To follow the Workers..........or Christ?
Ask the question this way:
Has the Worker's life been selectively used to uphold the 'WHOLE' Bible?
Or are they 'SELECTIVELY' using the Bible to uphold their life(style)?
(And that: By 'OPINIONS,' or 'FACTS????')
The word CHRISTIAN simply means: "CHRIST IN".................."NOT" the identification with, or following of, "ANY" denomination or doctrine other than that left on record in the Bible and by the life and teachings of Christ "ONLY." (Christianity is unique to all other religions, in that salvation is 'ONLY" through "ONE:" Christ Jesus.)
Workers continue to proclaim 'THEIR" brand" of the way to Salvation, which appeals to quiet and conservative people that are not inclined to much more than a simple and "clean" lifestyle and "fellowship" with people that they (think they can!) trust.
I would challenge anyone to "CRITICALLY" listen to 'WHATEVER" the Workers talk and/or preach about, and you will find that it is usually little more than 'OPINIONS" that they VERY SELECTIVELY (sometimes!) use the Scriptures to "support." Step into the things of everyday life (that "ordinary" people understand "MUCH" better!) and they still expect their 'OPINIONS" to take priority over the knowledge and understanding of people with "MUCH" more "EXPERIENCE!!"
Challenge them or request more thorough explanations, and "YOU" will be "branded" as having the "WRONG SPIRIT," which "allows" them to excuse themselves form further "discussion."
Workers "MUST" realize that:
A.) EXPOSURE is NOT the same as EXPERIENCE.
B.) INTELLIGENCE is NOT the same as ABILITY.
C.) AWARENESS is NOT the same as UNDERSTANDING.
D.) KNOWLEDGE is NOT the same as WISDOM.
E.) SUBJECTION does NOT mean BLIND OBEDIENCE.
F.) SUBMISSION is NOT the same as SUBSERVIENCE.
G.) MEEKNESS is NOT the same as WEAKNESS.
H.) OBEDIENCE does NOT assure one of SALVATION.
I.) DIRECTIVE is NOT the same as EXAMPLE.
J.) TRUST and RESPECT are EARNED, NOT DEMANDED!!!
K.) COLLABORATED OPINIONS NEVER change TRUTH and FACTS.
Some related things to think about:
1.) SILENCE and SECRECY are indicative of SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS.
2.) Why are people ABANDONED, who can't be "CONTROLLED???"
3.) Aren't SERVANTS supposed to SERVE?
4.) Why are things to be LEFT IN GOD"S HANDS, only AFTER the Workers have had their involvement???
5.) Why is "ALL THE WORLD" today, only a "FEW SELECTED HOMES?"
6.) Why are the FISHERS OF MEN, becoming KEEPERS OF AQUARIUMS?
7.) How come OPEN and HONEST is "upheld" by those who are really SECRET and DISHONEST?
I am sure that more could be added but this should get the point across!
The definiton of "ANTICHRIST" is simply:
"One who denies that JESUS IS GOD!!!"
Ask the Workers about "THIS!"
Link: They Told Me If I Left
Looking For Truth?
Do you remember a time when you had a particular question that was bothering you? Perhaps you looked forward to an upcoming visit from workers and planned to ask your question then. You were confident they would be able to answer it to your satisfaction. Did you get your answer, or did you realize later that your question was "STILL" unanswered???!!!!!
If so, you are not alone! What happened? Did the conversation get sidetracked onto another subject? Did you become even more confused? Did you come away feeling attacked, stung or stoned (Luke 11:11-12)? Were you made to feel somehow inferior, as though:
- Your spiritual life was lacking or defective.
- You weren't worthy to have your question answered.
- You were out of place for asking.
- You should be ashamed or feel guilty for asking.
- You were making a mountain out of a molehill.
- You were the problem for noticing a problem?
A reply that sends you a "deficiency message" will not answer your question. All answers are replies....but not all replies are answers.
You and your circumstances are irrelevant to the answer to your question. Although you may not be able to pinpoint exactly what's wrong, you somehow know when you're not given a straight-forward answer..........you know when you are "NOT" being leveled with. A reply that doesn't ring true, make sense, add up, sound right, or click probably didn't answer your question either.
Quite simply stated, a question is a request for information, for supporting evidence and sound reasoning to accept a judgment, conclusion, practice or belief.
When you ask a question, the other person has three choices:
- Answer the question
- Refuse the question
- Evade the question
It stands to reason, if they know the answer, and they don't mind telling you the answer, that they will answer your question plainly. A simple answer is the easiest way out, right???
On the other hand, if they don't know the answer, they will either refuse to answer or attempt to evade the question.
Remember this:
If someone attempts to evade your question or refuses to answer your question, that is a sure sign he:
- Doesn't know the answer, or.....
- Doesn't want to tell you the answer!!
If your question has put him in the hot seat, backed him against the wall, has him sweating, or if your question, for some reason, makes him feel threatened, defensive or attacked, an attempt will be made to divert the conversation into safer channels to save face and/or relieve the anxiety that he will be exposed.
Some methods commonly used to evade questions are called fallacies.
"Fallacies" are faulty reasoning, and not a recent invention - - some have even been recognized for so long they are commonly known by their original Latin titles. Since the varieties of faulty reasoning are practically infinite, this column will be limited to analyzing, blocking and countering, only those frequently used by friends and workers.
Following are definitions of three commonly used varieties of Fallacies of Irrelevance:
A. Diversion or evasion intentionally introduced to divert attention from the original issue (smokescreen, red herring, strawman,figurative analogies, humor, minimizing importance, asking a counter-question, passing the buck.)
