Christians, secularism, morals and values

Our western society has been under much pressure lately. Many could see that humans are hard- and soft-wired towards co-operation as much as competition. One may wonder if there is such a thing as the common good of society, shared morals and values, and that individuals need common rules for living together and contributing to the overall health of their society. {A relentlessly upbeat take on citizenship: My Review of Belonging: The Paradox of Citizenship}

After a long time that people had it very easy, they now come tested again. They once again have to become aware that

Nothing is easy, all goes slowly, we carry time as a very heavy burden, but little by little we see clearly and advance… Living spiritual life — as opposed to religious life — is very difficult because spiritual life happens within whereas religion comes from outside oneself. {Advancing in spiritual life}

Though today many seem to forget that the religious life, coming from outside, when forced to some some one has no value and is just an empty box. Religion has to be chosen by the person himself or herself. For adults it is the own choice to belong to a certain religion. For an adult it is also the own choice how they live that religion. The best can this be seen in West Europe were lots of people say they are Catholic but where the majority does not live up to Catholic rules, and where even more than 90% even does not belief all the Catholic dogma‘s and do not affirm to the Catholic sacraments. they have come to an age where they made themselves a religion for their own. But they also should come to see that there are others who sincerely belief in God and want to serve that God (Allah, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah) to their best efforts.

Several people have lots of questions of life and death and want to have something to hold an and look for some spirituality. This spirituality is different than the religiosity.

Spiritual life, although it has a unique goal throughout the world which is the Union of All that is the Creator and all creatures, takes place in a wide variation of form and thought, because there is a constant rapport between spiritual life which is unique with the variable environment of the moment. {Advancing in spiritual life}

People have looked for different ways to come to see, meet and have a relationship with each other and with that Creator of the universe. Thousands of forms have been found to bring themselves to higher spheres and to try to make contact with the inner self and with creation and Creator. Lots of techniques found day light for humans to find ways to bring their body and soul in unison.  Many techniques are daily used by people all over the world to keep their body and soul healthy and to become a human which is in balance.

That balance is brought in danger by many factors and mostly by the impacts from outside world.

Man and woman in swimsuits, ca. 1910; she is exiting a bathing machine

At the beginning of the 21st century man in the West clearly has a troubled mind about tohorah or ritual purity, modesty, personality, self-expression, freedom or liberty, morals and values. Living in a place where the population in previous years was brought up under Judeo Christian values, those values seem long forgotten, and some, like the French some have chosen to oblige totally different moral values.

France’s Burkini Ban

Under the pressure of Islamic terrorists, people in the West have gotten such a fear which seems to trouble their mind so much they can not think straight any more. So, many suddenly start looking to see danger everywhere, even in women wearing certain clothes.

Normally you would think we are living in a multicultural society where it should be possible that

We do not need to like or love our fellow citizens. But we have to respect them and engage with them. {A relentlessly upbeat take on citizenship: My Review of Belonging: The Paradox of Citizenship}

At the moment the world shows that respect is totally gone. There does seem to be no respect at all for people who have chosen an other way of thinking and living than theirs. It looks like today everybody has to agree with the same and has to be cut from the same cloth or has to be the same buffoon.

Lots of people are not willing any more to think about certain matters or to do some more research about certain things, to come to know more about it. Everything seems to be of the same cut and everybody is tarred with the same brush.

Take for example Islamic people living here in the West. Lots of people consider them a danger for our society because they hear a lot about those Islamic terrorists and have recently seen that those fundamentalist Muslims created havoc in our own regions killing many citizens.  Lots of people do forget they also killed many Muslims, Jews, atheists, Christians and other believers and that they really have nothing to do with the real Islam. They also do not seem to know that in the East even Sunni‘s came to fight against those so called Sunni Muslims of Daesh.

Women wearing hijab

In Europe we may find today a very big issue about Muslim faith, they way those people cloth, namely the hijab (headscarf) or turban, burka (full body cloak) or burqa and burkini or burqini becoming the symbol of Islam and all that there is about Islam. It has come so far that we see that a garment now defines Islam. But only a name could make them afraid to and have them saying a bukhara (Bukhoro or Bokhara) should be forbidden though then we shall not be able to eat any Bukhara Chutney (Plum Sauce) any more.

A cloth, has become Islam. The issue is that modesty and virtue have been reduced to the abundance or lack of abundance of a garment. And that indeed is a shame. {Tell me I’m wrong about the hijab  + Maniza Naqvi is wrong on so many levels about the hijab}

For us still the idea exist that the Ummah or Muslim community is still much too silent and does not show enough the world that those terrorists are misusing the name of Allah and are not real Islam.

It does not help when we in the West hear about maltreated women in the East. A Saudi 17-year old teenager making the decision to leave her family during a vacation in Turkey this summer; a 20-year old Muslim woman ran away from her family in Saudi in 2014; Hind Al-Otaibi escaping her abusive father who raped and injured her; Sahar Al-Sharif, attempting to escape domestic violence and her abusive brothers by getting married; all Saudi women who are not criminals, but people who have simply made a conscious decision to live! Who can blame them and who can say they have caused any harm? But why should they, when coming to the West put their faith aside and come to cloth themselves like Western people, who in their eyes do have low morals and not good ethics?

Strangely enough it are on those aspects they and western Muslim women become judged, as so called being without good morals and without good values. Today those values in France seem of a totally different sort as the ones in the previous century when they made a fuss when a short or skirt was not long enough or when too much bare skin was visible. Today several French people want to see as much as naked skin as possible though they forbid full nudity because than the excitement is taken away. For them clothing has to be spicy and seducing, otherwise it is not acceptable. That seems to be the moral and ethic attitude of the majority of French people today.

That modesty and virtue have been reduced to the abundance or lack of abundance of a garment for many does not seem to be a problem, but they want to see in the way women prefer to cloth, their inability to make their own proper choice. When women are not clothed like some of the youngsters prefer today they are considered not old fashioned, but are considered to being oppressed.

People also have becoming very narrow-minded thinkers (or would we not better say non-thinkers) limiting their own thoughts not wanting to go against the mainstream.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when talking about Muslim women, rather than talking to Muslim women, is to assume that Muslim women are all the same, think the same, to ignore the diversity of thought, experience, opinion. {Tell me I’m Wrong About the Hijab by Maniza Naqvi}

All Muslims are lumped. For the majority of Europeans they are all the same, from the same wet jar. Many of French or other Europeans, even do not come to see the difference between hijab, burka and burkini. They condemn and reject it without logic thinking and without good fundamental thought.

