NewStats: 3,264,655 , 8,184,358 topics. Date: Wednesday, 11 June 2025 at 09:38 PM 4y4cx6382y |
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The Bible’s answer “Speaking in tongues” refers to a miraculous ability some early Christians had that enabled them to speak a language without first having learned it. (Acts 10:46, New International Version) The speaker was easily understood by anyone who knew that language. (Acts 2:4- ![]() Where and when did speaking in tongues start? What was the purpose of speaking in tongues? Was speaking in tongues to continue permanently? When did speaking in tongues cease? What about speaking in tongues today? How can true Christians be identified? Where and when did speaking in tongues start? This miracle first occurred in Jerusalem on the morning of the Jewish Festival of Pentecost in 33 C.E. About 120 of Jesus’ disciples were meeting together when “they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak in different languages.” (Acts 1:15; 2:1-4) A large crowd of people “from every nation under heaven” gathered, and “each one heard them speaking in his own language.”—Acts 2:5, 6. What was the purpose of speaking in tongues? To show that God was backing Christians. In the past, God provided miraculous signs to prove that he was backing faithful people such as Moses. (Exodus 4:1-9, 29-31; Numbers 17:10) Speaking in tongues served a similar purpose, showing that God was backing the newly formed Christian congregation. The apostle Paul wrote: “Tongues are not a sign for the believers but for the unbelievers.”—1 Corinthians 14:22. To enable Christians to give a thorough witness. Those who heard Jesus’ followers on the day of Pentecost said: “We hear them speaking in our languages about the magnificent things of God.” (Acts 2:11) Thus, another key purpose of this miracle was to enable Christians “to give a thorough witness” and to “make disciples of people of all the nations,” as they had been commanded by Jesus. (Acts 10:42; Matthew 28:19) About 3,000 who observed the miracle and listened to the witness that was given became disciples that very day.—Acts 2:41. Was speaking in tongues to continue permanently? No. The gifts of the holy spirit, including that of speaking in tongues, were a temporary provision. The Bible foretold: “If there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease.”—1 Corinthians 13:8. When did speaking in tongues cease? The gifts of the holy spirit were generally ed on to other Christians in the presence of the apostles, usually by the apostles placing their hands on fellow believers. (Acts 8:18; 10:44-46) It appears that those who received the gifts of the spirit from the apostles did not transfer them to others. (Acts 8:5-7, 14-17) To illustrate, a government official may issue a driver’s license to someone, but that person is not given the legal authority to issue a license to anyone else. Apparently, speaking in tongues ended with the death of the apostles and those who had personally received the gift from them. What about speaking in tongues today? The miraculous gift of speaking in tongues evidently ended about the end of the first century C.E. No one today can rightly claim to speak in tongues by God’s power. * How can true Christians be identified? Jesus said that self-sacrificing love would identify his disciples. (John 13:34, 35) Likewise, the apostle Paul taught that love would be a permanent identifier of genuine Christians. (1 Corinthians 13:1, ![]() https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=502018138&srcid=share 2 Likes |
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cornelboy:Thank you ![]() 1 Like |
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The Bible’s answer Many Christian denominations teach that God is a Trinity. However, note what the Encyclopædia Britannica states: “Neither the word Trinity nor the explicit doctrine appears in the New Testament . . . The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies.” In fact, the God of the Bible is never described as being part of a Trinity. Note these Bible ages: “Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.”—Deuteronomy 6:4. “You, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth.”—Psalm 83:18. “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”—John 17:3. “God is only one.”—Galatians 3:20. What is the origin of the myth? “The impression could arise that the Trinitarian dogma is in the last analysis a late 4th-century invention. In a sense, this is true . . . The formulation ‘one God in three Persons’ was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967), Volume 14, page 299. “The Council of Nicaea met on May 20, 325 [C.E.]. Constantine himself presided, actively guiding the discussions, and personally proposed . . . the crucial formula expressing the relation of Christ to God in the creed issued by the council, ‘of one substance with the Father.’ . . . Overawed by the emperor, the bishops, with two exceptions only, signed the creed, many of them much against their inclination.”