"Bathing" in Pure Worship - GB Samuel Herd

[Witness]

About ten years ago, my son bought a very old and humble little house that was built with lumber milled from the massive sugar pines of the area. The lumber was gleaned from an abandoned mining town located up the mountain pass, whose heyday lasted for a few short years in the 1860’s. Since the early 1930’s this house had many changes over the years, modestly growing in size as the original family grew. Still, the family’s five children shared one small bedroom.  The outhouse was exchanged for indoor plumbing amenities in the 1960’s. Ten years ago, the house received a few new walls, new flooring and new paint.  But today, instead of having it leveled to the ground, which many people would favor, it is again being restored on a greater level.  The internal flimsy walls are coming down, the low ceiling will be renewed and lofted. Repairs are planned that will stabilize the entire structure.  With new windows, new doors, and efficient heat, little will be left to remind one of the original house.  It is a restoration in progress, one that takes patience, endurance, and hard work for a young man to take on.   

Upon leaving the organization, many of us begin an internal restoration work on our spiritual “house” of faith.  We tear down the decrepit whitewashed “walls” of false doctrines, letting the light of Christ’s truth shine in the window of our soul.  (Isa 42:7; Ps 97:11; Eph 5:14; Matt 7:7; James 1:5)

 Under God’s grace, we are then able to discern or “see” clearly; not only the dark spiritual state we left behind, but we acknowledge the work laid out in front of us, shoring up the foundation of our faith in the truth and wisdom of the Father and Jesus Christ. (Luke 9:62; 5:36-38; Matt 7:24-27)  Certainly, it takes patience and endurance to remain on the lighted path Christ has set before us. (John 1:9; 3:21; 8:12; Matt 10:38; 2 Cor 6:4; Heb 12:2) 

The term, “restoration” was mentioned by Governing Body member Samuel Herd, regarding pure worship, during the annual meeting of the organization.  He said -

 “At what time are we living?  We’re blessed to be living in a special time period, and this began as far back as 1914.  It’s more than just the last days of this old system of things.  Well, why is that?  Notice what the Bible says – Acts 3:21, it’s also called the times of the restoration of all things.  Now let the word, “restoration” linger in your mind.  Why does that matter?  We’re living in a time of restoration of all things because pure worship has been restored! We’re bathing in it, and the worship of Jehovah will never be corrupted, ever again.”

Is this true? Can it be said, that JWs are “bathing” in pure worship when their doctrines have been proven to be impure with the passing of time? (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Tim 4:3,4) These past “truths” have become the refuse of false teachers, which they would rather hide from the eyes of JWs. (Matt 7:15-20;15:7-9; Luke 6:45; 1 John 1:6)

An earthly organization requires rules and regulations that its members must follow.  They must adhere to its mission statement, by serving its needs and goals. (Col 2:8; 2 Cor 11:19,20; Rev 13:10)  To succeed as an organization, the governing leaders have contrived a form of impure worship, by attaching their own decrees to God’s word, and exalting the organization/idol as leading one to salvation. (Ps 64:1-6; Hab 1:16,17; 2 Cor 11:4; Rev 13:11,12,14) 

Moses expressed the covenant God made with Israel, when establishing them as His people.  In Deut. 29, he reminded them of their time in Egypt –

“You saw their abhorrent images and idols made of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which were among them. ¹⁸ Be sure there is no man, woman, clan, or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Be sure there is no root among you bearing poisonous and bitter fruit.  ¹⁹ When someone hears the words of this oath, he may consider himself exempt, thinking, ‘I will have peace even though I follow my own stubborn heart.’ This will lead to the destruction of the well-watered land as well as the dry land.”

Heb 12:15 - “Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.” 

Jesus said we will recognize false teachers by the “fruit” they produce.  Revelation shows us that in the last days, God’s people, His “land” (Isa 66:1,2; John 14:23; 1 Cor 3:9; Gal 4:6; 1 Cor 3:16; Rom 8:9; Luke 8:11,15)…

…are drinking in poisoned waters sourced in a root of bitterness.  They are “eating” “fruit” that rots; known at one time as “present truth”. They are engaging in idolatrous practices – “eating food sacrificed to idols”.   (1 Cor 10:19-22; Rev 2:20; 16:14-16)

Rev 8:10,11 – “The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. ¹¹ The star is named Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the waters because they were made bitter.”