In case those people, who call themselves Christian, but adhere a trinity, do not want to come up for those women who love God more than man, real Christians, who love only One True God, should speak for those other lovers of God (Allah) and who have chosen to cover their body for God.

Real Christians should show that world which thinks it has good morals, that her morals have become polluted and reprehensible. They should show the world that it are not such good morals when man wants to exploit women as a sex object.

We as Christians should show the world that lovers of God should follow the rules of God and should respect each others and their own body. In the same way we should know that we have to be careful not to tempt others or to bring others to wrong thoughts about our body. We also should consider our body to be holy, i.e. set apart for God and for the one who intensely love and want to share our life with. This means that we should have the right to keep our own body to that person or persons who we want to share our body with or would not mind being seen in our natural skin.

We also should respect those women who want to go so far to cover a lot of their body. We also should show the world that we ought to respect those women for their choice of reserving their bodies just for their beloved.

For some it may look like those women are oppressed by their husband, but did they ever thought it might be the strong women their own choice to believe in certain values which may be much higher than the present values of the world?

Jews, Christians and Muslims should be lovers of God and as such prefer to keep to the Law of God much more than to the preferences of the majority of the world, who have abandoned God. Real lovers of God should know that the world its secularism, does not have to mean they have to follow in all the world their liberties.

Real lovers of God should always have in mind that the Law of God should be on the first place. That Divine Law is part or should be part of the Judeo Christian values our Western world should be keeping to, but many have gotten wrong ideas about those values, because they do not know their Scriptures any more.

It is up to lovers of God to come up for other lovers of God and to show those who have gone astray or do not know God to show the Way to God.

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Preceding article: Secularism in France becoming dangerous for freedom of religion

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Find also to read about the burqini or burkini:

1. Women’s Groups Say Gender Equality is a Must for Sustainable Development
2. Gender connections
3. Gender equality and women’s rights in the post-2015 agenda
4. What is Racism??
5. Is Europe going to become a dictatorial bastion
6. On French beach French police forces woman to undress in public
7. Women in France running with naked bosom all right but with covered bosom penalised
8. France and the Burkini
9. French showing to the whole world their fear and weaknesses
10. Pew Research: How People in Muslim Countries Believe Women Should Dress
11. Allowing dress code according liberty of religion
12. The Dress Code for Women in the Quran
13. Meditating Muslimah on “hijab to be a religious obligation”
14. Coverings Worn by Muslim Women
15. Does Banning Face Veils Help Us Fight Terrorism?
16. Islamism Rises from Europe’s Secularism
17. You are what you wear
18. Where’s the Outrage Over Nun Beachwear? – The Daily Beast
19. Not limiting others but sharing peace with all
20. What we don’t say about the refugee crisis?
21. A charter for a truly free world and why we need it
22. When will it stop
23. ‘I try to keep my hate in check. If you can’t hate, you can’t love.’
24. Meditating Muslimah on “hijab to be a religious obligation”
25. Silence, devotion, Salafists, quietists, weaponry, bombings, books, writers and terrorists
26. Are people willing to take the responsibility for others
27. Colour-blindness and road code
28. Man’s own fault and the choice to flee from fear
29. Lovers of God, seekers and lovers of truth

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Further of interest

1. Religious Dress in Catholicism
2. ISIS is Islamic, but most of Islam is not ISIS
3. What if this existence is not real?
4. The Dark Side is Strong with this One
5. The More Things Change . . .
6. What not to wear
7. How Much Cover is Too Much, or Too Little? The French bathing suit controversy as represented in original source material
8. What Not To Wear: A Short History Of Regulating Female Dress From Ancient Sparta To The Burkini
9. Tell me what you wear
10. Burkini Ban: Nice
11. France’s Burkini Ban
12. The reason you aren’t succeeding as a woman? Thats because you bleed apparently.
13. Reviewing Channel 4’s Investigation into ISIS Sympathisers
14. Should France launch air strikes against ISIS after Friday’s attack?
15. The Islamic State responds to Pope Francis: “We are making a religious war, and we hate you
16. ISIS tells the Socialist Pope that the Islamic State is in a war against the infidels approved by Allah.
17. ISIS Responds to Pope Francis: This IS a Religious War and WE HATE YOU
18. I Stand with Humanity ! I Stand against Terrorism #PrayforParis
19. The Written Stuff vs.The Not Written Stuff: Sex Education From An Islamic Perspective Part I
20. Is the Woman in Hijab oppressed? Who is a free woman ?
21. What Hijab Means to me, Hashtag #Hijabtome
22. Why I never wore a Hijab so far?
23. At what point does a ban become a chance to publicly humiliate?
24. And the Debate about Burkini Ban continues #burkiniban
25. The Swimsuit Issue
26. Stripped Down Make-up and Full Cover Suits.
27. Nawaz: Both Sides Are Wrong in the Burkini Wars – The Daily Beast
28. Burkini ban overturned
29. What a lot of Berk(a)s
30. I got 99 problems and the burkini is one of them…really?
31. Bombs in a burkini?
32. Bretons bathe fully clothed as Muslim asked to leave beach
33. My Burkini and I
34. This is why.
35. The Story In A Rug
36. You’ve Got to BurKining Me!
37. Ramadan Kareem!
38. Requiem
39. What Can You Learn Through Someone Or Something Shivered? — Michael J. Fite
40. Finding yourself
41. Beauty Eclipsed: Day 8 – Focus inward
42. Beauty Eclipsed #9: Surface vs Core
43. A Journey From Being Alone To Alone
44. Own, Apologize, Repair: Coming Back to Integrity
45. Counter-Activism…or… Subverting Democracy
46. The world in trouble
47. i know why the caged bird shrieks…
48. Darkness
49. What do we do?
50. The New Testament Church Part 2
51. Peace
52. De-Stress Your Mind & Body
53. Let a young woman accept as a life companion only one who posseses pure,manly traits of character,one who is diligent,aspiring,one who loves and fear God.
54. Why I wear the iron maiden: One woman on dressing modestly in everyday life
55. Turn away from companions who will lead you in wrong paths.
56. How legitimate is Christian Head-covering?
57. Misnomer
58. Why We Are Not Meant To Live Our Lives Naked
59. There Is No Biblical Reason Why Women Can’t Go Topless?
60. Power Of Happiness
61. Being Grateful and Being Sorry—Are You Humble Enough To Do Both?
62. …make this gift count.

