Paul’s warning about false stories and his call to quit touching the unclean thing

Paul’s warning about false stories is in the first letter he wrote to Timothy, a Christian elder. Paul told Timothy to keep the congregation clean and to help his brothers and sisters to stay loyal to Jehovah.

1 Timothy 1:18, 19: 18 This instruction* I entrust to you, my child Timothy, in harmony with the prophecies that were made about you, that by these you may go on waging the fine warfare,+ 19 holding faith and a good conscience,+ which some have thrust aside, resulting in the shipwreck of their faith.

The Greek word that Paul used for “false stories” means “a lie” or “a made-up story.” One book says that a false story is a religious story that has no connection with what is real. (The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia) Perhaps Paul was thinking about the religious lies that came from old stories that people made up and that made others curious.*

Paul said that these stories were dangerous because they “furnish questions for research.” This means that people who pay attention to these stories start having questions about things that are not true and then use their time trying to find the answers.

The adversaries of God (also called Satan) do like to bring division in those who are looking for God and into those who want to be part of the Body of Christ. Christendom has lots of preachers who worship another god than Jews, like Jesus worshipped only One True God. They follow lots of human teachings which where brought into the religion by the years, by so called “theologians” who claimed to be clergy ordained by God.

We must be fully aware that there are lots of people who like to twist the words of the bible, which we consider the infallible Word of God. They offer the world a false religion to fool people. That is why the Bible says that he makes himself into “an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14) For example, the religions of Christendom say that they follow Christ, but they teach lies like the Trinity and hellfire. They also teach that some part of humans lives on after the death of the body. Many think that Christmas and Easter please God, but the things that people do during these celebrations really come from false worship. False stories will not fool us if we pay attention to God’s warning to separate ourselves from false religion and

“quit touching the unclean thing.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17).

When we hear the majority of people we may get the impression it all does not matter so much. But we may not be mistaken. God gives enough warnings and lets the world know that He is a serious God of order who wants people to recognise Him as the Only One true God. As a jealous God He also does not like it that graven images or pictures are  made of Him and other gods to pray to Him and other gods. He detest any form of heathen worship. But lots of people want to convince you and others that it does not matter to participate at those many heathen festivals, like Halloween, Christmas, Easter and so on. They want you to believe all those stories about Santa Claus, the elf’s, Easter bunnies do no harm. Such teachers are the ones Paul and other apostles warn for. Because they allow wrong actions to be done by you, and you to be a partaker of heathen festivals, which is an abomination in the eyes of God.

A map of the world, showing the major religions distributed in the world as of today. A different type of map which views only the religion as a whole excluding denominations or sects of the religions, and is colored by how the religions are distributed not by main religion of country etc. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We may never forget that the first and biggest lie, which false teachers bring is:

You can do whatever you want; you decide what is right and what is wrong.

We often hear this on television, in movies, in magazines, in newspapers, and on the Internet. Because we hear this lie all the time, it is easy for us to start to think that way and follow the immoral ideas of the world. But the truth is that we need God to tell us what is right and what is wrong.

Jeremiah 10:23: 23 I well know, O Jehovah, that man’s way does not belong to him. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.+

The second lie is:

You are now saved and free to do whatever you want. God will never change anything on the earth.

This idea makes people think only about today. They do not care about the future or about pleasing God. Several preachers wants the Christians to believe they are saved for ever and have not to worry any more about what they do or if they sin, because according to those false teachers they always will end up in heaven.

Such thought of not having to do any works of faith is a false teaching which lures lots of Christians in not bothering any more to do good and to avoid doing wrong. Lots of people start to think like them and then become “inactive or unfruitful” in their service to God. They become partakers of this world corrupt system, avoiding you to escape the entrapments of this world.

2 Peter 1:4-8-11: 4 Through these things he has granted* us the precious and very grand promises,+ so that through these you may become sharers in divine nature,+ having escaped from the world’s corruption produced by wrong desire.* 5 For this very reason, put forth all earnest effort+ to supply to your faith virtue,+ to your virtue knowledge,+ 6 to your knowledge self-control, to your self-control+ endurance, to your endurance godly devotion,+ 7 to your godly devotion brotherly affection, to your brotherly affection love.+ 8 For if these things exist in you and overflow, they will prevent you from being either inactive or unfruitful*+ regarding the accurate knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 For anyone lacking these things is blind, shutting his eyes to the light,*+ and has become forgetful of his cleansing from his sins+ of long ago. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling+ and choosing sure for yourselves, for if you keep on doing these things, you will by no means ever fail.+ 11 In fact, in this way you will be richly granted* entrance into the everlasting Kingdom+ of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.+

False teachers blind people or shut their eyes for their actions and for abstaining from certain actions the people of the world like to do. They give the impression it does not harm to be of this world and to partake into all the actions of this world.

Peresopnytsia Gospels. 1556-1561. Miniature of Saint Matthew. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Already early in the beginning of manhood man became to dread the presence of God because they were under His wrath. The children of Adam and Eve present to us a picture of good and false religion. Cain his offering was not done in the right way and was rejected, which made him furious and made him to kill his brother Abel. Later in history man sought all sorts of ways to elucidate things he could not understand and therefore started making different gods. They also started to split the elements of nature into characters of God, often giving reason for them to worship elements of natural phenomenons and creating ones-more false gods. Trying to declare the events in our world lots of philosophies were brought forward. Many people got carried away by such philosophies and by teachers using lots of such theories. Also today we can see that false teachers take many captive through their words full of philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on the teachings of the Jewish Nazarene Jeshua, Christ Jesus.

Colossians 2:8-9: 8 Look out that no one takes you captive* by means of the philosophy and empty deception+ according to human tradition, according to the elementary things of the world and not according to Christ; 9 because it is in him that all the fullness of the divine quality dwells bodily.+

Neither Jesus nor his disciples ever quoted oral Jewish tradition to support their teachings but, rather, appealed to the written Word of God. (Mt 4:4-10; Ro 15:4; 2Ti 3:15-17) It is the Word of Gdo as presented in the Scriptures which we should hear and take into account.

Mt 4:4-10: 4 But he answered: “It is written: ‘Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every word that comes from Jehovah’s* mouth.’”+

5 Then the Devil took him along into the holy city,+ and he stationed him on the battlement* of the temple+ 6 and said to him: “If you are a son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written: ‘He will give his angels a command concerning you,’ and, ‘They will carry you on their hands, so that you may not strike your foot against a stone.’”+ 7 Jesus said to him: “Again it is written: ‘You must not put Jehovah* your God to the test.’”+

8 Again the Devil took him along to an unusually high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.+ 9 And he said to him: “All these things I will give you if you fall down and do an act of worship to me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him: “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘It is Jehovah* your God you must worship,+ and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’”+ 11 

Jesus as the son of God never wanted to test God and preferred doing God His will, not his own will. Jesus gave an example to us how we, like him, should obey only Jehovah God and not try the Most High God to see how far we can go or what we can do to better ourselves. All people should come to understand not human teachings are going to bring the all life saving knowledge. Man should know that the Most High God provided all knowledge man should know to come to live a proper life giving him the opportunity to enter the Kingdom of God.

Ro 15:4: 4 For all the things that were written beforehand were written for our instruction,+ so that through our endurance+ and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.+

Though it might ask patience fro mus it are the writings in those old manuscripts, reprinted in the different Bible translations, which shall bring hope and comfort. We must pay full attention to those words in that Book of books, Bestseller of all times, that was written for our instruction in order that through the steadfastness and encouragement in the scriptures we may have hope. False teachers do bring false hope and might even take away the opportunity to enter the Kingdom of God, because you going in against the Will of God.