—Encyclopædia Britannica (1970), Volume 6, page 386. What does the Bible say? “Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘Look! I can see heaven thrown open,’ he said, ‘and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.’”—Acts 7:55, 56, The New Jerusalem Bible. What did this vision reveal? Filled with God’s active force, Stephen saw Jesus “standing at God’s right hand.” Clearly, then, Jesus did not become God again after his resurrection to heaven but, rather, a distinct spiritual being. There is no mention of a third person next to God in this . Despite attempts to find ages of Scripture to the Trinity dogma, Dominican priest Marie-Émile Boismard wrote in his book À l’aube du christianisme—La naissance des dogmes (At the Dawn of Christianity—The Birth of Dogmas): “The statement that there are three persons in the one God . . . cannot be read anywhere in the New Testament.” The dogma that Constantine championed was intended to put an end to dissensions within the fourth-century Church. However, it actually raised another issue: Was Mary, the woman who bore Jesus, “the Mother of God”? Compare these Bible verses: Matthew 26:39; John 14:28; 1 Corinthians 15:27, 28; Colossians 1:15, 16 FACT: The Trinitarian dogma is a late fourth-century invention https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2009804&srcid=share https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=502012486&srcid=share 2 Likes 2 Shares |
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Anxiety in Men—How the Bible Can Help When you think of a person who is dealing with anxiety, * you might picture someone who is paralyzed with fear, someone who can barely get out of bed in the morning, or someone who talks a lot about endless worries. Some people do react in those ways when dealing with anxiety. But researchers have found that others—especially men—may tend to react differently. One report states that men “are more likely to use alcohol and drugs to cope with anxiety, so what looks like a drinking problem may actually be an underlying anxiety disorder. And anxiety in men often manifests as anger and irritability.” Of course, not all men react the same way. But regardless of a person’s reaction to it, anxiety is a growing problem in these “critical times [that are] hard to deal with.” (2 Timothy 3:1) If you are dealing with anxiety, can the Bible help you? Practical Bible Advice on Dealing With Anxiety The Bible contains a wealth of reliable advice that can help us when we are anxious. Consider three examples. 1.“Never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Each day has enough of its own troubles.”—Matthew 6:34. Meaning: We are wise to avoid excessive worry about what may (or may not) happen in the future. Oftentimes, things do not turn out the way we fear they will. In some cases, things even unexpectedly change for the better. Try this: Recall times in the past when you were certain that something bad would happen—but it did not. Then evaluate your current worries, trying to be as realistic as possible about how likely they are to become major issues. 2.“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens his friend.”—Proverbs 27:17. Meaning: Other people can help us deal with our anxieties—if we let them. They may be able to give us some practical suggestions based on their own life experience. At the very least, they can probably give us an outside perspective on the situation. Try this: Think of someone who might have good advice to offer, such as a friend who has dealt with a problem similar to one you are facing. Ask him what worked or did not work for him. 3.“Throw all your anxiety [or “cares; worries,” footnote] on him, because he cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:7. Meaning: God has deep concern for those who are suffering. He invites us to pray to him about anything that weighs on our mind. Try this: Make a list of things that are causing you anxiety. Then pray to God about those concerns, explaining each problem and asking for his help to deal with it. When Anxiety Will Be No More The Bible offers more than advice on dealing with anxiety. It promises a time in the near future when the worries we have today will be gone forever. How will that happen? God’s Kingdom will eliminate the root causes of anxiety. (Revelation 21:4) In fact, under the rulership of that Kingdom, even the memory of anxieties and stresses will not plague us.—Isaiah 65:17. This is the future that “the God who gives peace” wants for you. (Romans 16:20) He assures us: “I well know the thoughts that I am thinking toward you, . . . thoughts of peace, and not of calamity, to give you a future and a hope.”—Jeremiah 29:11. https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&pub=mrt&srcid=share |
