Posts by EverAStudent

12

Male and Female temple prostitutes

by ssn587 in

the following verses make me wonder just how prevalent prostituion at the "temple" was in ancient times.. the verse in deut.

23: 17 about becoming temple prostitutes didn't they israelites have a tabernacle until solomon built the temple during his reign?.

deuteronomy 23:17 none of the daughters of israel may become temple prostitutes neither may anyone of the sons of israel become a temple prostitute.

EverAStudent

I am sorry to say that the practice was wide-spread pre-Israel, in Israel before the kings, in the Northern Kingdom before their destruction, and even in the Southern Kingdom at times. This is evident from such passages of Scripture as God rebuking the nation of Israel for serving Baal via lewd acts under every tree, Solomon building temples for the fertility cults of his wives, etc. The sons of one of the Jewish prophets actually set up fertility prostitution in the Tabernacle.

In NT times the cult of Artemus in Ephesus was widely believed to be a fertility cult. In Rome many of the temples were fertility cults. Yes, it was quite rampant. Fertility cults were tightly embedded in the cultures of the day.

Enter Christianity: pagan fertility cults began to become frowned upon and faded away. Christians see this as a positive historical event, unbelievers see this as Christians poluting the cultures of sovereign nations.

10

Predestination and the 144K

by cameo-d in

romans 8:29. for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.. .

so according to this, only certain people are chosen for a predestination.. how are their images conformed?

have they been genetically manipulated?

EverAStudent

Not sure if you are asking only for the WTS perspective, or opinions in general.

From the evangelical Christian perspective: all those who "get saved" are those who have been "predestined" to salvation. That is the only thing that the phrase means to an evangelical Christian. Predestination is the same as "elected" or "pre-chosen." In other words, God planned out how to save people and which people to save before He created Adam and Eve (read Ephesians 1:4, Revelation 13:8).

In general all people are called to repent and get saved. Jesus went throughout Israel calling on everyone to repent (read Mark 1:14-15). Only some people will respond, and this is also termed being "called" (see 2 Thessalonians 2:14, 1 Corinthians 1:2-9, Romans 11:29, Jude 1:1, 1 Peter 3:9, 2 Peter 1:3, Hebrews 9:15, 2 Timothy 1:9, 1 Timothy 6:12, Ephesians 4:1-4, 1 Corinthians 7:22). Those who respond by getting saved are those who were predestined (pre-chosen) by God.

Those who are called to salvation are conformed to the image of Christ, that is, we are to act like He acted. We are to be holy and serve God (Philippians 1:6).

It is important to remember that we serve God not to gain favor or to try to merit salvation or to win Him over. We already have the guarantee of salvation once we believe in Him for salvation (Ephesians 1:13, 2 Corinthians 1:22). We serve God solely because we are thankful / grateful for being guaranteed salvation:

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29)

52

Never been drunk - have I missed something?

by Newborn in

jw
friends

?

.

EverAStudent

Glad to hear I was not the only one!

I grew up not drinking because my dad poured all us kids a good stiff "drink" when we were all young (about 6 years old) at Christmas and asked us to join him--I nearly tossed my cookies at the fowl liquid. Never desired to drink after that.

Then in school I saw too many kids pass out after an OD and decided drugs were not a good option either.

No regrets. Thanks dad!

304

is jesus a god?

by javig in

hi...i have come across the jw text that says that "the word was a god" john 1:1...who is that "god"?

another god?

is him jesus?...

EverAStudent

Just to be clear:

Psalm 82 is written about those who rule Israel (that includes kings, judges, priests, and certainly prophets), which is just what verse 1 prominantly states--"the rulers."

Many judges were prophets.
The first three kings were prophets.
Some ruilers / leaders were prophets (e.g. Moses, Daniel, Nehamiah, Ezra, etc.).
All those who rule Israel are called "gods" in the Psalm, because they exercise the rule of Israel as stewards of God and His Law.