From the early gatherings of the followers of Christ we can see that observance of the unscriptural Jewish traditions amounted to a “fruitless form of conduct” that Jewish persons had ‘received by tradition from their forefathers [Gr., pa·tro·pa·ra·doʹtou, “given along from fathers”].’

1Pe 1:18:  18 For you know that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were set free*+ from your futile way of life handed down to you by your forefathers.*

The “things given aside” (The Greek word pa·raʹdo·sis means, literally, “a thing given beside”) and hence “that which is transmitted by word of mouth or in writing.” (1Co 11:2, Int) we should be very careful with and always compare it with what is written in the Bible. The word paradosis as used in the Christian Greek Scriptures is applied to traditions that were proper or acceptable aspects of true worship, as well as to those that were in error or were followed or viewed in a way that made them harmful and objectionable. the false teachers are those who present such sayings which are in error with the bible, God’s Word.

Several Jews, upon becoming Christians, abandoned many false Jewish traditions. When some false teachers in Colossae urged taking up that form of worship, Paul warned against “the philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men.” Though evidently he meant, especially, the traditions of Judaism (Col 2:8, 13-17) we also can transpose it to the Celtic and Germanic traditions which were integrated by the false church, first the Catholic Church and later also not abandoned by many protestant churches.

Viewing tradition in the sense of guidelines handed down orally or by example, the information that the apostle Paul received directly from Jesus could properly be passed on to the Christian congregations as acceptable Christian tradition. This was so, for example, regarding the celebration of the Lord’s Evening Meal. (1Co 11:2, 23) The teachings and example set by the apostles constituted valid tradition. Thus, Paul, who had personally toiled with his hands so as not to be a financial burden on his brothers (Ac 18:3; 20:34; 1Co 9:15; 1Th 2:9), could urge the Thessalonian Christians

“to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition [pa·raʹdo·sin]” they had received. One who would not work was plainly not following the fine example or tradition of the apostles. (2Th 3:6-11).

Each of us shall have to decide fro himself or herself in which way he or she wants to follow human teachings and human traditions or the Word and the Will of God. Those who want to call themselves Christian should know that God’s Word should come in the first place. all should also know that when one chooses to follow human doctrines, like the one of the Trinity a.o., it shall be decisive for what happens with that person. We always should remember

Mark 7:7-8: 7 It is in vain that they keep worshipping me, for they teach commands of men as doctrines.’+ 8 You let go of the commandment of God and cling to the tradition of men.”+

Isaiah 29:13: 13 Jehovah says: “This people approaches me with their mouth, And they honor me with their lips,+ But their heart is far removed from me; And their fear of me is based on commands of men that they have been taught.+

Following false teachers shall not bring us far. Just the other way around, it shall bring us on the wrong track, further away from the entrance to the Kingdom of God.

The truth is that Jehovah will soon change things on the earth, and we must show by the way we live that we really believe that there is Only One True God above all gods and that He had sent His only begotten son, who did not do his own will (which he would have done when he – Jesus -would be God) and gave his body as a ransom for our sins to liberate us from the enslavement of sin and the curse of death. In that son of man we should find our hope, because God authorised him to be a high priest for God and a mediator between God and man. We may be looking forward to the time this man of flesh and blood, who was taken up in heaven to sit next to God, shall come back to the earth to judge the living and the dead. Make sure that you are ready for that time.

Matthew 24:44: 44 On this account, you too prove yourselves ready,+ because the Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not think to be it.

Mark 13:35: 35 Keep on the watch, therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming,+ whether late in the day or at midnight or before dawn* or early in the morning,+

Make sure you prove yourself ready by being alert, always on the lookout,

Mark 13:33: 33 Keep looking, keep awake,+ for you do not know when the appointed time is.+

Romans 13:11 : 11 And do this because you know the season, that it is already the hour for you to awake from sleep,+ for now our salvation is nearer than at the time when we became believers.

1 Thessalonians 5:6: 6 So, then, let us not sleep on as the rest do,+ but let us stay awake+ and keep our senses.+

*

Footnote:

• The book of Tobit, or Tobias, which some people think is part of the Bible, is an example of the false stories that existed in Paul’s time. It was written about the third century before Christ. This book is full of false beliefs and stories of magic. It tells impossible stories but says that they are true.

+

Preceding articles

Matthew 7:13-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #1 The Narrow Gate and the way to destruction

Matthew 7:15-20 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #2 False prophets and fruitage

Matthew 7:13-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #3 Matthew 7:21-23 The ones Jesus never knew

Position and power The early days of Christianity

False teachers and false prophets still around

Good or bad preacher

Teachings, prophets, wolves in sheep’s covering and a narrow gate

2015 the year of ISIS

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Additional reading

1. Warning
2. Should We Love The Ungodly?
3. Satan Has Many Roads That Lead To Him But Jesus Only Has One
4. Settling for Less
5. Fundamentals of Iglesia Ni Cristo. 26 Points Contrary to the Holy Bible.
6. Beware of Counterfeit Catholicism
7. Prophecy or Divination?
8. The beginning of false religion
9. High-living North Carolina ‘prosperity gospel’ pastor indicted for bilking church in massive tax fraud scam
10. Being Religious and Spiritual 6 Romantici, utopists and transcendentalists
11. Lord in place of the divine name
12. Displeasures and Actions of the Almighty God
13. Relapse plan
14. Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach
15. Halloween custom of the nations
16. Christmas in Ancient Rome (AKA Saturnalia)
17. Great things, Voice of God and terrors
18. Satan the evil within

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Further related posts

1. My experience today with detecting cults / false churches
2. Brian Leonard Golightly Marshall False Messiah Part 1
3. The Warlord Of Religion 
4. True and false religion
5. It’s Never been about Religion!
6. Cookie a day: Topic-Man-Made Tradition
7. Speck In Your Eye
8. “Westboro Baptist Church cheers on Hurricane Irma via Twitter”
9. Calvinism & Christianity
10. If God spoke to us audibly
11. Why Are there So Many “Gods” & Religions?
12. Know God in a Year #191 Religion Gone Bad
13. Church History is good to know
14. Confounding the Idols: A Rebuke of the Impotency of the Modern Church
15. What Is A False Prophet?
16. “Cain,Tubal Cain, Mystery Babylon & The Image of the Beast”
17. Confident Evangelism: Roman Catholicism
18. What makes a false religion, false?
19. Babylon Is Fallen
20. The Danger Of Hyper-Grace
21. Falling for Anything

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False teachers and false prophets still around

When Jesus was alive he warned already for a time that false teachers would come along. Soon after he died, was risen and gone up in the skies to his heavenly Father several teachers found something interesting in the rabbi his teaching they could use for their own teachings. They mixed it with Roman Greek ideas and popular traditional thoughts.

Icon depicting the First Council of Nicaea. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Throughout the years deceitful individuals managed to lure people into false teachings. Worse was it when a majority of church leaders did agree with Constantine the great to come under its authority. To cease the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire some found it better to agree to those Roman Greek teachings and several gods. By agreeing to make Jeshua into a similar figure as Zeus, making his name into Issou or ‘Hail Zeus’ the worst false teaching entered in Christendom. It was a terrible turning point for Early Christianity, By some referred to as the Triumph of the Church, the Peace of the Church or the Constantinian shift.

But already before that great turning point of the introduction of the false Trinity doctrine there where also other false teachings brought by many who tried to get people around them. We can find the apostles warning about such people who twisted the words of Jesus and mixed it with popular human philosophy and popular thoughts. Those different teachers because of the more popular ideas and giving in to pagan rites could often gain more popularity than the strict followers of Jesus Christ. Lots of people believed in demons, monsters and stories about horrible beings where much enjoyed. When there were sick people there where preachers, who tried to gain there living by so called driving out such demons, they were asked to come to help and cure. That practice of exorcising went on for a long time and never disappeared. Today we still can find exorcists all over the world.

