The thing is, dear Loz and 'Mom (peace to you, both!)... you did what YOU should done. Tried to sound a warning. We cannot be concerned as to whether folks listen ("whether they hear or refrain")... even if it's our own flesh. Concern would mean doubt... not faith. And the PROMISE... is for us... AND our children. And, possibly for out entire household, EVEN when such has shown themselves to be our enemy (think Joseph and how his brothers brothers treated him, yet were saved from starvation... think our dear Lord, how HIS brothers, the Jews, treated HIM... and yet, "ALL Israel will be saved," etc.).
Remember, "Faith is the ASSURED expectation of the thing hoped for...". What is the "hope", here? That our loved ones listen to us? Maybe. But the BETTER hope is that they listen to Christ. The BEST hope, though, is that WE don't doubt... EVER... but ALWAYS have faith in JAH and Christ that the PROMISE... WILL be fulfilled.
Point being: it is not necessarily about folks accepting us or what we [try to] share with them. It's about OUR obedience to the of LOVE... which love should PROMPT us to [try to] warn others... ESPECIALLY those we claim to LOVE... out of OBEDIENCE... TO that Law [of love].
Obedience that doesn't let us put our personal comfort ("Oh, what's the use - s/he's not gonna listen anyway; s/he doesn't want to hear from me, so why bother, why put myself through the discomfort??")... over DOING what FAITH... REQUIRES.
We must EXERCISE our faith, yes? If, though, we find "reasons" to NOT obey... particularly as to those we [claim to] LOVE... what does that say about our FAITH?
In addition to our LOVE for these, and more importantly JAH and Christ, we owe a debt, dear ones, to the One Who gave HIS life... so that WE... AND our children... and ALL those we live... will live. And so it is for that reason that we tell folks the truth... about him, about JAH, about false prophets and false "christs."
I know you dear sisters know this, so I'm not addressing you, per se, put expounding on this for those who visit and might say, "Why do they bother? If folks don't want it, why not leave them alone? Aren't you being just like Jehovahs Witnesses?"
To that, I would respond that if one is taking it PERSONAL that the attempt to warn is not received, perhaps even to the point of speaking I'll of those who reject the attempt ("Nothing more than goats who're gonna die 'at Armageddon'!")... then, yes - absolutely no difference and such one is fooling himself/herself and hypocritically judging. In which case, they should keep an eye that THEY are not so judged... to reap that same judgment and destruction.
On the other hand, if their attempt is truly out of love, love that says "I will NOT stop trying to warn this person just in case they one say DO listen so as to be saved [from calamity]... and do it in LOVE... WITHOUT judging or deciding on/envisioning/HOPING for a "terrible" outcome for the person... then no, it is NOT just like Jehovahs Witnesses.
No can come to the Father without going through the Son. And no one can get to the Son... unless the FATHER... DRAWS them. Jehovahs Witnesses forget this. They forget... because they are blind and that blindness has allowed them to misled by the WTBTS to believe IT is the "Way" to God, IT is the "truth," and IT grants life.
All lies, of course. But the direction from OUR dear Lord, the HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJAH) is:
"All that they SAY... DO. But do not DO... AS they do." Matthew 23:3
AND they do say to sound a warning, especially to those we love. They just don't see their error in the judgment they hold in theirs hearts when folks don't listen. That judgment exists there because (1) their MOTIVE is wrong ("Listen to ME; I know the TRUTH!"); and (2) the uncleanNess of their own hearts.
Again, this is for those who might wonder why (and how) we (should) even bother: love... and obedience. Not self-righteousness and judgment.
I hope that helps... and peace to you ALL!
YSSFS of Christ,
Shel
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