Great im a jw aged 72 woken up to jesus now for just over 2 years .its never too late or hopless .when they come to your door bring them to jesus.. they do wake up..ive proved it
Glad to read your comment. I think of the older people in my congregation and how much harder it might be for them to see the truth. I hope you're living a blessed life.
Great Job Ladies! Please help Jehovah's Witnesses by encouraging loving dialogue with them. Plant the seed, and Holy Spirit will take care of the rest.
Lavendula Lady .... LOL Jehovah's Witnesses have been going out to homes all over the world for years and years seeking friendly and respectful dialogue. You folks just now trying to get started speaking to them? WOW Where you been all these years? I'd enjoy nothing more than have these ladies in this video drop by my home and teach me about the Jehovah's Witnesses and about their own so-called truths. Looks like many of these individuals on the video are EX JW's that still don't know the scriptures. LOL
when they come,have your bible ready(confirmed bible),know the differences. If your by yourself,have a computer,tablet,smartphone handy,a good christian website to refer to bible....I use CARM.
+john jones Really? The problem with Your theory, is that J-Dubs have seen so many 'new lights', that any additional 'new light' is just another disco ball.
Thanks so much for this video. Very inspiring to me and exactly what I think God wanted me to hear. I have a huge heart to reach cult members. God bless your ministry!
3 years ago out in service a man told me something was wrong with my Bible and I got saved by Jesus LOL so it can work! But I got the gospel 3 years later and after discovering that the Bible was wrong Jesus saved my life
Members of the church cannot witness to JW's because they themselves are in a cult. They don't know the bible and follow their pastors. If you are following a man your are in a cult. The cult you are in does not worship the God of the bible. The God of the bible is not a trinity. The trinity as we know it today took centuries to develop and became the central doctrine of the apostate church in the 4th century. Jehovah's Witnesses worship the same God the Jews worshiped. Jesus reply to the woman at the well was: “Believe me, woman, The hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you people worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, because salvation originates with the Jews. Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him. God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.”-John 4:21-24. Notice Jesus did not tell her to worship himself or the holy spirit. Jesus said we worship what we know and that person was the Father. The Jews only worshiped the Father and salvation originates with the Jews. The Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him. This would disqualify trinitarians since they include the son and a non-person. Like the woman at the well trinitarians worship what they do not know. They don't try to understand the trinity with human intellect. God is very mysterious. If God had changed from 1 person in 1 God, like the Jews had worshiped for thousands of years and still do, to a 3 in 1 God wouldn't you think Jesus would have clearly taught it? In the 1st century there was a controversy over circumcision but no controversy over a trinity. We know how the circumcision controversy turned out but nothing on a trinity. This would be astonishing if the trinity were true since the Jews have always rejected the trinity. If the trinity was true and was taught then how can it be explained after the Jews have been worshiping the wrong God for thousands of years? How could the explanation be left out of the bible? How would you explain it? Why is there nothing written about Jews having a problem accepting the doctrine? Jesus and his apostles did warn us about an apostasy that would occur in later times.
Thanks, I agree. If interested in viewing her video classes, the link to Melissa's "Jehovah's Witnesses 101" is here 4witness.org/jehovahs-witnesses-101/
Isa 2:2 "In the final part of the days, The mountain of the house of Jehovah Will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, And it will be raised up above the hills, And to it all the nations will stream."
Nice video, but it's sad that average church members can hardly answer them (the Witnesses). In general, churches of Christ can wear out the Witnesses, but they are about the only group that consistently can do so.
Anglican theologian E. W. Bullinger, in The Companion Bible was emphatic in his belief that stauros never meant two pieces of timber placed across one another at any angle, "but always of one piece alone ... There is nothing [of the word stauros] in the Greek of the N.T. even to imply two pieces of timber." In the catacombs of Rome Christ was never represented there as "hanging on a cross" and that the cross was a pagan symbol of life in the Egyptian churches that was borrowed by the Christians. You are standing in front of a pagan symbol!
You DO know that the Watchtower's own Greek version of "What Does The Bible Really Teach?" booklet under, Why True Christians Do Not Use the Cross in Worship" use the Greek word Stauros in their own Greek sentence? They themselves translate Stauros as "Cross" in their own booklet. You also must then know that the Greek version of the New World Translation has removed *every single place in their Greek Bible* where stauros appears. and replaced it with xylon. file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/bh_G%20(1).pdf You do know that right?
preto shohmoofc guy The cross was not accepted by christianity until the 8th Century. Why? That's one big delay in getting it right. "My children keep yourselves from idols". The original form of the Babylonian letter T was †, identical to the crosses used today in this world's Christianity. This was the initial of Tammuz. Referring to this sign of Tammuz, Hislop writes: That mystic Tau was marked in baptism on the foreheads of those initiated into the Mysteries. . . . The Vestal virgins of Pagan Rome wore it suspended from their necklaces, as the nuns do now. . . . There is hardly a Pagan tribe where the cross has not been found. This is no JW article: www.cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/ARTB/k/471/Cross-Christian-Banner-Pagan-Relic.htm Check it out!