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Related articles

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• Iran’s Supreme Leader: Saudi Arabia-Israel Relations ‘Stab in The Back’
• Rochdale Muslim leader ‘was bludgeoned in Isis-inspired murder’
• Muslim leaders call for all Islamic teachers to be registered
• Mosques in spotlight
• Nigerian Sunni, Shia Muslims Attend Annual National Seminar On Islamic Thought In Bauchi (Photos)
• Iraq asks Saudi Arabia to remove Ambassador
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The God speaking out providing provings, signs and miracles

 

Deuteronomy 4: 32-36:

32 “Ask, now, about the former days before your time, from the day when God created man on the earth; search from one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens. Has anything so great ever happened or has anything like it ever been heard of?+ 33 Have any other people heard the voice of God {“God,” MVg; SamLXX, “the living God.”} speaking out of the fire the way you have heard it and kept on living?+ 34 Or has God ever attempted to take for himself a nation out of the midst of another nation along with judgments,* with signs, with miracles,+ with war,+ with a mighty hand,+ with an outstretched arm, and with terrifying deeds,+ as Jehovah your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? 35 You yourselves have been shown these things so you will know that Jehovah is the true God;+ there is no other besides him.+ 36 He made you hear his voice from the heavens to correct you, and on the earth he made you see his great fire, and his words you heard from out of the fire.+ (NWT)

32 “Now ask, please, concerning the former days+ that occurred before you, from the day that God created man* on the earth+ and from one end of the heavens clear to the other end of the heavens, Was any great thing brought about like this or was anything heard like it?+ 33 Has any other people heard the voice of God {“God,” MVg; SamLXX, “the living God.”} speaking out of the middle of the fire the way you yourself have heard it, and kept on living?+ 34 Or did God attempt to come to take a nation to himself out of the midst of another nation with provings,+ with signs+ and with miracles+ and with war+ and with a strong hand+ and with an outstretched arm+ and with great fearsomeness+ like all that Jehovah YOUR God has done for YOU in Egypt before your eyes? 35 You—you have been shown, so as to know that Jehovah is the [true] God;+ there is no other besides him.+ 36 Out of the heavens he made you hear his voice so as to correct you; and upon the earth he made you see his great fire, and his words you heard from the middle of the fire.+ (Ref.B.)

• Numbers 14:11: 11 Then Jehovah said to Moses: “How much longer will this people treat me without respect,+ and how much longer will they not put faith in me in spite of all the signs that I performed among them?+
•  Exodus 7:3: 3 As for me, I shall let Pharʹaoh’s heart become obstinate,*+ and I shall certainly multiply my signs and my miracles in the land of Egypt.+
• Exodus 3:20: 20 And I shall have to stretch out my hand+ and strike Egypt with all my wonderful acts that I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will send YOU out.+
• Exodus 11:9: 9 Then Jehovah said to Moses: “Pharʹaoh will not listen to YOU men,+ in order for my miracles to be increased in the land of Egypt.”+
•  Deuteronomy 5:5: 5 I was standing between Jehovah and YOU at that particular time+ to tell YOU the word* of Jehovah, (for YOU were afraid because of the fire and did not go up into the mountain,)+ saying,
• Deuteronomy 5:26: 26 For who is there of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living God*+ speaking out of the middle of the fire as we did and yet goes on living?
• Deuteronomy 7:19: 19 the great provings that your eyes saw,+ and the signs and the miracles+ and the strong hand+ and the outstretched arm+ with which Jehovah your God brought you out.+ That is the way Jehovah your God will do to all the peoples before whom you are afraid.+
• Deuteronomy 9:23: 23 When Jehovah sent you out of Kaʹdesh-barʹne·a+ and said, ‘Go up and take possession of the land that I will certainly give you!’ you again rebelled against the order of Jehovah your God,+ and you did not exercise faith+ in him and did not obey him.
• Deuteronomy 29:3: 3 the great provings that your eyes saw,+ those great signs+ and miracles.+
• Nehemiah 9:11: 11 And the sea you split+ before them, so that they crossed over through the midst of the sea on the dry land;+ and their pursuers you hurled into the depths+ like a stone+ in the strong waters.+
• Nehemiah 9:17: 17 So they refused to listen,+ and they did not remember+ your wonderful acts that you performed with them, but they hardened their neck+ and appointed a head+ to return to their servitude in Egypt.* But you are a God* of acts of forgiveness,+ gracious+ and merciful,+ slow to anger+ and abundant+ in loving-kindness, and you did not leave them.+
• Nehemiah 9:19: 19 you, even you, in your abundant mercy did not leave+ them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud itself did not depart from over them by day to lead them in the way,+ nor the pillar of fire by night to light up for them the way in which they should go.+
• Job 26:11: 11 The very pillars of heaven shake, And they are amazed because of his rebuke.
• Psalm 29:3-4: 3 The voice* of Jehovah* is over the waters;+ The glorious God*+ himself has thundered.+ Jehovah* is over many waters.+ 4 The voice of Jehovah is powerful;+ The voice of Jehovah is splendid.+
• Psalm 105:27: 27 They* set among them the matters of his signs,+ And the miracles in the land of Ham.+
• Ezekiel 10:5:5 And the very sound of the wings of the cherubs+ made itself heard to the outer courtyard, like the sound of God Almighty* when he speaks.+
• Acts 7:36: 36 This man led them out+ after doing portents and signs in Egypt+ and in the Red Sea+ and in the wilderness for forty years.+
•  1 Thessalonians 1:9:  9 For they themselves keep reporting about our first contact with you and how you turned to God from your idols+ to slave for a living and true God,

*

 

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In other languages:

Met beproewinge, tekens en met wonderwerke

God, beproevingen, tekenen en wonderen

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Nazarene Commentary Matthew 3:13-17 – Jesus Declared God’s Son at His Baptism

Matthew 3:13-17 – Jesus Declared God’s Son at His Baptism

Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21, 22; John 1:31-34

MT3:13 Then Jesus came to the Jordan from Galilee, approaching John to be baptized by him. MT3:14 But John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you and yet you come to me?” MT3:15 Jesus replied and said to him, “Let it be this time for in this way it is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness.”[1] Then John stopped resisting. MT3:16 Having been baptized, and rising from the water, immediately, look! the skies[2] were opened up. Jesus saw God’s Pneuma[3] descending as if a dove[4] lighting[5] upon him. MT3:17 Look! a Voice[6] out of the Sky, saying, “This is my beloved Son[7] in whom I am well pleased.”[8]

 

[1]Fulfill all righteousness: In order to “fulfill all righteousness” it is necessary to be baptized after our Lord’s example.