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FERNANDEZISBACK:Okay, so i would like to address the things you said one by one FIRST: You need to consider the circumstances in which Jehovah ordered the entire planet, the city of Sodom, and the amalekites to be wiped out. Consider what Jehovah said about them: “Jehovah saw that the badness of man was abundant in the earth and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time. So God saw the earth and, look! it was ruined, because all flesh had ruined its way on the earth.”—Genesis 6:5, 12. This was the why Jehovah felt he should wipe out that old world,but let us not forget that he sent Noah to warn them to change and Noah did so for years probably even decades before the flood came so the people had no excuse when the flood came. Now specifically about the infants, they would have grown up to be as bad as the people they grew up with so there was no point in keeping them alive really this is just pure reasoning, and while you may not agree with me Jehovah does have complete right to decide who lives and who dies because he created all of us. Now refering to the city of Sodom you should also look at the context in which Jehovah decided to wipe them in Genesis 18 Jehovah told Abraham that he was goimg to destroy Sodom because there sins were to great, and we get an idea of what those sins were when his angels visited, from mere boys to men they wanted to sleep with the angels that had arrived in the form of men so these men were homosexuals, who wanted to sleep with GOD'S ANGELS of all people, so i'm pretty sure you get an idea of just how bad these people were even down to children so he had every right once again to destoy them. Third the, the Amalekites now these once were special in the way they sinned, they attacked Jehovah's people UNPROVOKED just after they left Egypt they were literally killing the young and the weak among the isrealites God's chosen people at the time, and if you continue to read the bible you will see that they continued to oppose God's people at any chance they got, So Jehovah finally decreed that they should be exterminated and it would make sense for him to leave the children because they would just grow up to be as bad as the amalekites themselves and a stellar example of this is of Haman the Agagite, who was an Amalekite, this was years after the nation of Amalek had been exterminated, you would think that he would grow up in a different way because he did not live with the nation of Amalek but no he still grew to oppose jews and even sought to exterminate them but Jehovah protected his people once more and had him exposed which led to his death SECOND: It seems you have the belief that Jesus and Jehovah are the same person the bible does not that. Is Jesus Almighty God? What did Jesus say? ▪ “If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going my way to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am.” (John 14:28) Jesus acknowledged that he and his Father are not equals. ▪ “I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.” (John 20:17) Jesus did not speak of himself as God but spoke of God as a separate Person. ▪ “I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak.” (John 12:49) Jesus’ teachings did not come from him; they came from the Father. JESUS claimed to be the Son of God, not Almighty God. If Jesus wereGod, to whom was he praying while here on earth? (Matthew 14:23; 26:26-29) Surely Jesus was not just pretending to talk to someone else! When two of Jesus’ disciples asked him for special positions in his Kingdom, he answered: “This sitting down at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” (Matthew 20:23) Was Jesus telling them a lie when he stated that he did not have the authority to grant their request? Hardly! Rather, he humbly acknowledged that only God has the authority to make such decisions. Jesus even explained that there were some things that neither he nor the angels knew but that were known only by his Father.—Mark 13:32. Was Jesus lower than God only while he was a man here on earth? No. Even after his death and resurrection, Jesus is described in the Bible as being subordinate to God. The apostle Paul reminds us that “God is supreme over Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:3, Today’s English Version) The Bible says that in the future “when all things have been placed under Christ’s rule, then he himself, the Son, will place himself under God, who placed all things under him; and God will rule completely over all.”—1 Corinthians 15:28, TEV. Clearly, Jesus is not God Almighty. That is why he spoke of his Father as “my God.”