Where are we now?

Originally posted by menace71
"That's the point I know many here argue against including yourself that it really isn't necessary."


Argue what? I'm lost are you saying preaching? I never said that if that is what you are contending.


Manny

If I misunderstood your stand I'm sorry. But I thought you disagreed that it's what Jesus told us to partake of "worldwide" as he said.

Originally posted by galveston75
Well I don't but that's besides the point.

Ok..let's talk about "your" scripture.

edit2: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, so that whosever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

I can't help but laugh at this as your claiming it happens "now" if you do those things. So if this is to be ne long and hard and think about what your answer will imply. Sleep well.

that's your argument? pathetic and unworthy of a reasoned response

Originally posted by duecer
that's your argument? pathetic and unworthy of a reasoned response

I knew you'd have no reply....

Originally posted by galveston75
If I misunderstood your stand I'm sorry. But I thought you disagreed that it's what Jesus told us to partake of "worldwide" as he said.

This proves my point Steve that you know not what you speak when you rail against all of Christendom. You make blanket statements about Christians. The "Great Commission" I believe in it and while I personally have struggled to live out this command of Christ it does not mean I don't believe it or in it. I will ask you this also who is your neighbor? The person who is neigh 🙂 Good subject


Manny

Originally posted by menace71
This proves my point Steve that you know not what you speak when you rail against all of Christendom. You make blanket statements about Christians. The "Great Commission" I believe in it and while I personally have struggled to live out this command of Christ it does not mean I don't believe it or in it. I will ask you this also who is your neighbor? The person who is neigh 🙂 Good subject


Manny

Well why wouldn't I make a blanket statement as you say about this subject? Are there any other Christain religions that does this work? Is so please show me with proof.
The whole point here Manny is it's a fact that Jesus himself said is the the world would hate the ones who are following and doing his will and would hate the message that is being expressed. So first who is following that command to preach and teach to the whole inhabited earth? Believe me Manny I truely wish many more religions were involved in this work because it would hopefully insure that more life's would be saved. But it just isn't happening so it's apparently up to the 8 million or so Witnesses who see and understand what Jesus command to us all is about.
And yes, there are millions of Christains all over the earth that are kind and love their neighbors and would probably die for them. But that kindness is only a part of the picture of what Jesus said to do.
Read this scripture over and really think on it and then look back at all Jesus and the apostles did. Did they just sit on some corner or in some church and wait for ones to come to them? Were they just good neighbors? Did they just give food out to the hungry? Yes these are important things for sure but that is only a temporary fix and does nothing to teach them about the future and what they need to do to be prepared to survive it.

Matthew 28:19-20 (New International Version)
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The end has not come Manny. Has it? So this command is still in action today.

Originally posted by galveston75
Well why wouldn't I make a blanket statement as you say about this subject? Are there any other Christain religions that does this work? Is so please show me with proof.
The whole point here Manny is it's a fact that Jesus himself said is the the world would hate the ones who are following and doing his will and would hate the message that is being ex ...[text shortened]... he age.”

The end has not come Manny. Has it? So this command is still in action today.

Well why wouldn't I make a blanket statement as you say about this subject?

There are many among Christians that do mission work and preach and teach all over the world. So this is why you can't make blanket statements. It just simple logic. It would be like me saying all JW's are stupid!! Not a fair statement just because do I know all JW's ? No


Manny

Originally posted by menace71
Well why wouldn't I make a blanket statement as you say about this subject?

There are many among Christians that do mission work and preach and teach all over the world. So this is why you can't make blanket statements. It just simple logic. It would be like me saying all JW's are stupid!! Not a fair statement just because do I know all JW's ? No


Manny

True. Let's look at one of the most popular which would be the Mormons.

http://www.dearelder.com/index/inc_name/Mormon_Missionaries/

An exert:

Every Member a Missionary
This phrase is generally associated with former Mormon Prophet, President David O. McKay. It refers to responsiblity of all members to preach the Gospel through their words and deeds. In 1958, President David O. McKay said:

It is generally understood that every member of the Church should be a missionary.

""""He is probably not authorized to go from house to house"""",

but he is authorized, by virtue of his membership, to set a proper example as a good neighbor. Neighbors are watching him. Neighbors are watching his children. He is a light, and it is his duty not to have that light hidden under a bushel, but it should be set up on a hill that all men may be guided thereby.
Conference Report, October 1958, 93
Mormons believe that we should share the truth and power of the Gospel with everyone they meet. The Lord said to Joseph Smith, the Prophet, "Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor" (Doctrine & Covenants 88:81). Since Mormons know that their message is from God and is for all mankind. Therefore, they share it will Christians and non-Christians. To non-Christians they share the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Savior of all mankind. To Christians, they say, Our Savior, Jesus Christ, has spoken again and has an important message for mankind today.