[2]Skies: Or, heavens. The Greek word OURANOI (heavens) is used in a variety of ways and judging from the context here where the dove flies down to light on Jesus it must be that atmosphere were birds fly (Genesis 1:7, 20).

[3]Pneuma: Or, spirit; breath; wind. The force or pressure which emanates from God’s Mind. This is the “anointing” of Isaiah 61:1 (Luke 4:16). Compare also Isaiah 11:1-3

[4]Dove: The bird Noah released from the Ark.

[5]Lighting: Or, ALF: coming; KNX: resting. Here the Greek ERKHOMENON means arrived.

[6]Voice: The first of three times the actual Voice of God is heard, each in the presence of Jesus. The same One who speaks at Psalm 2:7 and Psalm 110:4. As God spoke to the first perfect man, Adam, He now speaks to this second Man.

[7]Son: We may suggest that the one here named Jesus becomes God’s “Son” in several ways: 1. Creation; 2. Birth as Perfect Man; 3.as spirit-begotten Child; 4. by resurrection; and, by enthronement in the heavens.

[8]Well pleased: The language is very similar to Isaiah 42:1.

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Francesco Albani’s The Baptism of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It was possible for all the people standing around John the Baptist and his cousin Jesus (Jeshua) to see two men of flesh and blood, standing in the water. Above them appeared a pigeon in an incredible light, like lightening. They also heard a Voice clearly saying “This is my beloved Son”. It can well be that many did not know Whose Voice it was and what it meant that Jesus was the son of the One speaking. In the Old Testament we are told that the Elohim Hashem Jehovah does not tell lies. therefore we should well take into account that God did not tell that it was Him having come down on the earth, but He said that it was His son.

“And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”” (Matthew 3:17 NIV)

“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?” (Numbers 23:19 NIV)

“Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—and I will not lie to David—” (Psalms 89:35 NIV)

“He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.”” (1 Samuel 15:29 NIV)

“a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,” (Titus 1:2 NIV)

“God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.” (Hebrews 6:18 NIV)

In case Jesus would have been God those who saw him would have fallen death, because nobody can see God and live, according to the Word of God. Nobody can see God, but we can hear Him, and at the baptism of Christ Jesus they clearly heard what He said. are you willing to believe what God said and worship the real Only One God Who we must worship in spirit and truth?

“But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no-one may see me and live.”” (Exodus 33:20 NIV)

“And you said, “The LORD our God has shown us his glory and his majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a man can live even if God speaks with him.” (Deuteronomy 5:24 NIV)

“God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.”” (John 4:24 NIV)

 

 

Preceding:

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:15-17 – The Baptisms of the One Coming

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:21-23 – The Baptism of Christ

 

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1. On the Nature of Christ
2. The Naturalness of Jesus
3. Anointing of Christ as Prophetic Rehearsal of the Burial rites
4. Church sent into the world
5. Only One God
6. God of gods
7. God is one
8. Attributes to God
9. Seeing or not seeing and willingness to find God
10. Christ begotten through the power of the Holy Spirit
11. Jesus begotten Son of God #6 Anointed Son of God, Adam and Abraham
12. Jesus begotten Son of God #11 Existence and Genesis Raising up
13. Jesus begotten Son of God #14 Beloved Preminent Son and Mediator originating in Mary
14. Jesus Messiah
15. Jesus and his God
16. The high calling of God in Christ Jesus
17. On the Nature of Christ
18. Servant of his Father
19. In the death of Christ, the son of God, is glorification
20. People Seeking for God 7 The Lord and lords
21. Being Religious and Spiritual 7 Transcendence to become one
22. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #14 Prayer #12 The other name
23. A Messiah to die
24. Jesus is the Son of God but Not God the Son

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Related articles

• Matthew 3:11-17, Mark 1:7-11, Luke 3:15-23a
• The Baptism of Jesus – Why?
• – The Baptism & Death of Jesus –
• Jesus’ Baptism and Ours: I should be baptized by you
• Lectionary blogging: Why was Jesus baptized?
• flow – let reality be reality
• Preparing Yourself for Water Baptism
• Doubts and Distractions Will Come
• Jesus Needs You!
• Immersion? Sprinkling? Why Water Baptism is One of the Greatest Misguided Truths in the Church

Story of Jesus’ birth begins long before the New Testament

Many people do think Jesus already existed before the people who were telling he was going to come. Lots of Christians do believe Jesus existed already before the world was created. They think because God knew Christ Jesus already before Adam was that Jesus should have been there before Abraham.

They forget that God already knows everything. He also knows you already from the beginning of the world, but we are sure that you did not exist already at the beginning of the world, idem ditto for us and Jesus.  What is very important to remember about the birth of the Messiah, the Christos or Christ was that he was foreseen by the Most High already very early in the existence of the universe.

Jesus story of Jesus’ birth does not begin in the New Testament. In fact, it goes back all the way up to creation.

3 Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in union with Christ,+4 as he chose us to be in union with him* before the founding of the world, that we should be holy and unblemished+ before him in love. 5 For he foreordained us+ to be adopted as his own sons+ through Jesus Christ, according to his good pleasure and will,+6 in praise of his glorious undeserved kindness+ that he kindly bestowed on us by means of his beloved one.+7 By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one,+ yes, the forgiveness of our trespasses,+ according to the riches of his undeserved kindness. (Ephesians 1:1-3,4-7)

Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, or at the Gates of Paradise.