—Revelation 3:2, 12; 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4. * Jesus said there were some things that neither he nor the angels knew but that were known only by his Father So with that in mind we need to understand why and what he was dying for, basically Adam and Eve our first parent sinned against Jehovah and thus became imperfect, they had children and ed that imperfection down to us today, now note this: one perfect man Adam made us lose perfection, so if we wanted to gain perfection again we needed another perfect man to release from sin and imperfection we needed another perfect man and since all humans were now imperfect Jesus volunteered to die for our sins. Now while his death helps forgive our sins it does much more than that it also gives us the hope of regaining the perfection that we lost so his death was necessary and as to how he died this was just merely because of were he lived, this was how romans and occasionally even the isrealites killed condemned criminals, but we all know Jesus was know criminal FINALLY: The new convenant was introduced when Jesus died why? When the Israelites accepted the Law covenant(the mosaic law), they became God’s “special property.” Under that covenant, the tribe of Levi would provide priests for the nation. When making that national covenant between himself and Israel at Mount Sinai, Jehovah mentioned “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” but left open when and by what means that would come about. (Ex. 19:5- ![]() If you still have more comments please do. And you can learn more on www.jw.org |
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FERNANDEZISBACK:you can always read more here if you want to https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=1101987000&srctype=wol&srcid=share |
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FERNANDEZISBACK:For a book you regard as fictional, it has changed millions of lives for the better. but that aside read on this Why You Can Trust the Bible Some people say the Bible is unreliable, and their views have gained wide acceptance. Thus many today dismiss what the Bible says as untrustworthy. On the other hand, what Jesus Christ said in prayer to God promotes trust: “Your word is truth.” And the Bible itself claims to be inspired by God.—John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16. What do you think about this? Is there sound basis for trusting the Bible? Or is there really evidence that the Bible is unreliable, that it contradicts itself and is inconsistent? Does It Contradict Itself? While some may claim the Bible contradicts itself, has anyone ever shown you an actual example? We have never seen one that could withstand scrutiny. True, there may appear to be discrepancies in certain Bible s. But the problem usually is lack of knowledge regarding details and circumstances of the times. For example, some persons will draw attention to what they consider a discrepancy in the Bible, asking: ‘Where did Cain get his wife?’ The assumption is that Cain and Abel were the only children of Adam and Eve. But the assumption is based on a misunderstanding of what the Bible says. The Bible explains that Adam “became father to sons and daughters.” (Genesis 5:4) Thus Cain married one of his sisters or possibly a niece. Often critics are just looking for contradictions and so may declare: ‘The Bible writer Matthew says that an army officer came to ask Jesus a favor, while Luke says that representatives were sent to ask. Which one is correct?’ (Matthew 8:5, 6; Luke 7:2, 3) But is this really a contradiction? When the activity or work of people is credited to the one who is actually responsible for it, a reasonable person does not claim a discrepancy. For example, do you consider a report to be in error that says a mayor built a road even though the actual building of the road was done by his engineers and laborers? Of course not! Similarly, it is not inconsistent for Matthew to say that the army officer made a request of Jesus but, as Luke writes, that such a request was made through certain representatives. As more details are known, apparent discrepancies in the Bible disappear. History and Science The historical accuracy of the Bible was once widely doubted. Critics, for example, questioned the existence of such Bible characters as King Sargon of Assyria, Belshazzar of Babylon, and the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. But recent discoveries have verified one Bible after another. Thus historian Moshe Pearlman wrote: “Suddenly, sceptics who had doubted the authenticity even of the historical parts of the Old Testament began to revise their views.” If we are to trust the Bible, it must also be accurate in matters of science. Is it? Not long ago scientists, in contradiction of the Bible, asserted that the universe had no beginning. However, astronomer Robert Jastrow recently pointed to newer information that refutes this, explaining: “Now we see how the astronomical evidence leads to a biblical view of the origin of the world. The details differ, but the essential elements in the astronomical and biblical s of Genesis are the same.”