Real Winning Strategies To Combat Boomerang Doctrines.

by ÁrbolesdeArabia 5 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • ÁrbolesdeArabia
    ÁrbolesdeArabia

    I have spent hours of reseach going back years trying to figure out some kind of area we can attack false doctrines with. JWs cling to their GB with a status greater to the Apostles of Christ, the Apostles at least feared angering their Master, the GB don't have a heart. This reflects greatly in most Kingdom Halls who are more concerned with their outward appearances, instead of the holy creation of the inside.

    You have two choices, you approach the JW who showed up at your door with "old predictions of 1914,1925,1975 or ask how they personally experience the love Jesus said his disciples would be "world reknown" for. (John 13:33-35) One of these areas will kill the conversation, the other path will open the JW to dialogue (if that's what you wanted, a Chinese style slow attack system) as they explain how they experience a love no other religion has succeeded to build.

    The next visit you are able to extract more information how JWs visit "rest-homes", "don't hold evil grudges", "are full of mercy and compassion", are known for their "charity and long suffering". To pick at their scab of real life experiences lacking love, move your methods and focus on areas you know for a fact, don't exisit ubiquitiously throughout the "World Wide Work".

    I find the quick way to shut off dialogue is to attack doctrines and dogmas, while mentioning a sore subject like "lack of love" perk's their ears up! JWN, do you attack by doctrine first, or use another method to approach a potential?

  • MrFreeze
    MrFreeze

    It is almost impossible to attack doctrine. As soon as you do, the JW's shut down.

  • ÁrbolesdeArabia
    ÁrbolesdeArabia

    Agree Mr. Freeze, so we attack from the angle of "Love and Compassion", Mr. Freeze how many members of the Watchtower's appointed members "Pioneers, MS, Elders, T.O.s, Bethelites, GB" would be the epitomy of Colossians 3:12? We are brought together at JWN for a purpose, some different from others, but it's unhealthy for familes to suffer destruction by the hands of merciless men!

    I am in awe of how Ray Publisher handled his judical committee, my God is he a professional who exposed the mock-court of elders! After reading C.O.C. and learning the GB recorded brothers and sisters and refused to turn over copies of their trial, how pleased I am Ray turned the table on these hipocrites (not his elders, they are followers of followers of followers)

    http://bible.cc/colossians/3-5.htm

    'Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

    12. the elect of God-There is no "the" in the Greek, "God's elect" (compare Ro 8:3; 1Th 1:4). The order of the words "elect, holy, beloved," answers to the order of the things. Election from eternity precedes sanctification in time; the sanctified, feeling God's love, imitate it [Bengel].

    bowels of mercies-Some of the oldest manuscripts read singular, "mercy." Bowels express the yearning compassion, which has its seat in the heart, and which we feel to act on our inward parts (Ge 43:30; Jer 31:20; Lu 1:78, Margin).

    humbleness of mind-True "lowliness of mind"; not the mock "humility" of the false teachers (Col 2:23; Eph 4:2, 32).

    Commentary on Collosians 3:

    . 3For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4And when Christ, who is your a life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

    5So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. b 7You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, c circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, d slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

    12Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

    16Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father

    New International Version (©1984)
    Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

    New Living Translation (©2007)
    Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

    English Standard Version (©2001)
    Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

    New American Standard Bible (©1995)
    So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

    King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
    Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

    International Standard Version (©2008)
    Therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

    Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
    Put on, therefore, as the chosen ones of God, holy and beloved, mercy and compassion, kindness and humility of mind, gentleness and long-suffering;

    GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
    As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient.

    King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
    Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

    American King James Version
    Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;

    American Standard Version
    Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;

    Douay-Rheims Bible
    Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience:

    Darby Bible Translation
    Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;

    English Revised Version
    Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

    Webster's Bible Translation
    Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;

    Weymouth New Testament
    Clothe yourselves therefore, as God's own people holy and dearly loved, with tender-heartedness, kindness, lowliness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;

    World English Bible
    Put on therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;

    Young's Literal Translation
    Put on, therefore, as choice ones of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humble-mindedness, meekness, long-suffering,

    Barnes' Notes on the Bible

    Put on, therefore, as the elect of God - The fact that you thus belong to one and the same church; that you have been redeemed by the sameblood, and chosen by the same grace, and that you are all brethren, should lead you to manifest a spirit of kindness, gentleness, and love.

    Bowels of mercies - Notes, Philippians 2:1.

