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bruceq

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  1. Watchtowerarchive.com We offer over 1000 books, over 200 photos and many other historical writings as well as Biblical Museum artifacts and many original items that are related to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and Jehovah's Witnesses. We have had happy and satisfied customers from every corner of the earth including countries under ban or restrictions as well as many Bethel Branches and members at World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses. Feel free to browse our selections and ask any questions. WatchtowerArchive is a Star seller on Etsy with 100% positive feedback on eBay, and have been a seller for over 20 years. Welcome to our bookstore: "Watchtower Historical Bibles/Items and Research Publications" on watchtowerarchive.com Since the "Proclaimers" book came out in 1995 the desire to acquire Watchtower memorabilia and have a personal library or museum of Watchtower items has grown. The Watchtower Society itself now has an archive department known as "Writing Archives" which was established by the Writing Committee of the Governing Body to preserve our rich theocratic history. Many of the hundreds of items we offer on eBay, Etsy and watchtowerarchive are reproductions from the original items which have been donated to the archive department. We offer hundreds of historical Bibles both original and as facsimiles such as the Gutenberg Bible, Tyndale and about 250 others. We also offer many original Bible leafs that are also hundreds of years old. We offer many museum replicas and facsimiles of Biblical artifacts and many other things of interest to Jehovah's Witnesses and others interested in Biblical historical artifacts such as those related to the Divine Name "Jehovah" going back thousands of years. We also have many of the books quoted by the Watchtower Society and hundreds of photos and reproductions of hundreds of Watchtower memorabilia from the 19th to early 20th Centuries such as the Photo-Drama of Creation items. We have items such as the Dead Sea Scrolls now on display in the Bible History exhibit as mentioned at the 2013 Annual Meeting. Many people are interested in copying to the best of their ability the Bethel Library including the thousands of books referred to and quoted from in the many publications of the Watchtower Society for research. We have books dealing with the following topics: Hundreds of Bible Translations, Biblical Reference Books, Early Christianity, History, Science, Pagan Origins, Archaeology, Jehovah's Witnesses, Holocaust, books related to prophecy about 1914, books by or about Jehovah's Witnesses, Blood transfusion alternatives, religious terrorism and many other subjects. Also we offer at a large discount genuine forever stamps on the website watchtowerarchive.com with no sales tax and free shipping to help our friends with letter writing. According to our Scriptural conscience and Biblical principle to receive free and give free no recent new publications are ever sold which you may get for free at a Kingdom Hall. Any profits are donated to the World wide work of Jehovah's Witnesses. Sincerely, Bruce Quimby
  2. Here is a new book by one of Jehovah's Witnesses against the false doctrine of the Trinity. Can be found on ebay, Amazon or Etsy. "Jehovah Our God is One Jehovah" https://www.ebay.com/itm/393568174808 https://amzn.to/3Ca2CSx
  3. New book by a Jehovah's Witness. Can be seen on Amazon and EBAY. About the Global Flood. Gives a nice witness on last chapter. https://www.ebay.com/itm/393452323344 https://amzn.to/2XikJqy
  4. Agree but perhaps why Pella is mentioned is because that is where most of the Christians went or perhaps that is where the "Apostles" went - again it is all conjecture. My only point is that the caves may have been used by more than just Jews and therefore Jewish Christians. Most if not all the mss left there were from Jews but why couldn't other religious groups such as Jewish Christians {Apostles} been there. {Likely the Apostles were in Jerusalem in 66 C.E. as just a few years prior the issue in Acts 15 came up they went to the Apostles and elders in "Jerusalem".
  5. Agree - however Jesus said to those in "Judea" not just Jerusalem to "flee to the mountains" obviously if they took the words exactly they would not have fled to the mountains around Jerusalem but would have left the province of Judea of which Pella or any of the mountains on the other side of the Jordan would have sufficed. Sorry about my "wording" it is all conjecture of course i was not an A student in English class. lol..