Malta Bucket Part II You said, " The cross was not accepted by christianity until the 8th Century. Why? That's one big delay in getting it right. " The Watchtower didn't reject the Cross until the 1936. One thousand nine hundred and thirdy six years after Jesus Christ. *THAT'S A BIG DELAY IN GETTING IT RIGHT!!!* So if time delay makes one wrong, then you not finding out about your so-called "new light" proves you *very* wrong.
Malta Bucket Part III There is no connection between Tau and the Cross at all. In fact, many atheists use the "Christianity came from paganism" argument too. The only difference between your argument and theirs is, you cherry pick through all of those arguments that you don't like. In simple terms, you're using an atheist argument against Christianity.
Malta Bucket Part IV And you never answered me. If Stauros does not mean cross, why does the Watchtower themselves translate stauros as cross in their own literature?
I wish my church would start a study on reaching out to JWS. We need to learn how to share, effectively, with JWs. THANK YOU, LADIES!!!! I WILL give JW's and Mormons full points for this....they PUT us to SHAME, knocking on doors, sharing their gospel (even though it CAN'T save) when Bible believers are not sharing THE GOSPEL that CAN! 1 Cor 15:1-4 John 3:16-18, 36, Acts 1:8, 4:12.
Christians may not go door to door, because it's generally ineffective, but have you looked around your community lately? There are Christian ministries all around you, ministries to the poor, ministries to children, foreign and domestic ministries to share the Gospel. If you are not involved in one of these with your financial or time support, you are missing out. But I'm honestly tired of hearing how much JWs do and we don't. No. Look around at what Christians actually do.
Trinity is biggest pagan lie! * John 8: 17 "Also, in your own Law it is written: ‘The witness of two men is true.’ 18 I am one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”
SECT The Greek word (haiʹre·sis, from which comes the English word “heresy”) thus translated means “choice” (Le 22:18, LXX) or “that which is chosen,” hence “a body of men separating themselves from others and following their own tenets [a sect or party].” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 1889, p. 16) This term is applied to the adherents of the two prominent branches of Judaism, the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Ac 5:17; 15:5; 26:5) Non-Christians also called Christianity a “sect” or “the sect of the Nazarenes,” possibly viewing it as a break-off from Judaism.-Ac 24:5, 14; 28:22. The founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ, prayed that unity might prevail among his followers (Joh 17:21), and the apostles were vitally interested in preserving the oneness of the Christian congregation. (1Co 1:10; Jude 17-19) Disunity in belief could give rise to fierce disputing, dissension, and even enmity. (Compare Ac 23:7-10.) So sects were to be avoided, being among the works of the flesh. (Ga 5:19-21) Christians were warned against becoming promoters of sects or being led astray by false teachers. (Ac 20:28; 2Ti 2:17, 18; 2Pe 2:1) In his letter to Titus, the apostle Paul directed that, after being admonished twice, a man who continued promoting a sect be rejected, evidently meaning that he be expelled from the congregation. (Tit 3:10) Those who refused to become involved in creating divisions within the congregation or in supporting a particular faction would distinguish themselves by their faithful course and give evidence of having God’s approval. This is apparently what Paul meant when telling the Corinthians: “There must also be sects among you, that the persons approved may also become manifest among you.”-1Co 11:19.