B. Attacks abusing or accusing the questioner's personal character, origins, circumstances, opinions, affiliations or behavior. Character assassination using shame, insult, guilt, embarrassment, scorn, ridicule, name-calling, criticism, put-downs, stereotyping, pigeonholing, labeling.
C. Appeals to accept a conclusion (special pleading) using irrelevant reasons or facts, attempt to persuade with inducement other than the merits of the belief or conclusion:
- Appeals to your emotions: play on your sympathy and pity, appeal to your fears or pride.
2. Appeals to an inexpert authority, to special revelation, to results, to consequences, to tradition, to quantity, to status quo, to what the crowd does, to the benefits of suffering.
Fallacious Reasoning Quiz
Can you identify which of these three categories the following fallacious replies fall into?
(Some fall into more than one category.)
Of course, it's not nearly as important to be able to neatly classify replies that use fallacious reasoning, as it is to be able to recognize when they "ARE" being used!!!
A = Diversion or evasion
B = Attacks
C = Appeals
1. _____"!! WHAT have you been reading??!!!"
2. _____"If you had the right spirit, you wouldn't even question that." or "If you were willing, you would understand."
3. _____"It's like a seed that has been dormant...."
4. _____"Why, you ought to be ashamed for even asking that question - - after all Jesus/the workers has/have done for you!!!"
5. _____"Some things you just have to accept in faith."
6. _____"That question reveals that you have a much deeper problem.....perhaps you never really had a good understanding."
7. _____"As the hymn says: "We follow, with a faith that questions not."
8. _____"Well, I remember what Willie Jamieson/George Walker, etc., used to say about "THAT....."
9. _____"You've been in this fellowship X years, and you don't know the answer to "THAT" question?"
10. _____"Our old friends and workers lived and died in it......that's good enough for me."
11. _____"There is nothing to discuss. Truth is Truth!! It is just a matter of you not X (being willing....having enough faith,...being rebellious,............being vain, etc)."
12. _____"It's a dangerous thing to question the workers - - WHY, that is the same as questioning God!!!"
13. _____"I know this is God's true way because it feels right to me."
14. _____"Well, the way is perfect - - it's just the people that aren't perfect."
15. _____"After my parents professed, I never once saw my mother (do such and such) again."
16. _____"It sounds to me like you're doubting. Be careful!!! Some in Revelations could not enter in because of unbelief!!"
17. _____"The history isn't really important. The important thing is when the gospel came to you, and began a work in YOUR life. Tell me, when was that?"
18. _____"You can tell a goat because he is always 'butting."
19. _____"Who have you been talking to???!!!! Sounds to me like you have been listening to some who have read "those books full of lies" who are "tearing down the truth!!!"
20. _____"I sure wouldn't want to be in your place on the judgment day!!"
21. _____"Show me something better and maybe I'll believe it."
22. _____"Just keep coming to meetings and the Spirit will reveal it to you."
23. _____"God's Way is like a puzzle, we get it one piece at a time."
The answers to the quiz are: (A couple of the questions have 2 answers)
A = 1, 3, 7, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23
B = 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 18
C = 5, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 20
Professing?
Questions to Ask Yourself If You Are One Of the Friends in the Truth Way!!!
1. Do I really believe that "The Truth" was from the beginning?
2. When I read my Bible, do I skip over things that I don't understand?
3. When I prepare for "meeting," do I think of a testimony and look for scripture to support it, or do I let the scriptures teach me?
4. Have I noticed that the workers take some scripture literally and some scripture figuratively? Do I do the same thing?
5. Am I more thankful for the day the workers came into my life or for the day when Jesus came into my life?
6. Have I searched the scriptures like the Bible says to do, or have I just studied the weekly studies that were recommended?
7. Have I ever asked the workers to help me understand difficult scriptures? Did I receive a satisfactory answer, or did I just feel, "Oh well, even though I don't understand what they are saying, they must know what they are talking about.?"
8. Has it been suggested, even from the platform, that it is necessary for me to break ties with outsiders?
9. Do I feel that MY logic is not safe to trust?
10. Do I feel sorry for outsiders because they are lost? Do I look down on outsiders with a self-righteous attitude? In thinking of outsiders, do I feel extremely confident in my spirituality?
11. Do I uphold "The Way," even though deep inside me, I don't believe it?
12. Do I feel that I have an inferiortiy complex, or poor self-esteem?
13. Do I understand what God's Sin is???
14. Have I ever found myself doubting the workers or their doctrine?
15. Do I realize that it is "NOT" acceptable to question anything the workers say?
16. Do I wonder what the workers do with all the money they receive, and where it is kept?
17. Can I always say that I feel like attending every meeting, or do I feel that I must attend for appearance sake?
18. Do I feel sorry for the professing ladies who stick out like sore thumbs in society?
19. Do I agree with all I hear and see in "The Way," or is it simply necessary for me to "PRETEND" that I agree with everything?
20. Am I afraid to talk to others in "The Way" about some of the uncomfortable feelings I have about certain things/beliefs in the "Truth?"
21. Do I feel it is necessary to control my every move and every thought?
22. Do I consider myself to be an honest person?
23. Do I believe that I must conform to certain unwritten "rules" to please God?
24. Do I believe that I must be obedient to the workers?
25. Do I believe that Christ's Work wasn't finished when HE died for me, and that the workers are completing "HIS" work?
26. HAVE I DILIGENTLY ASKED GOD TO HELP ME KNOW HIS WILL FOR MY LIFE, EVEN IF IT WOULD MEAN A DRASTIC SHAKEUP FOR ME OR MY FAMILY????
If you are held in "The Truth" out of fear, consider 2nd Timothy 1:7.
"For God Hath Not Given Us the Spirit of Fear, But of Power, and of Love, and of a Sound Mind"
