Salvation by works is why JW's are under the modern day Mosaic Law

by truthseeker 12 Replies latest jw friends

  • truthseeker
    truthseeker

    Because The society does not teach a basic Christian doctrine, salavtion by grace, but rather teaches that salavtion only comes through them by works, this in itself creates a dilemma.

    If salvation is by works only, then you need a system that puts you under an obligation to perform these works. What are these works?

    Firstly, attending 5 meetings a week, for the rest of your life. This includes the Special Assembly Day, the Circuit Assembly and the three day District Convention. In addition to this, you must go out on field service at least once a week, preferably on a Saturday which is known as "Magazine Day." (See the JW calendar for this.)

    Then you must put in a prescribed number of hours each month so that you are doing the congregation average. A brother once told me, it was not enough to do the congregation average, you must do the national average to be approved, especially if you want to reach out.

    Then you must do prestudy for EACH of these five meetings as well as the daystext, daily Bible reading and personal study.

    How exactly do the Society impose this rigid system of salvation by works?

    Blondie notes, that in her "Comments you will not hear at the Watchtower", that more references are made to the Old Testament than the New Testament. The Society writes, that even though true Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, they are under the principles of the law.

    How different is this from what Paul says at Galatians 3:13

    "Christ by purchase released us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse instead of us, because it is written: "Accursed is every man hanged upon a stake."

    Also, the prophet Daniel said that "sacrifice and gift offering would be done away with."

    So the Society keeps its members obedient by using parts of the Mosaic Law as a force in their lives.

    How often has the Society declared that Jehovah is our Father and the organization is our Mother?

    The Modern Day Mosaic Law

    ------------------------------------------

    Attend all the meetings

    Mosaic Law: Exodus 20:10 "But the seventh day is a sabbath to Jehovah your God. You must not do any work..."

    Example: Numbers 15:32 "While the sons of Israel were contuining in the wilderness, they once found a man collecting pieces of wood on the sabbath day."

    Reinforcemnent: Numbers 15:35 "In time Jehovah said to Moses: "Without fail the man should be put to death, the whole assembly pelting him with stones outside the camp."

    Attend assemblies and conventions

    Mosaic Law: Deuteronomy 31:12,13 "Congregate the people, the men and the women and the little ones and your alien resident who is within your gates, in order that they may listen and in order that they may learn, as they must fear Jehovah your God and take care to carry out all the words of this law."

    Encouraged to preach at least 10 hours a month

    While the Society does not refer to this practice in principle regarding the Mosaic Law, you can be sure that the smiliarity between an Israelite giving Jehovah a tenth of all his flock and first fruits equates with giving "Jehovah ten hours a month." One example, was of an elder who said in the field service meeting, that "some people only give Jehovah ten hours a month."

    Dress and grooming, wearing badges at conventions

    We all know the annual ritual of how and what to wear during the convention. In a similar way, the Israelites were told to have a blue thread sown on the edge of their skirt to identify themselves as God's people. In the same way, the Society tells us to always wear our badge, even during leisure hours, so that we may identify ourselves as Jehovah's Witnesses.

    Contributions

    Never failing to mention how although we are not under the Mosaic Law where we give a tenth of everything, they use coercion and manipulation to pressure witnesses into giving more of their time and money.

    These are just a few of the ways the Society has adapted the Mosaic Law to put Christians under the oath to serve God so as to get salvation by works, and not faith.

  • blondie
    blondie

    Yes, truthseeker, the WTS has developed its own Talmud and are modern-day Pharisees. JWs are not motivated by the love of Christ. Most JWs desperately seek out a rule too, either scouring the publications (and I don't mean the Bible) and then seeking out elder after elder, CO and DO, until finally they get a rule. That is because there are so many unwritten rules and they are afraid they will screw up and lose their "rivileges."

    Good post.

    Blondie

  • truthseeker
    truthseeker

    Thanks Blondie!

    Our WT study conductor once told everyone, that our ministry was like an installment payment on the new system - so all the dubs there who heard that correlate ministry with survival into a new earth.

    It really is a Talmud - my wife was commenting recently how she doesn't comment much at the WT study anymore. One of her friends told her, 'that she was worried and all your friends are worried."

    I told her, "if you commented once, why are they so worried." Is this another law? To have at least 2 comments for the WT study?

  • XQsThaiPoes
    XQsThaiPoes

    Hey we barely believe in Jesus give us a break.

    Besides if we are saved by grace then the works just give you peace of mind. Everyone in the OT was saved by works, and Jesus saved by works. I am not saying the JW life style is for everyone, but christianity gets silly after a while, and most churches invent their own dogma on salvation. Few churchs baptise you in the FSHS and say come back next easter to cannibalize Jesus corpse. JW are very petty and shallow. The WTS does not want them to be, but the model that the WTS promotes can only be met by Jesus himself. Do inifinite works just because; with out excepting or expecting anything in return. Maybe it is Jesus envy I don't know. The other side is them trying to protect adults from other adults. It is not like it is a sin, but it may be a "gateway" sin.

  • blindfool
    blindfool

    As I see this issue, there is a very basic problem.

    How could we ever do enough work to repay the debt we owe to Christ. Grace or even undeserved kindness, is our only hope. How can undeserved kindness be deserved? Isn't that what the WTBTS teaches? That somehow, by our works, we will deserve undeserved kindness?

  • Satanus
    Satanus

    Yes, emphatically. This explains very well how jws are not christians, not christian. They are under a judaic system. They are more an offshoot of judaism than a branch of christianity. New testement christianity is a freewheeling, almost wild form of religion. The pentacostalists are the primitive form, the catholics the more refined one (in the catholic, you can make up your own mind about almost anything).

    SS

  • LittleToe
    LittleToe

    SS:
    And then you have the Charismatic branch of the Catholics - LOL.
    Fun guys!

  • Valis
    Valis

    Um the other problem is thier definition of works. They have boiled down that meaning to preeaching the "good news"...You know the sale of one building could feed a lot of homeless people in NYC...

    Sincerely,

    Districrt Overbeer of the "Not a bible scholar" class

  • El blanko
    El blanko

    I suppose works are important in a way, but it is for each one to choose what he or she is capable of and accept as part of their expression of faith.

    Within itself, going from door to door is not an act of the upmost evil, but the act of enforcing that discipline upon every Christian could be construed as being oppressive and certainly begins to negate individual freewill by making the act compulsory.

    Having to attend all meetings and study for every meeting is a bind and can undermine a persons confidence in their own spiritual standing before Christ & God, by implying that one is spiritually weak if one is not able to (or not willing to even).

    So, I have to agree. Too many rules and regulations that define a materialistic spirituality.

  • Mary
    Mary
    One example, was of an elder who said in the field service meeting, that "some people only give Jehovah ten hours a month."

    That's 10 hours more than what I put in.

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