ANGEL Both the Hebrew mal·ʼakhʹ and the Greek agʹge·los literally mean “messenger.” From the first book of the Bible to the last, these words occur nearly 400 times. When spirit messengers are indicated, the words are translated “angels,” but if the reference definitely is to human creatures, the rendering is “messengers.” (Ge 16:7; 32:3; Jas 2:25; Re 22:8; see MESSENGER.) However, in the highly symbolic book of Revelation certain references to ‘angels’ may apply to human creatures.-Re 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14. Angels are sometimes termed spirits; that which is spirit is invisible and powerful. Thus we read: “A spirit came out and stood before Jehovah”; “Are they not all spirits for public service?” (1Ki 22:21; Heb 1:14) Having invisible spiritual bodies, they make their abode “in the heavens.” (Mr 12:25; 1Co 15:44, 50) They are also termed “sons of the true God,” “morning stars,” and “holy myriads” (or “holy ones”).-Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; De 33:2. Not being creatures that marry and reproduce their own kind, the angels were individually created by Jehovah through his firstborn Son, “the beginning of the creation by God.” (Mt 22:30; Re 3:14) “By means of him [this firstborn Son, the Word] all other things were created in the heavens . . . the things invisible . . . Also, he is before all other things and by means of him all other things were made to exist.” (Col 1:15-17; Joh 1:1-3) The angels were created long before man’s appearance, for at the ‘founding of the earth’ “the morning stars joyfully cried out together, and all the sons of God began shouting in applause.”-Job 38:4-7. As for the number of the angelic hosts of heaven, Daniel said he saw “a thousand thousands that kept ministering to [God], and ten thousand times ten thousand that kept standing right before him.”-Da 7:10; Heb 12:22; Jude 14. Order and Rank. As with the visible creation, so also in the invisible realm there is order and rank among the angels. The foremost angel, both in power and authority, is Michael, the archangel. (Da 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9; Re 12:7; see ARCHANGEL; MICHAEL No. 1.) Because of his preeminence and his being called “the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of [God’s] people,” he is presumed to be the angel that led Israel through the wilderness. (Ex 23:20-23) Ranking very high among the angels in privileges and honor are the seraphs. (Isa 6:2, 6; see SERAPHS.) More frequently (some 90 times), the Scriptures mention the cherubs, and from the description of their duties and responsibilities it is apparent that they, too, hold a special position among the angels. (Ge 3:24; Eze 10:1-22; see CHERUB No. 1.) Then there is the great body of angelic messengers who serve as a means of communication between God and man. However, they do more than simply relay messages. As agents and deputies of the Most High God, they serve as responsible executioners of the divine purpose, be it protection and deliverance of God’s people or destruction of the wicked.-Ge 19:1-26. Personality. Some may deny distinct personality of individual angels, claiming they are impersonal forces of energy dispatched to accomplish the will of God, but the Bible teaches otherwise. Individual names imply individuality. The fact that two of their names, Michael and Gabriel, are given establishes the point sufficiently. (Da 12:1; Lu 1:26) The lack of more names was a safeguard against giving undue honor and worship to these creatures. Angels were dispatched by God as agents to act in his name, not in their own name. Hence, when Jacob asked an angel for his name, he refused to give it. (Ge 32:29) The angel that approached Joshua, when asked to identify himself, replied only that he was “prince of the army of Jehovah.” (Jos 5:14) When Samson’s parents asked an angel for his name, he withheld it, saying: “Just why should you ask about my name, when it is a wonderful one?” (Jg 13:17, 18) The apostle John attempted to worship angels and was twice rebuked: “Be careful! Do not do that! . . . Worship God.”-Re 19:10; 22:8, 9. As personalities, angels have the power to communicate with one another (1Co 13:1), the ability to talk various languages of men (Nu 22:32-35; Da 4:23; Ac 10:3-7), and the thinking ability with which to glorify and praise Jehovah (Ps 148:2; Lu 2:13). It is true that angels are sexless, because Jehovah made them so, not because they are impersonal forces. Angels are generally represented as males, and when materializing it was always in the male form, because God and his Son are spoken of as males. However, when certain materialized angels indulged in the pleasure of sex in the days of Noah, they were expelled from Jehovah’s heavenly courts. Here was a display of angelic individuality, for, like humankind, they too are free moral agents, with the power of personal choice between right and wrong. (Ge 6:2, 4; 2Pe 2:4) By personal choice, hordes of angels joined Satan in his rebellion.-Re 12:7-9; Mt 25:41. Powers and Privileges. Since God created man “a little lower than angels” (Heb 2:7), it follows that angels have a greater mental capacity than man. They are superhuman in power too. “Bless Jehovah, O you angels of his, mighty in power, carrying out his word.” Angelic knowledge and power were displayed when two angels brought flaming destruction upon Sodom and Gomorrah. A single angel killed 185,000 of the Assyrian army.-Ps 103:20; Ge 19:13, 24; 2Ki 19:35. Angels too can travel at tremendous speeds, far exceeding the limits of the physical world. Thus when Daniel was praying, God dispatched an angel to answer his prayer; and the angel arrived within moments, even before the prayer was concluded.