E-MAIL QUESTIONS ANSWERED
DAVID L. ODOM
Hi _______, I was reading the following comment you made to
another person:
>Stand
proud for what you believe, until you are proven wrong! And remember that >Jesus
has the final word! And since the Bible is The Word...well, you can guess what
I >believe!"
Those are wonderful powerful words you state there!
I hope you truly believe and mean this from the bottom of your heart. I would
think that you do since you came out of the human organization of the jw's. But
I have a challenge for you that may be as tough, or even tougher than leaving
the jw's, and that is: Why not go all the way back to Jesus? What do I mean? Well,
here we are, in the 21st. century, almost 2,000 years past the time
period when our wonderful Saviour came to this sin-sick world, to make it possible
for us to have our sins washed away in His precious blood, but what has
happened during those years?
Man has 'added to' and 'taken away' from God's inspired Word. Man has thus created
many man-made (human) organizations through which to 'worship God'. I commend
you for escaping from the man-made jw's organization, but now I would encourage
you to examine the system you are accepting at this point, denominationalism!
I don't believe that 'everything' the jw's teach is wrong! They have a good point
when they teach against denominationalism! This system of belief goes totally
against the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3-6). It destroys what the
inspired apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 1:10-13. Martin Luther understood
this and told his followers NOT to call themselves after his name, because he
was not crucified for them, he wasn't the Messiah! But, they paid no attention
to him, and thus, the Lutheran church evolved. When we add names and doctrines
religiously that God has not authorized, we 'go beyond that which is written'
II John 9.
Many of the denominational teachings are causing God's Word to contradict! Example:
What must we do in order to become christians, children of God in His sight?
(You can go to 'Index', and 'TS Bible Study 9' www.truthsearcher.com to take you directly to the page where I discuss God's plan
of salvation. I have yet for anyone to show me the 'sinner's prayer', or the
phrase 'accept Jesus as your personal Saviour, ask Him to come into
your heart, etc.' Where can we find any inspired apostle teaching this doctrine
in the first
century? But when we study the inspired book of Acts, and see the various conversions,
we find quite a different picture than what the denominations are teaching
today!
Our standard should be ONLY the Word of God. And I know you understand that we
cannot cause the Bible to 'contradict itself' in any way, because God doesn't
contradict Himself! If I understand a Scripture in a way that makes it to be in
contradiction with another Scripture, then I am not understanding one, or possibly
both, correctly.
I know you are certain that you have found the Truth at this point, and I believe
you are much closer to God's Truth than you were in the jw's teachings, as you
continue to seek to be a 'true worshipper' I realize that I am only a human
being also, and I could also be wrong in my positions. I am not inspired in any
miraculous sense of the term as the apostles and prophets of the first century
were. (Hebrews 1:2,1; John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7,12,13)
If what you stated is really the case, I believe you will question any position
you hold that causes God's New Testament for us today to contradict. I pray
that you will take time to study through my study and seek only for God's
Truth. If we are true seekers, and we study together 'speaking the truth in
love', I believe God will be glorified, and we will find His Truth, without any
additions or subtractions of men, and we will be just 'true worshipper's' (Jn.
4:23,24), just christians, Bible christians! Hopefully we will endeavor to have
the attitude of Apollos and Priscilla and Aquila took him unto them, and
expounded unto him the way of God more accurately. (Acts 18:24-26) (Also
Cornelius: Acts 10; The Philippian jailer: Acts 16:25-34; The Eunuch: Acts
8:26-39; etc.)
God richly bless you in you continued endeavor to please Him above all else in
your life.
Yours in Christ,
David