Sadly the rulers, "gods," for the most part acted unrighteously. These gods were unjust (verse 2), partial toward wicked people (verse 2), lacked understanding (verse 5), walked in darkness (verse 5), were unstable (verse 5), and would someday die so as to be judged by God like all other rulers / princes on earth (verse 7).

If one receives a prophecy that in the future they are to be classed with the wicked rulers of Psalm 82 it is a thing to be feared.

Blessings.

304

is jesus a god?

by javig in

hi...i have come across the jw text that says that "the word was a god" john 1:1...who is that "god"?

another god?

is him jesus?...

EverAStudent

aguest wrote:

"3) I will be a god (Ummmm… no, I do not automatically include you in this truth; however, yes, there are those who fit this description) – Psalm 82:6"

This I find to be a truly unnerving, if not frightening, assertion. That you feel you will be a god with the sinful and ungodly qualities sarcastically applied to the prophets (the "gods") in Psalm 82:1-8 should cause you to go back and beg the Lord God with all your might not to become like those so described:

v.2 - unjust, gives favors to the wicked
v.5 - lacks understanding, walks in darkness, unstable
v.7 - will die like all other men
v.8 - will be judged by the real God after they die

That you have heard a voice or seen a revelation that says this will be your fate is frightening beyond belief.

52

The Title Jesus Gave Himself: Lord of the Sabbath

by EverAStudent in

jw
friends

i have been reading and investigating matthew 12:1-8. jesus is accused of breaking the law of the seventh day of rest, the sabbath.

he defends himself and then caps the discussion by declaring himself to be "the lord of the sabbath.

" since only yhwh was ever known as the lord of the sabbath (the one who created, owned, and received worship on the sabbath) i can find no other valid meaning for the title jesus gave to himself, except that he is calling himself god.. what meaning does the wts put on this title, since i know they are not willing to allow jesus to call himself yhwh?.

EverAStudent

IsaacAustin wrote:

Everastudent, I looked thru my CD. It is never addressed in the way you are asking.
It was used in the 10/15/69 WT to bolster the end coming in 1975
In order for the Lord Jesus Christ to be "Lord even of the sabbath day," his thousand-year reign would have to be the seventh in a series of thousand-year periods or millenniums. (Matt. 12:8, AV ) Thus it would be a sabbatic reign.

Thanks! That is interesting! It seems they believe that the title He used of Himself is only to apply in the future. That too is unsupportable by the Greek since it says that Jesus IS the Lord of the Sabbath, and not, WILL BE the Lord of the Sabbath.

It would be kind of a silly defense for Jesus to mount to say, "We can eat wheat on the Sabbath because some day I will become the Lord of the Sabbath." I do not believe that such a theory is good logic, is allowed for by the Greek, or is what Jesus was attempting to communicate at the time, given the circumstances and context of the situation.

52

The Title Jesus Gave Himself: Lord of the Sabbath

by EverAStudent in

jw
friends

i have been reading and investigating matthew 12:1-8. jesus is accused of breaking the law of the seventh day of rest, the sabbath.

he defends himself and then caps the discussion by declaring himself to be "the lord of the sabbath.

" since only yhwh was ever known as the lord of the sabbath (the one who created, owned, and received worship on the sabbath) i can find no other valid meaning for the title jesus gave to himself, except that he is calling himself god.. what meaning does the wts put on this title, since i know they are not willing to allow jesus to call himself yhwh?.

EverAStudent

PSacramento wrote:

I may be misunderstanding what everastudent is saying, but it seems to me that he is implying the Jesus was calling himself YHWH, ie: God the father, not God the son of the Trinity.
It is my undestanding that, while Jesus is part of the trinity, he is so as God, the Son, not God the father and as such he is the person of God, the Son.
To say that Jesus was claiming to be YHWH, God the father would mean that he was claiming to be the PERSON of God, the father, no?

Thanks for noting the point of confusion. In Trinitarian-speak YHWH is not the name of the Father only, but is the proper name for God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, all together.

