To Active JWs: Your January 3, 2014 Daily Text Contains an Error
Friday, January 3
If [a wife] should actually depart, let her remain unmarried or else make up again with her husband.—1 Cor. 7:11.
Under what circumstances might a Christian wife “actually depart”? Some have chosen to separate because of a mate’s willful nonsupport. Others have done so because of extreme physical abuse or the absolute endangerment of a Christian’s spirituality. Whether to depart or not is a personal decision. However, the baptized mate ought to give this matter prayerful and honest consideration. A Christian who is married to an unbeliever should earnestly endeavor to keep the marriage bond intact. Yet, a Christian need not feel guilty if, despite the Christian’s sincere effort to preserve the union, an unbelieving mate refuses to remain with the believer. “If the unbelieving one proceeds to depart, let him depart,” wrote Paul. “A brother or a sister is not in servitude under such circumstances, but God has called you to peace.”—1 Cor. 7:15. w12 5/15 2:13-15, 17
The Governing Body has taken upon itself the authority to decide under what circumstances a married JW, especially a JW sister, can depart from their mate. They speak of “willful nonsupport” or “extreme physical abuse” or “absolute endangerment of a Christian’s spirituality” yet Paul mentions NONE OF THESE. The Governing Body has again ADDED TO THE BIBLE! Why do they do this? Paul was an Apostle, he did not list the various “approved” reasons a sister might leave her spouse. But the Organization, like the ancient Jewish leaders, has felt it good to add and add what they believe is good.
This unscriptural kind of thinking has reared its ugly head with regard to Blood Transfusions as well. The blood prohibition in the Bible refers to blood as it comes out of the animal’s body and what comes out of the animal’s body?…WHOLE BLOOD. If a Christian wishes to avoid taking blood in the form of a transfusion then following the Bible alone would mean avoiding WHOLE BLOOD transfusions. The Bible says NOTHING about avoiding FRACTIONS or MAJOR COMPONENTS etc. That has been ADDED by the Governing Body. Like with Paul’s instructions on married Christians departing from one another the Organization has also added their own thoughts and instructions on blood that are also NOT FOUND IN THE BIBLE. The result? Many have suffered because they refused to accept some fraction when it were disallowed (though later allowed by the Organization) or have died when refusing a major blood component as instructed by the Governing Body.
Thus when a married brother or sister departs from their spouse for reasons other than that approved by the Organization and the elders privately reprove them for it the elders have acted OUTSIDE the Bible because Paul gave no such list of “approved” reasons for departing.
And when a brother or sister dies for refusing a major blood component they die not for God but for the Governing Body who in adding to the Bible have forced death upon them…again OUSIDE the Bible’s prohibition.
Read carefully what you are told to do and make sure the scriptures given in support of critical life altering instructions are TRULY BEING APPLIED AS THEY ARE WRITTEN and have not been added and added upon by men who at a later date may change their minds…AGAIN!