  6. Sorry i am not a college professor or anything like that. I just have an interest in the subject and have about 250 books dealing with it and thought i would give my 2 cents as i do enjoy discussing this subject. I have read and studied Shaws book about a year ago and i was just giving a theory as an interesting possibility for discussion. As for more proof of 4Q120 possibly being of Christian origin please read pgs. 45 - 51 of the following ; "The use of a form of the Tetragrammaton within the 4Q120 manuscript was admittedly the major reason for classi-fying it as of Jewish origin. In the light of the available in-formation today (such as lowering the date of the common use of the Tetragrammaton and the evidenced longstanding use of Ιαω among Christians], might a Jewish Christian ori-gin of the manuscript, penned sometime during the first cen-tury CE be considered possible? Some positive factors for such a hypothesis are the following" https://www.academia.edu/30967321/_The_god_Iao_and_his_connection_with_the_Biblical_God_with_special_emphasis_on_the_manuscript_4QpapLXXLevb_Ο_θεός_Ιαώ_και_η_σχέση_του_με_τον_Βιβλικό_Θεό_με_ιδιαίτερη_εστίαση_στο_χειρόγραφ
  7. {When the Christians left Jerusalem in 66 C.E. they traveled right past the Qumran cave where this scroll came from "Cave 4" on there way to the mountains of Pella north along the Jordan River}!!!? [Looking at a map of Jerusalem to Pella (see attached picture below) Cave 4 would be many miles out of the way. Jesus indicated that the Christians in Jerusalem should take the quickest route.] The reason I came up with this theory of the path was according to terrain maps they would not have taken the "as a bird flies" route because of terrain but would have taken the already existing roads of which the main one went directly east from Jerusalem to the northern tip of the Dead Sea where cave 4 is located then would have traveled up the Jordan river to Pella. People other than Jews used the caves over the Centuries for shelter - why coudn't the Christians have done so as well? Not that any of this really matters but I was just offering a possibility that this MSS may have been written by Christians since the early Church Fathers mentioned IAO as coming from the "Scriptures" and many other indications as presented above such as by Chrysostom and Origen. I realize none in academic circles of Christendom agrees but that does not mean they are correct just because they are a majority view. {As for dates used by scholars obviously nothing is exact and dates can be off by a couple centuries certainly 50 BC to 50 CE is within possiblity for the margin of error}. However much evidence for a Christian origin can be found here : https://www.academia.edu/30967321/_The_god_Iao_and_his_connection_with_the_Biblical_God_with_special_emphasis_on_the_manuscript_4QpapLXXLevb_?_????_???_???_?_?????_???_??_???_???????_???_??_?????????_???????_???_?????????  Â
  8.  Here is an interesting theory: Here is a museum quality reproduction of the Septuagint fragment of  "4Q120 or  pap4QLXXLevb  "of Leviticus 4:27 frame included.     There is evidence that this fragment may have been written by a CHRISTIAN and not by Jews. Although most scholars say that this fragment was written by a Jew because it is from Leviticus and from the Qumran caves. But did only Jews use the Qumran caves? {When the Christians left Jerusalem in 66 C.E. they traveled right past the Qumran cave where this scroll came from "Cave 4" on there way to the mountains of Pella north along the Jordan River}!!! The Christians also made copies of the Hebrew Scriptures which they would have translated into Greek the main language of the First Century. The main reason why this was probably written by a Christian is because the Divine Name in this fragment "IAW" {Iao} is a PRONOUNCEABLE rendering of the Tetragrammaton. A Jew following the custom at the time of not pronouncing the Divine Name would never have written a PRONOUNCEABLE RENDERING as that would go against their traditions. However Christians did not follow Jewish traditions as Jesus denounced such very strongly. Jews who wrote the earliest pre-Christian LXX wrote the Tetragrammaton in HEBREW within a GREEK TEXT in most cases making it stand out in order not to pronounce it. However this manuscript 4Q120 is in ALL Greek including the rendering of the Tetragrammaton!!! Thus Origen {184 - 253 C.E.} an early Church Father testifies that "When Iao is laid in the text it is pronounced as by Greeks NOT HEBREWS". Also John Chrysostom {349 - 407 C.E.} stated :"Regarding IAO - a name of God Hebrews left UNTRANSLATED". So a Hebrew or Jew would not have written "IAO" for God's Name as that was a Greek TRANSLATION OF YHWH. The following early CHRISTIAN Fathers also made reference to "IAO as being in the Scriptures during their time {130 to 538 C.E.} Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Eusebius, John Chrysostom, Jerome, Theodoret and Severus.   