i have a friend who met with a couple of elders recently and i was told things went well, no issues.
well a couple weeks later they stopped by my friends place, ( just to say hi ) right before they left they said, " hey can we meet again?
my friend said, " sure ".
The brother should ask beforehand - only one of the elders - what the purpose of the meeting is - t hen take appropriate precautions, namely having his own witness.
I'll never meet with elders again on my own, after the corruption I personally experienced. I never thought elders would lie - how stupid was that!!!
jehovah's witnesses and many other religions believe jesus will return or has returned (invisibly .
The answer can be found in Genesis chapter 3. The Creator's name was slandered by Satan when he told the perfect woman Eve that she did not have to obey her God. In fact, the biggest lie he told her was that she would become just like God Himself. Therefore, she could live without His direction.
Jehovah then answered the challenge, not by instantly destroying Adam, Eve, & Satan, but by providing the remedy for death through sin by means of Christ's ransom sacrifice (Matt. 20:28) and at the same allowing Satan the opportunity to either prove or discredit his claim that humans can live without their Creator.
The following Scriptures clearly show that Satan and his demons are governing the earth. (and not successfully either) Luke 4:6; John 12:31; John 14:30; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:9.
As for the statistics showing that tens of millions more reject Christ's ransom sacrifice than accept it, so therefore God is going to wipe out more and more people - very true!! But read 1 John 3:10-12.
People have/are being offered the benefits of Christ's sacrifice to live on a decent earth - but they are not being forced to accept it. They have a choice.
When this takes place, no one knows the exact time, but can anyone here over the age of 30 honestly say that they believe that the political, religious, commercial, and environmental systems are as good as they were decades ago?
Ask most experts in those disciplines - science and technology are hijacked and used to benefit governments first and foremost - not mankind in general.
Try taking out a patent on an invention which would provide free/cheap energy, and see what would happen.
for those of you on this site that are still serving as elders, your life must be filled with inner conflict and anguish when serving in this capacity.
i'm curious about a few things if you wouldn't mind answering.. do you still have an "official position" like tmso, sec, coboe, wtc, so?.
do you still give pt's?.
@ ELDERELITE
I just your original comments on your link and you clearly have great struggles with your situation.
I agree with you 100% when you said that as an elder, the would-be-pioneer would respect your opinion more than he might someone else'.
I am no longer an M.S., and for the last 3 years have discovered so many Bible truths, such as who were/are part of the Old/New Covenant, who constitute spiritual Israel, the "new" scrolls, the "othersheep", etc. etc.
How do you think the 12 righteous men (who later became the Apostles) felt in 27 C.E. when they looked at the religious leaders when they came to worship Jehovah?
Exactly as many of us probably feel right now; but aren't we in an identical situation, waiting on the Christ's return?
Those men never abandoned their faith in the Covenant - only in those who invalidated it and prevented others from entering the Kingdom of God.
I give certain Scriptural answers at the meetings, subtly trying to 'plant seeds', so that it might cause one or two to start to do Bible research, rather than 'literature search'. I also refuse to be Watchtower reader/Book Study reader if the subject matter has any falsehoods in it - likewise with any Ministry School assignments.
Also, I've had limited conversations with 3 or 4 different ones to enlighten them on what the Bible really teaches.
But isn't it amazing how ones who think they have the truth, lightly dismiss a Scriptural truth. (probably because I don't have the weight of "elder's badge" behind me)
I think when 2 Thess. 2:4, 1st Pet. 4:17, & Rev. 2:22 begin to be fulfilled, then each will render an account for themselves.
If you find a better "nation" of people (not 'leaders') which endeavours to live by God's standards, you must let everyone know about it.
That's my view anyway - keep the true faith in our true Leader!
after the service meeting recently, i was speaking with a mature ministerial servant's wife about blood fractions.
she said she was so confused about the subject that she hadn't filled in the advance medical directive.
this is how i replied: "where do blood fractions come from?