We also were foreseen from the beginning to become in union with Christ. That is: God saw us already with Christ. God had chosen the Messiah and us to be in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in his presence. But that does not mean we already existed, nor that Jesus existed. From by the beginning we were planned by God to be His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God had beforehand ordained, that we should walk in them.  Even when we would not deserve it and God knew already what we were going to do right or wrong, and could see where we would fail, He was willing to provide a solution for are weakness. After Adam and Eve sinned God gave them the opportunity to try live a better life, but also knew they would not succeed on their own. Therefore he promised them and those who would come after them, a possibility to have an end of the penalty of sin. But everybody should be accountable for their wrong-going themselves.

Everything started going wrong in the Garden of Eden, where man did find God had too many rights. The first man and woman disputed the right of having all knowledge to God. By becoming adversaries of the Most High they got their penalty and we got their deficiencies or imperfections also to live with. Right after the fall into sin, God revealed  His first promise of the coming Saviour to the First Adam. Jehovah God told declared war between the adversary of Him and the woman, between the offspring of all the adversaries and hers. Woman was going to be multiplied by her pains in childbirth and because the man listened to his wife and ate from the tree that God commanded them not to eat from, ‘Don’t eat from this tree,’ the very ground became cursed because of them and getting food from the ground will be as painful as having babies is for the wife, both having to be working in pain all their life long. Until they return to that ground themselves, dead and buried. They and we started out as dirt, and shall end up dirt or dust.

“14  So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” 16  To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” 17  To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”” (Genesis 3:14-19 NIV)

“So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12 NIV)

8 This undeserved kindness he caused to abound toward us in all wisdom and understanding* 9 by making known to us the sacred secret+ of his will. It is according to his good pleasure that he himself purposed 10 for an administration* at the full limit of the appointed times, to gather all things together in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth.+ Yes, in him 11 with whom we are in union and were assigned as heirs,+ having been foreordained according to the purpose of the one who accomplishes all things as he decides according to his will, 12 so that we who have been first to hope in the Christ should serve for the praise of his glory. 13 But you also hoped in him after you heard the word of truth, the good news about your salvation. After you believed, you were sealed+ by means of him with the promised holy spirit, 14 which is a token in advance* of our inheritance,+ for the purpose of releasing God’s own possession+ by a ransom,+ to his glorious praise. (Ephesians 1:8-14 NWT)

8 By this undeserved kindness you have been saved through faith,+ and this is not of your own doing; rather, it is God’s gift. 9 No, it is not a result of works,+ so that no one should have grounds for boasting. 10 We are God’s handiwork* and were created+ in union with Christ Jesus+ for good works, which God determined in advance for us to walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10 NWT)

Blessing of Abraham and promise to him and his people. – :Book of Genesis Chapter 18-15 (Bible Illustrations by Sweet Media)

Throughout the ages people did hear their parents talking about that promise of the Creator. We also can read about the continued message given to many people of God, like the man and friend of God Abram/Abraham. (James 2:23) Though the many promises were made specifically to Abraham, God in His grace is willing to extend the same blessings to all who understand and believe as he did.

“The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”” (Galatians 3:8 NIV)

“1  The LORD {Jehovah, God} had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”” (Genesis 12:1-3 NIV)

The world had to come to live under the rulership of the one promised in the Garden of Eden, the Christ or Messiah.

“10  “‘So do not fear, O Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, O Israel,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no-one will make him afraid. 11 I am with you and will save you,’ declares the LORD. ‘Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only with justice; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’” (Jeremiah 30:10-11 NIV)

“31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. 33 “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”” (Jeremiah 31:31-34 NIV)

“21 and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offences, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 24 “‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. 25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there for ever, and David my servant will be their prince for ever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them for ever. 27 My dwelling-place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them for ever.’”” (Ezekiel 37:21-28 NIV)

“I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.” (Romans 11:1 NIV)

“14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,” (Romans 11:14-28 NIV)

David between Wisdom and Prophecy – Paris psalter (BnF MS Grec 139), folio 7v

Also Moses came to know about the root or offshoot, which had to grow later, at the time when the world was ripe and there would be somebody who was willing to live totally according to the measurements of the Only One God. (Genesis 12, 17, & 22; Deuteronomy 18). The world saw a young simple man, God’s servant, becoming a king, but unfortunately he did not manage to stay truthful to his One God. But king David repented and still could be found right in the eyes of God to be the seed of which the root would come in to blossoming. (2 Samuel 7, Psalm 132).

“11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. “‘The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.” (2 Samuel 7:11-13 NIV)

“The LORD swore an oath to David, a sure oath that he will not revoke: “One of your own descendants I will place on your throne—” (Psalms 132:11 NIV)

In Abraham all families of the earth cam to be blessed. (Galatians 3:8 NIV) so they could find hope in what the many minor and major prophets had to tell (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah, and Malachi).

Many times in history over and over again the people of God forgot about the promises of their Superior Master, the Supreme Being. Elohim, the Most High was more than once placed aside for lower gods. The God of gods had to see how often they rebelled and served other gods, and sought their security not in the Almighty Jehovah God, the Most High, but instead through earthly alliances.

Of old people got to know that the Divine Creator God always kept His promises. From time immemorial God has always been faithful bringing Israel a remembrance of Who it was yet to come, the Seed promised to David, the Promised Seed of long ago through many of the prophets.

God spoke through the prophet Isaiah that the Most High Master was going to give His people a sign anyway. the world had to look out for a girl who was a virgin but would get pregnant without having contact with a man. The son she was going to get would be God His sign, His Word or His saying becoming flesh and at last the fulfilment of the promise would be a reality and bring The Promise of God under the people on earth. At last there will be a man who will be prepared not to do his own will but the Will of God. Because he could put himself aside and be humble enough to do the full will of his heavenly Father this man could really be called the Immanuel (God-With-Us). Than, and only then, there would come an innocent child on the world of which everybody could say that it was been born for us! Then would be the moment that there was the marvellous gift of God, by the presence of a son — for us! but the prophesies would not end at his birth. That Jewish man was not only going to give up his life for all man. He’ll take over the running of the world. His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness. His ruling authority will grow, and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings, assures us God. By the voice of the prophet Isaiah we get to know that the man born from this simple virgin shall rule from the historic David throne over that promised kingdom. He’ll put that kingdom on a firm footing and keep it going With fair dealing and right living, beginning now and lasting always. The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies will do all this.