    Kindness ... - See the notes at Ephesians 4:32. The language here is a little different from what it is there, but the sentiment is the same.


    Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

    Put on - as the elect of God - As the principal design of the apostle was to show that God had chosen the Gentiles, and called them to the same privileges as the Jews, and intended to make them as truly his people as the Jews ever were, he calls them the elect or chosen of God; and as the Jews, who were formerly the elect, were still beloved, and called to be holy, so he calls the Colossians beloved, and shows them that they are called with the same holy calling.

    Bowels of mercies, etc - Be merciful, not in act merely, but in spirit and affection. In all cases of this kind let your heart dictate to your hand; be clothed with bowels of mercy - let your tenderest feelings come in contact with the miseries of the distressed as soon as ever they present themselves. Though I know that to put on, and to be clothed with, are figurative expressions, and mean to assume such and such characters and qualities; yet there may be a higher meaning here. The apostle would have them to feel the slightest touch of another's misery; and, as their clothes are put over their body, so their tenderest feeling should be always within the reach of the miserable. Let your feelings be at hand, and feel and commiserate as soon as touched. See on Ephesians 4:2(note). Instead of οικτιρμον mercies, in the plural, almost every MS. of importance, with many of the fathers, read οικτιρμου, bowels of mercy, in the singular. This various reading makes scarcely any alteration in the sense.


    Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

    Put on therefore,.... As the apostle had argued for the putting off of the members of the body, from their having put off the old man himself; so he now argues from their having put on the new man, to their putting on of his members; that is, to the exercise of the various graces of the Spirit, and the discharge of the several duties of religion; which though they would not be a robe of righteousness, or garments of salvation to them, yet would be very becoming conversation garments, such as would be adorning to themselves, to the doctrine of Christ, and their profession of it, without which they would be naked in their walk, and exposed to shame, , "to be clothed with the Holy Spirit", is a phrase used by the Cabalistic doctors (d); and is indeed a Scripture phrase, "the Spirit of the Lord came upon", clothed Zechariah, 2 Chronicles 24:20 and so Esther is said, by the Jewish writers (e), to be "clothed with the Holy Ghost" Here the metaphor is taken from the putting off of clothes; and what is here directed to, is like Joseph's coat, a coat of many colours. The arguments made use of lie in the characters under which the saints are addressed,

    as the elect of God, holy and beloved; that is, "as becomes the elect of God", as the Arabic version renders it; as such who were chosen in Christ from eternity, according to the sovereign will and pleasure of God, and his free grace unto salvation and eternal life; which carries in it a strong argument to enforce the performance of good works, since men are hereby chosen unto holiness, and good works are what God has foreordained that they should walk in, and especially to mercy, and acts of it; since hereby their salvation appears to be not of man's will and works, but of God, that shows mercy; and such who are the objects of this grace are vessels of mercy. The apostle calls all the members of this church by this name, though every individual of them might not be chosen of God; but because they were all under a visible profession of faith and holiness, and the greater part of them were truly believers, he in a judgment of charity gives them all this appellation, and upon the same foot, the next, "holy"; not by birth, for they were by nature unclean and filthy, conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity; nor by baptism, which takes away neither original nor actual sin, but leaves men as it finds them, and who ought to be holy before they partake of that; but in Christ imputatively, as he was made of God unto them sanctification; and by him efficaciously, in virtue of his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, by which he sanctifies his people; and by his spirit inherently and internally, who is the author of the work of sanctification in the heart; and they were likewise so externally in a professional way, and therefore it highly became them to exercise and practise the following graces and duties, to which they were still more obliged, inasmuch as they were "beloved"; that is, of God, as appeared both from their election and sanctification. God had loved them, and therefore had chosen them in his Son, and had given his Son to die for them, that he might sanctify them; and because of his great love to them, had quickened them when dead in sin, and sanctified them by his spirit: wherefore, since God had so loved them, they ought to show love again to him, and to one another, and put on

    bowels of mercies; a sympathizing spirit with saints in distress, weeping with them that weep, suffering with them that suffer, being touched, as their high priest is, with a feeling of their sorrows and weaknesses: it denotes inward pity and compassion to distressed objects, the most tender regard to persons in misery, and such compassion as is free from all hypocrisy and deceit, and therefore is expressed by "bowels"; and what is very large, and reaches to multitudes of objects, and is displayed and exerted various ways, and therefore signified by "mercies". Now such a spirit is a very beautiful one; the apostle begins with the innermost of these garments, adding to it

