Do we need to repent of our sins now?

[djhwoodwerks]

According to the fateful 'slave' no. Why should we have to repent of our sins, and be forgiven if we are acquitted of them when we die?

According to the fateful 'slave', we can live as we want now, and be resurrected with a clean slate.

According to the fateful 'slave' we are not going to be judged for the way we live now, while we are alive, but for what we do "after" we are resurrected.

*** bh p. 214 pars. 2-3 Judgment Day—What Is It? ***
But on what basis will all be judged? According to the apostle John’s vision, “scrolls were opened,” and “the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds.” (Revelation 20:12) Are these scrolls the record of people’s past deeds? No, the judgment will not focus on what people did before they died. How do we know that? The Bible says: “The one who has died has been acquitted from his sin.” (Romans 6:7) Those resurrected thus come to life with a clean slate, so to speak.

So why are the witnesses so adamant about getting people to join their cult? It's not about saving souls, because what we do now has no bearing on our salvation. We don't have to be concerned about what we do until we are resurrected, then we have to obey God's old and "new" laws.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

So if I join your cult then I don't have to repent my sins?

 

[djhwoodwerks]

So if I join your cult then I don't have to repent my sins?

I'm not a witness! That's what they teach, that everyone is acquitted of their sins when we die.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Good thing I don't have this "sin" thing you speak of.

 

[djhwoodwerks]

Good thing I don't have this "sin" thing you speak of.

Whether you do or don't, it doesn't matter in this life, you'll get to learn "during" judgment. So you're safe!

*** bh p. 215 par. 1 Judgment Day—What Is It? ***
Judgment Day will give billions of people their first opportunity to learn about God’s will and to conform to it. This means that a large-scale educational work will take place.

 

[DavidFirth]

I'm not a witness! That's what they teach, that everyone is acquitted of their sins when we die.

They lied.

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I'm not one to speak ill of other religions but this is my take on this.

No, the judgment will not focus on what people did before they died. How do we know that? The Bible says: “The one who has died has been acquitted from his sin.” (Romans 6:7) Those resurrected thus come to life with a clean slate, so to speak.

Jehovah Witness do not believe in souls. So when one dies, their soul/body do not exist. They are free from sin (inherited sin from adam).

When god comes to judge people, he (as I read) will pull the dead from the ground and those still living and judge both by their deeds. According to their deeds not just their faith, they will either be saved (be in union with god) or not saved (die without union). In both cases, they are free of sin. However, your deeds as a christian (what you do for god) will determine if you are obedient and live with god forever or if you will die with acquitted sins.

So why are the witnesses so adamant about getting people to join their cult? It's not about saving souls, because what we do now has no bearing on our salvation. We don't have to be concerned about what we do until we are resurrected, then we have to obey God's old and "new" laws.

I have a few good Jehovah Witness friends. Fortunately, they didn't try to win me into their faith. I wouldn't call it a cult though. They are pretty widely known, do a lot of charity etc, very nice people as a whole (went to their sermons), know a heck lot more of the bible than any protestant and catholic I've known, so with that, they have my respect.

What you do has a bearing on your salvation. If it didn't, you can be saved and sin all you want. There would be no punishment or judgement if deeds had nothing to do with it.

John 5:28-29, “… for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”

Some people feel they have a free ticket to heaven just by repentance. If I thought my employer would pay me even though I was not a work to do the hours, I'd be shocked. I'm grateful that he gives me a paycheck because not everyone receives this "gift" since it is hard to find salvation through employment these days. A lot of people are homeless because of it. Though, because I get this pay check, my deeds are a part of this and many people look forward to their retirement check because they no longer have to work since they put into the system.

When you are obedient to god, god gives you rewards. When you are disobedient, he does not. Just christians make it so complicated that all other abrahamic religions seem to be very straightforward about it.

 

[DavidFirth]

Jesus seemed to think that you do need to repent of your sins.

"The time has come," he (Jesus) said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"

 

[Twilight Hue]

What does repent mean anyways in the context it was givin as in ancient times?

It dosent always fit in with people's allegations of what sin is, or even what it's supposed to be.

 

[savagewind]

According to the fateful 'slave' no.

According to the fateful 'slave', we can live as we want now, and be resurrected with a clean slate.

According to the fateful 'slave' we are not going to be judged for the way we live now, while we are alive, but for what we do "after" we are resurrected.

Is it your intention to change faithful to "fateful"?

 

[djhwoodwerks]

They are pretty widely known, do a lot of charity etc,

Please provide evidence of the "charity" they do, 'outside' of their organization. They have no homeless shelters, no food pantries, when they go to a disaster, they help their own with needs, but only hand out their literature to the rest. That's not charity.