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14 NIV)

“6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV)

“23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.” (Ezekiel 34:23-24 NIV)

“”But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”” (Micah 5:2 NIV)

The Young lady chosen by god to be with child of the Most Highest – Annunciation – Jungfrau der Verkündigung – Masolino da Panicale (1383–1440) – The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei.

So when the time came ready to have the Word of God, spoken in the Garden of Eden to become reality, Jehovah God send an angel to the earth, in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. God had chosen a young women from the Essene Jewish sect, knowing that she was a real devout woman of God. To her appeared God’s messenger, the angel Gabriel in the Galilean village of Nazareth. This still then virgin Miriam (Mary/Maria), engaged to be married to a man descended from David, was posed with a very serious problem which could cost her life by stoning. The young craftsman called Yosef (Joseph), who belonged to the House of David, the tribe which was to foresee the King of kings, the promised Messiah could break his engagement, but he believed that his fiancée was truthful and sincere clean in the eyes of the Most High. He also found her beautiful with God’s beauty, beautiful inside and out! We do not know if he would have had doubts that God was still with her. but he also could see that his fiancée was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like she had received.

Mary was told not having to fear. God had a surprise for her. She was to become pregnant and to give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. She also was told that her child will be great, be called ‘Son of the Highest.’  and that The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David giving them to rule Jacob’s house forever — no end, ever, to his kingdom.

No wonder Mary questioned the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.” The angel answered that it would be by God His Power that she will be with child. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God.”

Once more in history Jehovah proved that nothing is impossible with God. He only wants to have God loving people and in Miriam or Mary (how she is better know today) God found someone who was willing to be His maid, ready to serve. So she was willing to accept God’s offer of being with child.

“26  In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.” (Luke 1:26-38 NIV)

It was only then with Mary then behold the fulfilment of the promise with the birth of our saviour in Bethlehem came to be (Luke 2). at that moment we can find that the Word of God, God His promise from the time in the Garden of Eden,  at last became reality, and came onto the earth by this child of human flesh and blood. The apostle Paul declares the fulfilment of all the Old Testament promises in Jesus.

“”From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Saviour Jesus, as he promised.” (Acts 13:23 NIV)

“26 “Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognise Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he was seen by those who had travelled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people. 32 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: “‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’” (Acts 13:26-33 NIV)

“38 “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:38-39 NIV)

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Please read also:

1. The Real Christ
2. God’s promises to us in suffering
3. A “seed” for the blessing of all mankind would come through the family of Abraham
4. Around pre-existence of Christ
5. About a man who changed history of humankind
6. The Word being a quality or aspect of God Himself
7. Jesus begotten Son of God #6 Anointed Son of God, Adam and Abraham
8. Jesus begotten Son of God #7 A matter of the Future
9. Jesus begotten Son of God #8 Found Divinely Created not Incarnated
10. Jesus begotten Son of God #9 Two millennia ago conceived or begotten
11. Jesus begotten Son of God #10 Coming down spirit or flesh seed of Eve
12. Jesus begotten Son of God #11 Existence and Genesis Raising up
13. Jesus begotten Son of God #13 Pre-existence excluding virginal birth of the Only One Transposed
14. Jesus begotten Son of God #14 Beloved Preminent Son and Mediator originating in Mary
15. Jesus begotten Son of God #15 Son of God Originating in Mary
16. Jesus begotten Son of God #16 Prophet to be heard
17. Jesus begotten Son of God #17 Adam, Eve, Mary and Christianity’s central figure
18. Jesus begotten Son of God #18 Believing in inhuman or human person
19. Jesus begotten Son of God #19 Compromising fact
20. Jesus begotten Son of God #20 Before and After
21. The Beginning of the life of Jesus Christ
22. The Seed Of The Woman Bruised
23. Preexistence in the Divine purpose and Trinity
24. He may found a kingdom and empire which shall be literally ‘universal’

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Belonging to or being judged by

What to be and where to belong

Many Christians may have lots of questions about why we are created so and so, what we do have to do, how we have to behave and form our selves.  Jehovah’s Witnesses also can become confronted with such questions which can bring them into many doubts. They also can become frustrated.

Jehovah’s witnesses from door to door (Photo credit: ideacreamanuelaPps)

Strangely in our world today we may find people who are excluded by the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW), but who are still feeling 100% pro-Jehovah’s Witnesses. This despite the fact that the organisation has removed them from the congregation, and despite the believer his or her belief that the organisation happens to be in error for doing so!

What we do find strange by many ex-Jehovah Witnesses is that they either go totally against the Faith in One God or that they go totally against the non-trinitarian idea and go to an other organisational church. Many of them keep thinking you need A Organisation, others came to come to see clear and do find it is not as such the church of men but the church of God they have to look for.

Witnesses for Jehovah

A few believe that there is no other religious organization on earth today that is so completely committed to doing the work Jesus asked of his followers, and following in his footsteps, worshipping the God of the Bible, in the way that he prescribes, doing their utmost to be continually teaching and living by the truth of his word, and not simply the often-vacillating moral and secular opinions of men. They stay blinded that there are no other serious Bible Students who try to do the task Jesus had ordered his followers to do. This mainly because they limit their idea about preaching to having to go on the streets and to knock at the door or ringing the bell.

We do agree that the Jehovah Witnesses organisation is a powerful organisation, very well structured, and because having enough money and interested people, able to bring the tasks together, organise editions and meetings, much better than many others. They have very beautiful good publications to help people willing to learn about the Word and Work of Jehovah God. Though sometimes they seem to forget that it is “God’s word is alive, and exerts power,” (Hebrews 4:12) and that it is God’s Hand which hovers over the world bringing all sorts of people active in the Word of God. The Jehovah Witnesses  and the excluded ones who still hope to be part of the Jehovah Witnesses (JW) overlook that there are also other witnesses for Jehovah active in the whole world. We consider ourselves some of them.

