From this week’s Bible reading, we have these insightful words from Paul.
(1 Timothy 1:3-7) . . .Just as I encouraged you to stay in Eph′e·sus when I was about to go my way into Mac·e·do′ni·a, so I do now, that you might command certain ones not to teach different doctrine, 4 nor to pay attention to false stories and to genealogies, which end up in nothing, but which furnish questions for research rather than a dispensing of anything by God in connection with faith. 5 Really the objective of this mandate is love out of a clean heart and out of a good conscience and out of faith without hypocrisy. 6 By deviating from these things certain ones have been turned aside into idle talk, 7 wanting to be teachers of law, but not perceiving either the things they are saying or the things about which they are making strong assertions.
We use this scripture and other similar ones whenever we want to quash speculation from the rank and file. Speculation is a bad thing as it is a manifestation of independent thinking which is an even worse thing.
The fact is, neither speculation nor independent thinking are bad things; nor are they good things. There is no moral dimension to either. That stems from how they are used. Thinking which is independent from God is a bad thing. Thinking that is independent from the thinking of other men—not so much. Speculation is a wonderful tool for improving our understanding of the universe. It is only bad when we transform it into dogma.
Paul is warning Timothy about men how are trying to do just that. These men had been speculating on the significance of genealogies and had prompted false stories as part of a different doctrine. Who today fits that bill?
Paul restates the Christian way: “love out of a clean heart and out of a good conscience and out of faith without hypocrisy.” The men he is condemning here started on their wrong course “by deviating from these things”.
Our teaching involving 1914 and all the prophetic fulfillments which we have tied to that year are based solely on speculation. Not only can we not prove them, but the evidence available contradicts our conclusions. Yet we hold to the speculation and teach it as doctrine. Likewise, the hope of millions has been diverted from the truth based on speculation as to the meaning of texts such as John 18:16: “I have other sheep which are not of this fold…” Again, no proof; just speculation transformed into dogma and imposed by authority.
Such teachings do not come from “love out of a clean heart and out of a good conscience and out of faith without hypocrisy.”
Paul’s warning to Timothy resonates to this day. We stand condemned by the very texts we use to condemn others.
It seems like more often than not, after I come home from a meeting I am irritated and in a bad mood rather than encouraged and built up. The Watchtower Organization (the GB) wields a harsh spiritual whip!! 1) No independent thinking!! – Don’t think for yourself, we’ll do the thinking for you. 2) You must believe everything we teach! You will not question what we print in the Watchtower or any other publication! To do so is the same as questioning Jehovah! 3) You must give us your un-questioning obedience! 4) Constant pressure though guilt and fear to: Do… Read more »
I have given this much thought. Nothing is out of Jehovah’s reach no matter how dark it seems. The Israelites often dealt with Bad leadership (Kings , Priests False Prophets) but they still went to the temple , kept the festivals etc .No doubt they saw the worship around them being tainted with false ideas and the false Prophets prophesying outright lies alongside Jehovah’s true prophets and were discouraged. Elijah was discouraged and thought he was the only serving Jehovah perhaps because it looked like everyone was “drinking the Kool-Aid” .Jehovah corrected Him. Jehovah reads hearts. We have come to… Read more »
That’s what I found as well gods word is truth. The whole thing used to make me feel angry and irritated. When the meetings are supposed to be encouraging us to love and fine works. It brought out in me sad to say the works of the flesh rather than the fruits of the spirit. I think the truth is not in any organisation but in the bible. John 17 v 17. And the true worshippers are faithfull individuals rather than an entire denomination. John 4 v24. Also revelation chapters 1 and 2. Despite what others are doing and saying… Read more »
Silvertop, have you ever considered that the WT isn’t God’s organisation or even whether he uses any specific organisation at all? As I commented in Meleti’s previous article for instance, why would the leadership of ‘God’s organisation’ doctrinally deceive rank and file JWs? This cannot be put down to human imperfection (an excuse they have often used), as it is a deliberate and calculated action.
Because of illness as well as financial problems we didn’t attend the DC. Its my understanding that at this years DC we were discouraged from such things as learning or using Hebrew, (i.e. using the name Yahweh, Yeshua, El Roi, etc…) we were told to avoid forming Bible-study groups and above all else, avoid web-sites that are not Watchtower approved. My question is this: WHY? What are the leaders of the WTBTS afraid of? I would think that studying the Bible, digging deep into the word of Jehovah God is a good thing. The more we pray for insight, and… Read more »
I agree with you. The fact is that they do not want us to deepen our understanding of Scripture independently from the publications. Doing so would inevitably lead us to conclusions which they do not wish us to reach. Like you, I once thought that Jehovah would clean house. That was because I believed this was his one true organization. I have come to see that that premise is flawed. Jehovah does have a people today, as he always has had, even in pre-Israelite times. However, fixing the organization would be, in my view, tantamount to sewing a new patch… Read more »
I no longer believe that Jehovah will clean house. Nor does He need to. It was never His to begin with. WE called it His house. But WE failed to consider how little any house would mean to Him since abandoning the last one to the Jews. We also falsely changed the spiritual structure of the heavens. How? By including and excluding ourselves from the yet-to-be-revealed creatures of Revelation. By teaching that Jesus is still subservient to his Father—that ALL authority was somehow NOT given him according to his OWN words at Matthew 28:18. In fact it’s all through the… Read more »
I agree with what you have said with the exception–assuming I’m understanding you correctly–that Jesus is not subservient to his Father. The granting to him of all authority must still be relative. Otherwise, this would have no meaning: (1 Corinthians 15:27, 28) . . .For [God] “subjected all things under his feet.” But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that it is with the exception of the one who subjected all things to him. 28 But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who… Read more »
Absolutely. And I am in total agreement with you Meleti. Subjection is relative—but only with respect to time, e.g., Paul’s expression, “WHEN all things will have been subjected to him, THEN the Son will himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things . . .” How much time passes between the “when” and “then” is the absolute authority given by the Father to the Son. From a human perspective a father may give absolute control to his son through what is called a family trust—the father being the trustor, his son the trustee. If the father… Read more »
Love the illustration! Well put!
During the Bible Highlights covering John chapter 10, I said that the “other sheep” cited in John 10:16 could apply just as well to the Gentiles being made “one flock” with the Jews.. I stated how the context, (Jesus speaking to the Pharisees), lent more weight to that viewpoint. You should have seen the look on most of the friends faces.
You were a braver man than I. Funny how many “know” these things yet fear to speak out because our hierarchical structure allows the dogmaticians to rule our minds. One negative word….one single doubt, and the jaundice eye turns our way with that “bad attitude” stare.