Your FIRST reaction to these words:

by belbab 33 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  rhett

  And this good news of the kingdom will be preached inall the inhabited earth for the purpose of a witness to all the nations, and then the accomplished end will come.

  My first reaction is to think about what a load of crap that is.
  Then after thinking about it for a bit I realize that christianity really should have died out a long time ago. All this scripture says is that "the accomplished end will come." It doesn't say end of the world here. It just says the accomplished end. To me, since it says the accomplished end, that's kind of like saying "Hey, we're going to go out and tell all these people about this stuff and then stop because they've already heard it." I think its pretty safe to say almost everyone everywhere has heard all about the so called wonderfulness of god (especially here in the states) and we've each made up our respective minds on the matter for whatever they may be so why do we continue to have to hear people telling us all about it? As if we need another reason for christianity to die the death that's long over due..........

  I don't need to fight
  To prove I'm right
  I don't need to be forgiven.
• 

  Dutchy

  First scipture I learned as one of Jehovah's Witnesses and now I am repulsed by it because I used to think that my marching from door to door was in direct fulfillment of it.
• 

  AGuest

  Hello, my dear brother Belbab... and much peace to you!

  The responses here are quite interesting... and understandable. May I contribute? Thank you.

  Contrary to the WTBTS 'teaching' that 'the good news' is about the kingdom, per se, the good news is in fact the Christ, the 'kingdom' that is 'in your midst'... or 'inside you'... by means of his dwelling there, INSIDE you, along with the Father, God, the Holy One of Israel, by means of holy spirit.

  "... and we will come to him and MAKE OUR ABODE WITH him.."

  John 14:23

  "... if the Christ truly dwells IN YOU..."

  Romans 8:9

  Christ, therefore, and the LIFE OFFERED TO MANKIND by means of him, through holy spirit and in replacement of the DEATH WAGED TO MANKIND, by means of Adam and the 'wages' of sin pursuant to the Law Covenant... is the 'good news' of the kingdom.

  So, when I read "and this good news of the kingdom will be [heralded*] in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations and then the end will come..." I 'hear', that before the 'end' (which is the end of this world's reign... or full control... over earthling man as he exists in the physical flesh), the Christ will have been 'heralded' to all the nations.

  Has that occurred yet? No, I do not think so. I think 'christianity', as most of us know it, has been 'preached'... and by default Christ connected to THAT. But the evidence of 'christianity's' track record show the Christ NOT to have been heralded, not to have been 'preached', but in fact... to have been reproached. Greatly. Oh, the heinous acts committed 'in the name of God and Christ', by earthling man, with NO such direction from either God OR Christ!

  For those who would question the acts directed by God Himself, I would reply that if it was His will, then it was His will and He Himself must... and will... answer and account for it. And for those who would counter that statement with, "But God is not accountable to man," I would reply that indeed He is not. BUT... unlike us who would REFUSE to answer and account if we didn't HAVE to, He is willing. The account of Abraham regarding Sodom/Gomorrah, Job regarding his situation, Moses regarding the murmuring conduct of the Israelites in the wilderness, etc., shows that even though He doesn't HAVE to, God will... in His mercifulness... answer mankind.

  But of those acts that were/are NOT His will, but done according to MAN'S will, yet on the basis of His name, and/or Christ's, then it is fraudulent. And if it was done in the name of 'christianity', then it was NOT God's will at all, nor Christ's, for my Lord taught love, peace, tolerance and forgiveness, things that 'christianity', as an INSTITUTION, has, in general, failed to abide by.

  I am sorry if I 'sound'... I don't know what. I do not mean to be harsh or unloving. Truthfully. I only mean to speak truth and HAVE spoken truth to you, just as I have heard it from my Father, the Holy One of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who name is JAH... of Armies... through His Son and Christ, my Lord, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH, by means of His holy spirit.

  We, though, earthling man, constantly and consistently ask questions regarding God and Christ and things of Israel and this earth, its past, its future... constantly and consistently... of others of earthling man. WHY?!

  If you want to know the truth, WHY NOT ASK THE TRUTH?! (John 14:6)

  It is because we lack faith, dear one... the faith that 'hears' what the ears of physical flesh cannot hear, and sees what the eyes of physical flesh cannot see. Faith that comes with 'sight' and 'hearing' given only by God through Christ, by means of a body prepared by THEM, with ears and eyes 'opened' by them, so that one can hear what is uttered in 'low tones', what is 'whispered', and what is 'unseen'. A 'body' anyone can receive, if only they ask for it, thirst for it, wish for it... and 'exercise faith' in what they 'see' and 'hear' once granted to do so.

