This is in response to a thread to which I was unable to reply.
djeggnog wrote (on page 5440):
@bennyk:
I find that more often times than not, this question you ask is raised due to a failure on the part of those who have been baptized to comprehend what it means for someone to have God’s spirt in them or for God’s spirit to be operative upon them. At 1Thessalonians 4:3-8, the apostle Paul states that whomever it is that has God’s spirit in them "that shows disregard," even contempt, for what things they have learned to be God’s will, he or she is showing disregard, but not for man, not for the brother or sister from whom they came to learn the truth, but for God, since it was He that put His holy spirit in them. Everything that we read in the Bible is God-breathed, that is, these things were written down by some 40 men that were inspired by God to do so, and while there are many people today that have voiced many doubts as to whether God had anything at all to do with the passages we read in our Bibles today, for many of us that have studied the Bible for many, many years, we have no doubts whatsoever as to whose thoughts were written down by these men.
I know you remember the following words that Jesus uttered when praying on behalf of his followers back then that had been actively taking in knowledge of his Father, the only true God, Jehovah, and of the Lord Jesus Christ: "This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ"; these familiar words I've quoted from John 17:3. But focusing on the words "taking in knowledge," to what "knowledge" do you suppose Jesus was referring here? At John 17:17 refers to this "knowledge" of God and Christ as being "the truth: "Sanctify them by means of the truth; your word is truth." When Jesus says what he does at John 17:3, he was referring to "the truth," and he left us in no doubt as to what the truth is, Jesus stating here that God's word "is truth."
The scriptural injunction placed on all Christians is that they should "go on acquiring power in the Lord and in the mightiness in his strength," and to"make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine." (Ephesians 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:21) This requires that Christians take in knowledge of the Bible so that they are sure of what they say when they speak to others about the good news of God's kingdom. But do you speak to others about the good news? Ever? If so, what do you say?
I would note that earlier, by what Jesus says at John 14:16, 17, about "the helper" being with us forever, he refers to this "helper" as "the spirit of the truth," and says that while we ourselves would "know" the "helper" because the spirit of the truth "remains" with us and is also in us, the world cannot receive the helper because the world can neither "behold" or discern the truth, nor does it possess the knowledge that we have. Why?
At 1 Corinthians 2:13, 14, the apostle Paul tell us why, saying that "a physical man does not receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him," and so Paul points out that this is why the world "cannot get to know them," since the things 'taught by the spirit of the truth' can only be "examined spiritually." But at 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, Paul goes to say about those brothers that walk according to "the spirit of the world" with jealousy and strife, that they aren't walking as "spiritual men," but, rather, as "fleshly men," that they are walking as "babes in Christ," for unlike the physical man, these "fleshly" Christians have some knowledge the truth. Just as Jesus had God's spirit and sanctified himself by means of the truth for our sake by making himself "a vessel for an honorable purpose, ... useful to his owner," those that also have God's spirit have themselves been sanctified as 'vessels for an honorable purpose' according to God's will through the offering of Jesus' ransom "once for all time." (John 17:19; 2 Timothy 2:21; Hebrews 10:10)
So then whether one should be a spiritual man or woman or a fleshly man or woman, you have come to know the spirit of the truth, and this is not something that a physical man or woman in the part of the world that is alienated from God can say. Consequently, the reason you can understand at least some of what I'm saying here in this post is because some of God's spirit is in you; for example, were I to say to you that the account at Luke 16:19-31 about the rich man and Lazarus is a parable and is not to be taken literally, or that Jesus died on a Friday and rose on a Sunday, or even that 1 John 5:7 as rendered in the KJV Bible, your knowing these things proves the validity of what Jesus says at John 14:16, 17, about "the spirit of the truth" being with us forever, even if you should now blaspheme this same spirit by suggesting that God's spirit cannot operate upon a false prophet; of course it can.
Did God's spirit operate on Balaam despite the fact that he was himself a false prophet that orchestrated the events that led to the deaths of 24,000 Israelites? According to what God's spirit breathed into Moses and into the apostle Peter, whether you should now accept nothing of all that the Bible teaches, is your answer to this question Yes or no? (See Numbers 24:2; 2 Peter 2:16)
If, on one hand, your opposition to the things you were taught by the spirit of the truth should be due to deception or imperfection, God's knows, but if, on the other hand, your opposition to God's spirit should be both wilful and deliberate actions on your part, then as someone that knows the truth, the you must know that such blasphemy will never be forgiven you. But why fight against the truth? Why should anyone fight about God at all? Why should anyone be on the other side of the issue of universal sovereignty?