    kindness, which is this inward, tender, unfeigned, and abundant mercy put into act and exercise; this is doing good to all men, especially to the household of faith, distributing to the necessities of the saints, and a showing mercy with cheerfulness, and is very ornamental to a Christian professor: as is also

    humbleness of mind; which lies in the saints entertaining mean thoughts of themselves, looking upon themselves as the chief of sinners, and less than the least of all saints; as inferior to others in knowledge, experience, gifts, and graces; in esteeming others better than themselves; in ascribing all they have, and are, to the grace of God; in doing works of mercy and righteousness without ostentation, and boasting of them, or depending on them; owning, that when they have done all they can, they are but unprofitable servants; and this is a beautiful dress for a believer to appear in: be ye clothed with humility; see 1 Peter 5:5. And of the like nature is

    meekness; which shows itself in not envying the gifts and graces, the usefulness and happiness of others, but rejoicing therein; in quietly submitting to the will of God in all adverse dispensations of Providence, and patiently bearing what he is pleased to lay on them; and in enduring all the insults, reproaches, and indignities of men with calmness. This ornament of a meek and quiet, spirit is in the sight of God of great price, 1 Peter 3:4. And what follows is natural to it, and explanative of it,

    longsuffering: whereby a person patiently bears the evil words and actions of others, and is not easily provoked to wrath by them, but puts up with injuries, and sits down contented with the ill usage he meets with.

    (d) Sepher Jetzirah, Nethib, 17. p. 136, (e) T. Megilla, fol. 14. 2. & 15. 1. Zohar in Numb. fol. 70. 3. & 76. 2. & Raya Mehimna in Zohar in Lev. fol. 38. 3.


    Vincent's Word Studies

    Bowels of mercies (σπλα´γχνα οι?κτιρμου?)

    See on 1 Peter 3:8; see on 2 Corinthians 1:3. Rev., a heart of compassion.

    Kindness (χρηστο´τητα)

    See on Romans 3:12.

    Meekness (πραυ¨´´τητα)

    See on Matthew 5:5.

    Long-suffering (μακροθυμι´αν)

    See on James 5:7.


    Geneva Study Bible

    {f} Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,{g} bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

    (f) Put on in such a way, that you never put off.

    (g) Those most tender affections of exceeding compassion.


    People's New Testament

    3:12 Put on, therefore, as the elect of God. As a chosen, holy and beloved nation, put on these graces.

    Bowels of mercies. A heart of compassion (Revised Version).

    Kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.These are all traits of Christ, and must be found in us if he is our life.


    Wesley's Notes

    3:12 All who are thus renewed are elected of God, holy, and therefore the more beloved of him. Holiness is the consequence of their election, and God's superior love, of their holiness.


    Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

    12. the elect of God-There is no "the" in the Greek, "God's elect" (compare Ro 8:3; 1Th 1:4). The order of the words "elect, holy, beloved," answers to the order of the things. Election from eternity precedes sanctification in time; the sanctified, feeling God's love, imitate it [Bengel].

    bowels of mercies-Some of the oldest manuscripts read singular, "mercy." Bowels express the yearning compassion, which has its seat in the heart, and which we feel to act on our inward parts (Ge 43:30; Jer 31:20; Lu 1:78, Margin).

    humbleness of mind-True "lowliness of mind"; not the mock "humility" of the false teachers (Col 2:23; Eph 4:2, 32).


    Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

    3:12-17 We must not only do no hurt to any, but do what good we can to all. Those who are the elect of God, holy and beloved, ought to be lowly and compassionate towards all. While in this world, where there is so much corruption in our hearts, quarrels will sometimes arise. But it is our duty to forgive one another, imitating the forgiveness through which we are saved. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts; it is of his working in all who are his. Thanksgiving to God, helps to make us agreeable to all men. The gospel is the word of Christ. Many have the word, but it dwells in them poorly; it has no power over them. The soul prospers, when we are full of the Scriptures and of the grace of Christ. But when we sing psalms, we must be affected with what we sing. Whatever we are employed about, let us do every thing in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in believing dependence on him. Those who do all in Christ's name, will never want matter of thanksgiving to God, even the Father.

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange

    The length of your post rivals that of Lars.

  • mrquik
    mrquik

    Where do these guys find the time to research & write this stuff?

  • Vidiot
    Vidiot

    I suspect they're what Frank Schaeffer once called "professional Christians".

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