After the service meeting recently, I was speaking with a mature Ministerial Servant's wife about blood fractions.
She said she was so confused about the subject that she hadn't filled in the Advance Medical directive.
This is how I replied: "Where do blood fractions come from? Blood!
"What did Jehovah say had to be done with blood? Poured out on the ground!". (Lev. 17:13)
"What was the command given to Christians at Acts 15:28,29? To abstain from blood!".
"We were also warned to abstain from fornication & idols; Are fractions of those acceptable?"
Christians were warned (Matthew 7:15) . . ."Be on the watch for the false prophets that come to YOU in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves.
(Acts 20:30) From among YOU yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things . . .
(Matthew 24:24) For false anointed (Christs) and false prophets will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones.
The Reasoning Book has this to say; Blood: Similarly, any food to which whole blood or even some blood fraction has been added should not be eaten.
Can you take blood derivatives into your body and at the same time scripturally condemn blood donations which provide those fractions? Waken up brothers & sisters, waken up! For God's sake and yours.
Taking blood derivatives is not a "matter of conscience", just as fornication and idolatry are not; it is a willful sin.
Brothers and sisters, read and apply the Scriptures - then test the inspired expressions!
from the hlc - not a letter from hq - why not?it is felt that because people don't know what to accept and what to say 'no' to, brothers and sisters are saying 'no' to everythying, and this is just wrong!they want brothers to know that not only is blood sacred, but also life is sacred.
the implication is, that if you say no to fractions, you could be viewing life as not sacred, and that if you do not have a good reason that you can explain, you should not say 'no' to things.
and they are no longer using the term "blood fractions" - they are to be called "blood derivatives", because the substance is so small.whatever happened to leviticus 17:13?
To repeat an illustration I once submitted - Is it OK for a Christian to accept the lovely steering wheel from a stolen Ferrari? How can scriptures to abstain from blood be ignored by accepting fractions?
Would 'fractions' or 'derivatives' of fornication be viewed by Jehovah as "a matter of conscience"?
"New Scrolls" were a corrupt and demon-inspired invention back in the 80s - likewise, this new tradition of "blood fractions" invalidates God' Word.
Brothers & sisters - Test the 'inspired' expression to see from where they originate. That way, you will be prepared for what is really coming - not what you've been told is coming!! (2 Thess. 2:4; 1 Peter 4:17; Rev. 2:21,22)
from the hlc - not a letter from hq - why not?it is felt that because people don't know what to accept and what to say 'no' to, brothers and sisters are saying 'no' to everythying, and this is just wrong!they want brothers to know that not only is blood sacred, but also life is sacred.
the implication is, that if you say no to fractions, you could be viewing life as not sacred, and that if you do not have a good reason that you can explain, you should not say 'no' to things.
and they are no longer using the term "blood fractions" - they are to be called "blood derivatives", because the substance is so small.whatever happened to leviticus 17:13?
From the HLC - NOT a letter from HQ - why not? It is felt that because people don't know what to accept and what to say 'no' to, brothers and sisters are saying 'no' to everything, and this is just wrong! They want brothers to know that not only is blood sacred, but also life is sacred. The implication is, that if you say no to fractions, you could be viewing life as not sacred, and that if you do not have a good reason that you can explain, you should not say 'no' to things. And they are no longer using the term "blood fractions" - they are to be called "blood derivatives", because the substance is so small. Whatever happened to Leviticus 17:13? Oh I'm sorry - I forgot that it said that if in the future you found a part of blood which was useful to you, just take it it out, then pour the rest of the blood out on to the dust!! Silly me, not taking into account man's technology and wisdom!! (as well as the warning at 2Thess. 2:4) "Test the insired expression to see if it originates with God".
from the hlc - not a letter from hq - why not?it is felt that because people don't know what to accept and what to say 'no' to, brothers and sisters are saying 'no' to everythying, and this is just wrong!they want brothers to know that not only is blood sacred, but also life is sacred.
the implication is, that if you say no to fractions, you could be viewing life as not sacred, and that if you do not have a good reason that you can explain, you should not say 'no' to things.
and they are no longer using the term "blood fractions" - they are to be called "blood derivatives", because the substance is so small.whatever happened to leviticus 17:13?
