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Morning and peace to you ALL! I must agree, actions are VERY important, as faith WITHOUT works... IS dead. One must walk the talk, yes? And Paul had a lot to say about love, didn't he, including that without love one can sound like a clashing symbol. And that makes sense. What, though, about "works" that show a love of GOD... and Christ? Should these not come FIRST? For instance:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19
In his letter to the Romans, which was written AFTER his letter to the Corinthians (wherein he commented as to both judging AND love, a real dichotomy and one that understandably causes some to be greatly confused as to "God" and the Bible), Paul wrote:
"But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “[Jesus] is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, but it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:9-15
And this, from Lazarus ("John"):
"Through [Jesus], therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. But do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." Hebrews 13:15
What of those things? And those are only a few verses.
None of us can deny that how JWs APPEAR is a huge reason why many JOIN them: their appearance and actions LOOK "godly": how they dress, how they're organized, how they comport themselves... publicly. We also know that it's all a ruse, too, though, don't we? Perhaps not INTENTIONALLY by most members, of course, no. But because it is NOT born of holy spirit... but of self-assuming haughtiness that leads to self-righteousness... it is a FORM of "godly devotion" that proves FALSE to the power OF holy spirit. Even so, if they WEREN'T false and hypocritical BEHIND the scenes, so many MORE would join... and so many few would leave.
What is occurring in the world, though, is what Paul wrote to Timothy when encouraging the younger man to not give up with HIS ministry:
"... I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:1-5
Three (3) things have caused the phenomenon you dear ones are speaking of here, where actions MUST speak louder than words:
1. The FALSE teachings of the FALSE prophets and FALSE christs (anointed)... which has undermined the trust of MANY... and so led to the great apostasy FROM the MOST HOLY One of Israel, JAH of Armies, by Israel and those who profess to belong to Christ (but do not);
2. The lack of desire by most to be able the HANDLE the truth and so not want to HEAR it, but instead want to hear what they want to hear... so as to have their ears scratched/tickled; and
3. The love... OF the greater number (of those professing to love God/Christ)... cooling off. The love of/for WHAT? Others of mankind? No. The love of GOD... manifested in the love of CHRIST... AND neighbor, including one's own flesh (spouse/children), brother, strangers... and enemies. They have a FORM of "godly devotion"... but prove FALSE to its power. Because the power of TRUE godly devotion... is by means... of holy spirit... because it is a FRUIT of that spirit... which these do not HAVE. Hence, they are LUKEWARM: not hot in their love for JAH and Christ... yet not cold (i.e., having utterly denied it, as some have/do).
So what we see in the world TODAY... is a "form of godly devotion": "preaching work/field service," pious conduct and judgment, "faithful" church/meeting attendance, ritualistic formalities, even attire. All designed to SPEAK (FOR one) as to their devotion... but all proving false to the power of holy spirit! Because neither holy spirit, the Holy Spirit (Christ), or God Himself... require such.
What DO these require? Christ TOLD us and David wrote it down for us just in case we COULDN'T hear the Spirit (of Christ) TELL us later:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened" Psalm 40:6
Unfortunately, what is occurring today... and has actually been occurring since shortly after the last Apostle's death... which is why we HAVE religion... is that folks are "serving God" how THEY wish to... and not how His SON said to. Indeed, I myself can attest that most don't WANT to hear how the SON said to worship God: in SPIRIT... and the TRUTH. Rather, they are creating all manner of religions, etc., that suit THEIR desires, customized to rid them of what they DON'T want to do, while fomenting what they DO want to do (camping trips, retreats, youth groups, bands/choirs, theatrical productions, matchmaking, book and literature publishing, television and radio productions... and ALL manner of things)... and calling it "serving God." Yet, the very things that Christ said to doo... they do NOT do, including eating his flesh and drinking his blood... washing one another's feet... praying for one's enemies... and more.
One of the most important things that God Himself said, though, and His Son REITERATED was this:
"This is my Son, the Beloved. LISTEN TO HIM ." Matthew 17:5
And so Christ said that HIS sheep would LISTEN to HIS voice. How many, though, DENY that truth, as to what he meant... and what to DO? Deny not only for themselves... but for and as to OTHERS? Yet, they CLAIM they "belong" to Christ. Christ said, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' but DO NOT DO the things I say?"
If the MOST HOLY One of Israel, JAH of Armies said to LISTEN to His Son... and that Son said HIS sheep would LISTEN to his voice... yet, you are NOT listening... nothing else you do really matters. NOT for those professing to be in union with and belong to Christ. If you are IGNORING the very One you CLAIM to follow... then you're not only fooling others, but fooling yourself.
If you ARE listening... then you will HEAR as to whom to preach to. And again, you are either sent (led) to THEM... or they to you. When you/they ARE... then you should OBEY... and TELL them what you are given to tell them... rather than BEG OFF:
“What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their pole and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:27-39
I dunno, dear ones, I dunno. I think the words of Samuel are what we should consider when wondering about preaching:
"To OBEY... is BETTER than sacrifice." 1 Samuel 15:22
I hope this helps.
Peace to you ALL!
Servant to the Household of God, Israel, and ALL those who go with... and a slave of Christ,
Shellama
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