This web site mentions tht at any given time there are between 51K - 55K doing the missionary work worldwide, and their assignments are for only a 2 year period.

I find this interesting on two points.

1) There are 14 million Mormons worldwide but only 55K actually do a door to door preaching assignment. Why aren't the other 13+ million involved?

2) Why do they do this for only 2 years? Is that all that's asked by Jesus is just a part time preaching and teaching work?

Don't get me wrong...They are a good decent and clean people. I've been thru many parts of Salt Lake City and the neighborhoods and homes are almost sterile there so clean and taken care of. I have no problems with them OTHER then they don't seem to see the urgency of the work Jesus said to do,

2 Timothy 4:2 (Amplified Bible)
2 Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching."

So it's great that they do some of this work that Jesus said to do but what is it they talk to ones about at the door? Is it what Jesus said to teach people about trying to survive this wicked world and the impending end of this system?
I've talked to many Mormons at my door and they never mentioned that to me.
And the last point again is they only do this for two years. Why is that? It would seem that knowing what the Bible says with distruction coming on this world soon, they would all be out in full force and without a two year restriction and do all they can to inform all the world of Jesus's message.
Must not be a huge priority to them...

Well I don't know about the stats you gave but I do see Mormons on their bicycles all the time in this area where I live. It's funny because they have their white shirts n ties on with a helmet LOL :-) I have a Kingdom hall about a 1/4 of a mile from where I live never see them come to this complex so I don't know. Probably still not a fair assessment by me but just what I see day to day.



Manny

Originally posted by menace71
Well I don't know about the stats you gave but I do see Mormons on their bicycles all the time in this area where I live. It's funny because they have their white shirts n ties on with a helmet LOL :-) I have a Kingdom hall about a 1/4 of a mile from where I live never see them come to this complex so I don't know. Probably still not a fair assessment by me but just what I see day to day.



Manny

Yes you can always spot the Mormons but that's an OK thing. And the stats I gave are in the link I posted.
And it could be the Witnesses aren't allowed in your complex. It's actually pretty common for us to be banned from apartment complexes. Usually all it takes is one tenant to complain to their managment and then were banned. Not really fair or all the rest that live there.
So the freedom of religion and speach here in this country isn't always true. There are even some towns such as Paradise Valley in the Phoenix area where I used to live that tried to completely ban us. They lost but we had to settle on that only the elders could go in but no one else.
But the Mormons have no restrictions on them mostly because they are seldom there.

Well I do agree with you on the Freedom of religion stance. 🙂
Thats and interesting stance if a complex bans a group don't know if it is legal or not?
Maybe it considered trespassing if you don't live in the complex to begin with? But what if a tenant wants visits from said group?

Manny

Originally posted by menace71
Well I do agree with you on the Freedom of religion stance. 🙂
Thats and interesting stance if a complex bans a group don't know if it is legal or not?
Maybe it considered trespassing if you don't live in the complex to begin with? But what if a tenant wants visits from said group?

Manny

Yes it's not legal but it's a gray area because it is private property. Rarely the police will get called but when they do they usually don't know what to do because local laws can vary.
But we just comply and never want trouble. If someone is interested though and we're going to that one apartment there is never any trouble because the managment can't stop anyone from having wanted visitors.
And sometimes we may go into a property and just go to a few doors and then leave and come back another day to do a few more. It's a hassle but at least we do what we can and don't want to cause trouble.

A sign of the last days:
Ridiculers in “the Last Days.”
One of the signs marking “the last days” would be “ridiculers [literally, players in sport (of mocking)] with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires [“own desires for ungodly things”; Jude 17, 18] and saying: ‘Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.’” (2Pe 3:3, 4) Obviously, such ones do not heed the advice of Isaiah 28:21, 22, warning of the grave danger of scoffing at Jehovah.

More signs:


2 Timothy 3:2-5 (New International Version, ©2010)
2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Luke 21:25 (Amplified Bible)
25 And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth [there will be] distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity [[a]without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn] at the roaring ([b]the echo) of the tossing of the sea,(A)

One only has to look at the economic situations throughout the world now. Thousands of ideas but no answers......

Originally posted by josephw
[b]"where are we now...?"

In the dispensation of the grace of God.

When it ends, then the prophetic will resume.[/b]

Originally posted by galveston75
Thanks but I have no idea what that means..Sorry but could you explain it. 🙂

It means, if I get him correctly, basically, we're in a "holding pattern".

Given by God to the righteous, through the prayers of the righteous.

When this extra time is up, the countdown shall resume.

It's an interesting take on the "end times" timeline.