Painting of Saint Francis Borgia performing an exorcism, by Goya

Paul said to the elders of the congregation in Ephesus:

“From among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things.”

And Peter wrote in a letter to several congregations:

“There will also be false teachers among you.”

This should warn us that false teachers even may come from inside the community or congregation. Already from the early times onwards there where people who did not agree with what was going on or who rebelled against the teachings made in the community. Such a rebellion against true worship and an abandoning of it was called “apostasy” and the agitators and false teachers apostates.

Today also we can see similar apostates or people trying to infiltrate the believers in One God and followers of His only begotten son, by entering Facebook Groups or other communities wanting

“to draw away the disciples after themselves.”

The disciples Paul is talking about are the disciples of the master teacher Jeshua, Jesus Christ who as a Jew believed in the Only One true God of Israel. Everywhere in the world there are people trying to get those who want to believe in that One God of Israel and in His son to become confused and to come to accept that what seems to be believed by the majority of Christians, but is therefore not the truth. These false teachers try to take, or steal, disciples from inside the congregation of real followers of Christ. Jesus said that apostates are like wolves that eat the sheep. Apostates want to destroy the faith of the members of the congregation and want them to leave the truth. (Matthew 7:15; 2 Timothy 2:18.)

Lots of men concerning the truth have erred on many aspects, and their ideas which are all false often seem more plausible or attractive, because pagan, and so many other people believe in it, like extra internal beings or spirits, good and bad angels, who are inside man and bring them to do good or bad, or so called immortal souls that leave the body after death to go into an other body or into an other space, like heaven, purgatory or a hell by which they think it is a place of torture by eternal fire.

We can see that from among our own surroundings we find people who will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the followers of Jeshua after themselves. {+ 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:3, 4; 1 John 2:18, 19; Acts 20:30} We also can hear that they call themselves Christian, what should mean they should follow the Christ or Jeshua. After Christianity became poisoned by the Trinity doctrine in Christendom also came more and more different groups and/or sects,+ so that those of them who kept following the teachings of the master teacher Jeshua (Jesus Christ) who are approved may also become evident.(1 Corinthians 11:19)

The inspired utterance, the Spirit speaks expressly that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. (1 Timothy 4:1) Still today we can see that several people will drop out of the faith, giving their attention to misleading spirits and the teachings of demons. Being fooled by false teachers often in a very clever way. Several tricks are used. Apostates for example can “quietly” bring their ideas into the congregation, like criminals who secretly bring things into a country. Apostates use “counterfeit words.” This means that they say things that make their false ideas sound true, like criminals who make false documents look real. Lots of Christians often twist words of the Bible like when there is written “the son of God” they read or say “god the son”. By twisting such sayings in many passages others start believing what they are saying. Or they use such twisted wording saying “look there it says he is god the son” and here he says “I am” so he must be God. They try to get as many people as possible to believe their “deceptive teachings.” Peter also said that they like twisting the Scriptures. They explain Bible verses in the wrong way to make others believe their ideas. (2 Peter 2:1, 3, 13; 3:16) Apostates do not care about us. If we follow them, we will leave the road to everlasting life.

Often they also try to convince you what they are telling, are things you should believe because they are to difficult for a normal human being to understand. They try to convince people around them that the Trinity is beyond human comprehension and therefore we should accepted like it is. Though it might well be that certain things in Scripture are not always so clear and can not be understood straight away, god is a God of order and clarity and did not make His Word so complicated only scholars could or would be able to understand it. However, some things in them are hard to understand, and these things the ignorant* or those people who then are unlearned and unstable, unsteadfast wrest and come to twist, the same as they do the rest of the scriptures, to their own bane, their own destruction. {2 Peter 3:16}

When hearing people saying there is something written in the Bible, dare to ask them to let it see what is written and be alert yourself, daring to say when they say it is about ‘god the son” and there is written in the bible ‘the son of God’ to point out how they wrongly interpret Scriptures.

In Romans 16:17; 2 John 9-11 clear instruction is given in the Bible.

Romans 16:1: 17 Now I urge you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who create divisions and causes for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.+ 18 For men of that sort are slaves, not of our Lord Christ, but of their own appetites,* and by smooth talk and flattering speech they seduce the hearts of unsuspecting ones.

2 John 9-11: 9 Everyone who pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God.+ The one who does remain in this teaching is the one who has both the Father and the Son.+ 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your homes+ or say a greeting to him. 11 For the one who says a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works.

Bombarded by lots of words wanting to have you to believe other things than are written black on white in the Bible you should be fully aware to always compare their sayings with what is written in the Bible. Always remember you must be aware that there are lots of false teachers around but that the simple warning in the bible is:

“Avoid them.”

That means that we have to stay away from them. The warning from the Bible is like a warning from a doctor who tells you to avoid a person who has a disease that may spread to others. The doctor knows that if you get this disease, you will die. His warning is clear, and you will do what he says. The Bible says that apostates are mentally diseased and that they use their teachings to make others think like them. (1 Timothy 6:3, 4) Jehovah is like that good doctor. He clearly tells us to stay away from false teachers. We must always be determined to follow his warning.

 

You always should know that God gave us His Word, the Holy Bible, to come to know Him and to come to understand Him and His Plan. Each person god has given the opportunity to learn about Him and to find guidance to come to Him.
When trusting God and allowing the Word of God come to you like it is written, done away from all the human doctrines, you shall be able to find the Biblical doctrines.

Instead of listening to false teachings that go against the truth in God’s Word, trust God and listen to His Word. (Psalm 31:5; John 17:17) As followers of Christ Jesus we should be careful when it comes to those who attack you and your faith. You always should know the bible itself should be your Guide. You always should have your ear to that Word of God and take the words like they are written in the Holy Scriptures. Listen to God’s Spirit Who is warning you that what certain people are teaching doesn’t sound quite right, then search the Scriptures and judge correctly. God gave you His Spirit to lead you into Truth. Don’t ignore His Spirit, but instead allow the Spirit to guide you today, tomorrow and every day of your life. Never let yourself be discouraged or weakened because you seem to stand alone in your understanding of the Scriptures.

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Preceding articles

Object of first woe

Raising digression

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:21-26 – 1. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Exodus 20:13

Matthew 7:1-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Neighbor Love Continued 7: Matthew 7:1-5 Judgment and neighbor love

Matthew 7:12 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Summary on the Torah’s Fulfillment

Matthew 7:13-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #1 The Narrow Gate and the way to destruction

Matthew 7:15-20 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #2 False prophets and fruitage

Matthew 7:13-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #3 Matthew 7:21-23 The ones Jesus never knew

Minimizing the power of God’s Force the Holy Spirit

Good or bad preacher

From Bibles and other religious writings and those who witness for Jehovah

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Additional reading

1. Listening to the lessons of the Bible and looking for ways to please God
2. Inner voice inside the soul of man
3. Who Gets to Say What the Bible Says?
4. God’s forgotten Word 4 Lost Lawbook 3 Early digressions and Constantinic revolution
5. Leading people astray!
6. Solstice, Saturnalia and Christmas-stress
7. Atonement And Fellowship 6/8
8. Fragments from the Book of Job #5: chapters 32-37
9. Displeasures and Actions of the Almighty God
10. Responses to Radical Muslims and Radical Christians
11. Shariah and child abuse – Is there a connection?
12. Summer holiday time to knock and ask, and time to share
13. Responsibility bigger than those who talk about worldly matters