Is it your intention to change faithful to "fateful"?

Not at all. You can call them what you like, but I can't, in good conscience call them "faithful".

 

[savagewind]

Please provide evidence of the "charity" they do, 'outside' of their organization. They have no homeless shelters, no food pantries, when they go to a disaster, they help their own with needs, but only hand out their literature to the rest. That's not charity.




Not at all. You can call them what you like, but I can't, in good conscience call them "faithful".

OK, I agree with you, but why the marks around slave, and not around your own interpretation, fateful?
At first, I thought you might be talking about some other group.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Please provide evidence of the "charity" they do, 'outside' of their organization. They have no homeless shelters, no food pantries, when they go to a disaster, they help their own with needs, but only hand out their literature to the rest. That's not charity.

Unless my friends are lying, yes, they do charitable work. Whether money and organizations are involved, how you personally define charity, I cannot say. Here is what I found.

Disaster Relief - Jehovah’s Witnesses use voluntary contributions to the “worldwide work”, which serves as a common fund, earmarking a certain amount for disaster relief as a rainy day fund, so-to-speak. If anything more than what is available is needed, then the governing body will discuss diverting more funds to a particular disaster relief event. Donations are anonymous and there is no specified amount to give. (We do not tithe, openly or secretly, as our opposers claim. 2 Corinthians 9:6, 7) You can trust that these funds go directly to relief efforts, since we have no administration expenses because all the work is performed by unpaid volunteers. (2 Cor 8:20)

and


Witnesses are discouraged from giving to charitable organisations, with Watchtower articles describing them as corrupt and ineffective. Information about charities is generally confined to reports about misuse of funds and the creation of "rice Christians". The Watchtower justifies its stance by claiming preaching and conversion is the only strategy with any long term benefits.

If a Witness would like to give a donation for a disaster relief it recommended they donate to the Watchtower Society who can overseer distribution of the money. This money will then be used almost entirely for Witnesses. JW.org

-
Whether you think it's morally, wrong, whatever, is not the point. Everyone gives in their way. They are concerned with spiritual charity outweighing material charity. Of course, many people think of material first and then spiritual. Whatever rocks what denominations boat. I have no bias.

 

[Milton Platt]

According to the fateful 'slave' no. Why should we have to repent of our sins, and be forgiven if we are acquitted of them when we die?

According to the fateful 'slave', we can live as we want now, and be resurrected with a clean slate.

According to the fateful 'slave' we are not going to be judged for the way we live now, while we are alive, but for what we do "after" we are resurrected.

*** bh p. 214 pars. 2-3 Judgment Day—What Is It? ***
But on what basis will all be judged? According to the apostle John’s vision, “scrolls were opened,” and “the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds.” (Revelation 20:12) Are these scrolls the record of people’s past deeds? No, the judgment will not focus on what people did before they died. How do we know that? The Bible says: “The one who has died has been acquitted from his sin.” (Romans 6:7) Those resurrected thus come to life with a clean slate, so to speak.

So why are the witnesses so adamant about getting people to join their cult? It's not about saving souls, because what we do now has no bearing on our salvation. We don't have to be concerned about what we do until we are resurrected, then we have to obey God's old and "new" laws.

Only if there is a god and it is the very specific god you are thinking of....can you provide any good evidence of it's existence outside of old stories?

 

[Jeremiahcp]

I'm not a witness! That's what they teach, that everyone is acquitted of their sins when we die.

I was talking about your cult.

 

[djhwoodwerks]

Only if there is a god and it is the very specific god you are thinking of....can you provide any good evidence of it's existence outside of old stories?

There are plenty of other threads to debate whether or not God exists, go check them out. I believe He does and this thread is not for that!

 

[djhwoodwerks]

I was talking about your cult.

My church didn't rewrite it's own Bible. My church hasn't told it's members to accept what it teaches even if they don't believe it. My church doesn't tell it's members to believe what they teach or be shunned by family and friends. My church doesn't tell it's members that it's the only true church and that all others are of satan. I don't belong to a cult!

 

[djhwoodwerks]

They are concerned with spiritual charity outweighing material charity.

Not true. They will help witnesses out materially, but non witnesses only get their literature.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

My church didn't rewrite it's own Bible. My church hasn't told it's members to accept what it teaches even if they don't believe it. My church doesn't tell it's members to believe what they teach or be shunned by family and friends. My church doesn't tell it's members that it's the only true church and that all others are of satan. I don't belong to a cult!

Whatever you say cultist.