One should never be made to feel so uncomfortable so as to "dodge and weave" from fellow Witnesses or to be made to feel "guilty." This shows a person still in fear of men and "in captivity" to an organization. This is not the freedom The Master spoke of. (John 8:31-32)
While I cannot speak for the husband, why not ascertain who he feels that he should be in service to: An organization or Christ.
Ascertain who it is he is to listen to: An organization or Christ. (Luke 9:35)
It might help if it is explained to him that taking upon himself a name not belonging to our "Owner" (Christ) makes him an adulterer. Permit me to explain this (Married persons can appreciate this):
If a man and woman marry, the woman takes the surname of the husband. This marks or identifies her as belonging to him. If the married woman takes upon herself another name (other than that of her husband), she commits adultery in the since she has identified herself with another man.
Likewise, if anyone claims to be attached, membered, or "married" to Christ, they take his name upon themselves and no other. What name is that? Is it Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, Lutheran, Methodist, etc? No, none of these names belong to Christ. Taking such names identify the person as being attached to or membered (married) to those "organizations." So what is the name Christ would give his followers?
"Disciples." No more and no less. We are to be "His Disciples." Drop all of the fancy names.
Read John 8:31-32 and Matthew 28:19-20. Then read what Jesus said below at John 13:34-35:
"I am giving YOU a new commandment, that YOU love one another; just as I have loved YOU, that YOU also love one another. By this all will know that YOU are my disciples, if YOU have love among yourselves."
Notice that we are to be known simply as his "disciples."
The many fancy names and divisive titles today are man-made and belong to men. True followers of Christ should cast them off. Even the expression "Christian" is man-made. In fact, it was the first "title" assigned "to" disciples of Christ by non-followers. Jesus never referred to himself as a Christian; he never referred to his disciples as Christians; ans his disciples never referred to each other by that title either.
The bottom line here is that one should not go back or "go INTO" something such as a religious organization as Christ does not exist within any of them. That would be confining. No! Christ exists "WITHOUT" of them. Notice what the Apostle Paul says at Hebrew 13:13-14:
"Let us, then, go forth to him outside the camp, bearing the reproach he bore, for we do not have here a city that continues, but we are earnestly seeking the one to come."
A "camp" or a "city" is a place of organization as opposed to a wilderness that is desolate and barren.
Notice where Christs disciples are to go: Outside the camp. Why? Because that is where Christ is.
Too, notice that disciples of Christ have "no organization" or "city" to go INTO at present, but we earnestly seek the one to come.
I am convinced that the entire world has been grossly misled concerning God and Christ and it is an impostor that has misled the world. This impostor has a name. It is called "Christianity." The Master foretold its coming. Jesus said it would come on the basis of "his name" truthfully proclaiming that he is "the Christ" but would mislead many. Notice what Jesus says at Matthew 24:4-5:
"Look out that nobody misleads YOU; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many."
Christianity has over 41000 contending denominations. This is the many.
R. Jerome Harris
e-Prophetic.com
