michaelvpardo
Well-Known Member
Hey, it's your call, Arnie. Years ago, (not long after receiving the truth of the gospel and receiving Christ as Lord) I would invite the door to door JWs in to sit for a few minutes to talk about what they believed in and to try to point out their error to them (as well as to share the gospel with them.) Only the newer recruits would even admit that they didn't believe Jesus to be God and have equality with the Father. I'd give them solid arguments from the scripture and they would leave for a while to get coaching from someone more knowledgeable, then come back again with another argument, etc., etc., etc.Arnie Manitoba said:I normally would agree .... but in kjw47's case I admire his sincerity , he is forthright and clear speaking on what he believes etc.
I actually like the guy too .... and I understand how he got to believe what he does .... Mr Russel created a religion that is uncomplicated , easy to understand for the adherents , and very appealing to them , and probably spiritually peaceful in the sense that the devil just has to leave them alone and he has them where he wants.
For example if we bash them here on the forum or when they come to our door .... guess what .... they get bonus points for being persecuted.
It is a good system to keep them obedient to the Charles Russell Kingdom here on earth.
Venture too far to the truth and they will shun and ban you from the Kingdom .... the brainwash is complete.
I gave this up when I came under conviction of the scripture that warns us not to welcome preachers of another gospel into our homes or offer them hospitality: Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. 2 John 1:9-11
Clearly John wasn't simply speaking of unbelievers, but transgressors with respect to the gospel or we couldn't welcome anyone other than Christians into our home or be free to welcome anyone but those we recognize as brothers in the faith.
I have nothing personal against the author of the O.P. as I don't know him at all, and he probably believes that he is abiding in the doctrine of Christ (though he doesn't accept His testimony.)
We know better, and I find it a little unsettling that many in the church at large welcome those who deny the divinity of Christ as "brothers" in the faith.
This fellow might be a fine person by societal standards. I've known Mormons, Jehovah's witnesses, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Taoists, Krishna worshippers, even at least one follower of Alister Crowley, who by worldly standards were good men and women, most having lived less dissipative lives than I did prior to believing Christ, but that doesn't make them any less deceived in their self righteousness, nor one bit closer to God than the worst of sinners. All we can do for them is to offer the gospel to those willing to hear it, and pray to our Lord that they might find mercy and grace to believe Him.
The problem however remains that when we allow them their say in the household of God, they are sometimes able to draw away those who are young in the faith or carnal in their thinking through appeals to our old nature and to our vanity. One reason that I've spent the bulk of my time on message boards in forums dealing with eschatology is that those forums tend to be trolling grounds for cultists looking for the gullible, naïve, and biblically uninformed. When we confront them with the gospel and with sound biblical argument it helps strengthen those brethren whose discernment hasn't been trained with the scripture even if it has no effect upon the wolves themselves.
I don't pretend to be infallible in my assessments, but this is how the Spirit of Christ applied those verses from John's second epistle to my own situation. I've also witnessed members of that cult come to what appears to be a genuine faith in the Lord (I was led to Christ by a former JW who abandoned his family's religion and investigated a number of others prior to hearing and receiving the gospel,) but the work of the conviction of sin and convincing of truth isn't really ours, but God's. So, do what your conscience demands and be mindful of weaker brothers while engaged in public discourse. If you can minister to a cult member and remain abiding in Christ, more grace to you for the battle, but I'm just not that patient and there always remains a time when its appropriate to "shake the dust off of your feet."