—Genesis 1:1. Men have also changed their views relative to the shape of the earth. “Voyages of discovery,” explains The World Book Encyclopedia, “showed that the world was round, not flat as most people had believed.” But the Bible was correct all along! More than 2,000 years before those voyages, the Bible said at Isaiah 40:22: “There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth,” or as other translations say, “the globe of the earth” (Douay), “the round earth.” (Moffatt) Thus the more humans learn, the greater the evidence is that the Bible can be trusted. A former director of the British Museum, Sir Frederic Kenyon, wrote: “The results already achieved confirm what faith would suggest, that the Bible can do nothing but gain from an increase of knowledge.” Foretelling the Future But can we really trust the Bible’s forecasts for the future, including its promises of a ‘righteous new heavens and new earth’? (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:3, 4) Well, what has been the Bible’s record of reliability in the past? Time and time again prophecies given even hundreds of years in advance have been fulfilled in exact detail! For example, the Bible foretold the overthrow of mighty Babylon nearly 200 years before it happened. In fact, the Medes, who became aligned with the Persians, were named as the conquerors. And although Cyrus, the Persian king, had not even been born as yet, the Bible foretold that he would be prominent in the conquest. It said that Babylon’s protecting waters, the river Euphrates, “must be dried up,” and that “the gates [of Babylon] will not be shut.”—Jeremiah 50:38; Isaiah 13:17-19; 44:27–45:1. These specific details were fulfilled, as the historian Herodotus reported. Further, the Bible foretold that Babylon would eventually become uninhabited ruins. And that is just what happened. Today Babylon is a desolate heap of mounds. (Isaiah 13:20-22; Jeremiah 51:37, 41-43) And the Bible is full of other prophecies that have had dramatic fulfillment. What then does the Bible foretell concerning the present world’s system of things? It says: “The final age of this world is to be a time of troubles. Men will love nothing but money and self; they will be arrogant, boastful, and abusive; with no respect for parents, no gratitude, no piety, no natural affection . . . They will be men who put pleasure in the place of God, men who preserve the outward form of religion, but are a standing denial of its reality.”—2 Timothy 3:1-5, The New English Bible. Surely, we are seeing the fulfillment of this now! But the Bible also foretells for “the final age of this world” these things: “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages.” In addition, “there will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another pestilences.”—Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11. Indeed, Bible prophecies are undergoing fulfillment today! Well, then, what about yet-to-be-fulfilled promises, such as: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it,” and, “They will have to beat their swords into plowshares . . . , neither will they learn war anymore”?—Psalm 37:29; Isaiah 2:4. ‘That’s just too good to be true,’ some may say. But really, there is no reason for us to doubt anything that our Creator promises. His Word can be trusted! (Titus 1:2) By examining the evidence further, you will become ever more convinced of this. |
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The Bible’s answer Jesus’ opposers accused him of making himself equal to God. (John 5:18; 10:30-33) However, Jesus never claimed to be on the same level as Almighty God. He said: “The Father is greater than I am.”—John 14:28. Jesus’ early followers did not view him as being equal to Almighty God. For example, the apostle Paul wrote that after Jesus was resurrected, God “exalted him [Jesus] to a superior position.” Obviously, Paul did not believe that Jesus was Almighty God. Otherwise, how could God exalt Jesus to a superior position? —Philippians 2:9. https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=502012496&srcid=share 1 Like |
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What Is the Resurrection? The Bible’s answer In the Bible, the word translated as “resurrection” comes from the Greek a·naʹsta·sis, which means “rai” or “standing up again.” A person who is resurrected is raised up from death and restored to life as the person he was before.—1 Corinthians 15:12, 13. Although the word “resurrection” is not in the Hebrew Scriptures, often called the Old Testament, the teaching appears there. Through the prophet Hosea, for example, God promised: “From the power of the Grave I will redeem them; from death I will recover them.”—Hosea 13:14; Job 14:13-15; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2, 13. Where will people be resurrected? Some people are resurrected to life in heaven to rule as kings with Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:1; Revelation 5:9, 10) The Bible calls this “the first resurrection” and “the earlier resurrection,” both expressions implying that there is another resurrection to follow. (Revelation 20:6; Philippians 3:11) This later resurrection will be to life on earth, which the vast majority of those brought back to life will enjoy.