@FreetheMasons,
It's not me that's blocking "the way". It's God's word, the scriptural truth that's blocking your way, your desire to fabricate your own delusions about God. 1 Cor 2:14
the jw idea that believers are destined either for heavenly life or for endless life on earth comes in for significant criticism by critics of various kinds.
even some groups, such as the christadelphians, who share belief in a future paradise earth, don’t share the view that some christians are destined for life in heaven.
yet there is surprisingly quite a lot of evidence in the bible for the existence of two distinct groups of believers.
@FreetheMasons,
It's not me that's blocking "the way". It's God's word, the scriptural truth that's blocking your way, your desire to fabricate your own delusions about God. 1 Cor 2:14
the jw idea that believers are destined either for heavenly life or for endless life on earth comes in for significant criticism by critics of various kinds.
even some groups, such as the christadelphians, who share belief in a future paradise earth, don’t share the view that some christians are destined for life in heaven.
yet there is surprisingly quite a lot of evidence in the bible for the existence of two distinct groups of believers.
@FreetheMasons -
When it says "they walked with Jehovah during the breezy part of the day" what do you think that meant?
Jesus, the representative and messenger of God, was the symbolic tree of life in the Garden. The “fruit” from that tree symbolized life and truth – the truth of God’s word. With the coming of Christ, life is again available to mankind through the tree of life for those who seek the understanding and wisdom of God. Revelation 22:12-14
He is the angel – MESSENGER, the meaning of the word, “angel”, both in Hebrew and in Greek …he was the messenger, Logos and spokesperson of God, who went before the camp of Israel. Exod 14:9
1 Corinthians 10:4 - and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
In Isaiah 63:9 – Jesus is called the “Angel of His presence”.
There, you see? God’s “presence” among mankind is through Jesus Christ.
Zech 12:8 - In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them.
When Jesus was on the earth in the first century, he also represented God of course, as God’s Son and as His messenger, His spokesperson.
John 14:31 - But I do exactly what the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Get up! Let us go on from here.
John 12:50 - And I know that His commandment is eternal life. Therefore what I speak, as the Father has said to Me, so I speak."
How did Moses talk “face to face” with God? Through His messenger, the Logos, through the Angel of His Presence. And by Holy Spirit. John 4:24; John 1:1,2
So, there are no scriptures that tell us that a God who is Spirit, walked in the flesh on the earth in the Garden of Eden. But there are scriptures that clearly explain the spiritual role of Jesus since the beginning of creation.
Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58
Matt 7:15-20 – those whom Jesus chooses as HIS representatives, are also called trees. (Matt 10:25; John 13:13;1 Pet 2:21)
They can speak lies or truth. As Jesus said, we will know them by their fruits.
Revelation 2:7 - "Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”
John 14:21; Prov 8:17
Seeing God literally, “face to face”, is impossible, but possible spiritually, by having spiritual perception, as God’s spiritual children. 1 John 3:2; 2 Cor 3:18
Num 6:24-26 - "May the LORD bless you and protect you; 25 "may the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 "may the LORD look with favor on you* and give you peace."
the jw idea that believers are destined either for heavenly life or for endless life on earth comes in for significant criticism by critics of various kinds.
even some groups, such as the christadelphians, who share belief in a future paradise earth, don’t share the view that some christians are destined for life in heaven.
yet there is surprisingly quite a lot of evidence in the bible for the existence of two distinct groups of believers.
@FreetheMasons - "Jehovah is coming back".
From where?
No scriptural proof whatsoever that God will walk the earth in the flesh.
“They see delusion and their omens are a lie. They say, "the Lord declares," though the Lord has not sent them; yet they expect their word to be confirmed.” Ezek 13:6
God is Spirit,(John 4:24) and we worship Him in spirit and truth. But His Son who walked the earth, and appeared in the flesh to his disciples even after his resurrection…
His Son, made in the perfect image of the Father (Col 1:15)…yes, he will, along with his angel/messenger anointed servants /symbolic "144,000") proven faithful, and all of God’s children.
“Also your descendants (Jacob’s descendants) shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Gen 28:14
Gen 28:10-14; 22:18; Gal 3:29; Rom 98:8; Acts 2:38-39; John 1:51; Heb 1:6; Acts 1:10-11
thinking back when i was a true believer these are probably the top ten reasons why i believed jws are the true religion.