The date for this fragment 4Q120 or pap4QLXXLevb   is from the late 1st Century BCE - early 1st Century C.E. and thus known by Jesus and the First Century Bible writers! Therefore one of Jesus Apostles may have written this fragment early in the Christian Congregations existence as they were commissioned to preach to ALL the earth in the Great Commission then they would naturally have translated the Hebrew Scriptures into GREEK as well as the writings of the New Testament. {See also Vat 2125 Codex Marchalianus {6th Century C.E.} which has a greek tetragrammaton in the margins of a CHRISTIAN manuscript as well as IAO and the Nomina Sacra all together for YHWH!!! {Which we offer a page facsimile here on ebay as well}. That means that the First Century New Testament Bible writers may have Translated the Divine Name as "IAO" {Which is JEHOVAH in English} in the Bible since the early Church Fathers stated that ""IAO" comes from the SCRIPTURES" !!! And many Christian writings after the First Century had "IAO" as a Greek transliteration for YHWH. Gnostic Christians began to misuse God's Name in magical practices in later Centuries however the evidence clearly shows that "IAO" was God's name in Greek when the New Testament was originally written!     So this fragment 4Q120 may have been written by a Christian translator not governed by Jewish traditions who wanted to witness to gentiles or hellenized Jews {Who only understood Greek} in the First Century sometime after 30 C.E. The evidence indicates from manuscripts and early Church Fathers is that New Testament Bible writers writing in Greek Scripture used the Divine Name in Greek as "IAO" in the New Testament for YHWH !!! {Josephus mentioned that God's Name was four VOWELS rather than consonants so he may have been referring to the Greek transliteration since is was all vowels IAO which became in Latin "Iehova" then in English as JehOvAh = JAH "I" became "J" in English - examples: Jehovah, Jesus, Jehoshophat, Jehoram and many more}.       Reasons that this manuscript may have been written by a Christian scribe:  1. Christians were not governed by Jewish traditions of not pronouncing the Tetragrammaton 2. Christians made many translations to spread the Bible message over "all" in earth in every language, especially Greek in the First Century 3. Christians were well renowned for copying expertise and 4Q120 was an exemplar as one of the best and was uncorrupted. 4. Christians used the Tetragrammaton in various forms especially "IAW" as noted by Origen and other early Church Fathers 5. Many Qumran Scrolls came from outside the community and stored there. 6. Some Greek speaking Jewish Christians may have deposited scrolls there such as when they left Jerusalem in 66 C.E. they passed right next to Cave 4 and 7 where 4Q120 was in cave 4 and Christians used papyrus extensively as well. {See P. Comfort}. 7. For centuries Christians incessantly read and reproduced Greek, Hebrew and Latin forms of the Tetragrammaton in Hexapla and Biblical onomastica {Lexicons with IAO} and Patristic literature. 8. Compelling evidence that some Greek Bible copies like the ones read by Christians such as Ireaneus, Origen, Eusebius, Tertullian, Jerome and others were ALL using "IAW" for the Tetragrammaton !!! {See writings by Pavlos D. Vasileiadis from Thessalonika University Greece}. Thus Greek Translations of the New Testament may have contained the Greek Tetragrammaton transliteration "IAW" just as 4Q120 of Leviticus also does.   Thus the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures in restoring the Divine Name to the Bible have much evidence that the Tetragrammaton was in the First Century original autographs of the New Testament Scriptures weather they wrote it in Hebrew or Greek. And both the Greek transliteration of IAO and the Hebrew YHWH was well known to those in the First Century!!!  {We have also acquired much of the other evidence from the early Church Fathers that used "IAO" in their writings thus proving that the early Christians did indeed use the Tetragrammaton in their writings as well as testimony from then that the original autographs of the New Testament contained the Tetragrammaton. We sell all of these here on ebay - look up each Church Father by name or "IAO" in search.}  This is from the following ebay link : https://www.ebay.com/itm/4Q120-pap4QLXXLevb-IAO-TETRAGRAM-YHWH-Christians-JEHOVAH-Watchtower-Research/392097093821?hash=item5b4aced8bd:g:llQAAOSw17papENG Â
  9. I realize that I am not an elder or former elder such as some of you are but I know what Loyalty to Jehovah is. And since a forum such as this one it is impossible to determine who is or is not an apostate, disfellowshipped or pretending to be a brother while dispensing divisions and we are obviously associating together here it is my decision to now leave as I wish to cherish true Loyalty to my Creator. Loyalty is important to me personally probably because my two previous marriages ended with my wife committing adultery although we were married for 7 and 10 years. So I can see how Jehovah must feel when someone who says they love you are disloyal to your face. I am currently married to my wife of 8 years and I believe we both must continue to develop loyalty to GOD FIRST then to each other. "Do ALL things for God's glory" 1 Cor. 10:31. And I no longer feel it is for me "God's glory" to be here. Goodbye.
