To those still "in"... how do these scriptures impact you?

leaving_quietly

Matt 7:13, 14: "Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; 14?whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it."

Matt 24:44: "On this account YOU too prove yourselves ready, because at an hour that YOU do not think to be it, the Son of man is coming."

2 Pet 3:3, 4: "For YOU know this first, that in the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires 4?and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep [in death], all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.”"

Does anyone else have a fear of leaving because of these scriptures? I do. I wish I didn't, but I do.

blondie

Actually, I used Mt 24:44 during the pre-1975 years to show people that if we thought 1975 was the hour, it could not be.

I never worried because I did not think that humans would be judging and that God knew people's hearts and minds and a technicality such as baptism was not proof...what if someone was studying when the end came?

When I realized that the WTS made baptism as a jw the basis of survival, I started seeing that the WTS was the be and end all of what the bible meant...any more than the religious leaders of Jesus time were.

The Searcher

The first thing Christ will do is judge those in the "house of God" - everyone who claims to be a Christian! (1 Peter 4:17; Matthew 7:22,23)

At John 14:21, Jesus laid down simple conditions which his true followers would abide by. He will decide exactly who tried to be his disciple, based on what his teachings were. However, the Scriptures provide abundant evidence that a Christian must speak to others about Christ's purpose in dying -

Isaiah 61:1; Matt. 9:35; Matt. 24:14; Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 9:2; 1 Cor. 9:16; Col. 1:25-28; Titus 1:2-3; Phil. 1:15; 2 Timothy 4:1-2; Acts 20:20; Acts 28:30-31; Rom. 10:8-15; 1 Tim. 4:16; 1 Thess. 2:4; 1 Cor. 9:22; 1 Peter 3:15; Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:18; 2 Cor. 4:3-4; Rom. 11:13; Rev. 14:6; Rom. 1:15-16; 1 Cor. 9:16; Acts 20:24.

Sadly, most Christians are averse to this aspect of Christianity, and are just as likely to criticise any who do.

breakfast of champions

LEAVING - sounds like you haven't ripped out all of the old programming. Although those scriptures you mentioned don't bother me one bit, there are other issues (more having to do with self-esteem) where I feel the pangs of inappropriate guilt pressing on me . You might do well to see a psychologist to help you work through your deconversion.

label licker

Hey leaveing_quietly, Maybe these scriptures can make you feel better ! Corinthian 4:5 and 1 Corinthians 13:9,10. Just saying untill those two witnesses come in Revelation chapter eleven and do all those things which haven't happened yet, and then when they do come we have three and a half years to shape up and then Jesus comes and gives us that abundance of knowledge where he turns darkness into light. You know, that abundance of knowledge that every other religion is roving the earth for. Until then, keep reading the bible and following his commandments which were not burdensome.

DesirousOfChange

I could understand having some fear regarding the meaning of those scriptures, but NOT fear of leaving the JWs. Haven't they given enough proof that they are clearly NOT the means to salvation? Deut 18:20-22 clearly says do not be afraid of him.

Best wishes,

Doc

Dismissing servant

Early christianity started as an apocaloyptic cult......why should we be afraid of old apocaluptic writing?

Besides... the writing in Peter "2 Pet 3:3, 4: "For YOU know this first, that in the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires 4?and saying: "Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep [in death], all things are continuing exactly as from creation's beginning."...was made vera late, probably around AD 130-150. Probably a lot of christians got tired of waiting for the coming.

problemaddict

"few are the one finding it".

I always find the application of this sentance interesting. I guess we could just look for the smallest group of Christians and follow them? Wait but I thought the small would be come amighty nation. Can a mighty nation be the "few" finding the narrow road?

Its important to know, that even if you believe the bible to be inspired from God, it was still written by people. So they wrote in the style of the time. Hyperbole was rampant in jewish literature. So try not to take everything so literally. Regardless, you know what Jesus taught....and what he doesn't. So do what he taught, and don't do what he didn't. :)

leaving_quietly

sounds like you haven't ripped out all of the old programming

Admittedly no, I haven't. A lot of it, yes. But there's that part of me that still says: "but what if, in some twisted way, they turn out to be right?" Another one that I think about is 1 Cor 1:26-29: "For YOU behold his calling of YOU, brothers, that not many wise in a fleshly way were called, not many powerful, not many of noble birth; 27?but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put the wise men to shame; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put the strong things to shame; 28?and God chose the ignoble things of the world and the things looked down upon, the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are, 29?in order that no flesh might boast in the sight of God."

To me and to most of the world, JWs look foolish.

To all of you who commented, thanks for your insights. This is probably one of those things that will take years to get over.

Pickler

Hey leaving quietly, after I left, I still believed they were right. I suffered from anxiety/fear & medicated myself with drugs & alcohol. I engaged in a lot of reckless behaviour, because, who cares? The ends coming anyway, I also believed that because I left, I would be marked out for SPECIFIC & brutal punishment.

it takes a LONG time to lose this feeling. I found breathing & meditation exercises help, keep talking about it, don't bottle it up inside...

it gets a lot better...good luck to you

To those still "in"... how do these scriptures impact you?

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