One JWs know well... "I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
For the ones who believe in Bible - What does the scriptures here imply on subjection to religious leaders? - Hebrews 13:17-19, 22-25
by MissConfused 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Legacy
Hi,
Don't think there are any direct scriptures from the bible re: Organizations. If you read the bible with literature from the WT, then you'll see it, not because it's in there but the way they make a round peg fit in a square hole. Jesus Christ is the way to his Father .....think of it this way....when on a road leading to where you want to go...you need signs...the org are signs, that's all they are supposed to be, just to make sure you don' t walk or drive off the road. Each sign encourages us that we are going the right way...But the signs don't dictate, because you can choose to follow the sign or not, if you don't the sign will not shun you (get my drift).. The org. is for folks who have a need to belong & need structure. Then there are others like me, that don't mind the org. but don't care one way or another if the org. is really God's mouth piece, because in the end I'll have to carry my own load....saying to God on judgement day, Hey God, You know, before you look at my life's laundry list of deeds...I just want to mention, I'm a witness....no doubt that won't be your password & he won't be impressed. The org. is a good go to place...if you are out of town or you need a bible, or whatever, but God's mouthpiece...NOT....God is the same yesterday, today & tomorrow...only man's understandings change...all day & everyday...
Legacy
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man oh man
In the first century the apostles were dealing with many false teachings creeping in. Today, 2000 years later we have no apostles. But it is their teaching that we must be obedient to. So we only listen to those that teach what they taught. With Bible in hand it is not hard to tell who to listen to. In this way we are really being obedient to Christ as he used them to set matters straight. We do not need any new light. Jesus is our light.
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MissConfused
@ Tornapart - This was the scripture that shed the true light to me when i was waking up about TTATT.
@ Legacy - What you have said is so true. God never changes, it’s just men who deviate. I have lost that faith in these worldly organizations and want to help my dear and near ones who can do so much better than being a part of WT.
@ MoM - Well said. How we failed to recognize and deviate from what Jesus taught us while on earth! These organizations are indeed wolves in sheep's disguise.
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Stand for Pure Worship
There's a multitude of reasons why God would utilize an organization, and that's not to say that He necessarily needs an organized effort carried out by humans. However, for the same reason that we find organization within nature making it obvious that there was a creator, it's quite evident by the success and lack of chaos within Jehovah's Witnesses that the organization which they belong to is recieving God's blessing. Not to mention, unity, which no other religious organization posesses today.
Consider organization in ancient times. For example, the nation of Israel was organized by tribe, The Law, a priestly class, etc.. By adhering to Jehovah's direction and complying to the organization as He directed, the nation as a whole benefitted and they enjoyed prosperity and peace. See Numbers 2 and Deut 23:12, 13 for more details. The Christian Congregation in the 1st Century also recieved direction so as to be organized to accomplish their ministry. Titus 1:5 is particulary specific when it states that Paul assigned the letter's namesake to Crete in order to get things organized. Can you imagine a lack of organization in that first century? Paul would have been on one page, Peter on another, etc.. The great apostasy wouldn't have even come into fruition because nothing can come from chaos lol!!!
Today, it goes without saying that organization is especially needed for a few reasons. For one thing, how would the preaching effort have any success without someone to organize it? Hence on a local level, there are field service groups, headed by service overseers. They ensure that we're not entering the same neighborhoods too often so as not to disturb our neighbors. We use field service slips to ensure that literature isn't being wasted, as well as proving Circuit Overseers a glimpse of what's happening in the congregation so as to address it's needs appropriately. COs report to DOs, who report to the Branch, that way those taking the lead on a national level can keep their thumb on the pulse of the organization's efforts. 2 Cor 1:24; 1 Pet 5:2, 3
Organization is needed in order to remain unified in thought and spirit. Unlike the other so called Christians such as Catholics, Baptists, Mormons, Born-Agains, and any other random trend of the week, Jehovah's Witnesses are unified. You can go to any Kingdom Hall in any part of the world, and share the same beliefs due to our being organized. How can any Christian say that he/she is encouraging one another in harmony with Heb 10:23, 24 if they don't share the exact same beliefs as directed to by a central leadership under the direction of God? Impossible right? Exactly.-Psalm 133: 1, 3.