  10. "They publicly declare that they know God, but they disown him by their works, because they are detestable and disobedient and not approved for good work of ANY sort." Titus 1:16. All the upvoters of apostates just continue to prove the point. Keep it up.Â
  11. We know. Satan can say things that are true also. But Titus 1:16 - he is not approved by God anymore than a blogger is who upvotes apostates and agrees with their haughty attitudes or "special interpretations". Â
  12. Makes one ponder when so-called "brothers" upvote an apostate. Puts into question and their motivation and everything they have ever tried to teach on any subject. I had a cousin back in the late 70's who was an elder who became apostate and ridiculed the teaching of 1914 and became a leader of a group of them picketing District Conventions in the early 80"s that is until his name showed up in the newspaper for being a john for a prostitute then for some reason the picketing stopped and they disappeared.  "They publicly declare that they know God, but they disown him by their works, because they are detestable and disobedient and not approved for good work of ANY sort." Titus 1:16. You just proved my point. Thanks Â
  13. Makes one ponder when so-called "brothers" upvote an apostate. Puts into question and their motivation and everything they have ever tried to teach on any subject. I had a cousin back in the late 70's who was an elder who became apostate and ridiculed the teaching of 1914 and became a leader of a group of them picketing District Conventions in the early 80"s that is until his name showed up in the newspaper for being a john for a prostitute then for some reason the picketing stopped and they disappeared. Â "They publicly declare that they know God, but they disown him by their works, because they are detestable and disobedient and not approved for good work of ANY sort." Titus 1:16.Â
  14. And since Jesus said "I am the way..." then the true faith would be Christian yet not believe in the Trinity. Very good point - we are the one. JW.ORG.
  15. So you believe it is proper to question Jehovah and His Organization. I can see it now...you approach Jehovah and say: I have the authority to question what the Governing Body is teaching us even though YOU appointed them with the authority to interpret things to us because I spent a few years at Bethel. Once again here is insiders path of interpretation away from Jehovah's Organization. With your teachings you may attract some undesirables {even opposers}  as they see disunity by not following the teachings of Jehovah's Organization. 1 Cor. 1:10, Mt. 24:45.  -  And now I see it has happened!!!
  16. So you DO believe in the authority of the Governing Body to interpret "Presence, Sign, Gentile Times..." Or in YOUR authority to interpret these things to us?
  17. Â A Train wreck in progress if he thinks he has more authority than the Governing Body. By contradicting them on Matt. 24.