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Further reading

1. The Blood of Jesus
2. While We Wait
3. What Do You See?
4. Fruit FidelityI pray not to fall prey: judging good fruit from the bad
5. Thessalonian Christians
6. Beware of False Preachers
7. 7 Marks of a False Teacher
8. My experience today with detecting cults / false churches
9. False Teachers List & False Prophets Exposed
10. Broken Wolves Masquerading as Sheep
11. Judging the wolves
12. False Preachers
13. True Grace, or False Grace? #1178
14. And They Approve Those Who Practice Such Things
15. The Spirit Abides In Us
16. The Epistle of Jude: Contend for the Faith
17. Heed the Warning
18. The Shepards, The Goats, The Sheep and The Wolves…
19. Warning! Apostasy In Progress
20. Exposing False Teachers ….. again!!!
21. Cookie a day: Can A Christian Believe That Jesus Is Not God And Still Be A Christian?
22. Is God’s Name Blasphemed Because of You?
23. Ways to Handle False Teaching
24. How to Debate False Teachers
25. My Thoughts On “The Hebrew Roots Movement”
26. Let’s Be Positive!
27. How much error does a false teacher need to exhibit before they’re considered false?
28. Gary’s Blog This Month on “False Teachers”From Whom Does The Gospel Come From John Calvin Or The Holy Spirit?
29. From Whom Does The Gospel Come From John Calvin Or The Holy Spirit? (Part 2)<
30. When our False Evangelical Leaders Met with the Pope…Dirty SpotsBe wise to false teaching
31. Christian Ghosting: The Destructive Christian Practice We Don’t Talk About By Benjamin L. Corey
32. A call to feed the sheep<
33. Can apostates be Christians?
34. The snake, the sparrow, and the sword
35. God is our author and our editor
36. What will the church look like in the last days
    Considering the following Hillsong video, what does it say about the state of the church in these last days, surely this video demonstrates we are witnessing the precursor to the prophesied great falling away

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Authority from the One God to one mediator between God and men

5 For there is one God,+ and one mediator+ between God and men,+ a man, Christ Jesus,+ 6 who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all*+—this is what is to be witnessed to in its own due time. (1 Timothy 2:5, 6 NWT)

1 Timothy 2:5 Reference Bible: 5 For there is one God,+ and one mediator+ between God+ and men,+ a man, Christ Jesus,+ 6 who gave himself a corresponding ransom* for all*+—[this is] what is to be witnessed to at its own particular times.

1 Timothy 2:5 Kingdom Interlinear:

• • 5 Εἷς One γὰρ for θεός, God, εἷς one καὶ also μεσίτης mediator θεοῦ of God καὶ and ἀνθρώπων of men ἄνθρωπος man Χριστὸς Christ Ἰησοῦς, Jesus,

  • 6 ὁ the (one) δοὺς having given ἑαυτὸν himself ἀντίλυτρον corresponding ransom ὑπὲρ over πάντων, all (ones), τὸ the μαρτύριον witness καιροῖς to appointed times ἰδίοις· own;

1 Timothy 2:5 Byington: 5 For there is one God, one mediator too between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, 6* he who gave himself as a ransom for everybody; the attestation when the right time came,

***

there is one God:

• Deuteronomy 6:4: 4 “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.+

• Romans 3:30: Since God is one,+ he will declare circumcised people righteous+ as a result of faith and uncircumcised people righteous+ by means of their faith.

• Deuteronomy 5:7: You must never have any other gods besides me.*+

• Isaiah 42:8: I am Jehovah. That is my name; I give my glory to no one else,* Nor my praise to graven images.+

• Zechariah 14:9: And Jehovah will be King over all the earth.+ In that day Jehovah will be one,+ and his name one.+

• Mark 12:29: Jesus answered: “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel, Jehovah* our God is one Jehovah,*

• Mark 12:32: The scribe said to him: “Teacher, you spoke well, in line with truth, ‘He is One, and there is no other besides him’;+

• 1 Corinthians 8:6: there is actually to us one God,+ the Father,+ from whom all things are and we for him;+ and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are+ and we through him.

• Deuteronomy 5:7: You must never have any other gods against my face.*+

• Zechariah 14:9: And Jehovah must become king over all the earth.*+ In that day Jehovah will prove to be one,+ and his name one.+

one mediator:

• Hebrews 8:6: But now Jesus has obtained a more excellent ministry* because he is also the mediator+ of a correspondingly better covenant,+ which has been legally established on better promises.+

• Hebrews 9:15: That is why he is a mediator of a new covenant,+ in order that because a death has occurred for their release by ransom+ from the transgressions under the former covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance.+

• Hebrews 12:24: and Jesus the mediator+ of a new covenant,+ and the sprinkled blood, which speaks in a better way than Abel’s blood.+

• Luke 22:20: Also, he did the same with the cup after they had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant+ by virtue of my blood,+ which is to be poured out in your behalf.+

between God and men

• 1 Corinthians 11:25: He did the same with the cup+ also, after they had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant+ by virtue of my blood.+ Keep doing this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”+

• Galatians 3:20: Now there is no mediator where only one person is concerned, but God* is only one.+

men

• Galatians 3:29: Moreover, if YOU belong to Christ, YOU are really Abraham’s seed,+ heirs with reference to a promise.+

• Ephesians 5:27: that he might present the congregation to himself in its splendor,+ not having a spot or a wrinkle or any of such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish.+

• Hebrews 2:16: For he is really not assisting angels at all, but he is assisting Abraham’s seed.+

a man, Christ Jesus

• Acts 4:12: Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other name+ under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.”+

• Romans 5:15: But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by one man’s trespass many died, how much more did the undeserved kindness of God and his free gift by the undeserved kindness of the one man,+ Jesus Christ, abound* to many!+

• 2 Timothy 1:9, 10: 9 He saved us and called us with a holy calling,+ not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and undeserved kindness.+ This was given to us in connection with Christ Jesus before times long ago, 10 but now it has been made clearly evident through the manifestation of our Savior, Christ Jesus,+ who has abolished death+ and has shed light on life+ and incorruption+ through the good news,+

• Matthew 1:21: She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus,*+ for he will save his people from their sins.”+

• Acts 10:43: To him all the prophets bear witness,+ that everyone putting faith in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”+

• Philippians 2:9, 10: 9 For this very reason, God exalted him to a superior position+ and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name,+ 10 so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend—of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground+—

• Colossians 2:13: Furthermore, though YOU were dead in YOUR trespasses and in the uncircumcised state of YOUR flesh, [God]* made YOU alive together with him.+ He kindly forgave us all our trespasses+

6 who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all*+

ransom for all = Or “all sorts of people.”: “Ransom.” Gr., lyʹtron; Lat., re·dem·pti·oʹnem; J^17,18,22(Heb.), koʹpher. Compare 1Ti 2:6 ftn, “Ransom.”: “Corresponding ransom.” Gr., an·tiʹly·tron (from an·tiʹ, “against; in correspondence to; in place of,” and lyʹtron, “ransom [price paid]”). Compare Mt 20:28 ftn, “Ransom.”

• Matthew 20:28: Just as the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister+ and to give his life* as a ransom in exchange for many.”+

• Mark 10:45: For even the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister+ and to give his life* as a ransom in exchange for many.”+

• Colossians 1:13, 14: 13 He rescued us from the authority of the darkness+ and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins.+

• Isaiah 53:11: 11 Because of his anguish,* he will see and be satisfied. By means of his knowledge the righteous one, my servant,+ Will bring a righteous standing to many people,+ And their errors he will bear.+

• Titus 2:13, 14: 13 while we wait for the happy hope+ and glorious manifestation of the great God and of our Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us+ to set us free*+ from every sort of lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people who are his own special possession, zealous for fine works.+

• Hebrews 9:28: so also the Christ was offered once for all time to bear the sins of many;+ and the second time that he appears it will be apart from sin,* and he will be seen by those earnestly looking for him for their salvation.+

+

Matthew 28:18-20: 18 Jesus approached and spoke to them, saying: “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth.+ 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations,+ baptizing them+ in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.+ And look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”*+

Matthew 28:18 Reference Bible: 18 And Jesus approached and spoke to them, saying: “All authority*+ has been given me in heaven and on the earth.

