Of what am I to be 'repentant'?

by AK - Jeff 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • AK - Jeff
    AK - Jeff

    Here is the classic 'formula' for reinstatement based on the 11/15/06 Watchtower article paragraph 8 and 9 entitled: Always Accept Jehovah's Discipline.

    Clearly, then, a sinner must be repentant if he is to receive mercy. However, neither shame nor fear of exposure is repentance. “To repent” means “to change one’s mind” with regard to bad conduct, because of regret. A repentant person has “a heart broken and crushed” and wants to ‘right the wrong’ if possible.—Psalm 51:17; 2 Corinthians 7:11.

    Repentance is a very important factor in connection with reinstatement into the Christian congregation. A disfellowshipped person is not automatically accepted back into the congregation after a certain amount of time has passed. Before he can be reinstated, his heart condition must undergo a great change. He must come to realize the gravity of his sin and the reproach he brought upon Jehovah and the congregation. The sinner must repent, pray earnestly for forgiveness, and conform to God’s righteous requirements. When requesting reinstatement, he should be able to give evidence that he has repented and is producing “works that befit repentance.”—Acts 26:20. Emphasis and highlights mine.

    ****************************************************************************************************************************** What if the person was disfellowshipped for discovery of facts? What if his 'sin' was finding out that the Watchtower society has not always taught doctrines that represent 'truth'? Or that the Watchtower society is guilty of hiding pedophiles from justice? Or that the Watchtower society has lied to it's adherents repeatedly? How does one 'repent' for becoming aware of facts? This was my basic sin. I will never seek reinstatement to Jehovah's Witnesses, but if I did, of what would I repent? It is a serious question to consider. Surely the Watchtower society has considered it - has surely reinstated some who were disfellowshipped as apostates, who had become apostate based on learning facts that were out of harmony with Bible teaching. How did they make the person unlearn those facts, to make it right? I am apostate based solely on this. I have committed no grand sins outside of this before I left. Others are surely in the same boat. Though certainly very few would ever seek to come back to this soiled organization, on what grounds could such be done? I just find it curious and would like to see some discussion on this subject. Jeff
  • PSacramento
    PSacramento

    You repent when you have wronged SOMEONE or believe that you have wronged God, its a personal statement from one person ( you) to another * the wronged or God), it has ZERO to do with an organization.

    In learning the truth about something is NOT a sin, "for the truth shall set you free", testing what you are taught is NOT a sin, ""test all you are taught".

    No sin, no repentance.

    Leaving an organization is NOT a sin, you can't sin against a "thing", a corporate entity.

  • Paulapollos
    Paulapollos

    I would presume that in the scenario you outlined - apostasy and then the organisation changing belief to the "apostate" belief - the repentance that would be desired would be some "heartfelt regret" at having "run ahead of the divinely appointed channel" for "dispensing spiritual truth". It would seem that it would be a question of obedience to authority, rather than content of belief.

  • BluesBrother
    BluesBrother

    If one of us in our position really wanted to go back, perhaps for family reasons, the only way would be to lie your head off to the reinstatement committee.

    You would have to say that you know better now, that everything in the WT must be true, and you really want to be one of them again

    If you can stomach that ......??????

  • garyneal
    garyneal

    Labeling fact finding and questioning as a sin is a mark of a C-U-L-T.

    I guess that is one thing I'll never understand about them. You can be a very clean, moral, righteous person who loves the Bible, God, and Jesus but question there 1914 date and you're an apostate and worse than a murderer in their eyes.

  • ProdigalSon
    ProdigalSon

    How does all this judgment and punishment fit in with the parable of the Prodigal Son?

    Prodigal Son

  • LongHairGal
    LongHairGal

    I have nothing to be repentant for as far as that religion is concerned.

    Learning the truth about something is not a sin.

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