SEEING IS BELIEVING

[Guest]

                                                                                                         SEEING IS BELIEVING

                                                                                       

Widespread expression, but this kind of thinking is actually quite short-sighted. Why is that? There are so many things that we cannot see and yet our lives revolve around them. For instance, we don’t see the air but it fills our lungs and it caresses our skin. We don’t see odors, but our nose picks them up. Nor we see sound waves, but our ears are sensitive to them. There’s a pretty good chance you have never seen your brain, and yet you are using it right now to parse this illustration! We don’t see God nor faith, but if our heart is sincere it will detect Him, befriend Him, and love Him.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

Several years ago four Sisters out in the Ministry were traveling in a car in Grand Prairie, Texas, just west of Dallas, Texas, and as they were going through an intersection, they were T-Boned by another car, and all were instantly killed. How would that relate to what you have posted above?

[Witness]

10 hours ago, salomon said:

We don’t see God nor faith, but if our heart is sincere it will detect Him, befriend Him, and love Him.

How do we “detect, befriend and love” God? 

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”  John 14:6,7

The first step in knowing God is to “detect, befriend and love” His Son. It’s right there in scripture; yet, the organization prohibits this.  If we befriend someone, we approach them, initiating communication.  Does it make sense that the Almighty Supreme God of the universe is approachable in prayer, but His Son is not?  If we are introduced to a prominent father and son, wouldn’t we speak to both of them? Luke 9:35 If God expects us to know Him through His Son, why would we not obey this command to do so?  John 14:15; Rom 5:1,2; 1 John 2:3-6

"Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”  John 14:21

 If people approached Christ when he was on earth, who took away an individual’s right to approach him when he was resurrected? It is men, and their deliberate twisted reasoning of the conversation between Satan and Jesus. Jesus was indicating that both Jesus and Satan were to worship only the Father, which makes complete sense.  This doesn't address how people should "worship" Christ as well as God.     Luke 4:8

(Rev 5:13,14 is the only place in the NWT that allows the word "worship" to have any attachment to Jesus Christ.  Simply, it is because God, "who sits on the throne", is mentioned.)

The apostles lived and died for Christ; because by knowing him, they realized their relationship with God would flourish, and it did.  John 14:9-11; Phil 1:21; 3:7-11

 Please just ask yourself, Who do JWs live for?  What do JWs live for?  Have you made any mention of Christ in your new posts?

The Pharisees who continually carried scriptures on their tongue, rejected Christ - refusing to “befriend” him.  Did they have a true relationship with the Father?

Then they asked him, “Where is your Father?” “You know neither me nor my Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”  John 8:19

“False christs” would inhibit one to know Jesus.  Instead, they would admonish one to give recognition to themselves. Matt 24:24  They would preach “another Jesus”, leading one away from both him and the true God.  2 Cor 11:4,13,14; Gen 3:15; Rev 13:1,2,11,15  They would consider it shameful whoever turns to Christ, in their desire to be fully obedient to the Word (and not the words of men).  Those men willingly expel them from the congregation (“synagogue”) for their testimony of…Jesus Christ. They lose the “life” they knew, to follow Christ.  John 16:2,3

“Then he called his disciples and the people around him, and said to them, “If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps, he must give up all right to himself, take up his cross and follow me. The man who tries to save his life will lose it; it is the man who loses his life for my sake and the Gospel’s who will save it. (Rev 12:11;20:4) What good can it do a man to gain the whole world at the price of his own soul? What can a man offer to buy back his soul once he has lost it? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this unfaithful and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in the Father’s glory with the holy angels around him.”  Mark 8:34-38

Do JWs “know” Christ?  Or, does the organization refer to Jesus Christ in name only, as the head of an earthly organization/business/empire?  Do they only consider his teachings (with partiality) but not embrace the person of Christ? 

These words were in conjunction with the signs to look for in the last days before Jesus returned:

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (the anointed ones)   ²⁵ See, I have told you beforehand.”  Matt 24:23,24

 

Rev 13:1,2,5-7,11,14-17

 

[Evacuated]

11 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

T-Boned by another car, and all were instantly killed. How would that relate to what you have posted above?

Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. Got that right first line........

They may have "been in the right place but it must have been the wrong time"

[JW Insider]

On 8/18/2019 at 7:57 AM, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

and all were instantly killed. How would that relate to what you have posted above?

We are to be in the world, but not a part of this world.

Being in the world, we experience the same probabilities of good experiences and bad experiences that outsiders in similar circumstances would experience. Being no part of this world, we do not allow the spirit of this world to unnecessarily influence us.

There must be a reason that so many Christians after the first century never saw a true miracle. This seems to have even been true of the majority of Christians in the first century, too. Jesus and a few of his apostles are reported to have performed signs and powerful works, and a few outsiders would report that they also performed signs and powerful works in Jesus' name. But most converts would only hear about them, and be attracted through the love that the brotherhood shows. This love of neighbor, especially shown to those related in the faith, would be seen as reflecting God's love, and therefore increase faith.

To me it says that the ultimate goal of our Christianity is not to base it on seeing (or seeking) signs and powerful works, but that real faith is in a reality we have not seen. It's the drawing power of our love of God, and his love of us, perfectly expressed by the life, death and teachings of Jesus. This is the the message of the good news. Of course that message draws us more closely to Jehovah and Jesus because it speaks to us in a spiritual way, and the power of that spiritual message is all the more powerful because of our natural experiences in this world.

Would we sigh and groan over this system of things, and would we be so anxious to help our fellow man in dire straits, and would be so willing to tell others of this good news of a future paradise if we were already living a charmed life where no disaster could strike? It's true that we could attract many more persons to hear about the good news if we lived a charmed life, but why would outsiders wish to join with us in our mission to preach? Wouldn't it be more likely that the majority were looking only for the material benefits to be received?

[Witness]

1 hour ago, JW Insider said:

There must be a reason that so many Christians after the first century never saw a true miracle. This seems to have even been true of the majority of Christians in the first century, too.

True miracles can happen in the daily life of a devout Christian.  There is no record kept by those who served Christ and the Father faithfully over the last 2,000 years to say they never saw a "miracle".   These are an individual's "powerful signs" personally received.  Acts 2:17