Treasures from God’s Word and Digging for Spiritual Gems – “Avoid becoming ensnared by Fear of Man” (Mark 13-14)

Bible Study (bhs 181-182 para 17-18)

This item is about the privilege of prayer. As per usual, unsubstantiated statements and claims are made, such as “Jehovah uses angels and his servants on earth to provide the answer to our prayers (Hebrews 1:13-14)” This cited scripture does not support that statement. Verse 13 is discussing Jesus (who is sitting at God’s right hand). Verse 14 is talking about the angels being used by God for holy service sent to serve those about to inherit salvation. But that does not make it clear that the angels will provide the answer to our prayers, nor does it even allude to other servants of God on earth. This is not to argue against the statement, but rather to show that once again no care to support statements, claims and conclusions is taken.

This then becomes a big problem when the paragraph continues “There are many examples of people who prayed for help in understanding the Bible and shortly after that received a visit from one of Jehovah’s Witnesses”. Now the statement is likely correct, however, the statement does not prove anything, but the inference intended because of the context is that the visit of one of Jehovah’s Wtinesses is a result of the angels. However, there is no evidence to link the “answers to our prayers” with “a visit from one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” All religions claim examples of this, so the question is, is there anything that clearly identifies Jehovah’s Witnesses being used exclusively and that the angels specifically direct people to the Organization as opposed to any other religion? The veracity of this statement depends on a number of things such as:

  1. It was not a co-incidence of timing, caused by time and unforeseen occurrence. (Ecclesiastes 9:11)
  2. Jehovah is using the organization (inclusively or exclusively) to accomplish his purpose.
  3. Jehovah’s Witnesses are teaching the truth of God’s word and the correct Good news and hence God would direct people to them.

“Jehovah can also motivate someone who comments at a meeting to say what we need to hear or an elder in the congregation to share a point from the Bible with us. (Galatians 6:1)”

Of course Jehovah can do that, but that is not what Galatians says. There it does not mention God, nor elders, but rather spiritually minded and mature brothers (and sisters) who are aware (hence they know their fellow brothers and sisters) that a brother is taking a false step and doesn’t realize it, to help that one realize their false step, so they can make the needed adjustment if they desire.

The only statements that have substance are that “Jehovah also uses the Bible to answer our prayers and to help us to make wise decisions. When we read the Bible, we may find scriptures that will help us.”

However the wording is poor, and seems to be trying to play down the importance of reading the Bible so that Jehovah can help us through his word, when it says “we may find” almost implying we will be fortunate to find the helpful scripture. It seems not surprisingly, that the Organization would prefer us to listen to someone’s comments at the meeting or more likely an elder’s counsel than read the Bible.  After all, reading the Bible for ourselves and understanding it for ourselves amounts to independent thinking, something the organization condemns.

“Jehovah will help you be bold” – Video

The video is fine while discussing the Israelite girl who spoke to Naaman, but then the whole aim is revealed at the end. The whole aim of this video is, not to help children to be bold to speak about the hope from the Bible or share an upbuilding or helpful verse from the Bible with their schoolmates, but rather to place the literature of the Organization. It also perpetuates the misleading teaching that we can only become God’s friend. Think how much more exciting and encouraging it would be, to be told that we can become sons and daughters of God, rather than just friends.

 

 

Tadua

Articles by Tadua.
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