  18. You have admitted your thinking about Jehovah's Witnesses. Now its on record for all to see. So you feel , after your edit, that its ok to pick and choose what to believe from Jehovah's Organization. [edited to add the words in brackets] by "insider":  "What's hard to understand is why you claim that you will always prefer the [certain, specific] teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses even if you are aware that the Bible teaches something different [about those certain, specific teachings]" You even went so far as to say on 8/27 : "You obviously don't know that that my experience at Bethel makes me believe that I have "power" and "authority" to question the dispensation of spiritual food by God." Need I say more  You have more authority because you spent a few years at Bethel 40 years ago. LOL right. No wonder you believe you have as you say"special interpretation".  Rather haughty - no wonder you call yourself an "insider". Satan was an "insider" also, so I woundn't brag about it. No reason to say further. Promoting the teachings of Christendom is wrong. Jesus said "by their fruits " you would recognize true from false religion. The Bible teaches whatever our HEAD tells us we do = JESUS. NOT you and Christendom. LOL seriously This is a shipwreck in progress. All I have to say now is:
  19. You have admitted your thinking about Jehovah's Witnesses. Now its on record for all to see. So you feel , after your edit, that its ok to pick and choose what to believe from Jehovah's Organization. [edited to add the words in brackets] by "insider":  "What's hard to understand is why you claim that you will always prefer the [certain, specific] teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses even if you are aware that the Bible teaches something different [about those certain, specific teachings]" You even went so far as to say on 8/27 : "You obviously don't know that that my experience at Bethel makes me believe that I have "power" and "authority" to question the dispensation of spiritual food by God." Need I say more  You have more authority because you spent a few years at Bethel 40 years ago. LOL right. No wonder you believe you have as you say"special interpretation".  Rather haughty - no wonder you call yourself an "insider". Satan was an "insider" also, so I woundn't brag about it. No reason to say further. Promoting the teachings of Christendom is wrong. Jesus said "by their fruits " you would recognize true from false religion. The Bible teaches whatever our HEAD tells us we do = JESUS. NOT you and Christendom. LOL seriously This is a shipwreck in progress. All I have to say now is:
  20. "And I saw, and look! a white horse,+ and the one seated on it had a bow; and a crown was given him,+ and he went out conquering and to complete his conquest.+3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature+ say: “Come!” 4 Another came out, a fiery-colored horse, and it was granted to the one seated on it to TAKE PEACE AWAY FROM THE EARTH so that they should slaughter one another, and he was given a great sword." Rev. 6:1-3. World War. 1914. Notice not just one or two or three nations but the entire planet. Also note that no blogger has been able to attack this Scripture clearly showing a World War in Rev. 6:3!!! Are we to believe Jehovah's Witnesses or Christendom and bloggers on this site on this subject who claim to have "special interpretation". Choose for yourself. Of course the most outstanding part of the sign that the Kingdom was born in 1914 is the preaching of it since 1914. Only Jehovah's Witnesses have done that about the KINGDOM - no other religion even mentions it from door to door or any other way! Why JW.ORG is now even the most visited website thus proving that the Kingdom was born in 1914. Mt. 24:14 {If the Kingdom did not come then it would not be " THIS GOOD NEWS" now would it, the wording shows that it is a REALITY when it is preached}. Thus the Parousia in vs. 2 is directly linked to Kingdom in vs. 14 !!! Also note after the preaching of the KINGDOM THEN the end comes. So that Kingdom is not the END as certain ones try to preach with their "special interpretations". https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/end-times-prophecy-sign/ https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odkw=&_ssn=lisa.joeywit&_armrs=1&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2046732.m570.l1313.TR9.TRC1.A0.H0.X1914.TRS2&_nkw=1914&_sacat=0