-Da 9:20-23. But for all their higher mental and spiritual powers, angels have their limitations. They did not know the “day and hour” when this system of things would be swept away, Jesus said. (Mt 24:36) They take a keen interest in the outworking of Jehovah’s purposes, yet there are some things they do not understand. (1Pe 1:12) They rejoice at the repentance of a sinner, and they watch the “theatrical spectacle” furnished by Christians here on the world stage of public activity. They also observe the proper example of Christian women who wear a sign of authority upon their heads.-Lu 15:10; 1Co 4:9; 11:10; see IMMORTALITY (Kingdom Heirs Granted Immortality). As Jehovah’s ministers, the angels have enjoyed many privileges during the aeons of passing time. Angels ministered on behalf of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah, Peter, Paul, and John, to mention but a few. (Ge 22:11; 31:11; Jos 5:14, 15; Isa 6:6, 7; Da 6:22; Zec 1:9; Ac 5:19, 20; 7:35; 12:7, 8; 27:23, 24; Re 1:1) Their messages contributed toward the writing of the Bible. In Revelation angels are mentioned far more times than in any other Bible book. Innumerable angels were seen around the great throne of Jehovah; seven blew the seven trumpets, while another seven poured out the seven bowls of God’s anger; an angel flying in midheaven had “everlasting good news”; but another proclaimed, “Babylon the Great has fallen.”-Re 5:11; 7:11; 8:6; 14:6, 8; 16:1. Support of Christ and followers. From beginning to end, the holy angels of God followed the earthly sojourn of Jesus with extreme interest. They announced his conception and birth, and they ministered to him after the 40-day fast. An angel strengthened him when he prayed in Gethsemane on his final night as a human. When the mob came to arrest him, he could have called for no less than 12 legions of angels had he chosen to do so. Angels also announced his resurrection and were present at his ascension into heaven.-Mt 4:11; 26:53; 28:5-7; Lu 1:30, 31; 2:10, 11; 22:43; Ac 1:10, 11. Thereafter, God’s spirit messengers continued ministering to his servants on earth, even as Jesus promised: “Do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that their angels in heaven always behold the face of my Father.” (Mt 18:10) “Are they not all spirits for public service, sent forth to minister for those who are going to inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:14) No longer do these mighty angelic ones appear visibly in behalf of Jehovah’s servants on earth, as when they delivered the apostles from prison; nevertheless, God’s servants are assured of the ever-present, invisible protecting armies, as real as those that surrounded the prophet Elisha and his servant. “He will give his own angels a command concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.” Yes, “the angel of Jehovah is camping all around those fearing him, and he rescues them.”-Ps 91:11; 34:7; Ac 5:19; 2Ki 6:15-17. Angels are further shown accompanying Jesus Christ when he comes for judgment, separating “the wheat” from “the weeds” and “the sheep” from “the goats.” Angels joined with Michael in his war on the dragon and the demons at the birth of God’s Kingdom in heaven. They will also support the King of kings in fighting the war of the great day of God the Almighty.-Mt 13:41; 25:31-33; Re 12:7-10; 19:14-16.
+Kristian Kallander ARCHANGELThe prefix “arch,” meaning “chief” or “principal,” implies that there is only one archangel, the chief angel; in the Scriptures, “archangel” is never found in the plural. First Thessalonians 4:16, in speaking of the preeminence of the archangel and the authority of his office, does so in reference to the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ: “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first.” It is, therefore, not without significance that the only name directly associated with the word “archangel” is Michael.-Jude 9; see MICHAEL No. 1.
+Kristian Kallander MICHAEL(Miʹcha·el) [Who Is Like God?].1. The only holy angel other than Gabriel named in the Bible, and the only one called “archangel.” (Jude 9) The first occurrence of the name is in the tenth chapter of Daniel, where Michael is described as “one of the foremost princes”; he came to the aid of a lesser angel who was opposed by “the prince of the royal realm of Persia.” Michael was called “the prince of [Daniel’s] people,” “the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of [Daniel’s] people.” (Da 10:13, 20, 21; 12:1) This points to Michael as the angel who led the Israelites through the wilderness. (Ex 23:20, 21, 23; 32:34; 33:2) Lending support to this conclusion is the fact that “Michael the archangel had a difference with the Devil and was disputing about Moses’ body.”-Jude 9.Scriptural evidence indicates that the name Michael applied to God’s Son before he left heaven to become Jesus Christ and also after his return. Michael is the only one said to be “the archangel,” meaning “chief angel,” or “principal angel.” The term occurs in the Bible only in the singular. This seems to imply that there is but one whom God has designated chief, or head, of the angelic host. At 1 Thessalonians 4:16 the voice of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ is described as being that of an archangel, suggesting that he is, in fact, himself the archangel. This text depicts him as descending from heaven with “a commanding call.” It is only logical, therefore, that the voice expressing this commanding call be described by a word that would not diminish or detract from the great authority that Christ Jesus now has as King of kings and Lord of lords. (Mt 28:18; Re 17:14) If the designation “archangel” applied, not to Jesus Christ, but to other angels, then the reference to “an archangel’s voice” would not be appropriate. In that case it would be describing a voice