Monday, April 15 2024 The Heavier Judgment

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Monday, April 15 2024​

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up.—Prov. 12:25.

On their return visit to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, the apostle Paul and Barnabas “appointed elders for them in each congregation.” (Acts 14:21-23) No doubt those appointed men proved to be a source of comfort to the congregations, as the elders are today. Elders, be alert to help those who may need “a good word” of encouragement. Paul reminded fellow worshippers that in Jehovah’s strength, “a great cloud of witnesses” had endured hardships. (Heb. 12:1) Paul understood how the life stories of those in the past who successfully endured all kinds of hardships could infuse his brothers and sisters with courage and help them keep focused on the “city of the living God.” (Heb. 12:22) The same is true today. Who has not been strengthened when reading about how Jehovah helped Gideon, Barak, David, Samuel, and many others?—Heb. 11:32-35. w22.08 21-22 ¶5-6
Examining the Scriptures Daily—2024​

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Tuesday, December 15 2015​

Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive, for they are keeping watch over your souls.—Heb. 13:17.

In giving direction to fellow believers, elders provide encouragement and counsel based either on the Scriptures themselves or on Scriptural principles. Their objective in providing such guidance is not to dictate how their brothers should live their lives. Rather, it is to give their fellow Christians Scriptural guidelines to help them make good decisions and to promote order and peace in the congregation. The elders are ‘watching over souls’ in the sense that they desire to help each member of the congregation maintain a good relationship with Jehovah. They will thus be quick to offer assistance if they perceive that a brother or a sister is about to take, or has already taken, a “false step.” Are these not good reasons for being “obedient to those who are taking the lead”?

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COMMENTARY​

There should be no doubt that most elders are well-intentioned and have the best interests of the congregation at heart.

Being in the condition that we find ourselves there are going to be domineering, ambitious men and uncaring attitudes that are prevalent even among the most spiritual elders. Not much that can be done at this time, except to try to suppress such unsavory expressions of the sick human condition and wait for the great healing to come.

But in the interim, what happens when the leading men are the ones who take a false step? Who will correct them? Do they correct themselves? That would certainly be a marvelous thing to behold. Sadly, though, it is not in the realm of reality. Bethel is, from all appearances, beyond self-correction.

Instead of humbly admitting their errors, Bethel has become stubbornly entrenched. They refuse to be straightforward in their dealings. They continue to exalt the organization and themselves and fail to set the example for elders in showing humility and contrition for their own missteps.

Unfortunately, for Jehovah’s Witnesses the error of the leadership will impact them most adversely. That is because, even though the Bible plainly states that teachers will receive a heavier judgment, implying the obvious fact that there is a day of judgment that awaits the people of God, the Watchtower has adroitly shifted all of that to 1918. Nothing but blue skies ahead for the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses! At least that is the expectation.

The situation today is similar to Jeremiah’s day. Jeremiah exhorted the leaders of God’s people, saying to them: “Hear and pay attention. Do not be haughty, for Jehovah has spoken. Give glory to Jehovah your God before he brings darkness and before your feet stumble on the mountains at dusk. You will hope for the light, but he will bring deep shadow; He will turn it into thick gloom. And if you refuse to listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. I will shed many tears, and my eyes will stream with tears, because the flock of Jehovah has been carried away captive.” — Jeremiah 13: 15-17

PJ54 said:

Tuesday, December 15 2015 Commentary​

The situation today is similar to Jeremiah’s day. Jeremiah exhorted the leaders of God’s people, saying to them: “Hear and pay attention. Do not be haughty, for Jehovah has spoken. Give glory to Jehovah your God before he brings darkness and before your feet stumble on the mountains at dusk. You will hope for the light, but he will bring deep shadow; He will turn it into thick gloom. And if you refuse to listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. I will shed many tears, and my eyes will stream with tears, because the flock of Jehovah has been carried away captive.” — Jeremiah 13: 15-17

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Thanks PJ54 for your effort in locating and posting these articles. Greatly appreciated. Gives a spiritual boost each morning.
As always, thanks, also, go to Br Robert for composing the articles and archiving them for future reference.

