Does Jesus Live Inside JW's ?

by Sea Breeze 45 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Disillusioned JW

  Sea Breeze I have no regret for saying the words "I" and "my" in my prior post. Since you say I was in error I ask you the following. "Have you sold all of your material belongings (including all the assets you saved up for retirement) and and given away all of the proceeds of such to the poor?" Please tell me your answer to that question.

  Yes after mentioning the account about the rich man the three gospels (which I mentioned in my earlier post) say that people give people give it all away and follow Christ, they will be richly rewarded in heaven, but even when I was a Christian and believed Christ would return I didn't know when Christ would return and when the kingdom would be established on (or over) the Earth. Many Christians think similarly and in the meantime we need to take care of ourselves if we don't want to be homeless. Are you homeless? The NT says Jesus said he had no place to rest his head.

  Furthermore, what if what the Bible says about the kingdom is false? Granted you are convinced of what the Bible says but many Christians are not completely certain that they will receive eternal life in the kingdom of Christ and that God will take care of their needs if they give away all of their possession, just as many Christians don't believe God answers their prayers.
  
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  Sea Breeze

  Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
  

  
  The King takes care of his kids.
  
  

  I have no regret for saying the words "I" and "my" in my prior post.

  Then you have everything you want. Enjoy it.
  
  
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  Disillusioned JW

  Correction: 3.25 hours prior to me submitting this post I submitted a post in which the first sentence of the second paragraph is poorly worded. That post is delayed in posting (as of the time of me submitting this post). After it posts and after this post (which is also delayed in posting) posts, note that the problematic sentence should say the following. "Yes after mentioning the account about the rich man in which the three gospels (which I mentioned in my earlier post) say that Jesus said that people should give all of their belongings away and follow Christ, Jesus later says the people will be richly rewarded in heaven, but even when I was a Christian and believed Christ would return I didn't know when Christ would return and when the kingdom would be established on (or over) the Earth." Further note that of course since about 12 years (when I stopped believing in God and a heavenly Christ) I have been certain Jesus never went to heaven and that he thus can't return to Earth and that he won't rule as king on (or over) the Earth.
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  Sea Breeze

  Jesus later says the people will be richly rewarded in heaven

  @DJW - Actually he said a person would be a hundred times better off in this life and have eternal life in the next,

  "he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time.... and in the world to come eternal life."

  Now, that is quite a promise! I was never disfellowshipped, but left the WT because of the generation flip flops. 8 years later upon becoming a believer is when the hard-shunning took place when I didn't bother to try and hide it. The family loss was immediate. The freedom is sweet. 18 years later, my only regret is that I wasted 8 years trying everything else first, before giving it all up for Jesus. Should have done it sooner because life is at least a 100 times better off now than it was under WT fear and bondage. But, simple freedom wasn't enough for me.... not nearly enough. My goal is to change the entire trajectory of my family line and to receive payment for 4 generations of theft caused by the WT..... "if the thief be found, let him pay double".

  Jesus also said that if a person should lose his life for his sake, that he would find it.... the real one, not the illusionary one.

  "What do you have that you didn't first receive"? Wow, that puts it all into perspective.
  
  
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  Disillusioned JW

  The account at Mark 10:30 (NASB Updated) does say "will receive a hundred times more now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms ... and in the age to come, eternal life" but I don't see evidence of that literally happening now for people. As a result I don't believe it. Yes some people get many more friends and quasi family members when they become an evangelical Christian and join a mainstream Christian congregation (and even some people purportedly received more friends when they become a JW) and you received a much better life, but I don't believe any of them received a hundred times more houses and farms (or a 100 times other possessions after selling all of their possessions and giving away all of the proceeds to the poor). It is good though that you are much happier now.
  

  Furthermore, Matthew 19:28-29 does not say that any of the material blessings or new family members will come in the current age. Verse 28 (NASB Updated) says "in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne" the 12 apostles (thus apparently including Judas, according to this verse) "shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." That obviously hasn't happened, and if it hypothetically happens it will be in the future (but I no longer believe it ever will happen). Verse 29 doesn't say "a hundred times more" but makes a much more modest claim of "many times as much" and it does not say when that will be be, but the context of 28 gives the impression that Jesus was claiming it will be in the future, "in the regeneration".

  The account of Matthew was written later than that of Mark and after Christians noticed that the kingdom hadn't come yet, even though Jerusalem had been destroyed in 70 CE.

  Luke 18:29-30 combines elements of Matthew 19:28-29 and Mark 10:29-30 and uses some wording not found in Matthew and Mark, but admittedly Mark 18:30 does say (in the NASB Updated) "at this time and in the age to come, eternal life." By the way Luke 18:29-30 makes it sounds like those who lost their wife "for the sake of the kingdom of God" (1984 NWT) will receive many times more wives "in this period of time" if they become a true follower of Christ; very interesting!
  
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  Disillusioned JW

  Correction: In my prior post where I said "Mark 18:30" I should have said "Luke 18:30".