Matthew 28:18 Kingdom Interlinear:

• • 18 καὶ And προσελθὼν having come toward ὁ the Ἰησοῦς Jesus ἐλάλησεν spoke αὐτοῖς to them λέγων saying ᾿Εδόθη Was given μοι to me πᾶσα all ἐξουσία authority ἐν in οὐρανῷ heaven καὶ and ἐπὶ upon τῆς the γῆς· earth;

Matthew 28:18 Byington: And Jesus approached them and spoke to them, saying “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth:

***

“Authority.” Gr., e·xou·siʹa; Lat., po·teʹstas; J¹⁸(Heb.), mim·shalʹ.

• Daniel 2:44: “And in the days of those kings*+ the God of heaven+ will set up a kingdom*+ that will never be brought to ruin.+ And the kingdom* itself will not be passed on to any other people.+ It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms,+ and it itself will stand to times indefinite;+

• Daniel 7:14: And to him there were given rulership+ and dignity+ and kingdom,*+ that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him.+ His rulership is an indefinitely lasting rulership that will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be brought to ruin.+

• Matthew 11:27: All things have been delivered to me by my Father,+ and no one fully knows the Son but the Father,+ neither does anyone fully know the Father but the Son and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.+

• Ephesians 1:21: far above every government and authority and power and lordship+ and every name named,+ not only in this system of things,*+ but also in that to come.+

• Philippians 2:9: For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position+ and kindly gave him the name that is above every [other] name,+

• Colossians 2:10: And so YOU are possessed of a fullness by means of him, who is the head of all government and authority.+

• Hebrews 1:4: So he has become better than the angels,+ to the extent that he has inherited a name+ more excellent than theirs.

• 1 Corinthians 15:24: Next, the end,* when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power.+

All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth:

• Ephesians 1:20, 21: 20 which he exercised toward Christ when he raised him up from the dead and seated him at his right hand+ in the heavenly places, 21 far above every government and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named,+ not only in this system of things* but also in that to come.

• Philippians 2:9: For this very reason, God exalted him to a superior position+ and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name,+ 10 so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend—of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground+— 11 and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord+ to the glory of God the Father.

• Acts 4:12: Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other name+ under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.”+

+

John 5:25-27-30: 25 “Most truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who have paid attention will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself,*+ so he has granted also to the Son to have life in himself.+ 27 And he has given him authority to do judging,+ because he is the Son of man.+ 28 Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice+ 29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.+ 30 I cannot do a single thing of my own initiative. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous+ because I seek, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.+

John 5:27:

John 5:27 Reference Bible: And he has given him authority to do judging,+ because Son of man+ he is.

John 5:27 Kingdom Interlinear

• • 27 καὶ and ἐξουσίαν authority ἔδωκεν he gave αὐτῷ to him κρίσιν judgment ποιεῖν, to be doing, ὅτι because υἱὸς Son ἀνθρώπου of man ἐστίν. he is.

John 5:27 King James Version: And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

John 5:27 American Standard Version: and he gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man.

John 5:27 Byington: and he has given him authority to administer judgment because he is Son of Man.

***

authority to do judging

• John 5:22: For the Father judges no one at all, but he has entrusted all the judging to the Son,+

• 2 Timothy 4:1: I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is to judge+ the living and the dead,+ and by his manifestation+ and his Kingdom:+

• 2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear* before the judgment seat of the Christ, so that each one may be repaid according to the things he has practiced while in the body, whether good or bad.*+

• Acts 17:31: Because he has set a day on which he purposes to judge+ the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has provided a guarantee to all men by resurrecting him from the dead.”+

+

Preceding articles:

Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly and a Pillar to freedom

Jesus’ footstep followers, irrespective of sectarian lines

+++

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• Child of my Father
• The Destiny of God’s People
• 07/28/2016 Scripture
• we need more “character” and less “characters” #GreatestGeneration
• Blessing God in a Dark World
• 1 Peter 5-10 “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
• The Least of the Apostles, Chief of Sinners, but Blameless and Righteous
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Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly and a Pillar to freedom

A Mother and daughter

An other strange story which caught our attention. Again somebody who went to meet other Jehovah’s Witnesses, to attend the Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly. This time that person could be a Jehovah’s Witness herself but did not like it so much, so why did she go in the first place.

She wrote

Between my being confined to the Jehovah’s Witness “way of life” and my parents being… the way they are, it makes it a challenge to maneuver things in order to spend those days with him as much as possible. {My Mother, the Bully}

She seems to be a daughter of a homemaker, a dedicated worker, a good JW, sensible, practical, giving, and responsible. She is a creator, artistic, free-minded, quite rebellious, self-focused according to her own saying {My Mother, the Bully}. Whilst her mother is repressed, self-disciplined, and morally bound she finds herself to be fluid, experimental, and abstract.

Could these things be at the root of a kind of jealousy? {My Mother, the Bully}

she wonders and let her thoughts linger

Does my reaching for more freedom trigger insecurities in her about her complete lack of it? {My Mother, the Bully}

Instability and felt mislead

Last April she felt like she exploded in anger and frustration towards “The Org”,

“telling M that I felt as if I had a “tiny elder in my head, screaming scriptures at me.” {Two Pillars of Freedom}

In this world everybody needs , and most of all youngsters are seeking some kind of stability when it comes to their spiritual beliefs or non beliefs and want to build up a spiritual life full of spiritual well-being. For many it may take years to find a place in the world of atheists and believers. Lots of people have to go on a calvary route to find their way to a belief, believing in God or not believing in a god or the God.

Personal bible study essential part for coming to the truth (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For us serious bible students it surprises us that this girl, though when grown up in a JW family came to believe she is been completely misled about the Bible, and that she feels she is never really been taught about God. Not being JW, not knowing their exact ways of teaching in the church community, we only can see what they let the outside world to be known. From their public publications we can only get the impression they do everything to get others to know God. All their teaching seems very God centred when you leave out the misleading teachings of their organisation and the position of the 144 000.

A bait to trap many

We are aware of the danger where the writer finds her possible anger and disappointment. It is true that

The Organization could’ve used any bait to trap the masses. Organizations do it every day. Cults appeal to people’s desires for all kinds of things – this one appealed to the desire to understand the Bible & know “the truth” about God.

and then she gets to the core of the big problem (we think)

The Bible is only the bait for them, a secondary issue – The Organization is the primary concern: gaining and keeping peoples’ complete unquestioning obedience. If they can use the Bible in order to accomplish that, so be it. {Two Pillars of Freedom}

That last bit is naturally a serious accusation. But we fear that what we said already to so many people that those questions in their magazine and the way how they treat verses can be sometimes dubious and often smell to brainwashing (mind control)or indoctrination, the organisation having thought control over all its members.

Reminding who is the Way

Too many JW, like lots of so called Christians do forget that Jesus told he is the Way to God. The Bible also tells us that this sent one from God has become the high priest and the one mediator between God and man. This last saying excludes all human organisations as a necessity to link to God. Jesus (rabbi Jeshua) is our link to the Only One True God of Israel.
We do not need ordained priests, ministers or organisations to dictate what the Words of God say and to dictate what we do have to do or may not do, and control us. Guidance belongs to the Word of God itself. God did not provide such a difficult word to understand for mankind, which would exclude all uneducated people (Bété people or ‘bast shoes‘). No, all people, those who have been to school but also who have not been to school, should be able to understand God’s Word.