At the end of the day, the reason for organization can be summed up by 1 Cor 14:33 where it states that "God is not a god of disorder, but of peace." Nowhere is that more evident than amongst Jehovah's Witnesses.
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Crazyguy
Paul said there would be sects and among those sects the righteous would manifest themselves. Paul also said that to not follow Cephas or Apollos or Paul since only one died for you Jesus. In Acts the disiples were first Devinely called Christians from Antioch. Paul also said in Philppians that he did not care how or by what motive the good news of christs was spread only that it was. He also said that a great apostacy would take place. From these scriptures it is clear that all christian religions are not perfect but are spreading news about Christ. To say one is better than another is to judge, and to exalt one self. Last but not least no leader or man of responsobility in the chuch should ever act like he is better or more special than another and anyone that does will be judged. That goes for the the Pope who thinks hes the Vicar of christ as well as the 8 men leading the JW's who also think they are the Vicar of Christ but as a body of men.
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NeverKnew
Hi Miss,
I'm with Crazyguy... in 1 Cor. 3:18-23, we see that folks were already becoming followers of men. Paul is VERY clear about identifying oneself as a follower of men in this passage. He tells us that the wisdom of men is foolishness (folly) to God and not to boast in men.
I don't believe that the collective wisdom of 8 mortals in Brooklyn, NY is any more impressive than the wisdom of 1 in Vatican City. If you find yourself arguing about which man is more right, you've completely missed the point.
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MissConfused
@ SFPW - excerpts from JW Facts - The word "Organization" is not in the Bible, yet appears 16,789 times on the 2006 Watchtower Library CD. About ' We use field service slips to ensure that literature isn't being wasted' - Do you really think Literature isnt wasted even after being so 'ORGANIZED'? And about - ' Organization is needed in order to remain unified in thought and spirit.' - Why do you need to be unified in thought and spirit? Do you really think God will check if you are a member of Watchtower and then Judge you? John 6:40 - For this is the will of my Father, that everyone that beholds the Son and exercises faith in him should have everlasting life, and I will resurrect him at the last day.” John 6:47 - Jesus said "He that believes has everlasting life" Does it ring any bells? :)
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jhine
As has been already pointed out if we look at the OT organisation pattern as a pattern for Christians today then we are putting ourselves back under the old covenant .
Miss Confused you could try reading John 17 : 20- end and then John 16 : 12 - end I think that this makes clear that Jesus directing us though the Holy Spirit is in charge now .
Although Christendom in general and by that I mean all the denominations , Catholic , Baptist , Anglican , etc are not organised by a collective of people it is true that more than ever under the guidence of the Holy Spirit they are working together and the Gospel is being preached in more countries than ever and in more languages than ever .
Individual churches in the early years were organised to some extent if only for administration purposes . However I cannot think of anywhere in the Bible where there is mention of one body of people in charge of everyone .
Romans 12 : 6-8 makes it clear that each person had a gift given by the Holy Spirit which he or she should use for the good of the church . 1Corinthians 12( whole chapter ) elaborates on this and makes it clear than no one person is better than another or more valuable than another .
Now some will say that the gifts of the Spirit died with the apostles , citing 1 Cor 13: 8-10. My question to that is when did perfection come ? When the apostles died ? do not think so .
I have given you a lot of reading but I think that it will useful Jan
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tornapart
SFPW, it is not Unity.. it is Conformity. There's a difference. Look up Groupthink in Wikipedia. George Orwell uses it quite nicely in his novel 1984.
And when did the 1stC christians have to put in a field service report? They never had to 'report back' to anyone, they were all over the place yet look how they accomplished it!
Today there are over 1,000,000 christians in China without any kind of 'organisation'. They meet in 'house churches' much the same as 1stC christians did.
Also, you have taken 1 Cor 14:33 out of context. There is nothing wrong with being organised to accomplish something. Where it becomes wrong is when IT becomes an ORGANISATION that controls people.