Are You Paul or are you Saul?

by reniaa 347 Replies latest jw friends

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  reniaa

  This was the same man at different times in his life yet he changed his name because he completely changed his ideals and Goals too. but which one is the better one?

  Both were extremely zealous, both thought they were doing Gods work, Both thought they were working for the greater good.

  Acts 8:3 (New International Version)

  3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

  Soul thought Gods work was to destroy the christians but Paul...

  Acts 20: 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

  Preached the message and gave glory to God as his first priority to everyone.

  When people tell me on here that their Goal is to get people out of Jws and destroy the religion they do remind me of Saul and his misguided Zealousness.

  Reniaa

  Yes I'm being preachy but isn't one message that the bible tells us that...

  Romans 12:19 (New International Version)

  19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," [ a ] says the Lord.

  Acts 5:38-39 (New International Version)

  38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."
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  sacolton

  Sorry, Reniaa. God is very clear on his views about false prophets:

  Deuteronomy 18:20

  'But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.' "You may say in your heart, 'How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?' "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

  Deuteronomy 13:3

  you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams ; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

  I became a Paul when I followed Christ as His servant. I don't follow a false prophet who enslaves men.

  Psalms 146:3

  Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
• 

  purplesofa

  Do you even have a WT cd????
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  isaacaustin

  I try to be a Paul....Interesting you reference this here...watch this about Saul:

  3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

  Sounds like the totalitarian tactics of the WT to crack down on consciencious objectors. They try to destroy them by labeling the with pejoratives and not allowing their members to have any association with them. They sneak and snoop and use guerilla tactics and imprison their own members while throwing in the streets those who will not comply....the Wt does this with Saul-like zeal chock full of hatred...
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  reniaa

  I did not say anything about false prophet that is just your opinion my point is your verse says nothing against taking revenge on the false prophet or seeking his destruction it does say though.

  Deuteronomy 13:3

  you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams ; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

  just don't listen to him.

  so again I refer to my last scripture...

  Acts 5:38-39 (New International Version)

  38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."
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  sacolton

  I doubt any ex-JWs are dragging Witnesses from their homes and putting them in prison. Maybe you should look how Christians are treated in the Middle East today and compare that scripture to those events instead of feeling like you are somehow being prosecuted for being a Jehovah's Witness.
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  reniaa

  isaac a person can get reinstated anytime when after they are rebuked, keeping the congregation clean is a bible directive, i'm talking about actively trying to destroy a religion or peoples faith in their God.

  Are we not as a human race in a reinstatment period awaiting Jesus's return and the free gift he brings with him, after Adams rebuke?

  I am worried about People making being an ex-Jw their religion and letting bitterness become there new mantra?

  Reniaa
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  reniaa

  HI purple

  Nope the wt is an imperfect tool I read and enjoy them as spiritual food right for the times I need them but the Bible is Gods word so I do not seek to dwell on the wt's of the past as many do on here, it's useless becasue it is an imperfect tool so you will find imperfection.

  Reniaa
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  isaacaustin

  isaac a person can get reinstated anytime when after they are rebuked, keeping the congregation clean is a bible directive, i'm talking about actively trying to destroy a religion or peoples faith in their God.

  My reply: Disfellowshipping in the JWs does not keep the cong clean- it assure loyalty to the org. The JW org is not clean in any sense of the term. Actively trying to move a person's faith off the JW leadership is very loving. If the person's faith is dependent on a relationship to the org then it is not genuine anyway.

  Reniaa says:

  Are we not as a human race in a reinstatment period awaiting Jesus's return and the free gift he brings with him, after Adams rebuke?

  I am worried about People making being an ex-Jw their religion and letting bitterness become there new mantra?

  Reniaa

  My reply: You worry anout yourself Reniaa. exJW is not a relgion...but it can be a loving ministry to help others to see the God-forsaken cult known as Jehovahs Witnesses for what it is...and helping them to transition out.
• 

  isaacaustin

  Reniaa says:

  HI purple

  Nope the wt is an imperfect tool I read and enjoy them as spiritual food right for the times I need them but the Bible is Gods word so I do not seek to dwell on the wt's of the past as many do on here, it's useless becasue it is an imperfect tool so you will find imperfection.

  Reniaa

  My reply:

  You are right the Wt is an imperfect tool. It has no use as any form of spiritual food...it contains doctrines of demons.