Why all of the "jealousy and strife" over the work of salvation that is being done through the imperfect men and women that are a part of God's visible channel of communication, a work that He wills to be done before the end comes? (2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 24:14) Why meddle or attempt to interfere with the preaching work being done by those folks that are the ones wearing the white robes? (Matthew 12:30; Acts 5:38, 39; Revelation 7:9, 14)
And why would anyone not be on Jesus' side of the issue? I mean, if every has a white robe on, that is, everyone but you, how would the angels fail to see who is rightly a member of the assembly standing before God's throne holding palm branches in their hands? The soiled robe will give you away! Why on earth would anyone at all want to be found "liars against the truth" when there is no successful winning strategy that can be employed against Jesus and His angels when they come as executioners to bring God's vengeance against all opposers of the truth? (James 3:14; Ephesians 4:25; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10)
As to that statement of yours questioning whether or not the fact that the association of Jehovah's Witnesses today is the only Christian group that is preaching the established kingdom of God in the hands of Jesus Christ evinces that what Jehovah's Witnesses are doing today fulfills Jesus' prophecy, may I ask you: Do you know of any other Christian group, apart from Jehovah's Witnesses, that you know to be preaching and declaring God's kingdom as mankind's only hope for a witness to all of the nations on the planet that they are able to reach with this message as foretold at Matthew 24:14? If so, what is the name of this Christian group.
Lastly, you asked if I honestly believed Jesus would appoint the faithful and discreet slave over all of his belongings when the organization itself would be "rightly branded apostate" by "its own published standard," and I believe the 'faithful slave' was so appointed by Jesus even though you believe them to be apostates.
My response:
I do indeed speak to others regarding the "good news", viz.:
Despite the fact that men are actually born estranged from God (Rom. 3:9,23; 5:12), God sent His Son to die on behalf of sinful mankind (Matt. 20:28; Rom. 3:28; 8:32; 1 John 4:9,10). Those exercising faith in the ransom sacrifice of the Son are promised full forgiveness of sin (Acts 13:38,39; Rom. 4:25a; 2 Cor. 5:19; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 10:12,17,18; 1 John 1:7,9; 2:2; Rev. 1:5), are justified (i.e. declared righteous) (Acts 13:38,39; Rom. 3:26,28; 4:25b-5:1; 5:9,18; 8:33; 1 Cor. 6:12; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 2:16), and sanctified (John 17:19; 1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 5:25b-27; 2 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 10:10; 13:12). As such, they are reconciled to God (Rom. 5:10; 1 Cor. 1:21-23; 2 Cor. 5:18,19; Eph. 2:16) and adopted as His children (John 1:12; Rom. 8:14-16; Gal. 3:26; 4:4-7; Eph. 1:5; 1 John 3:1), thereby becoming brothers of Christ (Heb. 2:11), who serves as their Advocate (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1), High Priest (Heb. 4:4; 7:26,27), and Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24). Christians thus become heirs of God and joint-heirs of Christ (Rom. 8:17; Gal. 3:29; 4:7; Titus 3:6,7; Heb. 9:15; Rev. 21:7), who graciously grants everlasting life (John 3:36; 5:24,39,40; 6:40,47; 10:28; 1 John 4:9; 5:11; Rev. 5:21).
As you see, the Gospel I preach is scriptural.
I agree that God's Spirit did operate on Balaam. It is ironic that you (no doubt following the Watch Tower Society) call Balaam a "false prophet" despite the fact that the Scriptures testify that what he prophesied came true (Deut. 23:5), but you will allow no one to call the Society a "false prophet" despite their numerous false prophecies. You make repeated references to "truth", but seem to be little concerned that it be ... true. Even more egregious is the fact that the Watch Tower Society is perfectly willing to attempt to establish its credentials using distorted statements and outright lies. As examples thereof: Watchtower 01. Nov. 1952, p. 658 § 16; Watchtower 15. June 1954, p. 370 § 4; Watchtower 15. Oct. 1956, p. 614; Watchtower 15. Feb. 1966, p. 103; Watchtower 15. Oct. 1966, p. 617 § 15; Awake! 08. Oct. 1972, p. 15; Awake! 22. Jan. 1973, p. 8; Yearbook 1975, p. 37; Watchtower 01. April 1984, p. 16 § 5; Watchtower 01. Dec. 1984, p. 14 § 20; Watchtower 01. Sep. 1985, p. 24 § 11; Watchtower 15. Sept. 1998, p. 15. However, the Scriptures assure us that "no lie originates with the truth" (1 John 2:21).
Although I do not claim to be conversant with the teachings of every denomination or sect that calls itself "christian", I cannot name any such that do not preach God's kingdom as mankind's only hope. Can you? While it is true that as individual denominations they may not preach in as many lands as does the Watch Tower Society, in the aggregate those other denominations preach more extensively. Furthermore, the Society preaches a "different Gospel" (Watchtower 01. May 1981, p. 17 §3) which stands under Apostolic condemnation (Gal. 1:8,9) and therefore does not fulfill Matthew 24:14. In fact, the Society's doctrines deny 99.8% of their followers entrance into the New Covenant, which means the so-called Witnesses are ' without hope and without God' (Eph. 2:12).
In response to your statement that you believe the Watch Tower Society was so appointed by Jesus although it would be "rightly branded apostate" by "its own published standard," I cannot make a reply that would not appear sarcastic or insulting...
