Hebrews 10:24, 25:
24 "And let us consider one another so as to incite to love and fine works, 25 not forsaking our meeting together as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you see the day drawing near."
Ephesians 4:2, 3
2 "with all humility and mildness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, 3 earnestly endeavoring to maintain the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace."
1 Corinthians 1:10:
10 "Now I urge you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you should all speak in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you may be completely united in the same mind and in the same line of thought."
Ephesians 4:4, 5:
4 "One body there is, and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism"
John 13:34, 35:
34 "I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.”
1 Timothy 3:1-7:
3 This statement is trustworthy: If a man is reaching out to be an overseer, he is desirous of a fine work. 2 The overseer should therefore be irreprehensible, a husband of one wife, moderate in habits, sound in mind, orderly, hospitable, qualified to teach, 3 not a drunkard,e not violent, but reasonable, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, 4 a man presiding over his own household in a fine manner, having his children in subjection with all seriousness 5 (for if any man does not know how to preside over his own household, how will he care for the congregation of God?), 6 not a newly converted man, for fear that he might get puffed up with pride and fall into the judgment passed on the Devil. 7 Moreover, he should also have a fine testimony from outsiders so that he does not fall into reproach and a snare of the Devil."
Just a few scriptures to think on. I know some here hate organized religions and as a whole I do too for many of the same reasons expressed here.
But...what does the bible say? Does it ever tell anyone to go out on their own? Worship God on their own? Preach or teach on their own? Learn on their own? Have their own opinions? No it never once does. In fact the Bible or God's word to us say this:
“Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding.”—PROVERBS 3:5.
All the previous scriptures shows organization, direction, consistency in beliefs, oneness, order, guidance, leadership. This can never be done by individuals with individual beliefs.
@galveston75 saidSo, lets all join the JWs. Correct? But
Hebrews 10:24, 25:
24 "And let us consider one another so as to incite to love and fine works, 25 not forsaking our meeting together as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you see the day drawing near."
Ephesians 4:2, 3
2 "with all humility and mildness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, 3 earnestly endeavo ...[text shortened]... oneness, order, guidance, leadership. This can never be done by individuals with individual beliefs.
- they are false prophets making hundreds of prophesies that never came to pass
- they built a house for the returning saints back in 1917 called Beth Shan [or something]
- they have loads of false doctrines
- they have removed the Jews from the bible and inserted themselves
So what are people to do? Who should people join?
Anyway tell me where the bible says that people must have" ... organization, direction, consistency in beliefs, oneness, order, guidance, leadership. ...
@rajk999 saidUh..by reading the scriptures I just quoted?
So, lets all join the JWs. Correct? But
- they are false prophets making hundreds of prophesies that never came to pass
- they built a house for the returning saints back in 1917 called Beth Shan [or something]
- they have loads of false doctrines
- they have removed the Jews from the bible and inserted themselves
So what are people to do? Who should people join?
...[text shortened]... ... organization, direction, consistency in beliefs, oneness, order, guidance, leadership. ...[/i]
@whodey saidI'll say love is preached everywhere, but I don't think love is everywhere. I think the Greeks had a better grasp of that word than we do, since they have some many versions of that, that we have crammed into one word love, and by doing that confused many people.
Well love is everywhere but Jesus is the game changer for me.
@whodey saidYou remind me of the Southern Baptist preachers at revival meetings who would whip the crowd into a frenzy, and by the end of the meeting, every time the preacher said "Jesus!" they would shout back "JESUS!"
Well love is everywhere but Jesus is the game changer for me.
"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. "
-- Matthew 6:5-6 KJV
@kellyjay saidI believed (in)God when I understood I was without strength, a sinner and an enemy.
What are your top three reasons for believing or disbelieving in God? I'm not asking for why you became whatever you claim to be a Christian, Atheist, or something else. Just your top three reasons now.
Romans 5:6-11
1. The problem of evil (a "good" god should be able and willing to stop all sorts of bad things from happening, but doesn't).
2. Evolution of life on earth seems to indicate unguided, "throw mud against wall and see what sticks" process of generating new types of lifeforms.
3. Occam's Razor (god is not a required entity to explain the origins of the universe)
@bigdoggproblem saidAll of these things prove to me that Free Will works.
1. The problem of evil (a "good" god should be able and willing to stop all sorts of bad things from happening, but doesn't).
2. Evolution of life on earth seems to indicate unguided, "throw mud against wall and see what sticks" process of generating new types of lifeforms.
3. Occam's Razor (god is not a required entity to explain the origins of the universe)
@kellyjay saidNo. There are some places on this earth where there is no love.
I'll say love is preached everywhere, but I don't think love is everywhere. I think the Greeks had a better grasp of that word than we do, since they have some many versions of that, that we have crammed into one word love, and by doing that confused many people.
But we are no longer in the age of miracles, or the age of prophets.
This will not resolve until the end of this age.