of lesser authority than that of the Son of God.There are also other correspondencies establishing that Michael is actually the Son of God. Daniel, after making the first reference to Michael (Da 10:13), recorded a prophecy reaching down to “the time of the end” (Da 11:40) and then stated: “And during that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of [Daniel’s] people.” (Da 12:1) Michael’s ‘standing up’ was to be associated with “a time of distress such as has not been made to occur since there came to be a nation until that time.” (Da 12:1) In Daniel’s prophecy, ‘standing up’ frequently refers to the action of a king, either taking up his royal power or acting effectively in his capacity as king. (Da 11:2-4, 7, 16b,20, 21) This supports the conclusion that Michael is Jesus Christ, since Jesus is Jehovah’s appointed King, commissioned to destroy all the nations at Har-Magedon.-Re 11:15; 16:14-16.The book of Revelation (12:7, 10, 12) specifically mentions Michael in connection with the establishment of God’s Kingdom and links this event with trouble for the earth: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled. And I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down . . . On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea.’” Jesus Christ is later depicted as leading the heavenly armies in war against the nations of the earth. (Re 19:11-16) This would mean a period of distress for them, which would logically be included in the “time of distress” that is associated with Michael’s standing up. (Da 12:1) Since the Son of God is to fight the nations, it is only reasonable that he was the one who with his angels earlier battled against the superhuman dragon, Satan the Devil, and his angels.In his prehuman existence Jesus was called “the Word.” (Joh 1:1) He also had the personal name Michael. By retaining the name Jesus after his resurrection (Ac 9:5), “the Word” shows that he is identical with the Son of God on earth. His resuming his heavenly name Michael and his title (or name) “The Word of God” (Re 19:13) ties him in with his prehuman existence. The very name Michael, asking as it does, “Who Is Like God?” points to the fact that Jehovah God is without like, or equal, and that Michael his archangel is his great Champion or Vindicator.2. The father of chieftain Sethur of the tribe of Asher who was one of the 12 sent to spy out Canaan.-Nu 13:2, 13.3. Forefather of Asaph; of the family of Gershom, the son of Levi.-1Ch 6:39, 40, 43.4. One of the heads of the tribe of Issachar; of the family of Tola.-1Ch 7:1-3.5. A chieftain of the tribe of Manasseh who deserted to David at Ziklag.-1Ch 12:20.6. The father of Omri, the head of a paternal house of Issachar during David’s reign.-1Ch 27:18.7. One of the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Judah who, together with his brothers, received costly gifts and fortified cities from their father. However, when his older brother Jehoram became king, Jehoram killed all his six younger brothers, including Michael.-2Ch 21:1-4.8. A Gadite and descendant of Buz; an ancestor of No. 9, at least five generations removed.-1Ch 5:11, 13, 14.9. A Gadite, first of seven sons of Abihail, a descendant of No. 8 and a head of a house of Gilead enrolled genealogically during the days of Israelite King Jeroboam II and of Judean King Jotham.-1Ch 5:11-17.10. A Benjamite; descendant of Shaharaim by his wife Hushim through Elpaal and Beriah.-1Ch 8:1, 8, 11-13, 16.11. Father of the Zebadiah who went up to Jerusalem from Babylon with Ezra in 468 B.C.E.-Ezr 8:1, 8.
EXPELLING The judicial excommunication, or disfellowshipping, of delinquents from membership and association in a community or organization. With religious societies it is a principle and a right inherent in them and is analogous to the powers of capital punishment, banishment, and exclusion from membership that are exercised by political and municipal bodies. In the congregation of God it is exercised to maintain the purity of the organization doctrinally and morally. The exercise of this power is necessary to the continued existence of the organization and particularly so the Christian congregation. The congregation must remain clean and maintain God’s favor in order to be used by him and to represent him. Otherwise, God would expel or cut off the entire congregation.-Re 2:5; 1Co 5:5, 6. Jehovah’s Action. Jehovah God took expelling, or disfellowshipping, action in numerous instances. He sentenced Adam to death and drove him and his wife Eve out of the garden of Eden. (Ge 3:19, 23, 24) Cain was banished and became a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth. (Ge 4:11, 14, 16) The angels that sinned were thrown into Tartarus, a condition of dense darkness in which they are reserved for judgment. (2Pe 2:4) Twenty-three thousand fornicators were cut off from Israel in one day. (1Co 10:8) Achan was put to death at Jehovah’s command for stealing that which was devoted to Jehovah. (Jos 7:15, 20, 21, 25) Korah the Levite along with Dathan and Abiram of the tribe of Reuben were cut off for rebellion, and Miriam was stricken with leprosy and eventually might have died in that condition if Moses had not pleaded for her. As it was, she was expelled from the camp of Israel under quarantine seven days.-Nu 16:27, 32, 33, 35; 12:10, 13-15. Under the Mosaic Law. For serious or deliberate violations of God’s law given through Moses a person could be cut off, that is, put to death. (Le 7:27; Nu 15:30, 31) Apostasy, idolatry, adultery, eating blood, and murder were among the offenses carrying this penalty.