When all in union or being united

The congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses mistakenly consider them as the only people who are truly united by their religion “in the same mind and in the same line of thought” as Jesus Christ, not just locally, but everywhere around the globe. The JW rightly consider that if all people on earth were Jehovah’s Witnesses, there would be no wars, no violent conflicts. But we also could say in case all Christians would follow the teachings of the one they say they take as their master, than also there would be already less fighting and less problems in the world. In case all people would be real Christians, and not just name Christians, really following the commandments of God, than also there would be no wars, no violent conflicts. The same simply cannot be said of the myriad of other religions on earth today, because there are so many divisions and many having non-Scriptural teachings. Taryn Viv having been a JW, and still feeling like one, seems to know one of the problems of the people in the organisation. She writes:

To their credit, Jehovah’s Witnesses are sincerely diligent when it comes to applying Bible counsel to themselves, and to the congregation. Faithfully doing so has proven to have tremendously positive results, which only makes sense. If the Bible really is, as it claims, the word of our creator, his wisdom certainly must surpass ours, and as it is summed up at Isaiah 48:17, “I, Jehovah, am your God, the One teaching you to benefit yourself.”

Fallible or infallible organisation

Diagram Representing Organisational Structure of Jehovah’s Witnesses (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to us some Witnesses give the impression their organisation is infallible and only brings the Words of God. They have given the Watchtower and tract Society (Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania + Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York + Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses) with their so called ‘Faithful Slave’ the same position as many Christians do give the Pope of the Vatican. It is that Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses based in Brooklyn, New York which is the ruling council of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They may formulate the policy and doctrines everybody has to follow. Strangely enough the members of the Governing Body say they are followers of Christ rather than religious leaders, but take the position of dictatorial leaders, whose rules and ideas everybody has to follow.
When the Society’s second president, J.F. Rutherford, encountered opposition from directors in 1917, he dismissed them; in 1925 he overruled the Watch Tower Society’s editorial committee — selected by Charles Taze Russell to have editorial control of The Watch Tower after his death—when it opposed publication of an article that altered doctrines on Bible chronology related to 1914. In 1931, the editorial committee was dissolved and until January 1976, the president of the Governing Body exercised complete control of doctrines, publications and activity of the Watch Tower Society and the religious denominations with which it was connected — some of the Bible Students Movment and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The ones to tell what is right or wrong

Though not one man is infallible and knows everything. Even Jesus did not know when he would return to the earth. But the organisation claims that they can tell all people what is right and wrong, and that they are the only ones who can bring people to God. For sure they will help a lot of people to find the Only One God and to come to see the difference between the man made gods and the Only One God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah. We should know that we as human beings have all our limitations and cannot expect perfection of one another in this system of things, nor can we expect it of the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses, nor those appointed to positions of responsibility, in spite of the tremendous good that Jehovah clearly is using the JW, Bible Students, Christadelphians and other non-trinitarian Christians who freely  and sincerely, contribute to the work of God.

Transgender – Being and feeling in a body

As a transgender woman for many, many years, the writer was quite frankly a bit shocked that, within weeks of her first surfacing the truth of her situation openly with a brother whom she considered a long-time friend, the congregation elders had decided this was a “judicial matter,” and scheduled a meeting to essentially determine whether she would be “repentant,” or would need to be removed from the congregation. Strangely enough you could wonder how it did happen they did not know earlier.
Such people with a gender problem, which we encounter much more today (also have a look at the articles on Stepping toes) are not only in trouble with their own situation, having to suffer from major depressive illness for some years and as a result having very little contact with their own family, do not have it always easy  to mix with others and to enjoy friendly contacts and group meetings in Christian groups.

Exclusion because of gender choice

Dr. Camille Cabral, a transgender activist at a demonstration for transgender people in Paris, October 1, 2005

Because Taryn Viv cannot, and will not dress and present herself as the “man” she had come to realize she never truly was in the first place, she has been removed from the congregation. This is somewhat shocking which we often have to hear about the JW, who exclude followers and have their family members and friends of the faith-group charged not to meet the excluded person any more.

When we do know that everybody is created in the likeness of God, and that we do bear the image of God, you may wonder if those who do not feel at ease in their body are really doing something against the Will of God ,when they let science help them to become the person they, in first instance feel to be?

For sure, those who would knowingly and wilfully practice such things that Jehovah condemns as seriously harmful, unloving and wrong, could not rightly still be considered a follower of Christ. Those who practice fornication, theft, murder, and do not regret what they have wrong, even when baptised, can not be any more be considered a person being part of the Body of Christ. We do agree that in many Christian denominations there are a lot of people who believe we do not have to work any more once we are ‘reborn’. They think once baptised that they would enter in heaven because they are saved by Christ. But Faith without works is death.

Looks, judging and counselling

In case people of the congregation see that there is something wrong they should bring this into discussion. Faithful brothers and sisters should be counselled then to avoid any association with such a person, even to the point of just sitting down to a meal with them, where others could see the association with that person. But we do not find it right that natural brothers and sisters and parents are not allowed to speak or associate with their brother or sister or child.

According to us they should be the first ones to bring the other to get to see what he or she did wrong, but than there have to have been something wrong. Therefore we as Christians should examine everything very careful and be attentive before we judge some one else. We also should be aware that by the ages many traditions came into our life as well as ideas how we should be or what would be accepted as normal or acceptable in our community.
For example the JW always like to go around in business suits and do not find it appropriate to wear casual clothing in service. Their way of dress is also not always conform the dress in the country they preach. As such, in West Europe everybody straight ahead recognises the JW because of their Americanised out of date dressing. But that has nothing to do with commandments of God, where no where in Scriptures is written that a dress for a girl has to have a length of so many centimetres beneath the knees or up to the ankles.

Exclusions of persons

Christians should be very careful with exclusions of persons from their community and should also try to do every effort to get the person back on the right track. They never may forget that the rules of exclusion are about someone who has not shown any repentance, remorse or regret for such serious wrongs, and that the purpose of such “disfellowshipping,” as Jehovah’s Witnesses call the practice is twofold.

• First, it may move the person to reconsider the seriousness of what they have been doing and to turn around, thereby restoring a good relationship, first and foremost, with Jehovah God, but also with their spiritual family, who are urged to “kindly forgive and comfort” them. (2 Corinthians 2:7)

• A second key reason is that, in the event they should remain unrepentant, “a little leaven ferments the whole lump.” (1 Corinthians 5:6)

Wisdom of scriptural admonition evident

The writer of the article A Matter of Judgement recognises that the wisdom of the scriptural admonition is evident, and can be clearly seen by counterexample. No doubt we’ve all heard of some widely publicized cases of unthinkably horrid offences committed by members of various religions. (Child molestation, for example, comes to mind. Murder is another, such as the bombings of abortion clinics, for example.) When those engaging in such acts, even repeatedly, can yet remain affiliated with others of their “faith,” as though even such gross wrongs are tolerable, or beyond judgement, what does it say to the world at large about that faith?

“Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26)

More believers should hear the call of those who came onto this world in an other body than there mind tells them.

For now, though, I’ll conclude by saying I am grateful to be attending meetings regularly at the Kingdom hall again, and despite being considered “disfellowshipped” I find them spiritually strengthening and encouraging.
These days I am glad to say I can be more sociable again, and although it saddens me that I cannot now freely associate with many of my friends, brothers and sisters in the congregation, I find I am being given precious opportunities to speak about the good news of God’s Word with others I come into contact with.

Far from letting my circumstances cause me to be negative, many an acquaintance has told me they have come away after a conversation with a better view of both the Bible and Jehovah’s Witnesses than they had before.

It pleases me know that I can still plant seeds of truth. I would encourage anyone in my sort of situation to do the same. Jehovah is a rewarder of those loyal to him, and so although the appointed elders may still expect to see me doing things that I cannot do, I know that Jehovah is pleased to see me doing what I can.

We only can hope that those who found their way to Jehovah the Only One God, by the help of the marvellous work of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, when they leave that organisation will continue in the Faith and in the Truth, loving God and all His creation, the good and the bad people also.

Moordown: Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses Tucked away in Elmes Road, otherwise a residential back street of Moordown. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Please do find:

1. Taryn Viv a Wrongful Imprisonment ~ Faithful reflections of a transgender Jehovah’s Witness
2. A Matter of Judgement
3. Food for thought, that’s all.
4. Failing to Answer the Most Vital Question About “Becoming Jehovah’s Friend”
5. Jehovah’s Witnesses Shun Family Members for Selfish Reasons
6. Focus on Jehovah’s Witnesses
7. Jehovah’s Witnesses not only group that preach the good news
8. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
9. Followers with deepening
10. The business of this life
11. Preaching to an unbelieving world
12. Determine the drive
13. Does the method of preaching from house to house have its basis in the Scriptures?
14. Blogging for Jesus…
15. Creator and Blogger God 4 Expounding voice
16. Proclaiming shalom, bringing good news of good things, announcing salvation
17. Bringing Good News into the world
18. Preaching to an unbelieving world
19. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #2 Witnessing
20. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #3 Callers upon God
21. A Voice to be heard
22. Breathing to teach
23. Church sent into the world
24. Church enemy of faith
25. Breaking up with a cult
26. Dependence
27. Feeling-good, search for happiness and the church
28. Casual Christians
29. Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian
30. Uncovering the Foundations of Faith
31. Self-development, self-control, meditation, beliefs and spirituality
32. Testify of the things heard
33. How should we preach?
34. When discouraged facing opposition
35. Reasons to come to gether
36. Learn how to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom
37. Manifests for believers #5 Christian Union
38. Witnessing at LaGuardia Airport
39. Bible for you and for life – TheBible4Life Committee explain what is planned for the national preaching effort next year.
40. Good or bad preacher
41. Holland Week of billing
42. Trying to get the youth inspired
43. Jew refering to be religious or to be a people
44. Christian fundamentalism as dangerous as Muslim fundamentalism
45. Faith and works
46. Repentance and conversion are not milestones which we pass on the way of life and never see again
47. God receives us on the basis of our faith
48. God loving people justified
49. Creation and the Bible

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Related articles

• Jehovah’s Way: At the First Sign of Their Religious Doubt, Freeze Out Your Own Flesh and Blood (patheos.com)
  The elder Gonzalez is a Jehovah’s Witness. After his son expressed doubts about the movement, its Watchtower Governing Body promptly ordered the father to shun Rick and Lucas.
• Jehovah’s Witnesses Hateful practice of unbiblical shunning (christiansparlock.wordpress.com)
  

  “The result of ‘shunning’ is extreme anxiety, depression, self hatred, increased blood pressure, loss of appetite, self injury and suicidal thoughts and attempts. This is not only painful but excruciating.” – Allan N. Schwartz, PhD

• The Redemption (and Apostasy) of a Devout Jehovah’s Witness (patheos.com)
  James Zimmerman grew up as the kind of Jehovah’s Witness who might have knocked on your door. Devout and fervent, he knew what the consequences were for apostates. And yet he found a way to break free.

  His new memoir detailing his upbringing — and how his questioning of the faith eventually led him away from it — is called Deliverance at Hand!: The Redemption of a Devout Jehovah’s Witness (Freethought House, 2013):

• Jail for Jehovah’s Witness elder who molested girls (manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
  A Jehovah’s Witness elder who was exposed as a paedophile on Facebook has been jailed.

  Jonathan Rose was branded a hypocrite as he was locked up for molesting two little girls he met through the church.
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  The family of Rose’s first accuser say they were encouraged to cover up their allegation. He was cleared of groping the then teenage girl in 1995 trial, but she would go on to be a witness in the latest court case. Her family say they were hounded out of the Jehovah’s Witnesses when they expressed concerns.

• What Does The Bible Really Teach? – Chapter 18 Review (watchtowerinvestigated.co.uk)
  You are not baptised in the name of the father, son and holy spirit you are baptised into the organisation. In fact the last question they is “Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association with God’s spirit-directed organization?”
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  Gods law are not burdensome, but let me list some things that the watchtower burden with when you are baptised:-• Fill out a report card every month detailing how much ministry you have done (or not as the case may be).
  • You Must go to all the meetings.
  • You Must go on the field service.
  • You Must not have a blood transfusion even if your life depended on it.
  • You Must not get involved in any holidays, Christmas, Birthday, Mothers Day, Fathers Day…the list goes on.
  • You Must cut off love ones if they reject the religion…
  • The list goes on…
• Jehovah’s Witnesses call on Christians to safeguard their consciences (modernghana.com)
  Jehovah’s Witnesses at the weekend held a special assembly day programme with a call on Christians to safeguard their consciences to aid them walk with God and follow Jesus’ footsteps.

  The aim of the programme was to help the delegates to work towards acquiring a bible-trained and holy spirit-led conscience, which together with the bible, could serve as a reliable guide in deepening their relationship with God.