I was wondering if you guys would care to discuss Act 18:6 with me. I'll throw in verse 5 for context: "When, now, both Silas+ and Timothy+ came down from Mac·e·doʹni·a, Paul began to be intensely occupied with the word, witnessing to the Jews to prove that Jesus is the Christ.+6 But after they kept on opposing him and speaking abusively, he shook out his garments+ and said to them: “Let your blood be on your own heads.+ I am clean." My aunt just called me, and we spoke for two hours. She's a pretty blunt person, and talking to her about the truth is difficult. I can't say too much about my choices to my family because I don't want to be all out shunned. She is the witness that hangs on every word the society says, as if it was Jehovah himself speaking. She was talking about how she didn't feel like she doing enough, not preaching enough, not enough meetings, saying one day it was going to be too late, and she was going to die. I felt helpless this entire conversation, because I didn't have the words to help her or comfort her in the way I wanted to. (telling her everything) The only thing I could say was, "Maybe place your focus on prayer and your personal relationship with Jehovah, isn't that really what's important?" It didn't seem like a good enough answer. I don't know, I just felt so helpless. Anyway, she was didn't say it like this cruelly, but she knows I'm not in the preaching work, or going to meetings, and basically when it boiled down to it, said because I didn't preach, I was blood-guilty, and pretty much sealed for destruction and that is made her scared for me. Is this truly a biblical teaching? Was just curious to hear the e-jw family's thoughts on it. I feel like crap and I need some support. I feel unworthy of Jehovah enough as it is, thanks auntie.
Just ask her what is required for survival. Acts 16:30 "He brought them outside and said: “Sirs, what must I do to get saved?” They said: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will get saved, you and your household.” Having faith without works means proving false to it's power, and continuing to sin without remorse. Going door to door is not a requirement for survival, according to scripture. If she's looking for conformation she is doing what she should, our Lords words say it all. Mrk 10:19 "You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and your mother.’” Tell her to relax, and have more faith.
Yes, these scriptures came to my mind as well. I also brought up Acts 2:21. I will share these with her also, but, she seems to think that's not enough according to what the Watchtower teaches. That's if you're not file n' rank, it's over for you, because it's the way the org is set, and it set by Jehovah. I did ask her, "What do think will happen, if in the end, the Watchtower, doesn't exist anymore?" and she couldn't answer me. I think she believes this can't happen. I'm curious to know what you think about bloodguilt AJ?
The unfortunate thing about this is, this is what is prophesied to occur. All throughout Ezekiel we read of the elders beating the slaves, while keeping the comforts for themselves. Eze 34:7-10 "Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah: ‘“As surely as I am alive,” declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, “because my sheep have become prey, food for every wild beast of the field, for there was no shepherd, and my shepherds did not search for my sheep; rather, they kept feeding themselves and did not feed my sheep,”’ therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah. This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘I am against the shepherds, and I will demand an accounting of them for my sheep, and I will dismiss them from feeding my sheep, and the shepherds will no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouth, and they will no longer be food for them.’” So the difficulty comes in when discussing such things with active Witnesses. You can't tell them that the elders are not handling Jehovah's people correctly, and putting too much burden on them. Eze 34:2-6 "Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who have been feeding themselves! Is it not the flock that the shepherds should feed? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, and you slaughter the fattest animal, but you do not feed the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bandaged the injured or brought back the strays or looked for the lost; rather, you have ruled them with harshness and tyranny. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; they were scattered and became food for every wild beast of the field. My sheep were straying on all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the surface of the earth, with no one searching for them or seeking to find them." Instead, we can say, "we all have our own capabilities and talents." Our Lord has entrusted his "talents" as in the parable in Mth 25, and it is up to us to make it grow. We must all decide for ourselves what our capabilities are, and no one can tell us what our work load should be. By doing so they would be judging us. Now however if we feel we could do more, then by all means find ways to go about that. Write letters, witness online, talk to strangers you interact with in the world, and then hand off a brochure. Our job is simply to plant, it's our Lords to water, and I can't emphasize that enough, we are simply to plant. The bloodguilt is tied into our ability. Our faith saves us, and we are not condemned by our hours on a card in the KH. Make steps toward doing the little things if you feel you could do more. Try... And by doing so, you have done what you can in the work of our Lord.