-De 13:12-18; Le 20:10; 17:14; Nu 35:31. Under the Law, for the penalty of cutting off to be carried out, evidence had to be established at the mouth of at least two witnesses. (De 19:15) These witnesses were required to be the first to stone the guilty one. (De 17:7) This would demonstrate their zeal for God’s law and the purity of the congregation of Israel and would also be a deterrent to false, careless, or hasty testimony. The Sanhedrin and synagogues. During Jesus’ earthly ministry the synagogues served as courts for trying violators of Jewish law. The Sanhedrin was the highest court. Under Roman rule the Jews did not have the latitude of authority that they had enjoyed under theocratic government. Even when the Sanhedrin judged someone deserving of death, they could not always administer the death penalty, because of restrictions by the Romans. The Jewish synagogues had a system of excommunication, or disfellowshipping, that had three steps or three names. The first step was the penalty of nid·duyʹ, which was for a relatively short time, initially only 30 days. A person under this penalty was prohibited from enjoying certain privileges. He could go to the temple, but there he was restricted in certain ways, and all besides his own family were commanded to stay at a distance of 4 cubits (c. 2 m; 6 ft) from him. The second step was cheʹrem, meaning something devoted to God or banned. This was a more severe judgment. The offender could not teach or be taught in the company of others, nor could he perform any commercial transactions beyond purchasing the necessities of life. However, he was not altogether cast out of the Jewish organization, and there was a chance for him to come back. Finally, there was sham·mat·taʼʹ, an entire cutting off from the congregation. Some believe the last two forms of excommunication were undistinguishable from each other. One who was cast out as wicked, cut off entirely, would be considered worthy of death, though the Jews might not have the authority to execute such a one. Nevertheless, the form of cutting off they did employ was a very powerful weapon in the Jewish community. Jesus foretold that his followers would be expelled from the synagogues. (Joh 16:2) Fear of being expelled, or “unchurched,” kept some of the Jews, even the rulers, from confessing Jesus. (Joh 9:22, ftn; 12:42) An example of such action by the synagogue was the case of the healed blind man who spoke favorably of Jesus.-Joh 9:34. During the time of his earthly ministry, Jesus gave instructions as to the procedure to follow if a serious sin was committed against a person and yet the sin was of such a nature that, if properly settled, it did not need to involve the Jewish congregation. (Mt 18:15-17) He encouraged earnest effort to help the wrongdoer, while also safeguarding that congregation against persistent sinners. The only congregation of God in existence then was the congregation of Israel. ‘Speaking to the congregation’ did not mean that the entire nation or even all the Jews in a given community sat in judgment on the offender. There were older men of the Jews that were charged with this responsibility. (Mt 5:22) Offenders who refused to listen even to these responsible ones were to be viewed “just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector,” association with whom was shunned by the Jews.-Compare Ac 10:28. Christian Congregation. Based on the principles of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Christian Greek Scriptures by command and precedent authorize expulsion, or disfellowshipping, from the Christian congregation. By exercising this God-given authority, the congregation keeps itself clean and in good standing before God. The apostle Paul, with the authority vested in him, ordered the expulsion of an incestuous fornicator who had taken his father’s wife. (1Co 5:5, 11, 13) He also exercised disfellowshipping authority against Hymenaeus and Alexander. (1Ti 1:19, 20) Diotrephes, however, was apparently trying to exercise disfellowshipping action wrongly.-3Jo 9, 10. Some of the offenses that could merit disfellowshipping from the Christian congregation are fornication, adultery, homosexuality, greed, extortion, thievery, lying, drunkenness, reviling, spiritism, murder, idolatry, apostasy, and the causing of divisions in the congregation. (1Co 5:9-13; 6:9, 10; Tit 3:10, 11; Re 21:8) Mercifully, one promoting a sect is warned a first and a second time before such disfellowshipping action is taken against him. In the Christian congregation, the principle enunciated in the Law applies, namely, that two or three witnesses must establish evidence against the accused one. (1Ti 5:19) Those who have been convicted of a practice of sin are reproved Scripturally before the “onlookers,” for example, those who testified concerning the sinful conduct, so that they too may all have a healthy fear of such sin.-1Ti 5:20; see REPROOF. The Christian congregation is also admonished by Scripture to stop socializing with those who are disorderly and not walking correctly but who are not deemed deserving of complete expulsion. Paul wrote the Thessalonian congregation concerning such: “Stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed. And yet do not be considering him as an enemy, but continue admonishing him as a brother.”-2Th 3:6, 11, 13-15. However, regarding any who were Christians but later repudiated the Christian congregation or were expelled from it, the apostle Paul commanded: “Quit mixing in company with” such a one; and the apostle John wrote: “Never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.”-1Co 5:11; 2Jo 9, 10. Those who have been expelled may be received back into the congregation if they manifest sincere repentance. (2Co 2:5-8) This also is a protection to the congregation, preventing it from being overreached by Satan in swinging from condoning wrongdoing to the other extreme, becoming harsh and unforgiving.-2Co 2:10, 11. For expelling of demons, see DEMON POSSESSION; SPIRITISM.
