A reader posed a question in response to this blog post: "What does “Jesus’ words are Spirit” mean? I kept reading it and I didn’t understand. Very curious.”
My response:
Great question, and an important one to understand. The meaning of ‘Jesus’ words are Spirit’ is an important spiritual thing to grasp, and emphasizes the need to “test all things” (John 6:63; 1 Cor.2:10-16; Psalm 139:7; 1 Thess.5:20-21).
As JWs, we were taught that “life” is physical existence through the breathing in and out of physical air. Not long ago, I bumped into a few JWs and asked them how they know they’re alive. Their response was that they knew because they are physically existing, breathing, and then quoted part of Eccl.9:5, saying, “the dead are conscious of nothing at all.” They were confused when I said, yes, the “dead know nothing” [interlinear] because you can be alive in the physical, but “dead,” “darkened in understanding” not really knowing Him or Jesus because of transgression and so alienated from God (Isa.26:7-14; Eph.2:1-3; Rom.1:18,25; Eph.2:12-13). Being alive or dead is not just speaking about the physical existence and action of breathing in and out of physical air. WT has distorted many teachings of Jesus and references to being “dead,” “lost,” “destroyed,” “living,” “alive” (Luke 15:4,24; Eph.2:1-3; Rom.8:2; Matt.8:22; Col.2:13; Luke 9:60; Isa.26:12-19; Dan.12:1-3; Eph.5:8-14). Words have the power of life and death (Prov.18:21; Isa.32:7; Jer.5:26-28; Hos.4:6; Mal.2:7; Ezek.44:23).
Jesus said in John 6:63, “It is the Spirit [Greek word 4151, properly, spirit (Spirit), wind, or breath] who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit [G4151, properly, spirit (Spirit), wind, or breath], and they are life.”
Jesus is the Word, and in him was life - he is the way, the truth and the life (John 1:1,4,14; 14:6). God is Spirit [G4151] (John 4:24), and the words Jesus spoke were of Spirt and are Spirit, given to him by the Father who sent him (John 4:24,23; 14:24; 6:63,68). The teachings of Jesus are words of God, Spirit, and eternal life (John 4:24,23; 14:24; 6:63,68). Jesus spoke no deceit, he was without sin (Heb.4:14; 1 Pet.2:22). No lie comes from truth - the truth comes from and is Jesus - his body who faithfully instruct his truth, words of Spirit, is to be in the presence of God (1 John 2:21; John 6:63; 14:6; 1 Cor.3:16; John 4:24; Psalm 139:7; Acts 17:28,24-25; Prov.27:19; Luke 7:38; Deut.12:5,7; 1 Pet.2:5,9; 1 Cor.12:12-14,27; 2 Cor.1:21-22; 6:16; Mal.2:6-7).
Now the words Jesus spoke and taught were in parables, figurative discourse (similes, metaphors, analogies, illustrations) using physical aspects of the natural environment to teach about spiritual things (Mark 4:2,30; 12:1; Luke 8:11; 13:6; Matt.13:34,3,18,33: 21:33). Why?
Luke 8:10, “And He [Jesus] said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that
‘Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’
Isa.6:9, "And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
Ezek.12:2, "“Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house."
Matt.13:13, "This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing,
they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is
fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be
ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
You see, Jesus’ words are Spirit and from God who is Spirit (John 6:63,68; 14:6,10; 10:38; 5:19). His words were not of his own human ideas, but of God and regarding spiritual things (John 14:24). To instruct regarding the mysteries of the Kingdom, the spiritual things that Jesus spoke and taught requires the Spirit of God (John 6:63; 4:24; 14:26; 1 Cor.2:1-5,10-16). Who is to instruct in the knowledge of God and the mysteries of the Kingdom? Merely anyone who loves God, Jesus, the Bible? Instructing in the knowledge of God is a divinely appointed duty given to the spiritual priesthood, this is their daily sacrifice (1 Pet.2:5,9; Mal.2.6-7; Heb.13:15). The divine appointment to instruct in the knowledge of God is a spiritual priest's responsibility, not assumed by self-selection or appointment by others, but individuals are chosen by God as spiritual priests through anointing by Spirit - a “ceremonial occasion,” so to speak, when God’s Spirit is poured in the heart (2 Cor.1:21-22; Rom.5:5; 1 John 2:20,27; 1 Pet.2:5,9; Mal.2:6-7). The Spirit within them teaches them and they are to be like Jesus, instructing according to Spirit with no deceit in their mouth (2 Cor.1:21-22; 1 John 2:20,27; 1 Pet.2:5,9,21-22; Mal.2:6-7). They are witnesses and servants of Jesus and God, as Jesus’ words/teachings are of God, and their faithfulness to Jesus is evidenced by the fruit/teachings of Spirit (truth) they produce (John 14:15,24,6; 6:63; 20:21-22; Matt.28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor.1:21-22; 1 John 2:20,27; 2 Pet.1:21; 1 Pet.2:5,9; 1 Cor.6:19-20; 1 Cor.4:2; 2 Tim.2:15; Eph.4:11-16,25; Rom.12:1-2; Col.3:9-10; Eph.4:13-16; Rom.12:4-5; 1 Cor.12:4-12,20,27; John 12:26; Gal.5:13; Matt.25:14-30; 24:45; 7:15-20). Please refer back to the bullet points in the original post.
The knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom that Jesus spoke were of spiritual things, yet not all receive the "word" as Jesus' parable of the sower explains (Matt.13:11-17; 1 Cor.2:10-16). Jesus used a parable to describe how hearts are like soil (Matt.13:18-23; Luke 8:11-18). The seed is the word of God (Luke 8:11). Some hearts will hear the word of God about the Kingdom but will not understand it (Matt.13:19; Luke 8:12). (Matt.13:20-21; 22:15-18; James 1:12-15). The word of God is planted in other hearts who initially receive the message with joy, but when oppressed or persecuted, they fall away (Matt.13:21; 11:6; 1 Cor.2:14). Then there is the likening of a heart receiving the word of God as among thorns because personal concerns, their own desires and contentment with their amassed "wealth," wisdom and knowledge not sourced in Spirit but their own reasoning (Matt.13:22; Luke 8:14; 21:34-35; Mark 4:19; Rom.11:33; Phil.4:19; Titus 3:1-51 Cor.4:8; Prov.13:7; Rev.3:17-20). Finally, there is a heart who receives the word and understands it and so produces a crop (Matt.13:23).
How you worship and whose instruction you believe is your free will choice, your choice of life or death (Deut.30:15-20; Prov.18:21; Matt.7:15-20; John 4:24; 1 Tim.4:1; 1 Thess.5:20:21). God need not physically destroy/kill anyone - you either have breathed in words of Spirit that give eternal life, or not, and when you physically die, the only breath of life sustaining you was of the physical air - John 6:63; Job 33:4; John 6:68; Deut.30:14-20; John 8:51; Eph.2:1-10; 4:15-20; John 11:25-26; Rom.10:14-15; Eph.4:21,23-24.
I think of my mother who has been in WT for over 50 years now. She has settled into complacency. She sees all the conjecture the WT anointed leaders make and their long list of failed prophecies and expired teachings but thinks God knows she’s just trying her best. If that is the case, why not join any physical religious organization and “try your best?” Would even a close companion of yours be content with you claiming to love them whilst simultaneously engaging in a smear campaign, spreading lies about them? Ludicrous.
I hope I have adequately explained. Have you taken your time to carefully examine the scriptures? Please ensure you do so and pray for spiritual discernment. Please let me know if you have further questions ❤️
No comments:
Post a Comment