  Proverbs 8:4-7
  Matthew 10:27
  Revelation 3:18
  Psalms 40:6

  And it is such faith... that will preserve alive our souls. No, it may not preserve alive our flesh, but then, after all, "the flesh is of no use at all" anyway. This faith, will, like Noah, like Moses and Israel, like Naaman, like David, and like many, many others, carry US through.

  Finally, and please note, that also contrary to the erroneous WTBTS 'teaching', there was NO such 'door-to-door' or 'house-to-house' work during the time my Lord resided on earth in the physical flesh. Yes, indeed, he sent his disciples out and told them to go to those 'deserving', but as we can see by the account of the Zaccheaus, the Ethiopian eunuch AND Cornelius... it was HE who determined who was 'deserving'. So, the disciples were sent to SPECIFIC people that my Lord, by means of holy spirit, TOLD them to go to.

  And as regards "house-to-house", Paul's words had absolutely NOTHING to do with going from house to house in a literal, calculated kind of way. What he meant was, simply, that HE himself went to the individual houses of the disciples... and spoke there. From this one's house... to that one's house. And he DID this, because he STAYED in such houses on his journey.

  The 'worldwide preaching work', consisting of going to folk's houses and knocking on doors to tell them about The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society and Religious Order of the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses and Kingdom Service... Incorporated... is NOT the heralding of 'the good news', but is in fact a trap, a false light, designed by the Adversary himself, Satan the Devil, to entice and lure people into HIS 'congregation', that of the wicked who hate their brother, hate their fellowman... and hide themselves from their own flesh. It is a 'golden calf', set up for worship... because as they themselves have already said, in the manner of the impatient Israelites at Mt. Sinai... "the master is delaying."

  But I promise you... he is not.

  I bid you peace... and I am, to time indefinite...

  Your servant, sister and a slave of Christ,

  SJ

  *While the word "preached" denotes a negativity, in that it is a forceful message, often of resignation, condemnation and doom, the word "herald", in contrast, is a word of great hope, joyous, and eminating that which is "good". It is an ANNOUNCEMENT of good, versus "preaching"... a denotation of condemnation.

  Peace to you!
• 

  lauralisa

  I remember very well at some assembly or another a "deep" "new" "light" "thing" "whatever".

  It was based on Matthew 10:23:

  When they persecute you in one city, flee to another, for truly I say to you, You will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives.

  The implication was clearly stated, in their typical obfuscated (we are saying this, but we aren't really saying this, but...) fashion, that even though there are billions of people living in China and India who will never meet a JW in their lifetimes, don't worry! This scripture has a second fulfillment - ie THIS generation....

  My understanding at the time after discussions with really spiritual people was that we can augment understanding of Mt 24:14 with THIS scripture. JW's don't have to put off expectation of the "end" just because they have not yet achieved complete infiltration of the entire populated earth.

  Concerns about the 'innocents' who have not yet heard the jw dogma were dismissed as doubts about God's ability to judge.

  Uh, yeah. Gack.

  Hi, Shelby! Where've ya been?

  lauralisa
• 

  AGuest

  (Not meaning to 'hijack' a thread, but...)

  Hey, LisaGIRL!! How are you?! I am quite well and have 'been' nowhere... just dealing with 'life' a bit, is all. I am still 'around' - LOL!

  Peace and the greatest of love to you and yours!

  Your friend, sister, 'mom', servant, etc., etc., etc., and a slave of Christ,

  Shel
• 

  Adam

  My first reaction is to remember a bumper sticker I saw once
  "WHEN THE RAPTURE COMES, WE'LL HAVE THE PLANET TO OURSELVES!"
  My second reaction is "prove it"
• 

  ChristFollower

  My current reaction is that those words were fulfilled for the people they were spoken to in their time 2,000 years ago. The "end" DID come. It was the end of the Jewish priestly system. When Jerusalem was destroyed - so was the temple. The system has never been restored. There is absolutely no reason to think that those words applied to an uknown people 2,000 years in the future. There is absolutely no reason to think that those words were pinned specifically for the present century ... or any other future century for that matter.
• 

  VeniceIT

  AHHHHHHH no FLASHBACKS!!!!!!!

  The walls are closing in NOO STOPPPPPP my breath is coming harder now it's getting dark and spinnig I can't breathe HELP nooooooooooooo!!!! ohhh phew it was only a dream I'm not back at a serive meeting pheeewww ohh good I'm only getting a root canal!

  Ven

  "Injustice will continue until those who are not affected by it are as outraged as those who are."
• 

  lauralisa

  Gives VeniceIT a big glass of wine and cracks up
• 

  Justin

  According to Charles Taze Russell, this scripture was fulfilled at least by 1861 - before the WT even existed. To quote: "This witness has already been given. In 1861 the reports of the Bible Societies showed that the Gospel had been published in every language of earth, though not all of earth's millions had received it." (The Divine Plan of the Ages, p. 91)

  Justin