[Disclaimer: wordy and passionate, but NOT yelling; proceed at your own caution - LOLOL!)
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Very interesting.
JWs say Satan wants us to give up our integrity/obedience/loyalty. That's the use of fear, of course, to get us to do things the way WTBS wants us to.
You must completely let GO of what JWs "say," dear LQ (mornin' and peace to you!). Else, you will be compelled to go BACK to it... so as weigh what CHRIST says against it. The danger in doing that is if what HE says sounds even REMOTELY like something JWs "say"... you are more likely to reject it. Even if it comes from him. What you forget is that "Satan KEEPS transforming himself into an angel of light." And that false prophets and false christs WILL arise... "to mislead, IF POSSIBLE... EVEN the chosen ones."
So what? So... ALL religions will have SOME... mmmmmm... "kernels"... of truth on which they based their claims (and so, develop others' faith in THEM). If, however, you let GO of ALL you learned from them... from ALL religion... and then let CHRIST help you REBUILD your "house"... on HIMSELF, the Rock... you won't falter "when the rain and winds" come.
Now, for the account in Job, yes, the Adversary DOES want us to give up our integrity. The problem is... integrity as to WHAT? Our FAITH. Contrary to what the WTBTS teaches, however, faith in JAH and CHRIST. NOT faith in "Jehovah"... OR the WTBTS... which is what they are pushing: if you have faith in THEM, you have faith in "Jehovah". If you have faith in "Jehovah" you will have faith in them.
There is only One in Whom we are to put our faith, though... and that One is SO watered-down by the WTBTS that he virtually doesn't even really exist among them: the HOLY One of Israel, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah). By having faith in HIM... one has, by default, faith in his Father, the MOST HOLY One of Israel, JAH of Armies. Because one cannot even KNOW the former... unless the latter allows it.
John 6:44 In the same vein, one cannot have faith in the LATTER... without having faith in the FORMER... because the former is the One Whom the latter SAID to put our faith IN.
As for what faith IS, I will tell you that the NWT transliteration is one of, if not the, best out there. Per your quote:
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On to faith, "the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld." (Heb 11:1).
Yes, this is ACCURATE, although I'm not sure the WTBTS translation committee meant it be so!
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I've given many a talk to define what this means, and I have to admit, looking back, I've failed miserably. It's hard to explain faith.
Not if you really read the WORDS, luv! Let's take a look:
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"the assured expectation...
What is an "assured expectation"? Is it not being CERTAIN/SURE of one's expectation? Sure/certain that what is expected WILL occur? Expectation of WHAT, though? The next few words clarify:
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of things hoped for,
Oh! So, it the certainty/sureness of expectation... of what (thing(s)) one is HOPING for! Hmmmmm... like... what? Well, let's take Noah: per him, he was given a directive to build an ark. Why? Because "God" was going to cause a great amount of water come upon the earth, indeed, overcome and flood the earth. Is this what Noah was "hoping" for... that he could be CERTAIN/SURE would occur? Doesn't sound very righteous, does it, given the destruction that would result? What, though, if Noah's "hope"... was for God to rid the earth of violence/wickedness/evil? Could THAT have been Noah's "hope"? Sounds more righteous, even reasonable, does it not?
So, okay, for the sake of argument, let's SAY Noah's "hope" was for the earth to be rid of violence/wickedness evil. Now, let's look at the next few words:
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the evident demonstration
The "evident"... "demonstration." What does that mean? Doesn't it mean that some kind of DEMONSTRATION... most likely tangible... is presented, given, witnessed somehow... perhaps even seen... that gives EVIDENCE... to whatever the "thing" (on which the "hope" is based)... has occurred?
So, we have faith being the ASSURED... EXPECTATION... of the thing HOPED for... further CORROBORATED by... the EVIDENT DEMONSTRATION... of... what? The verse says:
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of realities
Of... REALITIES. NOT of... assumptions, presumptions, speculations, contrivances, illusions, delusions... no. Realities. The REAL.
So, faith is the "assured... expectation... of the thing HOPED for"... and so the "EVIDENT DEMONSTRATION... of... REALITIES." Wow. So, the one hoping has an ASSURED expectation of what they hope for... BASED on an EVIDENT demonstration... of [a] reality! So, such one somehow received SOMETHING... REAL... which something provided DEMONSTRATIVE EVIDENCE... so that they could have the ASSURED expectation... of whatever it was they were HOPING for. Yes? Following so far?
