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Quote (terraricca @ Nov. 15 2009,07:53) my question is, are today christians true to God and Christ asemble in a particular churche ?
if yes .were?
if no . why?
Terrarica,Are today's Christians true to God and Christ?
True? as in perfect? Clearly not, all men have sinned and fell short of the glory of God. We all err at times, we all misunderstand at times.
Faithful? Sure. Plenty of Christians are faithful to what they know. Even if they are not clear as to what God's will is for their life in a particular situation, they are patient and willing to work the scriptures to find out what God's will is for their lives.
Others, of course, are not. They are “fair weather patriots” and miss out on knowing God's grace in any great degree in their lives.
Others ignore God's calling and do their own wills even if that is contrary to God's will. They are no less Christian.
Being a Christian and living accordingly are two separate things.
You can be mature physically, and mature mentally.
You can be mature physically, an immature mentally.
People can be Christians from a spiritual point of view, but not exercising themselves in mental and spiritual practice. They are still Christians, but not functioning according to God's calling.
Which church?
One of the other posters clarified that church, ekklesia, means called out. It is not a building, nor a denomination, nor a system of theology, but those who were called out by God and responded. Romans 10:9-10 is the first response.
Christianity is not what we do, it is what God has done for us in the works of Jesus Christ.
Renewing our minds Romans 12:1-3 is the next step once we have salvation.
I don't see that I need to add to the other poster's exposition on the word, ekklesia. That post did a good job of covering the basics.
oatmeal
I would like to think the JW's are the true church because they're the most organized christians. I mean baptists, methodist etc church doctrine and service differs within their own denomination!!!!! Yet the JW's have the same talk and service worldwide
Quote (teflonfanatic @ Nov. 01 2010,13:38) I would like to think the JW's are the true church because they're the most organized christians. I mean baptists, methodist etc church doctrine and service differs within their own denomination!!!!! Yet the JW's have the same talk and service worldwide
Hi teflonfanatic,Would you also like to think those that are outside
of the JW's (visible) origination are NOT Christians?Quote (teflonfanatic @ Nov. 01 2010,13:38) I would like to think the JW's are the true church because they're the most organized christians. I mean baptists, methodist etc church doctrine and service differs within their own denomination!!!!! Yet the JW's have the same talk and service worldwide
Tef, while JW's are the most organized religion and it is often astounding given their diversity, and while no matter where you go, you'll find JW's who believe the same things (again, astounding)….being organized isn't reason enough to believe they are the “true church.”Neither is liking to think the JW's are the true church” reason to believe it. Wanting to believe something, in itself, is not a good reason to believe in anything.
But yes, they are highly organized.
Quote (david @ Nov. 01 2010,18:42) Quote (teflonfanatic @ Nov. 01 2010,13:38) I would like to think the JW's are the true church because they're the most organized christians. I mean baptists, methodist etc church doctrine and service differs within their own denomination!!!!! Yet the JW's have the same talk and service worldwide
Tef, while JW's are the most organized religion and it is often astounding given their diversity, and while no matter where you go, you'll find JW's who believe the same things (again, astounding)….being organized isn't reason enough to believe they are the “true church.”Neither is liking to think the JW's are the true church” reason to believe it. Wanting to believe something, in itself, is not a good reason to believe in anything.
But yes, they are highly organized.
Why do you speak of the “JW” as “them” and “they”…I thought you were one..shouldn't you be saying “we” and “us”?
are you no longer one?By the way…there is a good reason behind the apparent “unity” amongst JW's….watch these short videos and research the link at eh end of this post…
Just to add to the above post…JW's teach that in the year 1919…Jesus in fulfilment of his words at Matthew Ch.24…examined ALL the worlds religions and found them to be the true “Faithful Slave” (see matt 24) and worthy to be placed “over all his belongings” (matt 24)….
basically to translate into laymens terms…Jesus looked and said, “ONLY JW's are preaching, teaching, and conducting themselves as my followers…therefore I am going to appoint them as my Fathers and I's representatives on earth”…..thats a pretty hefty claim is it not…and fantastic claims require fantastic evidence…so what does the evidence say?
Things that JW's were teaching during the time they say Jesus “inspected” teh worlds religions and found them to be “the faithful slave” and worthy to be over “all his belongings”:
Studies in the Scriptures Vol.2, 1906 p.101
The Kingdom of God is already begun, which is pointed out in prophecy as due to begin the exercise of power in A.D. 1878, and that the “battle of the great day of God Almighty” which will end in 1914 with the complete overthrow of the earth's present rulership, is already commenced.
