Reniaa said:
Fernando
1/ Romans 16:17
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.
My reply: Learned from who? About who?
Reniaa said:
Acts 17:11
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
My reply: The WT says this only applies to persons before they get baptized as JWs.
skipping thru some of your nonsense...
Reniaa said:
7/ We fully accept Jesus's mediatorship of the covenant that involves the 144,000. What we don't do is turn something Jesus instituted as a remembrance of him and his sacrifice and turn it into a canabalistic salvation ceremony from false understanding of Scripture.
Luke 22:19 (New International Version)
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
My reply: So why don't witnesses do what Jesus said to do?
Reniaa said:
9/ I think you seem to be just flaying an authoritive structure here but this is simply not biblical.
1 Corinthians 12:28
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.
10/ You seem to be an anti-authority person this is not unusual but it simply isn't biblical. shepherds/ positions of authority/ having to make the hard decisions for the whole flock is a biblical theme. How can the 144,000 become kings and priests in the kingdom if they have not first trianed for the job on earth as shepherds?
My reply: What kind of authority and how should it be used?
Reniaa said:
Matthew 24:45-47 (New International Version)
45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put IN CHARGE of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 I tell you the truth, he will put him IN CHARGE of all his possessions.
My reply: Parable misinterpretated by the WT...speaking of rewards given at the end...not a 1919 appointment of a false prophet just released from 'Babylonish captivity'.
Reniaas favorite and most misunderstood text:
Leadership is not a evil sin but a biblical requirement.Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Shepherds in leadership roles can I acknowledge be a great force for good or evil and they will be held accountable for this but to just reject them is simply not an option for Christians.
Leaders are not meant to be passive fools either allowing the flock to run amuck. They have to feed/support/rebuke/judge/keep clean the flock and ours do all that.
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. 10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
11 The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
My reply: Verse 7 gives the whole picture, showing verse 17 is not speaking of doing whatever your religious leaders say, but rather to follow their faqith and be obedient to them to the extent that what they are teaching is the word of God.