But wait... there's a very importance piece to consider and that's the last 3 words of the verse:
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though not beheld.
What does THAT mean, "though, not beheld"?? Well, what does it mean to "behold"? Does it not mean... to SEE... with one's eyes? For example, when one says, "Behold!"... do they not mean, "Look!"... "See!" Okay, you might say, "Well, yes, but they don't always mean "with your [physical] eyes. Sometimes, they mean "perceive... with your 'mind's eye' or 'spiritual' eyes!" And that's true! BUT... what is not "beheld" HERE... is an "EVIDENT demonstration"... AND... REALITIES. How, though, can one receive some kind of EVIDENT... DEMONSTRATION... even some REALITY... yet NOT see it?
Dear one, it is how ALL did, in almost EVERY account: from Adham/Eve... to Noah... to Abraham... to David... the Prophets... John the Baptizer... Saul of Tarsus:
THEY
HEARD.
We are SO dependent on our EYES... that we FORGET... we have OTHER senses! At least four, if not more (four PHYSICAL senses, but 5 other SPIRIT senses, if not more!).
Noah... HEARD... FROM JAH... what He going to DO. He BELIEVED it, based on SOME... DEMONSTRATED EVIDENCE... that He WOULD do... given to NOAH. That evidence... was SO... REAL... to NOAH... that he didn't NEED to SEE it, BEHOLD it.
This is the very reason why we are told, as to the HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit:
"This is my Son, the beloved. LISTEN... to him!"True, that Son said we are also to LOOK at him (keep our gaze upon him, as Israel had to look at the copper serpent raised up in the wilderness by Moses)... but before he said that, we were TOLD... by Moses AND JAH... to LISTEN (to that Prophet/Son).
This, dear one, is what our dear Lord meant when said we are to walk... NOT BY SIGHT... but... BY FAITH: the "assured expectation of the things hoped for, the evident demonstration of reality, though not beheld."
To what was he referring to, specifically? LIFE back from the dead!
How is this? Do you recall when Thomas said he would NOT believe that Christ had died... and returned... unless he saw the wounds... and Christ responding that while he (Thomas) was happy because he SAW... happy would be those who DID NOT SEE, yet BELIEVED? Believed... WHAT... dear one?
THAT HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND IS ALIVE... ALIVE, SUCH THAT HE SPEAKS!
Why is this important? Dear one, it is of the UTMOST importance because... if you do not TRULY believe that Christ not only rose from the dead... is alive... AND speaks... HOW CAN YOU HAVE A HOPE IN A RESURRECTION?? And is THAT not the thing "HOPED for"... for which we have received an "EVIDENT DEMONSTRATION... of the REALITY"... in Christ HIMSELF resurrecting... even though we DID NOT SEE IT WITH OUR OWN EYES... but only HEARD OF IT?
(Not yelling - only emphasizing - LOLOL!).
The Jews believed in a resurrection... or so they SAY. As many today SAY... they believe Christ rose from the dead. Some even say he is alive. But... WHO... TRULY... BELIEVES THAT HE SPEAKS? DEAD men don't speak, dear one - LIVING men... speak! So, if Christ DOES NOT SPEAK... then... he isn't alive! He is dead... STILL!
Yet, if he DID rise... and IS alive... then why WOULDN'T he speak?
And that is what faith is about: that one has the ASSURED EXPECTATION... of the thing HOPED FOR... THEIR OWN RESURRECTION... AND... THAT OF THOSE THEY LOVE... BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN EVIDENT DEMONSTRATION... OF THAT REALITY - THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST! EVEN THOUGH... WE DIDN'T SEE IT... OURSELVES. We have FAITH... that WE will be RESURRECTED... BECAUSE... HE was resurrected!
And THAT is why (1) passing his flesh and blood BY; and (2) NOT LISTENING TO HIS VOICE... are DEMONSTRATIONS... EVIDENCING... OUR...
LACK OF FAITH.
Again, not yelling. Quite calm, actually. But the SPIRIT in me, right now... HOO-WHEEE!! He REALLY wants you dear ones to GET this!
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I just looked up "faith" in multiple dictionaries online, and found what I deem to be attempts to define something that's pretty abstract.
One cannot explain what one does not know oneself, dear one. And faith, in this regard, as you are wondering about here... is a fruit of God's holy spirit. And so, to EXPLAIN it... with regard to these matters... requires the possession of that spirit. Such that one does not speak of one's own initiative or "knowledge"... but of the SPIRIT, which spirit is given them by Christ... AND DOES NOT LIE.