PJ54 said:

The Heavier Judgment

Tuesday, December 15 Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive, for they are keeping watch over your souls.—Heb. 13:17. In giving direction to fellow believers, elders provide encouragement and counsel based either on the Scriptures themselves or on

e-watchman.com

Tuesday, December 15 2015​

Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive, for they are keeping watch over your souls.—Heb. 13:17.

COMMENTARY​

There should be no doubt that most elders are well-intentioned and have the best interests of the congregation at heart.

Being in the condition that we find ourselves there are going to be domineering, ambitious men and uncaring attitudes that are prevalent even among the most spiritual elders. Not much that can be done at this time, except to try to suppress such unsavory expressions of the sick human condition and wait for the great healing to come.

But in the interim, what happens when the leading men are the ones who take a false step? Who will correct them? Do they correct themselves? That would certainly be a marvelous thing to behold. Sadly, though, it is not in the realm of reality. Bethel is, from all appearances, beyond self-correction.

Instead of humbly admitting their errors, Bethel has become stubbornly entrenched. They refuse to be straightforward in their dealings. They continue to exalt the organization and themselves and fail to set the example for elders in showing humility and contrition for their own missteps.

Unfortunately, for Jehovah’s Witnesses the error of the leadership will impact them most adversely. That is because, even though the Bible plainly states that teachers will receive a heavier judgment, implying the obvious fact that there is a day of judgment that awaits the people of God, the Watchtower has adroitly shifted all of that to 1918. Nothing but blue skies ahead for the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses! At least that is the expectation.

The situation today is similar to Jeremiah’s day. Jeremiah exhorted the leaders of God’s people, saying to them: “Hear and pay attention. Do not be haughty, for Jehovah has spoken. Give glory to Jehovah your God before he brings darkness and before your feet stumble on the mountains at dusk. You will hope for the light, but he will bring deep shadow; He will turn it into thick gloom. And if you refuse to listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. I will shed many tears, and my eyes will stream with tears, because the flock of Jehovah has been carried away captive.” — Jeremiah 13: 15-17

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Se abre el telón y el aviso a la casa de Jehová ya se siente...miralos, todos juntitos!! No caben en las sillas...
Ezequiel 34:2-Esto es lo que dice el Señor Soberano Jehová: “¡Ay de los pastores de Israel,+ que se han estado alimentando a sí mismos! ¿Acaso no es al rebaño a quien los pastores tienen que alimentar?+ 3 Ustedes se comen la grasa, se visten con la lana y matan al animal más gordo,+ pero al rebaño no lo alimentan.+ 4 No han fortalecido a las ovejas débiles ni han curado a las enfermas ni han vendado a las heridas ni han traído de vuelta a las descarriadas ni han buscado a las perdidas;+ en vez de eso, las han dominado con dureza y tiranía.+ 5 Así que fueron dispersadas por no tener pastor;+ fueron dispersadas y se convirtieron en alimento para todos los animales salvajes del campo. 6 Mis ovejas andaban descarriadas por todas las montañas y por todas las colinas altas; mis ovejas fueron dispersadas por toda la superficie de la tierra sin que nadie las buscara ni tratara de encontrarlas.
7 ”’”Por lo tanto, pastores, oigan las palabras de Jehová: 8 ‘“Tan cierto como que yo vivo —afirma el Señor Soberano Jehová—, ya que por no tener pastor mis ovejas se convirtieron en presa, en alimento para todos los animales salvajes del campo, y mis pastores no buscaron a mis ovejas, sino que se alimentaron a sí mismos y no alimentaron a mis ovejas”’, 9 por todo eso, pastores, oigan las palabras de Jehová. 10 Esto es lo que dice el Señor Soberano Jehová: ‘Estoy en contra de los pastores; les pediré cuentas por mis ovejas* y no les permitiré que alimenten* a mis ovejas,+ y los pastores ya no se alimentarán a sí mismos. Voy a rescatar a mis ovejas de su boca, y no les volverán a servir de alimento’”.