I would like to say that I have grown up in a Jehovahs Witness family and I have always questioned all religion growing up. I have never been baptized and that is absolutely my choice and my choice only; no one elses. I have learned a lot about this world and also about ancient history. I have tought my self through various studies that what I have read in the bible is harmonious from the beginning to end. There is an importance written in the bible that says that staying holy and clean in the worship of Jehovah(Yaweh) and the book of Leviticus is the foreshadowing example of this importance of being holy in Gods eyes. Read the book of Leviticus and meditate on what that book is expressing and what that book is supposed to mean to all worshipers of the one true god Jehovah(Yahweh). Jesus(Yeshua) Christ is the "Son of God" and Jehovah(Yahweh) is "God Almighty." God Almighty set Jesus Christ on earth to give us a new covenant by his perfect sacrifice. Thus Jesus sits at the right hand of God Almighty is given the authority to rule over Gods spiritual kindom. DO some real research and learn the difference between fact and fiction. Here are some links for people who are truly confused about what Jehovahs Witnesses actually teach and perhaps the misunderstanding of thier own Christian denomination. Links: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_Paganism en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah%27s_Witnesses
I'm glad to hear you're on the side of the truth, William Longstaff. Jesus clearly said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6) Thank you for praying, I want you to know I have come to Jesus who is the truth, therefore, I don't understand your comment in saying my faith in Jesus is apostasy?
Julie McAllen Hi Julie finally got to see this video and to see u in action.. We do need to educated [people about the jw's. I am surprise that people do not really know their bible well enough to go to bat with them..Here's to education that is about jw's...Thanks for sharing..
Hey dear Melissa.....where is your organisation of christian churches or congregations? Never heard of them here in Europe....so was Jesus wrong then with his prophecies? Or was he right, and was he speaking about JWs? The only worldwide united religion of true christians who are living by Jesus his model? Love ya❤️
Why Disfellowshipping Is a Loving Provision “WHEN I listened to the announcement that my son had been disfellowshipped, my whole world seemed to come to an end,” recalls Julian. “He was my oldest child, and we were very close; we did lots of things together. He had always been an exemplary son, and then suddenly he began behaving in a way that was unacceptable. My wife wept repeatedly, and I did not know how to console her. We kept asking ourselves if we had somehow failed as parents.” How can it be said that disfellowshipping a Christian is a loving provision if it causes so much pain? What reasons do the Scriptures give for taking such drastic measures? And what exactly leads to a person’s being disfellowshipped? TWO FACTORS THAT LEAD TO DISFELLOWSHIPPING Two factors-which must coincide-result in the disfellowshipping of one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. First, a baptized Witness commits a serious sin. Second, he does not repent of his sin. Although Jehovah does not demand perfection from us, he does have a standard of holiness that he expects his servants to meet. For example, Jehovah insists that we avoid such serious sins as sexual immorality, idolatry, thievery, extortion, murder, and spiritism.-1 Cor. 6:9, 10; Rev. 21:8. Would you not agree that Jehovah’s clean standards are reasonable and that they serve to protect us? Who does not prefer to live among peaceful, decent people who can be trusted? We find such an environment among our spiritual brothers and sisters, thanks to the promise we make at the time of our dedication to God to live in harmony with the guidelines found in his Word. But what if a baptized Christian commits a serious sin because of human weakness? Faithful servants of Jehovah in the past made such mistakes, yet God did not reject them outright. King David is a prime example. David committed adultery and murder; yet, the prophet Nathan informed him: “Jehovah . . . forgives your sin.”-2 Sam. 12:13. God pardoned David’s sin because of David’s sincere repentance. (Ps. 32:1-5) Likewise, a servant of Jehovah today will be disfellowshipped only if he is unrepentant or continues to practice what is bad. (Acts 3:19; 26:20) If genuine repentance is not manifest to the elders who serve on a judicial committee, they must disfellowship the person. At first, we may feel that the decision to disfellowship the wrongdoer is drastic or even unkind, especially if we have close ties to that person. Nevertheless, Jehovah’s Word gives us sound reasons for believing that such a decision is a loving one. DISFELLOWSHIPPING CAN BENEFIT EVERYONE CONCERNED Jesus pointed out that “wisdom is proved righteous by its results.” (Matt. 11:19, ftn.) A wise decision to disfellowship an unrepentant wrongdoer produces righteous results. Consider these three: Disfellowshipping wrongdoers honors Jehovah’s name. Since we bear the name of Jehovah, our behavior inevitably reflects on his name. (Isa. 43:10) Just as a son’s conduct can bring either honor or reproach on his parents, so people’s feelings toward Jehovah will depend to some extent on the good or bad example they observe in his name people. God’s good name is upheld if the people who bear that name make Jehovah’s moral standard their own. The situation was somewhat similar in Ezekiel’s time when people of the nations closely associated the name of Jehovah with the Jews.