X-JWs Who are now bible Christians (page 2)

ThiChi

Happy Man:

I cannot answer for others, but I look at war this way:

If your next door neighbor was being robbed and killed, would you try to help the innocent?

What if your City was coming under attack from persons that wanted to enslave you and your neighbors? Would you assist in defeating evil?

What if a country next door was facing evil? Would you assist because life should be defended?

To enjoy the benefits of community without making it better, or not defending life is truly a crime. I take situations on a case by case basis.

I became a Christian in 1972, and in 1973 took a wrong turn and became a JW. In 1989 my wife and I DA'd ourselves after concluding from our research that the Watchtower did not teach Biblical Christianity and there for good not be the true Christian faith. We have been members of a large nondenominational chruch ever since.

Dawn

Born into the JW religion - DF in 1986, reinstated 6 months later, DF'd again about 4 years later (guess I didn't learn my lesson the first time ). I wanted nothing to do with religion for the next 10-11 yrs.

Long story short - went to a non-denominational church memorial service for a friend who passed away,
heard things I never heard before,
felt something I NEVER felt before,
prayed a lot, studied and found answers,
was baptized last November.

To Happy Man:

What you must realize happy man is that only in a few churches (JW, Mormons) are you REQUIRED to agree with every doctrine that the church teaches. Being a true "born again" does not mean that you are a member of ANY church. Church is for worshiping God and building each other up - it's not for dictating doctrines or lifestyles. Being Born again is accepting Jesus as your savior AND making him the Lord of your life. That means trying to walk in a path he wants for you every day. I study the bible and have made a decision on some doctrines, still studying others - but what is going to save me is not that kind of "factual knowledge" it is "knowing" Jesus - as in having a personal relationship with him, accepting his free gift, knowing him personally. It's a hard concept for JW's to accept, I know, it took me 3 years before I finally got it.

Trotafox

Been a baptized Christian since 12 years old.

Baptized in Presbyterian church at 12.
Baptized in Church of Christ young adult.
Bapitzed JW (ugh!) at age 45.
Disassociated last June.

Cuurently attending Presbyterian church and was able to take communion for the first time in 11 years.

I was at an advantage having already been familiar with mainstream Christian doctrine prior to becoming a JW. Perhaps that's why I was always questioning their ridiculous teachings. They never did completely "feel" right. Currently trying to untwist JW doctrine. I just started over in studying where I left off. I consider my JW period an unpleasant and dangerous "side tracking". Praise God for leading me out. I've been reading a lot of DR. CHARLES STANLEY. His teachings are bible-based and he explains the scriptures very well.

You could argue over Christian doctrine/religion forever if you wanted to. Organized religion is not perfect and neither is making up one's own personal belief system. There is a happy medium. Ex-JW's now know better than to allow a church to dictate to them. We all have a personal accountability before God and no institution should enforce rules over us like a dictatorship. Although church attendance is not necessarily needed to "study" God's word, Christian association is necessary to stay strong in the faith...to keep from backsliding into our old non-Christian ways and beliefs. However, we don't need a church to beat us up for it. If they do, it's time to find another church!

Live your life like Jesus lived his. Make your decisions based on God's word. Don't keep looking for ways to justify doing something that you suspect may not be in line with God's word just because you want to satisfy your conscience. If it feels wrong...it is wrong. Keep your nose in God's word. It's amazing how clear his voice will be if you let it!

Trot

You can love and obey Christ without intervention from an organization.

clash_city_rockers

Good to see a good response it is so encouraging.

Happy, chill for a second. You need to understand that Christianity is not about going off to war nor does it have anything to do with nationalism. Christianity is about Jesus and his mission of redemption through out history culminating in the cross and the continual advancement of His Kingdom through the church. The Christian message is not one of patriotism nor is it of nationalism but of salvation from ones own sin and the penalty there of. Christianity is about a rescue mission that Christ alone does for his people. You see salvation is Mission Imposable for us but Mission Accomplished for Jesus and thus we repent of our sins by his grace and trust in Jesus’ work. Basically Christianity is being saved by God from God.

Billygoat, I am glad that you attend church. But you see going to church doesn’t make one a Christian just like being in a garage doesn’t make you a car. What makes one a Christian is Jesus Christ. Trusting in Jesus and repenting of what he calls sin (and this is done by his grace alone for this is a work of Jehovah Eph 2:8-10 “His workmanship”) Remember 1 John 2:3,4 “if we love Him we keep his commandments” I am not trying to judge your heart but would like to encourage you to walk in faith that you where called Eph 4:1. I recommend this book that would be very helpful to you. It is by John McArthur, first of all I am not a big McArthur guy because I’m reformed and he is not but he did write a very good book called “The Gospel According to Jesus”

ThiChi, No trinity no salvation. Because of the nature of the substatutionary atonement you cant have a salvation with out the trinity. Any attempt to explain salvation outside the trinity is an explanation of salvation by works. And that would contradict the clear teaching of the bible that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone and the clear teaching of the trinity. If you reject the trinity you reject biblical Christianity thus you are not a Christian.

Angie you should join and hang out.

Oreo, God is gracious to deliver you from such a plight. Praise the Lord I’m sure you have a very good testimony on the goodness of God.

Trotafox, Hey I’m Presbyterian too. I’m a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church or at least that is our denomonation.

Here is our website http://opc.fly.to/

Jeff, Dawn and Frustr8ed, good to see you

Grace and peace,
Jr

Adonai438

Converted into jwism at 14 by family members, studied and was a good little JW girl for about a year.
Studied the Bible for myself because of Christian friends at 15,
Became a bornagain Christian at 15 almost 16 in 1995.
DAed myself Early 1996 and kicked out of me home at this point by the loving body of elders .
God is Great !!!
God bless you all, Angie <><

lv4fer

I was raised an Episcopalian, visited a few different churches in my teens, got married to a guy who was raised a JW, though not baptised himself. He got me to study with JW saying it was the only true religion. I fell for it, got baptized in 1990. My brain started working again, started having doubts 2-3 years ago. Started really reading the bible about a year or so ago. My husband, kids and I are coming out and currently consider ourselves Christians not JW's (we have not yet been DA or DF), but don't go to any other church presently, we're not ready yet.

"The reward for conformity was that everyone liked you except yourself."

Rita Mae Brown

RR

could there be something wrong with the bible?

no .... nothing wrong with the Bible, only those who interpret it.

____________________________________
That's my story and I'm sticking to it! . http://www.food4jws.org/testimonies/rr144.htm

NeonMadman

Raised essentially without religion, became curious at 11 or 12, started reading about religion. Studied a while with the Seventh-day Adventists, accepted Christ as a teenager. Got shanghaied by the JW's at the age of 17 because it seemed like the way to serve God. Got married to a true JW believer around the same time I started to see through the Society's garbage. Result was a stormy, 23-year marriage that I stuck with because of my daughter and the vow I had taken. Continued going to the KH somewhat regularly until 1995, then stopped going, went only to the Memorial or special occasions. After my daughter grew up and got married, my ex-wife walked out on me because I was such an apostate. Immediately started attending a Bible-believing church. A year (to the day!) after my ex-wife walked out, I married my high school sweetheart, and so far, anyway, lived happily ever after.

That's the short version. If you want the long version, I've been asked to give it at the Witnesses Now For Jesus conference this coming October in Pennsylvania. It would be great to see some of you there!

Tom

"Gentlemen, he said, I don't need your organization, I've shined your shoes, I've moved your mountains and marked your cards. But Eden is burning"
--Bob Dylan

ballistic

RR Try this for size:

X-JWs Who are now bible Christians