthians 15:28. So we see that those ancient witnesses did not believe or teach the doctrine of the Trinity!
What about the 1st Century Christians? For the bible to be a complete harmonious whole they would have had to be in full accord with those ancient witnesses. Were they? Notice the Apostles Paul’s words at Ephesians 4: 4, 5. {There is} one body and one spirit-just as there is also one hope {that belongs} to the calling you received- {There is} ONE Lord, {Jesus Christ} one faith, one baptism. ONE GOD and Father of us all Who is above all {Sovereign over all”}… The Apostle James wrote: “You believe there is ONE GOD; you do well. So do the Demons believe” … Jesus told His followers: … “ONE” is your Father, the Heavenly One.” Matthew 23:9. It can be seen from this that none of Jehovah’s faithful people ever believed or taught the doctrine of the Trinity. Since the Demons were at one time dwelling in the heavenly realm they would have known for a certainty just how Jehovah should have been viewed. They did not believe that He was a three in one God. They knew He was only ONE GOD! That knowledge caused them to shudder. As it should the Trinitarians!
Even and with much more importance was Jesus own view because He also existed in the heavenly realm before His presence on earth. He stated Himself “Why do you ask me about the perfect and essentially good? There is only ONE who is good {perfectly and essentially”} …Matthew 19: 17. The matter has been scripturally established at the “mouth of more than the required “two or three” witnesses! The Trinity doctrine is a false teaching!
Who in their right mind would want to argue against what the Son of God Himself taught about this matter? All of the 1st Century Christians referred to Jesus as the “SON OF GOD”, not GOD! There are many, many references in scripture to support that. There are also many references to show that Jesus and His Father are distinctly different and show clearly that Jesus is not Jehovah. To cite them all would make my discussion book length. Those references are there. Truth hungry ones will search them out for themselves. Those with no spiritual appetite will not bother.
What about the doctrine of “Purgatory?” Do the dead really go into this place and await their judgment? Then later receive their rewards or punishments? What do the ancient and 1st Century Christians have to say about this teaching?
What punishment did Jehovah pass on the perfect pair that He put in the Garden of Eden? Did He say that they were going into a place called Purgatory? I have never read that! Neither has anyone else! He told them: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil … you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surly die.” {Genesis 2: 17} So then where do the dead go after they die? Where does the Bible say they are? Does it say there are in Purgatory?
I guess the words of Jehovah God are sufficient in this case to establish the matter sufficiently. But I will supply other witnesses to buttress my argument. Jehovah told the pair: “In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you shall return.” Think about this! Would Jehovah sentence a perfect pair of people to die to return to the dust; and then allow imperfect persons to suffer agonies in torment in a fiery hot place? That would be much more punishment than the perfect pair received. That would certainly throw the divine scales of justice out of balance. The Psalmist wrote: “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help. When his breath leaves him, he returns to his earth; in that very day his {previous} thoughts, plans, and purposes perishes.” {Psalms 146: 3, 4} All of these witnesses together put to death the Hell Fire Teaching, the Purgatory doctrine as well as the doctrine of the immortal soul! At Ecclesiastes 9: 5 we read: “For the living know that they will die. But the dead KNOW NOTHING; and they have no more reward {here}, for the memory of them is forgotten.” Verse 10 reads: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol {the place of the dead}, where you are going.”
This article thus far has clearly shown that all of the aforesaid teachings are totally out of harmony with all of the Bible writers. Some do not believe that the preaching work should be done today. This idea has also been shown to be a false idea. In as much as it is being done in our day. Is foretold that it would be. Has been done for quite some time now. None of the ancient Prophets or 1st Century Christians taught such things as have been dealt with here. They are all false teachings. That has been conclusively proven! They have completely “gone beyond” what all of the Bible writers spoke and taught. Those who are guilty of teaching those God dishonoring doctrines, as well as all those who in turn believe and teach them themselves are in dire peril. Why?
Notice the inspired words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 1:8, 9. “But even if we or an angel out of heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to and different from that which we preached to you, he is to be condemned.” In verse nine he repeats this statement. All of the teachings under consideration are “contrary” and “different” to what the ancient Prophets spoke and wrote. They are a babble of confusion designed to mislead those searching for truth.
Some today believe and teach that we must follow and apply the Mosaic Law. Should we? Does the Bible support this idea? The point that I am about to make about this I will establish at “the mouth of three witnesses.” The point is this: The nations of the world were never taken into that covenant. They were not then or now under that covenant. They were not included at the time that Law was brought into being. So they were never obligated to follow that Law. Here are the three witnesses that support what I have said. Psalm 147:19, 20 “He declares His words to Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any nation; and as for His ordinances they have not known them. ”Amos 3:1,2 continues: “Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt: You ONLY have I known …of all the families of the earth” … Romans 3:1,2 supplies the final witness to establish what I have stated as the truth. … “{Only} the Jews were entrusted with the oracles the brief communications, the intentions, and the utterances of God.” Jehovah does not hold guilty the nations for anything written under that law. If they try to apply that law now they are rejecting the ransom sacrifice. Then they will be held guilty! By doing that they put themselves under obligation to perform the whole law. If anyone sits down opens their Bible and reads completely chapters 3 and 4 of Galatians they will clearly recognize that no one today is under the Mosaic Law. Notice what Paul said in Galatians 5:4: “ if you seek to be justified and declared righteous and to be given a right standing with God through the law, you are brought to nothing and so separated {severed} from Christ. You have fallen away from grace” … Paul tells us in Colossians 2:14 that the old Mosaic law was “taken out of the way” it was “nailed to the Cross” {tree-stake} Pick one! Note Hebrews 8: 7-13. Specifically verse 13. “When He said a new covenant He has made the first obsolete.” Romans 10:4 tells us: “For Christ is the end of the Law” …So those who tell us that we must observe that law is teaching a false teaching. Scripture overwhelmingly supports that. So much so that it is a subject to deal with at a later time.