The bible does not speak about One and only one organisation that He would take, but He gives an indication by His only begotten son that there may be many different groups and organisations, all part of the Body of Christ and necessary for that Body of Christ. Many people think religion is wrong and endangers man, because than man would control them, but than they have chosen the wrong religion, because in the religious ways of the True God there is no man who should be in control of others, all man should give themselves into the hands of God, the Divine Creator, Who is not a man but a Spirit.

As people we can give ourselves to Christ, willing to be under his guidance. That is our choice and makes us to become Christians or ‘being Christian‘, it is following Christ Jesus.

Jehovah for millennia not using an organisation

Since the early Christians continually there were people who stayed truthful to Christ Jesus his teaching, no matter of the false teachers and churches coming into being. even when the pressure from the Roman empire became so great that lots of Christians chose to agree with Greco-Roman teaching of a three-headed god and chose to accept the Trinity. Though the Roman Catholic Church came into existence and later got many schisms, several God faithfully abiding continued their life of worship of the One and Only One True God. There was no world wide organisation at all to lead God’s People, like there was also no such organisation before the birth of Jesus. The shepherding of God’s People was done by individual men and women, who were chosen by God Himself (the nevim or prophets) or went for God, allowed by God to live and preach. The words given to mankind for enabling to find eternal life was not provided by man or a human organisation, but by God Himself. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

The JW Organisation claims erroneous that Charles Taze Russell is their founder. But he never claimed to be a prophet nor wanted a human directive organisation. He, like many  Biblestudents, very well knew that the gathering of people is done by God Himself and that The Word is a quality or aspect of God Himself.

As Facts About Jehovah’s Witnesses writes

Watchtower makes the claim that “Jehovah has always guided his servants in an organized way.” (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth p.192) If that is the case, how were they guided and organised during the dark ages? What group represented God’s organization immediately prior to the formation of the Watchtower Society in the 1884 by Charles Russell, and why didn’t Russell just follow them? {Does Jehovah require an Organization?}

Does Jehovah require an Organization?

Watch Tower headquarters in Columbia Heights, Brooklyn.

When the Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower Bible and tract Society in Brooklyn with their different corporations [Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Religious Order of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Kingdom Support Services, International Bible Students Association (IBSA), Associação Torre de Vigia de Bíblias e Tratados (Brazil), Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses of East Africa, Los Testigos de Jehová en México, Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus (Germany), Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Of Australia, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada, European Association of Jehovah’s Christian Witnesses (EAJCW)] would be the sole organisation under the direction of God and when it is changing so many times of its teachings, would this mean that God is not giving the full truth to His own chosen ones or that God is not sure what He can give them for information?

How can it be than when the organisation is God’s only instrument that members of it dispose one of their very important main writers like Raymond Franz, former member of the Governing Body? Does that mean that God first tells others a person is one of the 144 000 but then takes somebody else in his place and get rid of him after he has been used to produce an enormous amount of good literature? He was one of the researchers who created Aid to Bible Understanding, the first doctrinal and biblical encyclopedia of Jehovah’s Witnesses, published in full in 1971.

When the leaders of the Watchtower Society, the Governing Body, say themselves that they are appointed by Christ and the only means by which he directs his true followers today, how can they than demand certain people from the board to resign?

They themselves write

“Consider, too, the fact that Jehovah’s organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God’s holy spirit or active force. (Zech. 4:6) Only this organization functions for Jehovah’s purpose and to his praise. To it alone God’s Sacred Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book.” Watchtower 1973 Jul 1 p.402

Saying this they also give the impression the bible is not yet complete or is not able to give full biblical Wisdom to mankind, without that body of God, their organisation.

“However, the Governing Body are appointed through the holy spirit under the direction of Jehovah God and Jesus Christ.” Watchtower 1990 Mar 15 p.18

 

When that Governing Body is appointed by God through His Holy Spirit how can it than be, when led by His Spirit, that there have been taken place so many disputes and that such dismissals occurred?

Would the organisation be the only means God can have contact with people nowadays? According to us that would place man above the Power of God, Him being not able to call people for Himself and to give them wisdom. As in the precious centuries it is still God Who calls people and gives insight to those who are willing to open their heart to Him, whatever there being The Organisation, a organisation or no organisation at all near to them.

Witnessing for Jehovah

A Jehovah’s Witness distributing literature at Marble Arch tube station in London

We are sure the Jehovah’s Witnesses may be part of that Body of Christ, members of people under Christ witnessing for Jehovah. But in many other denominations or churches you may find also people witnessing for this One and the Same God.

Strangely enough the organisation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses does not believe that individual people are able to bring men and women to God without their organisation. They consider themselves the only righteous way to God. This dismisses totally the position of Christ Jesus, who according to the Bible is the Way to God.

Key factor to being a Witness

According to us the key factor to being a Witness for Jehovah is to stand up for Him and not for one or another earthly organisation and when the Jehovah’s Witnesses Organisation would be a Godly organisation why did so many teachings changed and why did so many prophesies by them did not come through? Were people not warned for those who prophesied and whose prophesies did not come through? are we not told that such people could be false teachers?

We kindly ask our readers and all people walking around this earth to know that Jehovah’s Witnesses are not the only ones witnessing for Jehovah God.

It is belonging to the “Organization” that distinguishes one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and makes them feel solely worthy of salvation, but Jesus died for all people and God’s grace is given to all living souls.

Requirements for Salvation

The way the WBTS presents itself to mankind gives the impression that membership of their organization is essential for salvation. If this would be so, why were we not told by God Himself or by His son?

The word “organization” never appears in the Bible, yet organization appears 16,789 times on the 2006 Watchtower Library CD. This is because belonging to an organization is not a Scriptural requirement, but rather a common concept amongst high control groups as a technique of building a member’s high degree of conviction and uniformity. {Does Jehovah require an Organization?}

Though the Watchtower claims that belonging to an organization is essential for salvation.

“To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must identify that organization and serve God as part of it.” Watchtower 1983 Feb 15 p.12

When you read the whole bible, the Hebrew and Messianic books, nowhere shall you find an indication of God going to provide a worldwide organisation other than the theocratic government of rabbi Jeshua from the new world’s capital Jerusalem.

It is not stated in either the Old or New Testaments that membership of an organization is a requirement of eternal salvation. The Scriptures repeatedly state that it is faith in Jesus and the Father that results in everlasting life. Instead we are told of salvation by the blood of Christ. It is not by keeping to certain rituals or organisations that we can receive salvation. We do not need to be a soldier of a worldly organisation but should be soldiers for Christ by whom salvation comes to us.

2 You, therefore, my child,+ keep on acquiring power in the undeserved kindness that is in Christ Jesus; 2 and the things you heard from me that were supported by many witnesses,+ these things entrust to faithful men, who, in turn, will be adequately qualified to teach others. 3 As a fine soldier+ of Christ Jesus, take your part in suffering adversity.+ 4 No man serving as a soldier involves himself* in the commercial businesses* of life, in order to gain the approval of the one who enrolled him as a soldier. 5 And even in the games, anyone who competes is not crowned unless he has competed according to the rules.+ 6 The hardworking farmer must be the first to partake of the fruits. 7 Give constant thought to what I am saying; the Lord will give you understanding* in all things. …  10 For this reason I go on enduring all things for the sake of the chosen ones,+ so that they too may obtain the salvation that is through Christ Jesus, along with everlasting glory {2 Timothy 2:2-7, 10)

• • 2 Timothy 2:10 Kingdom Interlinear

  • 10 διὰ through τοῦτο this πάντα all (things) ὑπομένω I am enduring διὰ through τοὺς the ἐκλεκτούς, chosen (ones), ἵνα in order that καὶ also αὐτοὶ they σωτηρίας of salvation τύχωσιν they might obtain τῆς of the (one) ἐν in Χριστῷ Christ Ἰησοῦ Jesus μετὰ with δόξης glory αἰωνίου. everlasting.

