Without faith it is impossible to please Him . . . — Hebrews 11:6

by wordfamine.com 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  wordfamine.com

  Without faith it is impossible to please Him . . . —Hebrews 11:6

  JW's immediately interpret this scripture to mean faith in the Watchtower. I am still amazed at how I never separated the object of my faith between faith in God as opposed to faith in a church. The kind of faith that we had [in an organization] was tangible, seemingly logical, and was able to be seen with the physical eyes on the pages of the printed materials. It was a pseudo-intellectual faith.

  However, it never dawned on me that Christians "walk by faith and not by sight".

  I found this snippet from Oswald Chambers to have unique relevance to my JW experience:

  Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short. Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. “We know that all things work together for good . . .” (Romans 8:28) so that no matter what happens, the transforming power of God’s providence transforms perfect faith into reality. Faith always works in a personal way, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children.

  For every detail of common sense in life, there is a truth God has revealed by which we can prove in our practical experience what we believe God to be. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, “Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word” (for example, see Matthew 6:33). Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless. Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
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  cofty

  Hi wordfamine. How would you explain what you mean by "faith" in your own words? Also why do you think faith is a virtue?
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  N.drew

  Welcome to the forum wordfamine.com!
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  designs

  Chambers says 'Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense' please explain and why is that attractive to you.
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  N.drew

  May I? Jesus spoke of the unseen. The spirit that leads the world is unseen. In it's present condition it is sick. Just like most people have very little idea about their illness and any cure when they first see the doctor, the world has very little idea about why the world is sick and how to fix it. A good patient will study their illness before seeing the doctor. That is what I believe the Bible is for, but because the Bible and Jesus are concerned with the unseen, faith is needed to interpret it and him.
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  designs

  Nancy-

  Why is that attractive to you and are there ways that your Faith translates into common sense endeavors.
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  NewChapter

  Welcome Wordfamine.
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  N.drew

  Attractive? What is "that"? Pronouns is what makes the bible so funny! Are you asking me why I find the unseen attractive?

  I can answer the other question. One way in which my faith proved translatable into common sense endeavor (phew!) is I remained on JWN even though they beat , beat out , crush , shell , trounce , vanquish , beat up , work over , pound , thump , drum , thrum , flap , scramble , bunk , tick , ticktock , ticktack , pulsate , quiver , outwit , overreach , outsmart , outfox , circumvent , perplex , vex , stick , get , puzzle , mystify , baffle , pose , bewilder , flummox , stupefy , nonplus , gravel , amaze , dumbfound , exhaust , wash up , tucker , tucker out , agitate , be , bedevil , befuddle , cheat , chisel , commove , confound , confuse , create , defeat , discombobulate , displace , disturb , exceed , fag , fag out , fatigue , forge , form , fox , fuddle , get the better of , glare , go , jade , make , mold , mould , move , outdo , outgo , outmatch , outperform , outstrip , outwear , overcome , play , raise up , rip off , sail , shake up , shape , sound , stir up , strike , surmount , surpass , throw , tire , tire out , wear , wear down , wear out , wear upon , weary , work,

  I stayed and I love it!
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  designs

  Nancy-

  I meant attractive in that you are drawn to spirituality and Faith from the Bible's statements, something Jesus says rings true to you.

  Well you proved to yourself you can take a tough debate and keep on ticking.
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  N.drew

  I was not to my knowledge drawn to spirituality and Faith by the Bible. Though my Mom believed in it for a time and I was raised a "Christain", going to church and Sunday School. I was without Christ and the bible for many years and had deserted what "faith" I had. It was Rachel and Marjorie, two of JWs that reintroduced me to The Bible again. What drew me to "spirituality" as a child was loneliness.