‘Do not put out the fire of the spirit’ NWT 1 Thess. 5:19
When I was a practicing Roman Catholic, I used a rosary to say my prayers to God. This consisted of saying 10 “Hail Mary” prayers and then 1 “Lord’s Prayer”, and this I would repeat throughout the whole rosary. When done in Church surroundings, the whole congregation would all say aloud the same thing as I did. I don’t know about anybody else, but I really just repeated from memory exactly the prayer I had been taught. I never gave any thought to what I was saying.
When I started studying with the Jehovah’s Witnesses and got the understanding of the Holy Scriptures, I was happy and thought I finally knew what I was missing. I attended the Wednesday theocratic meetings as well as the Watchtower meetings on Sundays. Once I understood what the theocratic meetings were all about, I found I was not comfortable with them. We were being told what to exactly say to the people we would meet door-to-door. I again felt like I was repeating the rosary. It may not have been the repeated prayers but it felt the same.
I eventually only attended the Sunday Watchtower meetings. My general attitude had become one of going through the motions, listening to others as they worded their answers according to the Watchtower’s ‘guidance’. Inevitably, after every one of my attendances, I couldn’t help but feel unfulfilled. Something was missing.
Then came the day I learned about Beroean Pickets and started attending the Sunday Zoom meetings where specific Bible chapters are discussed. I was absolutely thrilled to hear my Christian brothers and sisters being so passionate about what they are learning and understanding. These meetings have done so much for me in understanding the Holy Scriptures. Contrary to what I had come to know as to how I should behave, no such restrictions are placed at the Beroeans’ meetings.
CONCLUSION: Until today, I was searching for a title to explain how unhindered Christians, free of interference, can truly worship. Today’s JW scripture made it perfectly clear to me. By stifling people, you take away enthusiasm and passion. What I am having the privilege of experiencing now is the freedom of unhindered devotion. In JW’s January 21, 2021 message, it asks how can we show support for the organization that Jehovah is using? However, according to the Holy Scriptures, Jehovah’s support for us is through His Son.
NWT 1 Timothy 2:5, 6
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all.”
It seems that Jehovah’s Witnesses are implying that they are the mediator. Isn’t that a contradiction?
Merci Elpida Oui comme dit le verset qui précède ” Exprimez votre reconnaissance pour tout. C’est là ce que Dieu attend de vous qui êtes en union avec Christ Jésus” Paul parle de notre union avec Christ qui est la base de notre culte. Est ce volontaire, la Traduction du Monde Nouveau dit au verset 23 “…Et que l’esprit, l’âme et le corps du GROUPE QUE VOUS FORMEZ soient gardés irréprochables”. Je n’ai trouvé aucune traduction qui employait le terme de groupe. Dans l’interlineaire non plus, je n’ai pas trouvé un terme grec qui correspondait. Je ne vois que l’idée… Read more »
Hi Nicole, I noticed your call, so I will try to share my information with you. This is the text of your interest: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, ESV) Paul prays here for Thessalonians in order they will be sanctified by God completely, as a whole. In this connection there are two parts of text: – whole – spirit, soul and body The division of human nature into spirit, soul and body… Read more »
Merci beaucoup Frankie.
Je suis d’accord avec ce que tu as exposé.
Thank you, Frankie.