—Psalm 37:29. How are people resurrected? God grants Jesus the power to raise the dead. (John 11:25) Jesus will restore “all those in the memorial tombs” to life, each one with his unique identity, personality, and memories. (John 5:28, 29) Those resurrected to heaven receive a spirit body, while those resurrected to life on earth receive a healthy physical body, completely sound.—Isaiah 33:24; 35:5, 6; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 50. Who will be resurrected? The Bible says that “there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15) The righteous include faithful people, such as Noah, Sarah, and Abraham. (Genesis 6:9; Hebrews 11:11; James 2:21) The unrighteous include those who failed to meet God’s standards but did not have the opportunity to learn and follow them. However, those who become so wicked that they are beyond reform will not be resurrected. When such ones die, they suffer permanent destruction with no hope of a return to life.—Matthew 23:33; Hebrews 10:26, 27. When will the resurrection take place? The Bible foretold that the resurrection to heaven would take place during Christ’s presence, which began in 1914. (1 Corinthians 15:21-23) The resurrection to life on earth will occur during the Thousand Year Reign of Jesus Christ, when the earth will be transformed into a paradise.—Luke 23:43; Revelation 20:6, 12, 13. Why is belief in the resurrection reasonable? The Bible provides detailed s of nine resurrections, each confirmed by eyewitnesses. (1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:32-37; 13:20, 21; Luke 7:11-17; 8:40-56; John 11:38-44; Acts 9:36-42; Acts 20:7-12; 1 Corinthians 15:3-6) Jesus’ resurrection of Lazarus is especially noteworthy, since Lazarus had been dead for four days and Jesus performed the miracle before a crowd of people. (John 11:39, 42) Even those who opposed Jesus could not deny the facts of the matter, so instead they plotted to kill both Jesus and Lazarus.—John 11:47, 53; 12:9-11. Three resurrections as recorded in the Bible: a widow’s child, a Christian woman, and Jesus’ friend Lazarus The Bible shows that God has both the ability and the desire to bring back the dead. He keeps in his limitless memory a detailed record of each person he will resurrect by means of his almighty power. (Job 37:23; Matthew 10:30; Luke 20:37, 38) God is able to restore the dead to life, and he wants to! Describing the coming resurrection, the Bible says of God: “You will long for the work of your hands.”—Job 14:15. Misconceptions about the resurrection Myth: The resurrection is a reuniting of the soul with the body. Fact: The Bible teaches that the soul is the entire person, not some part that survives death. (Genesis 2:7, footnote; Ezekiel 18:4) A person who is resurrected is not reunited with his soul; he is recreated as a living soul. Myth: Some people are resurrected and then immediately destroyed. Fact: The Bible says that “those who practiced vile things” will receive “a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:29) However, this judgment is based on what they do after they are resurrected, not before. Jesus said: “The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who have paid attention will live.” (John 5:25) Those who ‘pay attention’ to, or obey, the things they learn after they are resurrected will have their names recorded in “the scroll of life.”—Revelation 20:12, 13. Myth: When resurrected, a person receives exactly the same body that he had before he died. Fact: After death, a person’s body would likely have broken down and disintegrated.—Ecclesiastes 3:19, 20. https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=502014163&srcid=share |
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Racism What is the origin of the races of mankind? “Adam named his wife Eve, because she was to become the mother of everyone living.”—Genesis 3:20. WHAT EXPERTS SAY The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states that “all human beings belong to a single species and are descended from a common stock.”—Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice, 1978. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS God created two humans, Adam and Eve, and he said to them: “Be fruitful and become many, fill the earth and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:28) Thus, Adam and Eve came to be the father and mother of all humankind. Later, when a flood wiped out most of the earth’s population, four couples survived—Noah and his wife along with their three sons and their wives. The Bible teaches that all of us descended from Noah’s sons.—Genesis 9:18, 19. Is any race superior to another? “[God] made out of one man every nation of men to dwell on the entire surface of the earth.”