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” ( Heb 11:6 NASB ) In the scripture you quoted, the “blood guilt” fell upon those who refused to believe the words of Paul. He realized he was wasting his time. (Acts 18:6) Any further talk would fall on deaf ears. Paul was well aware of God’s word that said, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” ( Pr 12:15 NASB ) There is also a later 18th century quote that says: “The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his own way.” - Josh Billings Many JW’s use the the statements by James, to back the WTS argument of “works based faith”. “But someone may well say, 'You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.'” (Jas 2:18) “But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?” (Jas 2:20) And, the clincher, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (Jas 2:26) They use these to lay a guilt trip on “publishers”. All three scriptures are misapplied. It is not speaking of going “door to door”. It is not even talking about preaching the word. How do I know this? The beginning of James 2 starts by addressing favoritism and being partial to those appearing to be influential and wealthy. He then speaks of the way the Law addresses actions. Sort of “tongue and cheek” he talks about adultery or murder, and how judgements will be made. Under this setting, James speaks of faith and works. In this case, works are not physical work. He is using faith as a basis of actions, life style, and how you treat others. “If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” ( Jas 2:15-17 NASB ) When quoting scripture to prove a point or idea, it always pays to use the complete scripture instead of just a few chosen words. It’s all about how faith rules your life and actions that prove that faith. Remember the old saying; “Actions speak louder than words.” It’s not what you say, but what you do. I always remember what was said about the time a person understands the truth of God’s word. They are so full of joy, you can’t keep them quiet. Talk, talk, talk, . . . Lock them in a closet for a while!! Is that how you feel today, HAPPY? Are you happy that you have faith in Jehovah God and His Son, The Anointed.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;” ( Heb 10:23 NASB ) Here's one for you, from back in the day (yowm). Sam Cooke - Keep Moving On
Hi there Orchid Sorry I'm coming in late with my 2 cents worth. It sounds like your aunt is beating herself up, mentally speaking, and she doesn't need to. I liked your response about focusing on prayer and personal relationship with Jehovah. Due to a change in my personal circumstances, I'm not as active as I used to be. I knew the change was coming but it still took me some time to get my head around the fact that I now had some limitations. I'm not used to that because I'm used to being on the go. I still have a share in the ministry but I go about it in a different way now. When I read your post, these are some scriptures that came to my mind: Micah 6:8 - "He has told you, O man, what is good. And what is Jehovah requiring of you? Only to exercise justice, love kindness and walk modestly with your God." (From the New World Translation, not the Revised one, which is worded slightly differently.) Matthew 25:14-30 - the parable about the master who gave his servants the different talents to work with. (I think Joshuastone mentioned it already.) I had to accept that previously, where I had 5 talents to work with, I now had 2 talents. But I still had an assignment. Hebrews 6:10 - "For God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name by ministering and continuing to minister to the holy ones."
I feel like, I'm just so grateful for this place. I don't know how to express my gratitude, but anytime I have a worry or a problem, I can share, and it really feels like what a kingdom hall should feel like. Encouraging, and upbuilding, zero fear. No fear of being disfellowshipped, no fear of being able to speak freely, no fear even in disagreement. I thank Jehovah for you people, I hope he continues to bless this place, and all of you. I just wanted to say that. Thank you. A lil' sheep.
We appreciate you too Orchid, we are a family here and need to be supportive of one another in this difficult world...
Here’s one for you Orchid, Jehovah's little sheep. Who Am I - Casting Crowns The person who posted this video says: “The bible verse at the end is incorrect! Wow...I feel bad. It's actually Psalm 143:5.”