“Who really is the faithful Slave” today? It is all those who profess to be Jehovah’s Witnesses today! Those who have their feet firmly planted in the footsteps of Christ following exactly the guidelines He laid out in dispensing spiritual truths. They must do as those first Century Christians did. When they learned the truth they discarded their way of worship under the Mosaic Law. In favor of true worship. Others as well at that time did likewise. They abandoned the false way of worship that they were following. They began presenting the truth just as Jesus had taught them to. Can we today do any less and expect to have Jehovah’s favor and blessing? Absolutely not!
Jesus told His followers “What you hear whispered Shout from the house tops" {Matthew 10: 27}
The entire brotherhood of Jehovah’s witnesses today worldwide must now follow this direction. They have heard something that was whispered. Does fear of man’s oppressive tactics {Disfellowshipping} {Marking} {Shunning} hold them back from shouting from the housetops something that they have heard whispered? Then their fear is misplaced. “It is Jehovah your God you should fear and Him Alone you render sacred service” Luke 12:5
Those who really do follow the example set by Christ will incur the hatred of all that are not lovers of Jehovah even though they may profess to be. They will suffer the ill treatment inflicted upon them by oppossers. They will be ridiculed, insulted abused in every way possible. Should that discourage anyone? Not in the least! All of Jehovah’s faithful servants suffered treatment like that! It served to show that the Spirit of God was resting upon them. 1 Peter 4:14. It was a cause for great joy! When we are not receiving treatment like that we are doing something wrong! So expect it. Enjoy it when it comes.
So do not just blindly accept every teaching that you receive today regardless of who is teaching it. Their claim to being a true Prophet of God should be backed up by solid scriptural evidence that cannot possibly be refuted scripturally. We all must follow closely the guidelines set out in the Bible. {Acts 20:29, 30}
Paul tells us all: “But test and prove all things {until YOU can recognize} what is good; {to that} hold fast.” Added to that are the word’s of the Apostle John: “Beloved, DO NOT put faith in every spirit, but prove {test} the spirits whether they proceed from God; for many false Prophets have gone forth into the world.” 1 John 4:1 Once again Paul tells us: … “that you may prove {to YOURSELVES} which is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Anyone who is unwilling to follow scriptural direction as is laid out in the Bible their worship would not be” acceptable to God.” When we follow ALL of the scriptural direction exactly as laid out then we will be “presenting the truth exactly as the Master did”. Only then will we have Jehovah’s full approval.
I had the question put to me by someone on the board at one time. It went like this: “So then, “Who really is the Faithful Slave?”
It is anyone who desires to preach and teach exactly as the Messiah taught. We all can supply that “spiritual food at the proper time”to others if we are well versed in the Bible and willing to do it just as Jesus did. Anyone can either be faithful or unfaithful. It’s our own choice isn’t it?” If we cannot be the “Faithful Slave” then we cannot be the “Unfaithful either.” Does that make any sense?” No! It doesn’t does it? All of us are either “Faithful” or “Unfaithful.” IT doesn’t just apply to a group of self-exalted men sitting in an office in Brooklyn New York! They have not been presenting the truth exactly as the Master taught. They claim to be but they are not! That is why the “judgment will begin there first! Didn’t Jesus say: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst?” Matthew 18:20
There can be right now all over this world little groups of people gathered together and if we are willing to present the truth exactly as He did, He will be right there in among us. We can gather together and manifest the same repentant attitude that was displayed by His faithful servants of old. What was that? It was this: “But the tax collector, {merely} standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eye’s to heaven, but KEPT striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable {be gracious and merciful} to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am.”
That attitude gained him that “free gift” of the spirit` without which he would have never understood the Holy writings. It is that spirit that guides one into all of the truth. {John 14”26} Jesus said: “apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15: 5. He was the one entrusted with the Holy spirit. He could pour it out or withdraw it. What we are doing will decide that! One could lose that spirit were he not to maintain that humble repentant attitude. The flow of knowledge would be cut off. We must keep “striking our breast” as did the tax collector right through to the end of our lives or the end of the system of things. Which ever comes first? Speaking about the attitude of the tax collector Jesus said: “I tell you, this man went down to his home justified {forgiven and made in upright standing with God, ` Those who manifest the same attitude of the Pharisee’s spoken of in verse 11 of Luke 18- where Jesus said: “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted” {Luke 18: 11-14}. Do we wish to wait to be humbled by Jehovah or will we do it now ourselves and save ourselves the humiliation that is sure to come to those who refuse to do that? So those who really are concerned with presenting the truth just as the master did keep on doing that. If you are not, then begin to. That is the only way to gain and maintain that “free Gift” because it is Not a “free gift” to those who refuse to do it! Let them not believe otherwise! That is a self deception! An illusion!