Tuesday, June 12, 2012

What is truth?

   What is truth? said Pilate to Christ. Christ said it was for this purpose he was sent forth......"To bear witness to the truth.Everyone that is on the side of the truth listens to my voice."John 18:37

   Some are boldly stating," Brother John sounds like you think you know everything, and you should just concentrate on love, as this in the final judgement is what will get you salvation."

  Two things are both wrong with that statement, well three, actually.
   1. I don't know everything....but seek to repeat Christ's words on all subjects under consideration, and not my own so called "Wisdom"
   2. "We should just focus on love, that is what will get us salvation"
      A big WRONG for that statement. many in Christian churches are loving( as also Many JW's are too) to family, friends, and even perform good works, but Matt. 7 Jesus said the DOING of God's will was even more important.
     Love, is, of course God's will, but there is much more involved, as love and KNOWLEDGE go together like plants and water. Plants need water, sunlight, and good soil, all to grow. Bible knowledge, knowledge of God, and his commands, his Son, and their program of everlasting life, including faith and knowledge about sin, the ransom, redemption, and accurate knowledge of truth ALONG with LOVE, are all requirements. These are clear statements from Christ as "water" for Christian growth and everlasting life. They are requirements that we must obey, or we are setting ourselves at odds with our Christian King, Christ.
     Now we can make up our own version of what is important to God for pleasing him, or we can listen to Christ's words, obediently, and receive his blessing. There is no way to do both.
     As Witnesses, we were known as truth -lovers. , although we had limited knowledge about Christ and his real teachings. Some of us are busy pressing forward toward learning from him, along with trying to become more loving, granted. This doesn't mean we are UN-loving.....just because we emphasize accurate knowledge. It is a scriptural command to follow Christ's teachings....all of them, and obey them.
    3.  The Bible does not specify LOVE as the way to get into the kingdom. It does say a Christian who is hating his "Brother" cannot be loving God, for we would not love God if we hate our Christian Brothers. Jesus also specified his brothers , sisters, mothers, etc. were only those who heard God's word and kept the commands therein for Christians. This is in 1 John 3.

    Here are a few of the requirements for eternal life. John 17:3.....John3:36.....John 4:23,24....John 17:17...........John 3:3-5   These all emphasize the knowledge and commandments, of which love is certainly the 'greatest',..... but not the only one by itself. I hope you readers will understand more about why I emphasize the gospel truth, according to Christ's commands, and not just the "Gospel of love" that is being put forward on some sites as the most-important thing.....and "truth can take a back seat". As I stated before, I only want to follow my Lord's clear instructions....set out in the New Testament primarily. 

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Who Is Christ...and Jehovah?

The reason I choose to comment on this subject is because after having been to many churches over the years, and also being a Witness for 36 years, I can say from Bible truth...neither one has it completely nailed down, in the main. Of course many do understand this correctly, more or less....if they are careful Bible readers.

   And I will say this; we are all babes as to understanding the nature of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, I believe. There is so much to learn. But I will share my thoughts on this, and you can see what you think.


   "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.

  God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

   The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought life to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."  John 1:1-5 New Living Translation


  I love this passage. It is not strange to me anymore, as I take it at face value; Jesus is a God also, by way of what he is, and what he did. You may choose to call him God, if you want, as scripture does. He created all the universe. Only a god could do that....or God.

   I believe Almighty God is YHWH, Jehovah , the Father, who sent his God-Son to explain Him, and his will, as well as his (the Son's) will and role in the universe, and our existence.

 John 1:18;  "No one has ever seen God. But the unique One*, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us.

  * Some manuscripts read, But the one and only Son.

  I think that's clear enough.

 " And this is the way to have eternal life, - to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ , the one you sent to earth.

  I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do." John 17:3,4

  Jesus, who is the one people in churches are mistakenly worshiping as Almighty God much of the time, said it:

  " ...the Only true God..." , sent him. So...a distinction is made here, from the horse's mouth.

Notice  an illustration Jesus uses, defining his and Almighty God's status, and what we are now capable of achieving;

   John 15

 "I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit....If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

  ....I have loved you, even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.

   "When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love.

   You are my friends if you do what I command....


   Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.


... I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

  This is my command: Love each other."



   There are many such scriptures through the NT that define this Father/ Son relationship of God and Christ. Time doesn't allow me to say more now.

  Col. 1:15-20 is another good one;

  "Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created, and is supreme over all creation*, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.

  He made the things we can see and the things we can't see- such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.

  Everything was created through him and for him.

  He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

  Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body.

   He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead.*

  So he is first in everything.

  For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself.

  He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross."

 *1:15  Or He is the firstborn of all creation.

 *1:18  Or The firstborn from the dead.


   Some have said Christ was an archangel.

   Do these scriptures equate with that thought? I think not, as scripture says he is God.

   Is Christ Almighty God? No, he is the Son of God, and is with YHWH, Jehovah; not Jehovah.

  "I am the Son of God." John 10:36   notice, 'THE' Son of God. ...as in there is only one.



   I hope you enjoy these scriptures as I have. I welcome any comments you may give!