The Time Is At Hand (Studies in the Scriptures Vol. 2) (1906) p.240
A.D. 1874 when Christ the Bridegroom and Reaper actually came.
Studies in the Scriptures IV – Battle of Armageddon p584
And this long persecution, in which 'many were purified and made white and tried,' and in which the Mother of Harlots was 'drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus' (Rev. 17:6) ended as we have already shown, practically in 1776..
The Watchtower Reprints, November 1890, p.1
We need not here repeat the evidences that the 'seventh trumpet' began its sounding in A.D. 1840, and will continue until the end of the time of trouble.
The Finished Mystery (SS-7), 1917 ed., p. 485
Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the downfall of ‘Christianity.’
Studies in the Scriptures Vol. 2, 1906
Six Thousand years from the creation of Adam were complete in A.D. 1872, and hence that since A.D. 1872, we chronologically entered upon the seventh thousand or the Millenium.
The Time Is at Hand, page ii, (forward) 1916
The Bible chronology herein presented shows that the six great 1000 year days beginning with Adam are ended, and that the great 7th Day, the 1000 years of Christ's Reign, began in 1873.
The Watchtower November 1 1920
Some one asked me the other day: Suppose you should be here in 1925 what would you do? I said, I believe I will be home in the Pleiades before then ..
Thy Kingdom Come (SIS vol III) 1891 (1903 edition) p. 327
And if we go back to the date which the Pyramid gives itself, and look for what that finger pointed to at midnight, we find a far sublimer indication. Science has at last discovered that the sun is not a dead center, with planets wheeling about it, and itself stationary. It is now ascertained that the sun also is in motion, carrying with it its splendid retinue of comets, planets, its satellites and theirs, around some other and vastly mightier center. Astronomers are not yet fully agreed as to what or where that center is. Some, however, believe that they have found the direction of it to be the Pleiades, and particularly Alcyone, the central one of the renowned Pleiadic stars. To the distinguished German astronomer, Prof. J. H. Maedler, belongs the honor of having made this discovery. Alcyone, then, as far as science has been able to perceive, would seem to be the 'midnight throne' in which the whole system of gravitation has its central seat, and from which the Almighty governs his universe. And here is the wonderful corresponding fact, that at the date of the Great Pyramid's building, at midnight of the autumnal equinox, and hence the true beginning of the year* as still preserved in the traditions of many nations, the Pleiades were distributed over the meridian of this Pyramid, with Alcyone precisely on the line.
The Divine Plan of the Ages, [Studies in the Scriptures vol I] 1886 (1908 edition) end notes
THINGS YOU OUGHT TO KNOW AS CHRISTIAN BIBLE STUDENTS
DO YOU KNOW THAT
– The Great Pyramid in Egypt is a Witness to all these event of the ages and of our day — testifying in symbols?– The Pyramid's downward passage under “A Draconis” symbolizes the course of Sin? Its First Ascending Passage symbolizes the Jewish age? Its grand Gallery symbolized the Gospel age? Its Upper Step symbolized the approaching period of tribulation and anarchy, “Judgments,” upon Christendom? Its King's Chamber the Divine Nature, etc., of the Overcoming Church — the Christ, Head and Body? Its Ante-Chamber the Correction in Righteousness of the “Great Company” etc.? Its Queen's Chamber those of Israel and the world who attain Restitution?
All these interesting topics with ten Pyramid illustrations can be had in “Thy Kingdom Come” [Studies in the Scriptures vol III]
AND THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE TEACING AT THE TIME..They were also teaching
-that it was ok to celebrate christmas (a BIG no no in JW the JW world now),
-the actively used the symbol of the cross in, on, and in reference in their publications,
-they taugt it was ok to worship jesus (another big no no nowadways in JW world),
-that African americans (or “colored” as they called them) were inferior to caucasians and that they skin color was a curse and that GOD would change their skin back to the “pure white” of their caucasian brothers 😉
-that Jehovah and Jesus PHYSICALLY resided in the constellation of Pleiades (hahahaha)
Now based on this information…do you think IF Jesus held an examination of the worlds religions in 1919…that he would of chosen THEM?
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