  21.   No they are not. You have to look at this from a spiritual way not a physical way. JESUS is in control of the Chariot NOT any humans. We do not have ANY control over it including any movements or "bumps". Jesus IS the head of the Congregation and Jehovah's Witnesses is the true religion. Therefore we must have exclusive LOYALTY to Jesus as head and obey everything that comes from JEHOVAH"S ORGANIZATION because it is the TRUE religion from JEHOVAH. We just had a Convention about Loyalty and talk #3 outline is all about the things I have just gone over. https://www.jw.org/en/search/?q=loyalty Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you+and be submissive,+ for they are keeping watch over you* as those who will render an account,+ so that they may do this with joy and not with sighing, for this would be damaging to you. Heb. 13:17. Jesus is the Head and we must follow him wherever he goes even if you do not like it your life is at stake as it was with Satan and other disloyal ones in the past. https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/organized-religion/  I believe that JESUS is our head and we should follow him no matter where he goes.  Eph. 1:22.  Jesus is head of the Congregation Mt 28:18; Eph. 5:23; Heb. 2:8. “These are the ones that keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes.”—REV. 14:4. Loyalty to the Head of the Congregation is a given. Should not even be questioned as Jesus IS our Lord and Master. Therefore he is in control of all teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses IF you believe Jehovah's Witnesses is the true faith. To do things on your own like Adam, Eve, Satan, and other presumptuous ones tried is disloyalty. And shows great disrespect for our Head as he is in control of the Chariot. To do your own thing as you state is no different than Christendom and is like using a taxi instead of letting Jesus drive the Chariot. In a taxi you pay someone to go where YOU want. Just like Christendom pays its clergy to go where the people want. Ez. Cpt. 1 https://www.jw.org/en/search/?q=true+religion From this weekends Watchtower Study: Para 15:  What is our response to divinely authorized headship? By our respectful cooperation, we show our support for JehovahÂ’s sovereignty. Even if we do not fully understand or agree with a decision, we will still want to support theocratic  order. That is quite different from the way of the world, but it is the way of life under JehovahÂ’s rulership. (Eph. 5:22, 23; 6:1-3; Heb. 13:17) We benefit from doing so, for God has our interests at heart.  https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-study-june-2017/uphold-jehovah-gods-sovereignty/ Â
  22. There ya go. Thanks for admitting your thinking about Jehovah's Witnesses. Now its on record for all to see. So you feel , after your edit, that its ok to pick and choose what to believe from Jehovah's Organization. [edited to add the words in brackets] by "insider": "What's hard to understand is why you claim that you will always prefer the [certain, specific] teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses even if you are aware that the Bible teaches something different [about those certain, specific teachings]" You even went so far as to say on 8/27 : "You obviously don't know that that my experience at Bethel makes me believe that I have "power" and "authority" to question the dispensation of spiritual food by God." Need I say more  You have more authority because you spent a few years at Bethel 40 years ago. LOL right. No wonder you believe you have as you say "special interpretation".  Rather haughty - no wonder you call yourself an "insider". Satan was an "insider" also, so I woundn't brag about it. No reason to say further. Promoting the teachings of Christendom is wrong. Jesus said "by their fruits " you would recognize true from false religion. The Bible teaches whatever our HEAD tells us we do = JESUS. NOT you and Christendom. LOL seriously How Can I Find the True Religion? 00:00  03:34 Download Audio recordings download options MP3 The BibleÂ’s answer Illustrating how to tell the difference between those who practice true religion and those who do not, the Bible says: “By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they?” (Matthew 7:16) Just as you can distinguish a grapevine from a thornbush by what it produces, you can distinguish true religion from false by its fruits, or by these identifying features. True religion teaches the truth that is based on the Bible, not on human philosophies. (John 4:24; 17:17) This includes religious truths about the soul and the hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth. (Psalm 37:29; Isaiah 35:5, 6; Ezekiel 18:4) It also does not hold back from exposing religious falsehood.—Matthew 15:9; 23:27, 28. True religion helps people to know God, including teaching them his name, Jehovah. (Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 42:8; John 17:3, 6) It does not teach that he is incomprehensible or aloof; rather, it teaches that he wants us to have a relationship with him.—James 4:8. True religion highlights Jesus Christ as the one through whom God grants salvation. (Acts 4:10, 12) Its members obey JesusÂ’ commands and strive to follow his example.—John 13:15; 15:14. True religion focuses on GodÂ’s Kingdom as mankindÂ’s only hope. Its members actively tell others about that Kingdom.—Matthew 10:7; 24:14. True religion promotes unselfish love. (John 13:35) It teaches respect for all ethnic groups and welcomes people from all races, cultures, languages, and backgrounds. (Acts 10:34, 35) Moved by love, its members do not go to war.