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So what is faith?
Smile. You tell us, now.
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I found this posting, and actually really liked it. If you don't want to read it, the synopsis is: faith is taking God at his word.
I will see your synopsis and raise you... as to your knowledge of what... or rather WHO... is God's WORD. Because THAT is where most folks STUMBLE: they THINK it means listening to what comes out of God's mouth... and it DOES... to the extent that it means listening to the One who CAME FORTH FROM GOD'S BREATH... he Who is the Word of God... the HOLY One of Israel, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah). Listen to HIM... you listen to God. See HIM... you see God. He is NOT God... but the "mouth," "word," "wisdom," "truth," "life," "way," "yes," "Amen,"... and SON... that came FORTH... FROM God. TO us... and FOR us.
Which is, again, why God SAID:
"THIS... IS MY SON, the beloved. LISTEN... to HIM."If we don't listen to that One... how can we say we're listening to GOD?? Some will say, though, "Well, he doesn't SPEAK, except through the pages of the Bible!"
Well, we know THAT's not true. Why? Because:
1. He didn't speak to Philip "through the pages of the Bible."
2. He didn't speak to Saul of Tarsus "through the pages of the Bible."
3. He didn't speak to Peter, Cornelius, James... or John... "through the pages of the Bible."
The BIBLE "says" ... God's Word... IS ALIVE... and SPEAKS. And it is NOT meaning the Bible (which is NOT God's Word!
John 1:1, 14; 17:17; Hebrews 13:12; Revelation 19:13. We can KNOW that by (1) the words OF the Bible that follow the statement as to that word being alive (if read in an accurate transliteration); and (2) we KNOW Christ is God's Word... and that he IS alive - he LIVES.
We can also know it by the words of the same writer, that:
"You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” "But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to [Jesus] the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?" Hebrews 12:18-25Notice, it does not say, "him who speaks"...
from the Bible... but "warns us 'from heaven'"!
Now, that phrase "warns us" might instill some fear... and so we might misinterpret it. The Greek word that is transliterated "warns", though...
apo... means... SEPARATE. So the ACCURATE rendering of the verse is for us to not refuse him who tries to SEPARATE us... doing so from the spirit realm! And is this accurate? It is! Based on Christ's words:
"The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to [i]his[/i] voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice." John 10:3, 4Yet, isn't that what JAH tried to do with our ancient brothers? Lead them OUT of Egypt, OUT of captivity, to FREEDOM... by means of the man MOSES? Yet because of THEIR lack of faith... which prompted them to murmur and complain... even rebel against Moses... they kept putting Him to the test and so were laid low in the wilderness, NOT permitted to enter the promised land?
It is the same TODAY, dear one: He is STILL trying to lead "Israel" out of "captivity"... only this time, NOT from a place on earth (Egypt/the wilderness) to yet another place on earth (Jerusalem, where His earthly house was built)... but from a STATUS on earth (children of the Devil) to a STATUS that encompasses heaven AND earth: the NEW Jerusalem, the "HOUSE" of God, made up of HIS children!
So that just as ancient Israel had to listen to MOSES, THEIR mediator... who repeatedly tried to warn, so as to SEPARATE them, while in the wilderness.... WE are to listen to Christ... OUR mediator... who tries to warn US, from the SPIRIT realm... so as to separate US... as HIS sheep... while we're in THIS "wilderness."
If we don't believe he SPEAKS, however... how can we HEAR him warn, lead, and so SEPARATE us??
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I would add that this poster appears to view God and Christ as one and the same. I do not. Thus, faith in God and faith in his Christ are two different things, but boils down the the same thing: taking God/Christ at their word. I don't think I could have said it simpler.
Nope. THAT you couldn't have said any simpler, dear one. If you know that, though, then you at least have some TRUTH to your "Foundation." I hope you are able to build MORE... which you can do if you listen TO... and FOLLOW... THE Truth:
The HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA, the Son and Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah)... JAH, who is the MOST HOLY One of Israel.
May you then, if you don't already have them, be given ears to HEAR... the SPIRIT, Christ... when he and his Bride, those of the NEW Jerusalem, say to YOU:
"Come! Take 'life's water'... the breath, seed, and BLOOD of God... which blood SPEAKS... and in a better way that Abel's blood... and is poured out from the innermost parts of the His Son, the HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah)...
FREE! "
I know I've shared a lot here, dear LQ... but I hope some, if not all, of it helps. Truly.
YOUR servant and a slave of Christ,
Shellamar