Faith in the sent one from God

It is by faith in the sent one from God, rabbi Jeshua, the Kristos or Christ Jesus, we may have the opportunity not to become destroyed but to have everlasting life. We all should all remember that everything which is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth: he that comes from heaven, the sent one from God, is above all. Him being above any organisation is the one we could and should follow, as brothers and sisters in him who has eternal life.

14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,+ so the Son of man must be lifted up,+ 15 so that everyone believing in him may have everlasting life.+

16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son,+ so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.+ 17 For God did not send his Son into the world for him to judge the world, but for the world to be saved through him.+ 18 Whoever exercises faith in him is not to be judged.+ Whoever does not exercise faith has been judged already, because he has not exercised faith in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.+

31 The one who comes from above+ is over all others. The one who is from the earth is from the earth and speaks of things of the earth. The one who comes from heaven is over all others.+ 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard,+ but no man accepts his witness.+ 33 Whoever has accepted his witness has put his seal to it* that God is true.+ 34 For the one whom God sent speaks the sayings of God,+ for He does not give the spirit sparingly.* 35 The Father loves the Son+ and has given all things into his hand.+ 36 The one who exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life;+ the one who disobeys the Son will not see life,+ but the wrath of God remains upon him.+ {John 3:14-18, 31-36}

Connection with the son of God

Let us be sure to come to Jesus first, because not an organisation here on earth would be our gateway, but because Jesus is the door to the Kingdom of God.

44 How can you believe, when you are accepting glory from one another and you are not seeking the glory that is from the only God?+ {John 5:44}

7 So Jesus said again: “Most truly I say to you, I am the door for the sheep.+ 8 All those who have come in place of me are thieves and plunderers; but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved, and that one will go in and out and find pasturage.+ {John 10:7-9}

3 This means everlasting life,+ their coming to know you,* the only true God,+ and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.+ {John 17:3}

Living under Christ Jesus

Those who want to have everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of the Only True God, them having regret of what they have done wrong and asking for forgiveness, wanting to live under Christ, the one whom Jehovah sent forth and who belongs to God.

16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple+ and that the spirit of God dwells in you?+ 17 If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.+

18 Let no one deceive himself: If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this system of things,* let him become a fool, so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written: “He catches the wise in their own cunning.”+ 20 And again: “Jehovah* knows that the reasonings of the wise men are futile.”+ 21 So let no one boast in men; for all things belong to you, 22 whether Paul or A·polʹlos or Ceʹphas*+ or the world or life or death or things now here or things to come, all things belong to you; 23 in turn you belong to Christ;+ Christ, in turn, belongs to God. {1 Corinthians 3:16-23}

The Organisation playing the mediator of man and God, man and Christ

As the female writer of ‘Finding the truth: In recovery from Jehovah’s Witnesses & alcoholism‘ at last came to see, when she sees a

WT quote in direct opposition:

“The other sheep should never forget that their salvation depends on their active support of Christ’s anointed “brothers” still on earth.” WT March 15 2012 pg. 20 {Two Pillars of Freedom}

She concludes

Check and mate. It seems so obvious, so simple. The Org has taken it upon themselves to become the mediator of man and God, man and Christ; completely ignoring what the Bible has to say on the matter and making themselves Lords over man. {Two Pillars of Freedom}

There are more things, of course, that have been giving me evidence that The Org is not God’s ‘spirit-directed organization,’ but these two points seem to be building some kind of foundation in my mind. They seem to be the things that come closest to unraveling the whole thing; the answers to the tiny screaming elder in my head. I’ll keep building more until I can silence him completely, or maybe one day oust him permanently. {Two Pillars of Freedom}

We only can hope more people shall come to see the twists in their teachings and their focus on the organisation instead of focussing more on the works of Jesus and his heavenly Father.

+

Preceding articles

Oklahoma City Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses

An atheist writer meeting Jehovah’s witnesses far from home

Politics and power first priority #1

Charles Taze Russell and what he started

Was Russell and Rutherford “Illuminati”?

A Society pleading poverty

Following articles:

Jesus’ footstep followers, irrespective of sectarian lines

Authority from the one God to one mediator between God and men

++

Additional reading

1. Religious Practices around the world
2. Religions and Mainliners
3. Denominationalism exists because?
4. Silence, devotion, Salafists, quietists, weaponry, bombings, books, writers and terrorists
5. Why is it that Christians don’t understand Muslims and Muslims do not understand Christians?
6. Responses to Radical Muslims and Radical Christians
7. Finding and Understanding Words and Meanings
8. Some one or something to fear #3 Cases, folks and outing
9. Subcutaneous power for humanity 5 Loneliness, Virtual and real friends
10. In a world which knows no peace sharing blessed hope
11. How long to wait before bringing religiousness and spirituality in practice
12. Breaking up with a cult
13. Christianity without the Trinity
14. Writers needed to preach to non-believers
15. Catholicism, Anabaptism and Crisis of Christianity
16. Those who call the Christadelphians a cult
17. A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium
18. Quibbling siblings united or allied children of an organisation or a church
19. On the Affirmation of Scripture
20. Not many coming out with their community name
21. To remove the whitewash of the Jehovah Witnesses as being the only true Bible Students and Bible Researchers
22. Around C.T.Russell
23. Russell himself never claimed to be a prophet.
24. Misunderstandings concerning C.T. Russell
25. Surprising figures about Jehovah Witnesses
26. Russell and his beliefs
27. Biblestudents & T.C.Russell
28. Bijbelonderzoekers en Russelism / Bible researchers and Russelism
29. Charles Taze Russell never claimed to have found a new religion, or a new church.
30. A visible organisation on earth
31. When not seeing or not finding a biblically sound church
32. When seeing a biblically sound church
33. Ecclesia to exist, grow and communities to have people communicating with each other
34. The Big conversation Why it matters
35. Soviet Witnesses
36. Date Setting
37. A British judge rules that mother can’t indoctrinate son with religion
38. Retrieving some older articles previously placed on Multiply
39. Bringing Good News into the world
40. Deaf helped in their ability to progress in this community
41. Jehovah’s Witnesses not only group that preach the good news
42. Russia’s battle against the Jehovah’s Witnesses
43. Jehovah’s Witnesses Shunning ex-members adverse effects on family relationships
44. Disappointed expectations
45. Getting out of the dark corners of this world
46. Saved through grace not through keeping rituals
47. Actions to be a reflection of openness of heart
48. Sealed in their foreheads
49. Solution for Willing hearts filled with gifts
50. The Bride New Jerusalem
51. Looking for something or for the Truth and what it might be and self-awareness
52. Lovers of God, seekers and lovers of truth
53. The one who set the standard
54. Revelation 1:8 – Who is Speaking?
55. Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian
56. A small company of Jesus’ footstep follower
57. The longer you wait
58. Preaching Christ Is Not Enough

