They Look for a Pretext
Apostates, clergymen, and others cannot put up with our message from God's Word. Under pressure from religious quarters of Christendom, opposers look for a so-called legal way to justify their fight against us. What tactics are sometimes used? Well, what did conspirators do in attacking the prophet Daniel? At Daniel 6:4, 5, we read: "The high officials and the satraps themselves were constantly seeking to find some pretext against Daniel respecting the Kingdom; but there was no pretext or corrupt thing at all that they were able to find, forasmuch as he was trustworthy and no negligence or corrupt thing at all was found in him. Consequently these able-bodied men were saying: 'We shall find in this Daniel no pretext at all, except we have to find it against him in the law of God.' " Today, opposers likewise look for a pretext. They clamor about "dangerous cults" and try to pin this label on Jehovah's Witnesses. By misrepresentation, innuendo, and falsehood, they attack our worship and our adherence to godly principles.
In some lands, religious and political elements refuse to acknowledge that we practice "the form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God.' (James 1:27) Though our Christian activities are carried on in 234 lands, opposers claim that we are not a "known religion." Shortly before an international convention in 1998, an Athens newspaper quoted the Greek Orthodox clergy as claiming that "[Jehovah's Witnesses] are not a 'known religion, ' " despite the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights to the contrary. A few days later, another newspaper in the same city quoted a church spokesman as saying: "[Jehovah's Witnesses] cannot be 'a Christian congregation,' since they have nothing in common with the Christian faith in the person of Jesus Christ." This is amazing, for no other religious group puts more emphasis on imitating Jesus than do Jehovah's Witnesses!
We seek to defend and establish the good news by legal means. (Philippians 1:7) Moreover, we will not compromise or water down our firm adherence to God's standards of righteousness. (Titus 2:10, 12) Like Jeremiah, we 'gird up our hips and speak everything that Jehovah commands us,' not allowing fighters against God to strike us with any terror. (Jeremiah 1:17, 18) Jehovah's Holy Word has clearly marked out the right course for us to take. Never do we want to lean on the frail "arm of flesh" or seek "refuge in the shadows of Egypt," that is, this world. ( 2 Chronicles 32:8; Isaiah 30:3; 31:1-3) In waging spiritual warfare, we must continue to trust in Jehovah with all our heart, let him direct our steps, and not lean on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5-7) Unless we have Jehovah's support and he himself is guarding us,m all our work will be "to no avail." -Psalm 127:1.
Next time: Persecuted but Uncompromising
Watchtower, 2000
Showing posts with label The Bible is Trustworthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Bible is Trustworthy. Show all posts
5.13.2011
A BOOK FOR ALL PEOPLE
Worthy of Trust
'Can the Bible really be trusted?' Some may wonder. 'Does it refer to people who undeniably lived, places that actually existed, and events that truly happened?' If we are to trust it, there should be evidence that it was written by careful, honest writers. This brings us to another reason for examining the Bible: There is solid evidence that it is accurate and trustworthy.
Honest writers would record not just successes but also failures, not just strengths but also weaknesses. The Bible writers displayed such refreshing candor. Consider, for example, the forthrightness of Moses. Among the things he frankly reported were his own lack of eloquence, which in his view made him unfit to be Israel's leader. (Exodus 4:10); The serious mistake he made that prevented his entering the Promised Land (Numbers 20:9-12; 27:12-14); The deflection of his brother, Aaron, who cooperated with rebellious Israelites in making a statue of a golden calf (Exodus 32:1-6); The rebellion of his sister, Miriam, and her humiliating punishment (Numbers 12:1-3, 10); the profaneness of his nephews Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1, 2); and the repeated complaining and murmuring of God's own people. (Exodus 14:11, 12; Numbers 14:1-10) Does not such frank, open reporting indicate a sincere concern for truth? Since the Bible writers were willing to report unfavorable information about their loved ones, their people, and even themselves, is there not good reason to trust their writings?
The consistency of the Bible penmen also stamps their writings as trustworthy. It is truly remarkable that 40 men writing over a span of some 1,600 years are in agreement, even when it comes to minor details. However, this harmony is not so carefully arranged as to arouse suspicions of collusion. On the contrary, there is an obvious lack of design in the arrangement of various details; often the harmony is clearly coincidental.