From the HLC - NOT a letter from HQ - why not? It is felt that because people don't know what to accept and what to say 'no' to, brothers and sisters are saying 'no' to everythying, and this is just wrong! They want brothers to know that not only is blood sacred, but also life is sacred. The implication is, that if you say no to fractions, you could be viewing life as not sacred, and that if you do not have a good reason that you can explain, you should not say 'no' to things. And they are no longer using the term "blood fractions" - they are to be called "blood derivatives", because the substance is so small. Whatever happened to Leviticus 17:13? Oh I'm sorry - I forgot that it said that if in the future you found a part of blood which was useful to you, just take it it out, then pour the rest of the blood out on to the dust!! Silly me, not taking into account man's technology and wisdom!! (as well as the warning at 2Thess. 2:4) "Test the insired expression to see if it originates with God".
w82 7/1 p. 18 par.
20 birth of the royal nation on a newborn land .
"is there a modern counterpart of the birth of the restored israelites as a nation in 537 bce?
w82 7/1 p. 18 par. 20 Birth of the Royal Nation on a Newborn Land
"Is there a modern counterpart of the “birth” of the restored Israelites as a “nation” in 537 BCE? Yes, for in the year following the first world war of 1914 - 1918 a spiritual “nation” was born, under the Greater Cyrus, the enthroned King Jesus Christ !".
So, it was 1919 then?????? Where did this "inspired expression" originate? Come on brothers and sisters, "test the inspired expression to see if it originates with God".
There are only two sources involved, and if it is not truth, then it's a lie!!!
Haven't you wondered yet as to why (at least one of the reasons) the new Online Library only has material from 2000 onwards? Because you won't be able to do research on many of the unscriptural reasonings in the literature which are now a great source of embarassment to those whose false predictions failed so miserably.
Perhaps the days of the Watchtower CD ROM are numbered now- we''ll see!
2 thessalonians 2:11; "so that is why god lets an operation of error go to them, that they may get to believing the lie....".
this scripture has intrigued me for quite a while.
exactly what is "the lie"?
@ BOBCAT
It would be interesting to know what statistics there are to quantify approximately how many Christians lived in the 1st century, prior to John's death.
I would hazard a conservative guess that the sum total would exceed 250,000, (a bit more than 144,000) when taking into account not just Judea, but all of the congregations established by Paul and others - Colossians 1:23 = "Which was preached in all creation that is under heaven."
The contention that all early Christians were heavenly - hopers is a nonsense, and not Scripturally based.
To maintain such an idea is to say that no one had a choice in the matter - whether Jewish or Gentile convert.
2 thessalonians 2:11; "so that is why god lets an operation of error go to them, that they may get to believing the lie....".
this scripture has intrigued me for quite a while.
exactly what is "the lie"?
Thanks to all for their contributions, and thanks again to Bobcat for a detailed Scriptural reasoning.
I perceive my original submission was not clearly laid out; however my contention is simply that numerous all -encompassing Bible teachings (whatever they are) are either hidden, twisted, or destroyed, by the much repeated man-made doctrine, "it doesn't mean you - it means us!!".
I don't make any apologies for repeating this; one of the greatest false teachings is that "alien residents were not party to the Law Covenant and had no inheritance with 'natural' Israelites".
A corrupt and demonic lie!!
Examine the account in Exodus as to who was there and assented to the terms and conditions Jehovah offered.
Then examine the backgrounds of Rahab and Ruth and ask yourself, "did they not become full members of Jehovah's nation?".
This particular falsehood is used to "justify" a discrimination between the heavenly-hopers and earthly-hopers, (not classes - I detest that term) and to exclude them from being accepted as sons of God now, and part of His spiritual nation.
"Test the inspired expression".