1. they show love among themselves by not going to war.
not killing your fellow believers in any circumstances, including war, would seem to be a very basic requirement for true christianity.
@FreeTheMasons – “Jesus wasn't king - yet - in 1914”
Is that the 1914 Wt. doctrine with a twist?
Jesus was a ruling, active king in the first century.
Matt 21:5 - “Tell the
daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
John 1:49 - Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Luke 10:19 – “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
John 18:36-37 - Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Luke 11:20 - "If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
Luke 17:20-21 - Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Mark 15:2 – Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.”
John 17:1-2 - Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him.
Matt 28:18 - And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
John 16:33 - These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome (conquered) the world.”
John 5:21 – “And just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he wants.”
Luke 22:69 - "But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God."
Psalm
110:1-2 -
The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
2 The Lord shall send the rod of Your
strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
Heb 1:1-3 – “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”
2 Pet 1:3 – “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue”
Heb 2:14 – “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,”
1 Cor 15:25,24,26 – “For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.
Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.
The last enemy that will be destroyed is death”
Rev 1:18 – “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”
I can provide more if you like. Surely you can see the power and authority Christ had while on earth, and after his resurrection. But can you provide scriptures that show Jesus didn’t begin reigning until or after 1914, (whatever you meant) sitting idle in heaven and waiting for men to designate a date that fits nicely in with their false doctrine?
thinking back when i was a true believer these are probably the top ten reasons why i believed jws are the true religion.
1. they show love among themselves by not going to war.
not killing your fellow believers in any circumstances, including war, would seem to be a very basic requirement for true christianity.
"It was wall to wall Jesus."
So
they are praising Jesus to gather more into their net? (Hab 1:15-16) That’s
really impossible for them to "praise" him, since they don’t give Jesus any worship. Their falsettos
to Christ will soon be drowned out, when they resume preaching and “singing” in
the name of the GB and “Jehovah’s organization”. (Luke 17:23; 2 Cor
11:4; 1 Tim 1:3-4; 6:3-5; Isa 1:13-20; Heb 4:12)
keith writes.
you have just touched on a flawed doctrinal belief that is foundational to false religion.. first, it is important to understand what false religion means when they call themselves jehovah’s witnesses.
by this, they declare themselves to be “witnesses of the father” despite the fact that jehovah is not the name of god at all, but a concoction of human origin from the dark ages.. here is the flaw:.
A witness provided a testimony. A witness for God would provide the testimony of truth in the name of Christ, who is truth. (John 14:6) Thus, one is a witness for both God and Christ, since Jesus was the Word, the Logos, (John 1:1,7) and gave testimony, a witness, to the word of God, and God Himself. And God gave testimony to the Son. (Isa 55:1-5; John 1:7; 1 John 1:5)
“Even if we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony that God has given about His Son. 10Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him; whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given about His Son.” 1 John 5:9-10
“You are my witnesses”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“and my servant whom I have CHOSEN,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
No god was formed before me,
and there will be none after me.” Isa
43:10
"The people I formed for myself (for God) will declare my PRAISE. Isa 43:21
“But you are a CHOSEN race,* a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the PRAISES of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Pet 2:9,10
“As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but CHOSEN and honored by God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Pet 2:4-5
The chosen priesthood belongs to God. But Jesus said, “All that belongs to the Father is mine.” (John 16:15) And, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” (John 15:16)
Bearing witness “in the name of Jesus”, is the same as bearing witness in the name of the Father. Jesus carried the name of the Father while on earth, in his name.
“Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith. Therefore, through him (through Jesus Christ) let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of PRAISE, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.” Hebrews 13:7,15
Mal 2:7 - For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should desire instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Armies.”
God’s anointed priests are to give witness to the word of God, to truth in Jesus Christ. Matt 28:19-20
The apostle Paul: “Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points because of the grace given me by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, SERVING AS A PRIEST of the gospel of God. God’s purpose is that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus regarding what pertains to God. Romans 15:15-17
The duties of an anointed priest today is to continues in the way of the early apostles.
1 Cor 4:1 - A person should think of us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of the mysteries of God.
Except in the Wt., where they are told to be silent and “preach” only what a wicked slave tells them to, which is their own blasphemous doctrine - giving “witness” to lies and their idol/organization. (Rev 18:4-8)
i really like the red pill analogy in the matrix.
the one guy wishes he didn’t take the red pill and would have preferred to take the blue pill.. many used to be pimi which is the blue pill and then they wake up to the fact that the gb are not who they claim to be which is taking the red pill.. they go through conflict and confusion as to what to believe now?
does god exist?