The fallen anointed “great star”/”Beast from the Earth”, once under covenant with God, now walks in the stubbornness of his heart. (Ps 78:5-8,36,37; Jer 11:10; Dan 11:30-32; Rev 13:11,12)  

“Wormwood” signified the composite leadership/”heads” of the organization today. (Rev 12:3; 17:9;13:1,11,12)  It is blatantly obvious by the history of the “fruit” they have produced. (John 15:16) They have deceived the “elect”, in the only earthly organization that houses the chosen priests of God. (1 Pet 2:5,9)

As we can see by the warning in Deut. 29 above, this presence of Wormwood points to the defilement of worship, through idolatry.  (Jer 23:15; Amos 5:7; Matt 24:4,5,24,25; 2 Cor 11:3,4,13; Rev 13:11,12,4,15)

The governing leader is correct; in that it is the time of restoration of pure worship, but it will never, ever occur in a corrupt human organization, that has allowed the spiritual house of God built with the anointed “living stones” (1 Pet 2:5), to be trampled down by “Gentiles”.  “Jerusalem’s”, “walls” have been breached – truth has been thrown to the ground.  (Jer 12:10; 51:51; Lam 1:17,18;2:7,8; Zeph 3:4; Dan 8:12,13;25; 9:17; Mark 13:14; 1 Cor 3:16,17; 2 Thess 2:3,4; Rev 11:1,2;13:7)

These spiritual harlots have used their army of counterfeit priests to promote, support and give worship to ”Jehovah’s spirit-directed organization”. (Rom 1:25; Rev 13:4) This is what God’s anointed and all JWs, are “bathing” in – flooding waters of idolatrous teachings and the doctrine of men, which has completely crushed the relationship that God’s holy priesthood are to maintain with the Father and the Son. (1 Cor 6:15,16,18-20; 2 Cor 6:14-18; Dan 9:26; Luke 17:26,27; Rev 12:15,16; 16:13,14)

Because of this plight on God’s anointed, a remnant seeks to understand what “pure worship" requires. They desire to give acceptable offerings to Him, through sacrifices of praise as He has intended for His priesthood to carry out. (Jer.30:3; Isa.14:2; Hosea6:11; Zeph.3:20) ( Jer 3:22; 1 Pet 2:9; Heb 13:15; Rev 7:10,12)

Depending on the translation, “restoration” is used in 2 Chron 24:13,27(NIV), mentioning the “repairing” of the temple and restoring its walls after the siege of Babylon. In God’s spiritual Temple today, each anointed is a “living stone” dwelling of His Spirit. (1 Cor 3:16,17)

Isa 58:8 speaks of a promise of spiritual healing, of a “restoring to soundness” to God’s Israel, who were burdened down by sin resulting in the rejection of His laws.  This spiritual healing restores the relationship between the Father and His “sons”. ( Jer 8:22; 51:51; 30:17,18; Ps 119:18)

In 2 Cor 13:11(NIV) it alludes to the individual, ‘mending what has been broken’, to reach perfection of faith through instruction and training in God’s word.  This leads to repentance, discipline and refinement.  (Zeph 3:4; Ezek 44:23; Mal 2:7) (1 John 2:3-5;3:7,8,23,24; 5:3; 2 John 1:6; Col 3:9; Heb 12:5,6,11; Rev 3:18)

And Acts 3:21, the scripture the leader mentioned, which speaks of repentance through Jesus Christ, and the turning back to pure worship of God, leading to the “times of restoration of all things”.  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+3%3A19-21&version=CSB

The necessary restoration of pure worship is based on the sound teachings of Jesus Christ - Truth. (2 Tim 1:13; 4:3,5) Have the organization’s leaders repented for their numerous failed predictions and promises?  It would be evident by their “fruit”, showing that they have converted fully to Jesus Christ for guidance. They would reject the need for the organization and would gather with the anointed body under Jesus Christ, instead of preventing their bonding, as they express in their literature. (Lam 4:1,16,12,13; Dan 9:7; Luke 19:44; 21:24; Eph 4:4;1 Cor 12:27,25,26)  

However, they continue to exalt the idol and rely on concocted delusions of their own minds. (Isa 65:2;Jer 3:23; 51:17,18; 23:26) 

After the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon, Nehemiah had heard from survivors, “The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned in the fire.” (Neh 1:3)  He mourned for days at this news, recognizing that the result of the grievous sins of his people, led to their capture. These walls were a protection from the enemy forces, yet without God’s Spirit as their ultimate protection, they were conquered. (Ezek 5:11)

 Nehemiah spoke of the promise God gave under Moses:

^9 “But if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, even though all of your outcasts are at the furthest parts of heaven, I will gather them and bring them to the place which I have chosen to make my name dwell.”  Neh 1:9

The following event related by Jesus Christ in Matt 17:11, has been deliberately ignored by the organization, by falsely saying this took place with John the Baptist.    