—Acts 17:26. WHAT SOME HAVE SAID During the 20th century, a number of groups adopted racist ideologies. The Nazis, for example, argued that there was a biological basis for beliefs concerning racial superiority. On the other hand, the UNESCO document cited earlier recognized “the essential unity of the human race and consequently the fundamental equality of all human beings and all peoples.” WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS Acts 10:34, 35 states: “God is not partial, but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” For this reason, nobody can rightly consider one race to be superior to another. Jesus set the standard for Christians when he said to his disciples: “All of you are brothers.” (Matthew 23: ![]() Will there ever be an end to racism? “In the final part of the days, the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established . . . , and to it all the nations will stream.”—Isaiah 2:2. WHAT SOME THINK Ongoing racial tension leads people in many lands to question whether society has made any significant progress in dealing with racism. Some conclude that they will never see racial equality. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS God will not tolerate racial hatred indefinitely. On the contrary, under his Kingdom, men and women “out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues” will serve him in unity, demonstrating genuine love for their fellow man. (Revelation 7:9) God’s Kingdom is not some abstract condition of the heart. Rather, it is a government that will have profound effects on our earth—the very place that God intended for all peoples to dwell without racial barriers. * https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&issue=2014-04&pub=g14&srcid=share |
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The Bible’s answer You can get to know God personally by learning about him and taking steps to please him. God will then “draw close to you.” (James 4: ![]() Steps to knowing God Misconceptions about knowing God Steps to knowing God Read the Bible What the Bible says: “All Scripture is inspired of God.”—2 Timothy 3:16. Meaning: God is the Author of the Bible. He put his thoughts into the minds of the Bible writers. By means of this unique book, God has revealed his will for us. He has also revealed facets of his personality, including his love, justice, and mercy.—Exodus 34:6; Deuteronomy 32:4. What you can do: Read the Bible daily. (Joshua 1: ![]() As an example, read Jeremiah 29:11, and then ask yourself: ‘What does God want for me—peace or calamity? Is he a vengeful God, or does he want me to have a good future?’ Observe creation What the Bible says: “[God’s] invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made.”—Romans 1:20. Meaning: God’s physical creations reveal aspects of his personality, just as a work of art can reveal much about the artist or a complex machine can say much about the inventor. To illustrate, the capacity and complexity of the human brain reveal God’s wisdom, and the controlled energy in the sun and other stars demonstrates his power.—Psalm 104:24; Isaiah 40:26. What you can do: Take time to observe and learn about our natural world. As you do, ask yourself, ‘What do the amazing designs manifest in nature reveal about God?’ * Of course, there are many things that nature cannot tell us about our Creator. That is why he gave us the Bible. Use God’s name What the Bible says: “I will protect him because he knows my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him.”—Psalm 91:14, 15. Meaning: God, whose name is Jehovah, gives special attention to those who know his name and use it respectfully. * (Psalm 83:18; Malachi 3:16) By telling us his personal name, God has introduced himself to us. “I am Jehovah. That is my name,” he says.—Isaiah 42:8. What you can do: Use Jehovah’s name when referring to him. Talk to Jehovah in prayer What the Bible says: “Jehovah is near to all those calling on him.”—Psalm 145:18. Meaning: Jehovah draws close to those who pray to him in faith. Prayer is an aspect of worship that shows our deep respect for God. What you can do: Pray to God often. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Tell him your concerns and how you feel.—Psalm 62:8. * Build faith in God What the Bible says: “Without faith it is impossible to please God well.”—Hebrews 11:6. Meaning: To draw close to God, we must have faith in him. In the Bible, having faith means more than simply believing that God exists. It also means having complete trust in him, including his promises and standards. Trust is crucial to a good relationship. What you can do: Genuine faith is based on knowledge. (Romans 10:17) So study the Bible and prove to yourself that you can trust God and his advice. Jehovah’s Witnesses would be happy to study the Bible with you. * Do what pleases God What the Bible says: “This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments.”—1 John 5:3. Meaning: Jehovah is close to those who show their love for him by doing their best to obey his commandments. What you can do: As you study the Bible, note what God likes and dislikes. Ask yourself, ‘What adjustments can I make in order to please my Creator?’—1 Thessalonians 4:1. Experience God’s care by applying his advice What the Bible says: “By experience you will see that [God] is good.”