-Ezek. 36:19-23. We would bring reproach on God’s holy name if we practiced immorality. The apostle Peter counseled Christians: “As obedient children, stop being molded by the desires you formerly had in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all your conduct, for it is written: ‘You must be holy, because I am holy.’” (1 Pet. 1:14-16) Clean, holy conduct brings honor to God’s name. If one of Jehovah’s Witnesses practices what is bad, however, it is likely that friends and acquaintances will become aware of this. The disfellowshipping act shows that Jehovah has a clean people who adhere to Scriptural guidelines in order to maintain that holiness. A stranger once came to a meeting at a Kingdom Hall in Switzerland and said that he wanted to become a member of the congregation. His sister had been disfellowshipped for immorality. He said that he wanted to join an organization that “does not tolerate bad conduct.” Disfellowshipping protects the clean, Christian congregation. The apostle Paul warned the Corinthians of the danger of allowing willful sinners to remain in their midst. He compared the bad influence of such ones to that of leaven that causes a whole lump of dough to rise. “A little leaven ferments the whole batch of dough,” he noted. He then counseled them: “Remove the wicked person from among yourselves.”-1 Cor. 5:6, 11-13. Apparently, “the wicked person” mentioned by Paul blatantly practiced immorality. And other congregation members had even begun to justify his conduct. (1 Cor. 5:1, 2) If such a gross sin had been condoned, other Christians might have felt inclined to follow the immoral customs of the licentious city in which they lived. Overlooking willful sins encourages a lax attitude toward divine standards. (Eccl. 8:11) Furthermore, unrepentant sinners could become “rocks hidden below water” and shipwreck the faith of others in the congregation.-Jude 4, 12. Disfellowshipping may bring the wrongdoer to his senses. Jesus once spoke of a young man who left his father’s home and squandered his inheritance on a life of debauchery. The prodigal son learned the hard way that life outside his father’s home was empty and heartless. The son finally came to his senses, repented, and took the initiative to return to his family. (Luke 15:11-24) Jesus’ description of the loving father who rejoiced at his son’s change of heart helps us understand Jehovah’s feelings. “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that someone wicked changes his way and keeps living,” he assures us.-Ezek. 33:11. Likewise, disfellowshipped ones who are no longer members of the Christian congregation-their spiritual family-may come to realize what they have lost. The bitter fruits of their sinful course, together with the memories of happier days when they enjoyed a good relationship with Jehovah and his people, could bring them to their senses. Love and firmness are needed to produce the desired result. “Should the righteous one strike me, it would be an act of loyal love,” said the psalmist David, and “should he reprove me, it would be like oil on my head.” (Ps. 141:5) To illustrate: Imagine a hiker who succumbs to exhaustion on a cold winter day. He begins to suffer from hypothermia, and he feels drowsy. If he falls asleep in the snow, he will die. While waiting for a rescue party, his companion occasionally slaps him in the face to keep him awake. The slap may sting, but it could well save his life. Similarly, David recognized that a righteous person might need to give him painful correction for his own good. In many cases, disfellowshipping provides the discipline the erring one needs. After some ten years, Julian’s son, mentioned at the outset, cleaned up his life, returned to the congregation, and now serves as an elder. “Being disfellowshipped brought me face-to-face with the consequences of my lifestyle,” he admits. “I needed that sort of discipline.”-Heb. 12:7-11. THE LOVING WAY TO DEAL WITH DISFELLOWSHIPPED ONES True, disfellowshipping is a spiritual tragedy, but the tragedy need not become an unmitigated disaster. All of us play a role in making sure that the disfellowshipping serves its purpose. Efforts are made to help repentant ones return to Jehovah Elders who have the sad task of communicating a disfellowshipping decision strive to reflect Jehovah’s love. When informing the person of their decision, they kindly and clearly explain the steps he needs to take to be reinstated in the congregation. For the sake of reminding disfellowshipped ones of how they can return to Jehovah, elders may periodically visit those who have given some evidence of changing their ways.* Family members can show love for the congregation and the erring one by respecting the disfellowshipping decision. “He was still my son,” explains Julian, “but his lifestyle had put up a barrier between us.” All in the congregation can show principled love by avoiding contact and conversation with the disfellowshipped person. (1 Cor. 5:11; 2 John 10, 11) They thus reinforce the discipline that Jehovah has given him through the elders. Furthermore, they can give extra love and support to the family of the disfellowshipped one, who suffer considerably and who should not be made to feel that they too are excluded from association with fellow believers.-Rom. 12:13, 15. “Disfellowshipping is an arrangement that we need, one that helps us live according to Jehovah’s standards,” Julian concludes. “In the long run, despite the pain, it brings good results. Had I been tolerant of my son’s bad conduct, he would never have recovered.”
swekris gt disfellowshipping does NOT bring good results. It destroys families and people. Sin separates us from God. you don't need to separate people from families. If you are really saved by the blood of the Lamb, God will always hold you in the the palm of His hand and bring His child back to Him. stop writing reams of stuff and just go to Jesus the only mediator Jesus t he man to reconcile you to our God.