"I’m well past confused I’ve got to the acceptance stage. I think the best option for me is stay physically in the congregation as it’s such a full life, so many good friends and gatherings."
Acceptance to choose an illusion? Surely you’ve seen the Truman Show? There is no integrity, authenticity, deep care for any human, when living in an illusion. Is that really what you prefer, a masquerade? (Isa 30:10; 2 Cor 11:13-15)
Proverbs 14:18, 24 –“ Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion; wise realists plant their feet on the ground. The wise accumulate wisdom; fools get stupider by the day.” MSG Bible
You won’t find the wisdom of knowing God and Christ by remaining in the Wt. (Eph 1:17; Col 2:2-4)
according to the next boe letter to be read at next week's midweek meetings in the united states,.
the theme of the convention for next year is.
pure worship.
They have no clue what “pure worship” to God is..
· For instance, when they have been offended, some have manifested a weakness in their loyalty to Jehovah’s organization by staying away from Christian meetings. w88 3/15 pp. 15-20
God doesn’t say anything in the scriptures about being “loyal” to an organization that is built with money, human slavery, and the delusions of men. Men’s doctrine holds more weight with JWs, than God’s word. The scriptures do say a lot about being trapped by empty philosophy and giving one’s devotion, essentially to an idol that is built with “human hands”, as if it needed everything people can come up with physically and materialistically. (Col 2:8; 1 Tim 4:1; Rom 1:25; Rev 13:10, 1-2,4; Acts 17:24-25,29)
There is so much idolatry happening in that pit – men/false prophets are exalted, lies are exalted, a monster organization is exalted, the elder body who enforces the lies is exalted, all while corrupting the words of Christ.
“I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.” John 5:43
Matt 24:24-25
“Jehovah” AND his organization” -
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him.” But the people didn’t answer him a word. 1 Kings 18:21
And that’s just what JWs do. They slip into cognitive dissonance and don’t know how to answer. They can’t disconnect God from the organization.
“Do not make any gods to be alongside me; (“with” me, “together with” me - Strongs H854) do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.” Exod 20:23
“With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?” Isa 46:5
The organization is said to be the “way” to salvation.
“Jehovah” is said to be the “way” to salvation.
Is there any difference? Not to a JW who is not allowed to disconnect one from another.
Jesus is not accepted as the only “way, and the truth, and the life”. No one comes to the Father, except through me”. John 14:6
No salvation can be obtained through an earthly organization. No earthly organization can lead one to God.
proverbs 4:18 says, "but the path of the righteous....grows brighter and brighter until full daylight.".
the bible "light" doesn't get brighter - it never changes - it's a person's direction & course of life which gets brighter.. w11 9/15 p. 14 par.
15 - "when spiritual light on some matter gets brighter, do you try to understand the underlying scriptural reasons for the adjustment?
For sure, anyone who makes a profit by their lies, lacks integrity.
“But false prophets also arose among the people. In the same way, false teachers will come among you. They will introduce destructive opinions (new light) and deny the master who bought them, bringing quick destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow them in their unrestrained immorality, and because of these false teachers the way of truth will be slandered. 3 In their greed they will take advantage of you with lies. The judgment pronounced against them long ago hasn’t fallen idle, nor is their destruction sleeping.” 2 Peter 2:1-3
proverbs 4:18 says, "but the path of the righteous....grows brighter and brighter until full daylight.".
the bible "light" doesn't get brighter - it never changes - it's a person's direction & course of life which gets brighter.. w11 9/15 p. 14 par.
15 - "when spiritual light on some matter gets brighter, do you try to understand the underlying scriptural reasons for the adjustment?
Proverbs 4:18 says, "But the path of the righteous....grows brighter and brighter until full daylight."
The Bible "light" doesn't get brighter - it never changes - it's a person's direction & course of life which gets brighter.
So very true.
James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
2 Pet 1:19 - And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Rev 22:16 – “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.
Wt. leaders pretend to embrace Jesus Christ and his teachings. But Jesus never lied. They do.
Luke 6:45 - A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; (“good gifts” from God) and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Isa 5:20-21 - Woe to those who call evil good, and good
evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who
are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!
And they cause their people to lie, because their people carry only their leader’s teachings, to others.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
Eph 5:8-14