—Psalm 34:8, The Bible in Basic English. Meaning: God invites you to see for yourself how good he is. When you experience his love and , you will want to draw close to him. What you can do: As you read the Bible, apply God’s advice and experience the benefits this brings. (Isaiah 48:17, 18) Also observe real-life examples of individuals who, with God’s help, overcame challenges, improved their lives and the lives of their families, and found true happiness. * Misconceptions about knowing God Misconception: God is too powerful and important to want to be close to us. Fact: Even though God is the most powerful and important Being in all existence, he invites us to draw close to him. The Bible contains many examples of men and women who became his close friends.—Acts 13:22; James 2:23. Misconception: We cannot know God because he is a mystery. Fact: Some things about God are difficult to comprehend, such as his being an invisible Spirit. Still, we can get to know God. In fact, the Bible says that we need to know him in order to gain everlasting life. (John 17:3) In we can understand, the Bible tells us about our Creator, revealing his personality, his purpose for mankind and for the earth, and his standards. (Isaiah 45:18, 19; 1 Timothy 2:4) And as mentioned, the Bible also reveals God’s name. (Psalm 83:18) We can thus not only know God but also draw close to him.—James 4:8. Learn more on www.jw.org |
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FalseProphet1:bros hw far oya delete your acc now now if you don't i swear thunder will strike you. |
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Confirmedzombie:una no shout igbo amaka for this one? |
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Andy15:also you should consider verse 18, i think that assumption that the people made is the reason he said the words in verse 19-21. He was trying to make it clear that God was far greater than he was. So he said everything he knew he learnt from God and his actions were based(not exactly) on what he had seen God do. |
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tctrills:well i don't think it means that God did every exact thing that Jesus did i just think it means that God taught him everything he knows and he tries to imitate God's qualities |
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tctrills:NEW WORLD TRANSLATION it uses simple easy to understand english. |
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seglabsy:Like all the commenters above have said it was a gift of the holy spirit that allowed disciples to comnunicate with people of the nations back then and this is one of the things JWs teach(this may induce unfriendly replies). But as of today i believe God no longer gives that gift. |
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allwell51:I'm not encouraging suicide at all o but i dey hail all this girls there are more easy ways to die like shoot your head or just find someone to snap your neck but not sniper now. This thing melts your insides and you will feel the pain till you die. Dem get mind ooo. |
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ipobarethieves:A u.s. aircraft can only be called air force 1 if the u.s. president uses it 1 Like |
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Broobembem:Baba no enjoy anything all na just for ad |
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innocentdude:i see what you did there |
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bakesntakes:yeah they are different but i think both are made with cassava |
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kingxsamz:i understand if my points sound unreasonable to you after all i can't force you to accept my beliefs as a JW but it was nice talking to you. |
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kingxsamz:look my friend there are many instances in the bible where children shared in the judgements received by their fathers even the isrealites suffered this when they disobeyed Jehovah and i will stress again that the amalekites had intense hatred for the isrealites if you haman the agagite() he wanted to exterminate God's people in one day both men,women and children but God protected so it shouldn't come as a shock that Jehovah would command that they be totally exterminated |
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Some people believe that no one listen their prayers or that prayer is not necessary. What do you think?
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kingxsamz:Now I just did some research and it turns out that the amalekites we're facing the consequences of their actions against the Israelites many years ago when the Israelites had just left Egypt the amalekites attacked the Israelites a lot of time raiding Israelite camps,burning their crops,harassing them and even attacking them in battle so was it was only just when Jehovah ordered that they should be exterminated and like I said before this what the bible refers to when it says God creates evil I.e. he gives them the consequences of their actions. |
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