Reproach and loyalty.
Consider the following points from the publishing house in brooklyn ny, usa.
*** w96 3/15 15-20 Meeting the Challenge of Loyalty *** 4 Loyalty to Jehovah God will also keep us from doing anything that would bring reproach upon his name and Kingdom. For example, two Christians once got into such difficulty with each other that they improperly resorted to a worldly law court. The judge asked, Are both of you Jehovahs Witnesses? Evidently he could not understand what they were doing in court. What a reproach that was! Loyalty to Jehovah God would have caused those brothers to heed the counsel of the apostle Paul: Really, then, it means altogether a defeat for you that you are having lawsuits with one another. Why do you not rather let yourselves be wronged? Why do you not rather let yourselves be defrauded? (1 Corinthians 6:7) Certainly, the course of loyalty to Jehovah God is to suffer personal loss rather than bring reproach upon Jehovah and his organization.
Loyalty to Jehovahs Organization
9 We now come to the matter of being loyal to Jehovahs visible organization . Certainly, we owe loyalty to it, including the faithful and discreet slave, through which the Christian congregation is fed spiritually. (Matthew 24:45-47) Suppose that something appears in publications that we do not understand or agree with at the moment. What will we do? Take offense and leave the organization ? That is what some did when TheWatchTower, many years ago, applied the new covenant to the Millennium. Others took offense at what TheWatchtower once said on the issue of neutrality. If those who stumbled over these matters had been loyal to the organization and to their brothers, they would have waited on Jehovah to clarify these matters, which he did in his due time. Thus, loyalty includes waiting patiently until further understanding is published by the faithful and discreet slave.
10 Loyalty to Jehovahs visible organization also means having nothing to do with apostates. Loyal Christians will not be curious about what such people have to say. True, those being used by Jehovah God to direct his work on earth are not perfect. But what does Gods Word tell us to do? Leave Gods organization ? No. Brotherly affection should keep us loyal to it, and we should continue to love one another intensely from the heart.1 Peter 1:22.
*** w95 4/1 26-9 How Christians Cope With Public Reproach *** Firsthand Information Is Vital
In the first century, people spread lies about Jesus Christ in order to damage his reputation, some even presenting him as treasonous. (Luke 7:34; 23:2; compare Matthew 22:21.) Later, the young Christian congregation encountered broad-based opposition from both religious and worldly elements. Since God chose the foolish things of the world, many looked down on his servants. (1 Corinthians 1:22-29) True Christians today must reckon with reproach , which is a form of persecution .John 15:20.
Respond to Criticism?
Jesus said of his followers: You are no part of the world . . . On this account the world hates you. (John 15:19) Many press reports that heap reproach on Jehovahs Witnesses are an expression of this hatred, and such should be ignored. However, the media may at times present information that reflects a lack of knowledge about the Witnesses or that distorts and misinterprets certain facts. Some journalists might draw material from biased sources. Whether we ignore false information in the media or defend the truth by appropriate means depends on the circumstances, the instigator of the criticism, and his goal.
Do Not Be Frightened by Opposers
How encouraging to know that reproach does not stop people from becoming Witnesses! During a TV talk show in , apostates wove a fabric of lies about the Witnesses. A viewer recognized the apostate embellishments as being fantasy and was moved to resume his Bible study with the Witnesses. Yes, public reproach sometimes leads to positive results!Compare Philippians , 13.
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Reproach on gods visible organization to me has been the focus on everything we do as sinners being imperfect humans that we are. All my years as a jehovers witness, this was what was focused on whenever a wrongdoing or anything of the sort was being discussed.
Personally I hate the phrase, Jehovers earthy spirit directed visible organization or anything of the sort. Attendance at the last DC 2001 for me, made me sick with the number of times I heard this phrase. I groaned and became sick physically with what I heard.
This organization has in effect replaced God in the minds of jws and once I started becoming aware of what I was learning, and feeling deep down inside, it all became so obvious.
The programming and brainwashing done to keep people in this organization is very subtle and effective.
But all you have to do is start your own investigations into what you believe, and have been taught.
Only then, can the wt wall built inside of you come crumbling down.
Loud, hard and fast.
Only then can you see the REAL light.
Only then can you see "REAL" truth.
73s de zev
Edited by - zev on 1 August 2002 8:56:27
Edited by - zev on 1 August 2002 8:57:1