Matt 17:10,11 - So the disciples asked him, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? " 11 "Elijah is coming and will restore everything," he replied. 

I am wondering how the organization justifies their “restoration” without the appearance of the prophet in the manner of “Elijah”. It is by the word of men that they announce “restoration”, and not by the word of God. (2 Pet 1:21) This work of a designated prophet sent by God before the return of Christ, is also outlined in Mal 3:1-4.

 

The work of "Elijah" preaches a restoration of the bond between God's elect,
and their Fathers (Matt.17:11; Luke1:16-17; Isa.61:3-4).

Without the restoration of those bonds...
demonic teachings, cloudy eyes, lying hands, darkness, wormwood waters, sin, and death,
(1Tim.4:1; Rev.16:14-16; 2:20; 13:11,15; Amos 5:18,20)…

…will take away all the "earth"/homeland of God.
This is why Jesus causes these "two witnesses" to prophesy (Rev.11:3),
for the sake of a late crop/remnant…
(Rev.20:5; Amos7:1; Rev.7:9,13-14; Isa.1:9; 37:32; Ezra 9:8; Eze.14:22; Luke13:23-24; Matt.24:22; 19:25-26; Isa.37:32)

…which still contains a blessing (Isa.65:8; Joel 2:14) (John15:4-5; Luke21:36; 12:37; Prov.1:23). https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isa.65%3A8%3B+Joel+2%3A14%3BJohn15%3A4-5%3B+Luke21%3A36%3B+12%3A37%3B+Prov.1%3A23&version=NIV

Pearl Doxsey - “Two Witnesses/Lampstands”  https://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/2016/02/two-witnesses-lampstands.html

 

A new coat of whitewash applied by the governing leaders, will not support apostate “Jerusalem’s” walls of lies any longer. We are now seeing the bare bones of false doctrine exposed, leaving them unable to defend their lies. (Prov 26:23-28; Deut 29:20,21; Jer 50:38; 51:6,7,12,13; Rev 18:3-10)

Their “house” is crumbling. (Prov 18:11; Ezek 13:10,11,12,14,15)

Those of “New Jerusalem” who, with patient endurance, strive to be faithful and submit to refinement by the Father, are rebuilding walls of truth through their message of reunion and restoration. (2 Cor 1:6;Heb 10:36; Rev 14:12; 1 Thess 2:4; 7:17)

Isa 49:6 - "He says: "It is too small a thing for you to be My servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."   

At https://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/ -

Discerning the Body/Messenger of the Covenant

Where are the Wild Beasts?

Elijah Turns the Hearts

"World"/"Earth"/"HOME"

Second Resurrection

First the "Wall"...Then the Entire Temple

 

[Dmitar]

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4
WHAT comfort and consolation are in these assurances! These are wonderful words of life, indeed! They inspire us with hope. If God will accept perfect heart-intentions, as instead of the absolute perfection of the flesh—then indeed we have hope of attaining to the standard which He has marked for us—the standard of perfection....We can walk after the Spirit, though, so far as our mortal bodies are concerned, we cannot walk up to the Spirit's requirements. Our minds can walk up to the Spirit, our intentions can be perfect; and this is what our Heavenly Father seeks in us, perfection of intention.

[Witness]

This is a nice quote from someone, Dmitar. We know the law was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and is based on love. Matt 5:17; Rom 13:10   In that respect, "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one tiny letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all takes place."  Matt 5:18

There's something very applicable for JWs to read and apply in your quote, to their thousand-year path to physical perfection after Armageddon:

If God will accept perfect heart-intentions, as instead of the absolute perfection of the flesh—then indeed we have hope of attaining to the standard which He has marked for us—the standard of perfection...

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  1 Sam 16:7

We are judged by our heart condition, while live this life.  That, is the determining factor whether we are written in the Book of Life, or not.  Rev 20:12