—Micah 4:3; 1 John 3:11, 12. True religion has no paid clergy, and it does not give high-sounding religious titles to any of its members.—Matthew 23:8-12;1 Peter 5:2, 3. True religion is completely neutral in political affairs. (John 17:16;18:36) However, its members respect and obey the government where they live, in harmony with the BibleÂ’s command: “Pay back CaesarÂ’s things to Caesar [representing the civil authority], but GodÂ’s things to God.”—Mark 12:17; Romans 13:1, 2. True religion is a way of life, not just a ritual or a formality. Its members adhere to the BibleÂ’s high moral standards in all aspects of life. (Ephesians 5:3-5; 1 John 3:18) Rather than being grim, though, they find joy in worshipping “the happy God.”—1 Timothy 1:11. Those who practice true religion will be in the minority. (Matthew 7:13, 14) Members of the true religion are often looked down on, ridiculed, and persecuted for doing GodÂ’s will.—Matthew 5:10-12. True religion is not just ‘the right religion for meÂ’ There is a danger in choosing a religion based solely on how it makes us feel. The Bible foretold a time when people would “surround themselves with [religious] teachers to have their ears tickled.” (2 Timothy 4:3) In contrast, the Bible encourages us to follow “the religion that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father,” even if that religion is unpopular.—James 1:27, footnote; John 15:18, 19. Jesus is the driver of the Chariot if you want to take a taxi because you want to go where YOU want to then go ahead. But I will follow and be LOYAL to Jesus: These are the ones that keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes.”—REV. 14:4. Â
  23. I believe in Jehovah's Witnesses teaching not Christendom's or your "special interpretations". What Is the Coming of Christ? 00:00 04:13 Download Audio recordings download options MP3 The Bible’s answer The Scriptures make dozens of references to the future time when Christ comes to judge the people of the earth. * For example, Matthew 25:31-33 says: “When the Son of man [Jesus Christ] comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.” This time of judgment will be part of a “great tribulation” unlike anything in human history. That tribulation will culminate in the war of Armageddon. (Matthew 24:21; Revelation 16:16) Christ’s enemies, described in his illustration as goats, “will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction.” (2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 19:11, 15) In contrast, his faithful servants, the sheep, will have the prospect of “everlasting life.”—Matthew 25:46. When will Christ come? Jesus said: “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows.” (Matthew 24:36, 42; 25:13) However, he did describe a visible, composite “sign” that would identify the period leading up to his coming.—Matthew 24:3,7-14; Luke 21:10, 11. Does Christ come in a body of spirit or of flesh? Jesus was resurrected with a spirit body, so he comes as a spirit creature, not in the flesh. (1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Peter 3:18) For this reason, Jesus could tell his apostles on the day before his death: “In a little while the world will see me no more.”—John 14:19. Common misconceptions about Christ’s coming Misconception: When the Bible says that people will see Jesus “coming on the clouds,” it means that Jesus will come visibly.—Matthew 24:30. Fact: The Bible often associates clouds with something hidden from view. (Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 11:25; Deuteronomy 33:26) For example, God told Moses: “I am coming to you in a dark cloud.” (Exodus 19:9) Moses did not literally see God. Likewise, Christ ‘comes on the clouds’ in that people perceive his coming even though they cannot literally see him. Misconception: The expression “every eye will see him,” used at Revelation 1:7 when speaking of Christ’s coming, is to be understood literally. Fact: The Greek words in the Bible for “eye” and “seeing” are sometimes used in the sense of discerning or perceiving rather than referring to literal sight. * (Matthew 13:15; Luke 19:42; Romans 15:21;Ephesians 1:18) The Bible says that the resurrected Jesus is “the one . . . who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man . . . can see.” (1 Timothy 6:16) Thus, “every eye will see him” in that all people will perceive that Jesus is the one who brings God’s judgment.—Matthew 24:30. Misconception: The words of 2 John 7 show that Jesus will come in the flesh. Fact: That Bible verse states: “Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those not acknowledging Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.” In the apostle John’s day, some denied that Jesus had come to earth in the flesh as a man. They were called Gnostics. Second John 7 was written to refute their false claim.
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