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Further related articles

1. Celebrating Christendom’s Demise?
2. Nineteenth Century Protestant Doctrines of the Trinity
3. “Should You Believe in the Trinity?”
4. Why I Am a Christian.
5. Christ didn’t come to help us, He came to Include us
6. Change Your Village
7. Pouring Into Others
8. Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
9. “Ye Are My Witnesses, Saith Jehovah Baldwin: Arkansas Man Arrested For Firing Shots At Jehovah’s Witnesses Who Approached Him On His Lawn
10. Rosary No More!! Why I Stopped Praying The Rosary!! (Testimony of a Former Roman Catholic)
11. The Semiology of Jehovah’s Witnesses
12. Prophecy, power and weakness
13. Serena Williams and Jehovah’s Witnesses
14. A Hymn From Christendom in July 2016 JW Broadcasting?
15. Is it blind faith, or tradition?
16. The Decision
17. I Am Not A Victim
18. Jehovah’s witnesses
19. It is not a trip at all
20. Day in the life..
21. Why Do Some JWs Live A Lie?
22. Do people get a second chance?
23. Why do EX – Jehovahs Witnesses struggle to find a church?
24. Conditional Love
25. Sheep and Wolves
26. Warning: You Might Get Kicked Out of the Kingdom Hall by a Donkey
27. What to do with Jehovah’s Witnesses?
28. Exodus Chapter 8
29. Witness to Jehovahs like Frank & Joe Hardy
30. Jehovah’s (False) Witnesses
31. Trust issues…and then some
32. Charles Taze Russell – “Don’t read your Bible”
33. Watchtower Study June 5, 2016—Being Faithful Leads to God’s Approval
34. Finding the Way
35. World’s Fastest Growing Religion?
36. A fallen Prince
37. Prince found ’real happiness’ as Jehovah’s Witness, talking about Bible, longtime friend and bassist says
38. A Different Sort of Church History 1
39. Who were the Arians and what did they believe?
40. Two Pillars of Freedom
41. Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses preach?
42. Two Classes Of Christians?
43. Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Christian?
44. My first false baptism
45. You are Welcome to be Unwelcome….
46. The Sting of Slavery
47. Jehovah’s Witness Convention 2016—A Weekend of Robbery and Manipulation
48. Review of talk at “Remain loyal to Jehovah” 2016 convention of Jehovahs Witnesses
49. Jehovah’s Witness Convention 2016—Maintain Loyalty Symposium
50. On False Prophets and False Accusers
51. Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Worship of Jesus
52. Growing up a Jehovah’s Witness—Anxiety at a Young Age
53. Sgt. Robert Wilson III Ceremony for Valor Showcases Watchtower Hypocrisy
54. Late Prince honored by Jehovah’s Witnesses
55. The Picture of the Governing Body
56. Witnessing to JW’s Enhances Witnessing to Others
57. Is Watchtower Running out of Money?
58. How Jehovah’s Witnesses Think
59. Dating A Jehovah’s Witness
60. Reminder for uncertain times: “Heeding advance warning can save your life!”
61. Numbers in Scripture
62. The Mark in the Forehead
63. Who Do You Say Jesus Is?
64. Religion Roundup
65. #Islam & Muslim’s and the #Murder of a #Catholic so called #Priest in #France. More lying #Propaganda for the deceived Catholic’s. They actually think that they are being persecuted for their belief’s, but actually, it is simply the #Ignorance of #Islam. — Boot The Door And Shout Through The Crack
66. In the dust of the Rabbi- Day 67
67. Spiritual Sobriety: Stumbling Back to Faith When Good Religion Goes Bad
68. On the Russian evangelism law
69. Is doctrine important? What’s the danger in deviating from sound doctrine?
70. Religions are Cults: I Refuse to Let Another Man Control my Life
71. Suspected Cult Leader Disguised as Anti-Cult “Expert”
72. Dangerous Cult: House Of Yahweh
73. Goin’ Through The Gate
74. Why you wouldn’t want to be a Jim Jones liberal
75. Reclaiming the Church of God
76. The Master Manipulator
77. Ungracious “Grace” Leaders
78. Bunkeroos vs. Scientologists
79. Scientology Floggers
80. China, Cults, And Persecution (oh my!)
81. Beware of Shincheonji!!
82. Video on the Shincheonji Cult!
83. Is Young Life a cult?
84. The recons flee defeated on Christology

+++

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El-Shaddai God Almighty Who no-one may see and live

 

 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 NIV)

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; {Hebrew El-Shaddai} walk before me and be blameless.” (Genesis 17:1 NIV)

“2 God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, {Hebrew El-Shaddai} but by my name the LORD {See note at Exodus 3:15.} I did not make myself known to them. {Or Almighty, and by my name the LORD did I not let myself be known to them?}” (Exodus 6:2-3 NIV)

“”Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (Exodus 15:11 NIV)

“Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”” (Exodus 18:11 NIV)

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

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. {Or The LORD our God is one LORD; or The LORD is our God, the LORD is one; or The LORD is our God, the LORD alone}” (Deuteronomy 6:4 NIV)

“I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!” (Deuteronomy 32:3 NIV)

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11 NIV)

“”The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods.” (2 Chronicles 2:5 NIV)

“How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.” (Job 36:26 NIV)

“”Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”” (Psalms 46:10 NIV)

“[A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.] Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.” (Psalms 48:1 NIV)

“Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you?” (Psalms 71:19 NIV)

“Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvellous deeds.” (Psalms 72:18 NIV)

“Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD—that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalms 83:18 NIV)

“Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.” (Psalms 86:8 NIV)

“For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?” (Psalms 89:6 NIV)

“How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts!” (Psalms 92:5 NIV)

“3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; 7  for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, {Meribah means quarrelling.} as you did that day at Massah {Massah means testing.} in the desert, 9 where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did.” (Psalms 95:3-9 NIV)

“For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.” (Psalms 97:9 NIV)

“He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant for ever—holy and awesome is his name.” (Psalms 111:9 NIV)

“I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.” (Psalms 135:5 NIV)

“Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no-one can fathom.” (Psalms 145:3 NIV)

“But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness.” (Isaiah 5:16 NIV)

“And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”” (Isaiah 6:3 NIV)

“The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread,” (Isaiah 8:13 NIV)

“To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to?” (Isaiah 40:18 NIV)

“I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no saviour.” (Isaiah 43:11 NIV)

“Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”” (Isaiah 44:8 NIV)

“For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives for ever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15 NIV)

“Who should not revere you, O King of the nations? This is your due. Among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no-one like you.” (Jeremiah 10:7 NIV)

“I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will show myself holy among you in the sight of the nations.” (Ezekiel 20:41 NIV)

“I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.” (Ezekiel 36:23 NIV)

“And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’” (Ezekiel 38:23 NIV)

“The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”” (Daniel 2:47 NIV)

“And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls.” (Joel 2:32 NIV)

“”Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder.” (Zephaniah 3:9 NIV)

“”This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,” (Matthew 6:9 NIV)

“”Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No-one is good— except God alone.” (Mark 10:18 NIV)

“for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.” (Luke 1:49 NIV)

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

“1  After Jesus said this, he looked towards heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:1-3 NIV)

“”I have revealed you {Greek your name; also in verse 26} to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.” (John 17:6 NIV)

“25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”” (John 17:25-26 NIV)

“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ {Joel 2:28-32}” (Acts 2:21 NIV)

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20 NIV)

“for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” {Joel 2:32}” (Romans 10:13 NIV)

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and {Or riches and the wisdom and the} knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33 NIV)

“4  So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” (1 Corinthians 8:4-6 NIV)

“that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.” (1 Timothy 1:11 NIV)

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” (1 Timothy 2:5 NIV)

“For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.” (Hebrews 9:24 NIV)

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16 NIV)

“Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”” (Revelation 4:8 NIV)

“saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.” (Revelation 11:17 NIV)

“And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”” (Revelation 16:7 NIV)

*

 

The Aleppo Codex is a medieval manuscript of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), associated with Rabbi Aaron Ben Asher. The Masoretic scholars wrote it in the early 10th century, probably in Tiberias, Israel. It is in book form and contains the vowel points and grammar points (nikkudot) that specify the pronunciation of the ancient Hebrew letters to preserve the chanting tradition. It is perhaps the most historically important Hebrew manuscript in existence. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

God die Almagtige ’n Gees Wie geen mens kan sien en nogtans lewe nie

God die Almachtige Geest die geen mens kan zien

Allmächtige Gott denn kein Mensch wird leben, der Dich sieht

Dieu Tout-puissant Qui ont peut pas voir et vivre

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