COMMENTS YOU WILL NOT HEAR AT THE 2-2-03 WT STUDY
DECEMBER 15, 2002
"HE WILL DRAW CLOSE TO YOU"
Acts 17:27
Acts 17 (NIV)
27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us .
INTRODUCTION
And who is the "us" Paul is speaking about? Fellow Christians?
Lets look at the context. When studying it is good to view things in context.
18
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus , where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?22
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:|sc TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.So when Paul said the above words at Acts 17:27, he was talking to non-Christians. Yet he said that God was not far off from them even though they were non-believers.
A PERSONAL GIFT FROM JEHOVAH
I have discussed in the past that everlasting life in a paradise earth is the most important goal held out by the WTS to JWs. It is not the vindication of Gods sovereignty or the sanctification of Gods name.
Yes, "the very knowledge of God," leads not to those things but:
One of its most precious blessings is the prospect of everlasting life. As a result of careful study of Gods Word, we have to know the answers to such important questions as: What is Gods name? Jehovah (like a childs answer) The true condition of the dead? (waiting to be resurrected to everlasting life) What is Gods purpose for the earth and mankind? (to be an everlasting paradise home for those who receive everlasting life) Come to know that the best way to live is by applying the Bibles wise counsel Because we see what happens when the elders do not follow that counsel when it comes to child molesters, rapists, wife beaters, defrauders of the elderly, etc.But very few have this knowledge according to the WTS. Of earths six billion inhabitants, some six million worshipers of Jehovah, or about 1 in 1,000, have found "the very knowledge of God." Is that because JWs have called at their door and sent them away? Have the over 1 billion each in India and China had such an opportunity? What about the millions in Muslim countries where evangelizing is proscribed with the sentence of death. Have these ones received the Kingdom message? No, then they are doomed. No paradise with everlasting life for them. Only a straight shot to Gehenna at Armageddon. Why have not more people found "the very knowledge of God"? Because one cannot grasp the meaning of Gods Word without His help. Remember, his knowledge is a gift. Jehovah gives it only to those who are willing to search his Word with honesty and humility. That is the problem. The Chinese and the Indians are not willing to search the Bible even though few own or have access to one. It is only the Aryan race that does (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Europe, South America). If you happen to live in a country that proscribes evangelism, such as Muslim countries, you are doomed. Consider an example. Many scholars in Christendom have produced extensive commentaries on the Bible. Yet the WTS says with these books one cannot find "the very knowledge of God." From this one would think that the WTS never uses these references. Yet hundreds of times over the years they have. More frequently used are, "Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament" by Keil and Delitzsch, "Commentary" by F.C. Cook, "Matthew Henrys Commentary on the Whole Bible," "Commentary on the Old Testament" by Dr. Adam Clarke, and Albert Barnes "Commentary. Total I found over 50 commentaries quoted in the WTS publications. Now if the "very knowledge of God" is not to be found, why use them as credible resources to back their statements?But why did the WTS say they did not contain the "very knowledge of God"? Do they clearly understand the theme of the Bible, the vindication of Jehovahs sovereignty by means of his heavenly Kingdom? How does the WTS treat this theme? You might have read my comments on this in previous reviews. Lets illustrate it. Checking the WT-CD 1999 lets compare the phrase "everlasting life" with "vindicate" and "sovereignty.Year EL VS1999 128 41998 55 51997 55 61996 60 71995 58 10So what theme is highlighted more by the WTS, everlasting life or vindicating the sovereignty of God? Do they know that Jehovah God is not part of a Trinity? We do have an accurate understand of such matters. Why? Jehovah has blessed us with insight into spiritual truth that escapes many "wise and intellectual ones." Interestingly, the current WTS understanding of the trinity has not changed much since 1882. But what about these failures in understanding or flip-flops:1874 (1914) Presence of the Lord1878 (1918) Resurrection of deceased anointed1881 (1935) Cutoff date for calling to heaven1914 (future) Armageddon1925 (future) Armageddon1975 (future) Armageddon1918 (1970) Cutoff of great tribulation to start up again1882 (1962) Superior authorities, secular governments1929 (1962) Superior authorities, God and Jesus1879 (1931) Cross on cover of WT1879 (1936) Cross used in publications1879 (1928) Great Pyramid1879 (1928) Christmas celebrated1879 (1928) Birthdays celebrated, recorded in Daily Manna1925 (1950) Ancient worthies to be resurrected to earth to rule1879 (1947) Polygamy permitted1879 (1935) Great crowd lesser heavenly classand on and on"JEHOVAH IS GUARDING ALL THOSE LOVING HIM" Those who are close to Jehovah enjoy another blessing, divine protection. True Christians are a special target of Jehovahs chief Adversary, Satan the Devil. But what degree of this is individual? How, though does Jehovah guard his people? Get ready for the rug to be pulled. His promise of protection does not guarantee us a problem-free life in this system; nor does it mean that he is obligated to work miracles in our behalf. Nevertheless, Jehovah does provide physical protection for his people as a group. Those with CDs should check that phrase, as a group. It has a world of meaning. No individual JW has any, repeat, any assurance of physical survival. Only the group does. You as an individual do not count, only the group matters.How does the WTS get out this hole? Spiritual protection is the most important kind of protection. How is that obtained? Through his Word, the Bible (translation: WTS publications). In addition, Jehovah gives "holy spirit to those asking him." But only through these channels: Through Christ, Jehovah provides "gifts in men" (translation: elders) And "Spiritual food at the proper time" (Matthew 24:45 is the most quoted scripture on the WT CD) by means of (the Bible?) publications, meetings, conventions, assemblies. The Bible is never mentioned.ACCESS TO THE "HEARER OF PRAYER" Have you ever noticed that as humans gain power and authority, they often become less accessible to those under them? Hmmmm, the elders, COs, DOs, GB.Yes, such mighty ones delegate to others. God has delegated judging to Jesus. But prayer still goes through God. We do not need the elders to pray for us. We do not pray through the elders or any man or woman on earth.God is not too busy to listen to us; contrast that with the elders who would not be calling on the inactive without a directive from the GB.JEHOVAH REWARDS HIS SERVANTSThe WTS says that God values what we do. After all God made arrangements for the poor to use turtledoves in sacrifice and that the poor should receive the same justice before the law as the rich.Yet, those who give more in hours on their slip and money in the contribution box (or into someones pocket) receive different treatment at the KH. We may feel we are accomplishing little. Our imperfect heart might even cause us to wonder whether Jehovah is pleased with our efforts. But Jehovah treasures every gift, no matter how small. God may but the elders, COs, DOs, GB do not. You must do more and what little you do will be compared to someone elses hours. No widows mites allowed here. Conclusion So you want to draw close to God? Use the Bible, not WT publications. Pray for holy spirit directly to you, not through any human or human organization. Know that God values you and does not need a human agency to validate that love.Picture of Note, page 16,17Young white man with short hair and clean clothes, sitting in a dirty alley shooting up. Has 3 prominent tattoos and tie-dye shirt and jeans.2 door convertible with young white woman and white man leaning on sharing a bottle in a paper bag (my personal opinion is dont drink and drive not matter your religious persuasion)Older white man (with beard!) teaching evolution or anthropologyAsian young man with this behind himBlondie