*** re 44-5 9 Holding Fast to Jesus' Name ***
14 From early days, the Christian congregation has had to contend with proud apostates, who by smooth, deceptive speech “cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching” provided through Jehovah’s channel. (Romans 16:17, 18)
This immediately assumes that the Christian congregation had teaching through "Jehovahs Channel". Firstly there is no proof that they used the name Jehovah. Secondly it ignores the fact that verse 18 says "for men of that sort are slaves, not of our Lord Christ, but of their own bellies.." So we are to be slaves of Christ, not the "teaching through Jehovahs Channel".
The apostle Paul warned of this threat in almost all his letters. In modern times, when Jesus has restored the true congregation to its Christian purity and unity, the danger of sectarianism remains.He has? it does?
Hence, any who may have become inclined to follow a breakaway group, thus forming a sect, should heed Jesus’ next words: “Therefore repent. If you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will war with them with the long sword of my mouth.”—Revelation 2:16.Oh no! a brother realises that the Watchtower have printed false prophyseys for over a century and says "er...i hope you dont mind me saying, but, considering all these false prophyseys, maybe we are not in the last days after all?"
15 How does sectarianism get started? Perhaps a self-styled teacher sows doubts, disputing some Bible truth (such as our being in the last days), and so a splinter group breaks off and follows him. (2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3, 4)
Or someone criticizes the way Jehovah is having his work done and appeals to a self-sparing spirit by claiming that it is neither Scriptural nor necessary to go from house to house with the Kingdom message.How is Jehovah having his work done? By a mind-controlling cult who have told lies for years?
Is the house to house work scriptural? Is it necessary?
Sharing in such service after the example of Jesus and his apostles would keep these ones humble; yet, they prefer to split off and take it easy, perhaps only reading the Bible occasionally as a private group. (Matthew 10:7, 11-13; Acts 5:42; 20:20, 21)The old "apostates are just lazy" argument here maybe? Get a new argument please!
Such ones concoct their own ideas about the Memorial of Jesus’ death, the Scriptural command to abstain from blood, celebration of holidays, and the use of tobacco.Rather, they realise that the JW version of these things is NOT SCRIPTURAL! They dont concoct their own ideas, they read the bible!
Moreover, they downgrade Jehovah’s name; very soon they fall right back into the permissive ways of Babylon the Great. Even worse, some are moved by Satan to turn upon and ‘beat their fellow slaves,’ their onetime brothers.—Matthew 24:49; Acts 15:29; Revelation 17:5.Moved by Satan to beat people? well at least we have the excuse that we are possessed? This is really one of the most unusual arguments. Regarding Jehovahs name, many "apostates" promote Jesus name like 1st century christians did.
16 Any who waver because of apostate influence should be swift to heed Jesus’ call to repent! Apostate propaganda must be rejected as the poison that it is! Its basis is envy and hatred, in contrast with the righteous, chaste, and lovable truths that Jesus feeds to his congregation. (Luke 12:42; Philippians 1:15, 16; 4:8, 9) As to those who refuse to repent, the Lord Jesus does indeed “war with them with the long sword of [his] mouth.” He is sifting his people in order to preserve the unity for which he prayed during his last evening with his disciples on earth. (John 17:20-23, 26)So I cant go on JW.com then? I for one can verify that there is no ENVY at all in my heart towards JWs, or hatred for that matter. They are promoting mind control,not unity.
Since apostate ones refuse the loving counsel and help offered by the stars in his right hand, Jesus judges and punishes them “with the greatest severity,” consigning them to “the darkness outside.” They are disfellowshipped, no more to act as leaven among God’s people.—Matthew 24:48-51; 25:30; 1 Corinthians 5:6, 9, 13; Revelation 1:16.How loving. These Apostates are guilty of realising that the society have printed false prophyseys and rightly have questioned whether we ARE in the last days, read the bible for themself, realised all the rules are man made and then before they can take a breath they are DFd.
I dont know about you, but I think the text quoted above gives a lovely indication of the control they have and the hate they feel for those of us who have left.
Any comments?
Sirona