Does anyone here still believe in the Devil?

by cantleave 98 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  nugget

  the Bible is either inspired and infalible and as such should be taken seriously or it is not.

  If it is not inspired then the reasons for the text become more sinister and less benevolent. The purpose of the characters of God and the Devil then take on a new perspective. As so many people trust the Bible it needs to stand up to scrutiny and it is appropriate that questions are asked and answered. The Bible does justify extremes for example killing nations including women and children in the name of God. It sets high standards for people to live by and is used as the basis of condemning those who do not. I have lived by these rules and know how deeply they impact on your life when misapplied.

  Please do not try to read my mind or make assumptions about what I may or may not believe or want. I have spent over 40 years believing that the Devil has been operating in the world. I sincerely believed the scriptures you quoted. The only change is now I do not take things at face value and am prepared to ask myself the difficult questions.
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  Chalam

  I've combined what I learn in the bible with prayer. I've seen the changes in my life since I've followed only IT and not the WT. I've felt the Holy Spirit in a way that I never before felt. I DO feel sorry for those that have not had that sort of experience. But this experience is mine and it proves it to me.

  Amen!

  Ephesians 1:13-14 (New International Version)

  13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

  1 Thessalonians 1:4-6 (New International Version)

  4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

  Blessings,

  Stephen
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  brotherdan

  It goes to show that even those that were at one time brothers of Christ, have fallen away. Even after long years of service.
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  sabastious

  People let themselves be killed. In the flood, God gave them a way out.

  No he didn't, the Ark wasn't big enough for all of them.

  -Sab
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  brotherdan

  He probably would've tossed out a few animals to make some more room. But it doesn't matter if there wasn't room for all of them, NONE of them got on. Why do you think he was letting the wicked be destroyed anyway? The world was filled with the Godless.
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  sabastious

  Why did God destroy all life on earth? What purpose did annihilating life in say... the Americas because the humans were godless?

  -Sab
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  notverylikely

  Hi BD. No worries on the attack park. I can wait for YOUR answers. If it weren't for the bible, you wouldn't come to these conclusions, indeed, without starting with the bible, you cannot. That is a bootstrap.
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  notverylikely

  He probably would've tossed out a few animals to make some more room. But it doesn't matter if there wasn't room for all of them, NONE of them got on. Why do you think he was letting the wicked be destroyed anyway? The world was filled with the Godless.

  Well now you are combining making stuff up with bootstrapping and ignoring. Indeed the bible says that without knowledge there can be no sin and since there was no law and formal worship of God, how there there have been so much lawlessness without the law? Why didn't he proclaim himself better rather than just move the goalposts?

  A god that that cannot impart his values and decides to kill is like the parent that beats his children for doing things "wrong" when he hasn't really said what the rules are or what he wants.
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  brotherdan

  Don't mean to sound like a negative nelly...but He DOES promise to deal with the ungodly on earth, in say...the Americas.

  NVL, you're right. If you ignore what GOD says, then you won't have the answers to any number of questions. So listening to God is a boot strap, is it not? If you come to things without God's perspective, then you can't answer any questions for certain.

  But God CAN answer with certainty.
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  notverylikely

  So listening to God is a boot strap, is it not?

  Exactly. You know the bible is true because god wrote it, and you know god wrote it because it says so. It's circular and dead end reasoning at it's simplest.

  But God CAN answer with certainty.

  What does he answer with certainty? And why doesn't he?