For Trinitarians, when one says YHWH they are referring to all three persons of the one God. Further, the Almighty is like the name YHWH and refers to all three persons of the Trinity. The same holds true with the title, God. God is the Almighty, the Creator, the Savior.

Think of it this way, if Jesus were to show up in person and talk with you (and I am not even implying this does or does not happen today as it did with Paul) then you could properly say that you talked with YHWH, or with God, or with the Almighty. The same would hold true if the Father showed up and talked with you.

Which person of the Trinity showed up and talked with Abraham (Genesis 18) by the oak trees? Some say it was the Father. Some say it was Jesus, the Son. Some say it was all three persons of YHWH because the manifestation was in three persons. More confounding is that YHWH stays behind to talk with Abraham while the other two messengers go to rain down fire on Soddom and Gomorrah, though the text alternates between saying it was the angels who rained the fire and that it was YHWH who rained the fire. Of course, it is easily reconciled by understanding that YHWH is three persons and visited Abraham as a manifestation of three persons.

304

is jesus a god?

by javig in

hi...i have come across the jw text that says that "the word was a god" john 1:1...who is that "god"?

another god?

is him jesus?...

EverAStudent

To aguest: My sincere apologies for having made a false accusation against you, specifically, labeling you a Mormon when you are not. I am sorry.

52

The Title Jesus Gave Himself: Lord of the Sabbath

by EverAStudent in

jw
friends

i have been reading and investigating matthew 12:1-8. jesus is accused of breaking the law of the seventh day of rest, the sabbath.

he defends himself and then caps the discussion by declaring himself to be "the lord of the sabbath.

" since only yhwh was ever known as the lord of the sabbath (the one who created, owned, and received worship on the sabbath) i can find no other valid meaning for the title jesus gave to himself, except that he is calling himself god.. what meaning does the wts put on this title, since i know they are not willing to allow jesus to call himself yhwh?.

EverAStudent

PSacramento, pleasure talking with you on this subject.

To you, or anyone else, what is the official WTS understanding (misunderstanding?) of the title: Lord of the Sabbath?

52

The Title Jesus Gave Himself: Lord of the Sabbath

by EverAStudent in

jw
friends

i have been reading and investigating matthew 12:1-8. jesus is accused of breaking the law of the seventh day of rest, the sabbath.

he defends himself and then caps the discussion by declaring himself to be "the lord of the sabbath.

" since only yhwh was ever known as the lord of the sabbath (the one who created, owned, and received worship on the sabbath) i can find no other valid meaning for the title jesus gave to himself, except that he is calling himself god.. what meaning does the wts put on this title, since i know they are not willing to allow jesus to call himself yhwh?.

EverAStudent

PSacramento wrote:

Everastudent,
I think you may need to re-read my posts.
Unless of course you are implying that Jesus was stating that he, Jesus, was YHWH and not even the Trinity says that.

Exactly right! I am saying that Jesus claimed to be YHWH. One and the same. "Trinitarians" believe that there is only one God. That one God, YHWH, is comprised of three persons, not three separate gods, but all three persons are one God. They form a unity, a single being, YHWH.

No, it is not possible for humans to combine themselves with 2 other persons to become a trinity. And a single human acting out as three personalities (schizophrenia) is not the same thing as being a truly blended being with three persons. It is not something corporeal humans can do or experience, but it is possible only for God, and is in fact, God's nature.

Trinitarians have always taught that as a single being the three persons of God (YHWH) are equal in being and in substance (existing as one being) but also have different roles and so subordinate their roles to each other. Specifically, the fact that the Holy Spirit allows Himself to be sent by the Son and by the Father does not make Him lesser in nature, but His role is subordinate to the others. Similarly, the Son is sent by the Father, but that does not make Him less than God for subordinating His role to the Father. They are, and have always been, one God, three persons.

There has only ever been one Lord of the Sabbath.