To illustrate, consider a n incident that took place on the night of Jesus' arrest. All four Gospel writers record that one of the disciples drew a sword and struck a slave of the high priest, taking off the man's ear. Only Luke, however, tells us that Jesus "touched the ear and healed him." (Luke 22:51) But is that not what we would expect from the writer who was known as "the beloved physician"? (Colossians 4:14) John's account tells us that of all the disciples p resent, the one who wielded the sword was Peter-a fact that is not surprising in view of Peter's tendency to be rash and impetuous. (John 18:10; compare Matthew 16:22, 23 and John 21:7, 8) John reports another seemingly unnecessary detail: "The name of the slave was Malchus." Why does John alone give the man's name? The explanation is provided by a minor fact stated in passing only in John's account-John"was known to the high priest." He was also known to the high priest's household; the servants were acquainted with him, and he with them. (John 18:10, 15, 16) It is only natural, then, that John should mention the injured man's name, whereas the other Gospel writers, to whom the man evidently was a stranger, do not. The agreement between all these details is remarkable, yet, clearly unintentional. There are scores of similar examples throughout the Bible.
So can we trust the Bible? Absolutely! The candor of the Bible writers and the Bible's internal consistency give it the clear ring of truth. People of honest heart need to know that they can trust the Bible, for it is the inspired Word of "Jehovah the God of truth." (Psalm 31:5) There are additional reasons why the Bible is a book for all people, as the next article will discuss.
Next time: A BOOK FROM GOD
Watchtower, 1998
'Can the Bible really be trusted?' Some may wonder. 'Does it refer to people who undeniably lived, places that actually existed, and events that truly happened?' If we are to trust it, there should be evidence that it was written by careful, honest writers. This brings us to another reason for examining the Bible: There is solid evidence that it is accurate and trustworthy.
Honest writers would record not just successes but also failures, not just strengths but also weaknesses. The Bible writers displayed such refreshing candor. Consider, for example, the forthrightness of Moses. Among the things he frankly reported were his own lack of eloquence, which in his view made him unfit to be Israel's leader. (Exodus 4:10); The serious mistake he made that prevented his entering the Promised Land (Numbers 20:9-12; 27:12-14); The deflection of his brother, Aaron, who cooperated with rebellious Israelites in making a statue of a golden calf (Exodus 32:1-6); The rebellion of his sister, Miriam, and her humiliating punishment (Numbers 12:1-3, 10); the profaneness of his nephews Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1, 2); and the repeated complaining and murmuring of God's own people. (Exodus 14:11, 12; Numbers 14:1-10) Does not such frank, open reporting indicate a sincere concern for truth? Since the Bible writers were willing to report unfavorable information about their loved ones, their people, and even themselves, is there not good reason to trust their writings?
The consistency of the Bible penmen also stamps their writings as trustworthy. It is truly remarkable that 40 men writing over a span of some 1,600 years are in agreement, even when it comes to minor details. However, this harmony is not so carefully arranged as to arouse suspicions of collusion. On the contrary, there is an obvious lack of design in the arrangement of various details; often the harmony is clearly coincidental.
To illustrate, consider a n incident that took place on the night of Jesus' arrest. All four Gospel writers record that one of the disciples drew a sword and struck a slave of the high priest, taking off the man's ear. Only Luke, however, tells us that Jesus "touched the ear and healed him." (Luke 22:51) But is that not what we would expect from the writer who was known as "the beloved physician"? (Colossians 4:14) John's account tells us that of all the disciples p resent, the one who wielded the sword was Peter-a fact that is not surprising in view of Peter's tendency to be rash and impetuous. (John 18:10; compare Matthew 16:22, 23 and John 21:7, 8) John reports another seemingly unnecessary detail: "The name of the slave was Malchus." Why does John alone give the man's name? The explanation is provided by a minor fact stated in passing only in John's account-John"was known to the high priest." He was also known to the high priest's household; the servants were acquainted with him, and he with them. (John 18:10, 15, 16) It is only natural, then, that John should mention the injured man's name, whereas the other Gospel writers, to whom the man evidently was a stranger, do not. The agreement between all these details is remarkable, yet, clearly unintentional. There are scores of similar examples throughout the Bible.
So can we trust the Bible? Absolutely! The candor of the Bible writers and the Bible's internal consistency give it the clear ring of truth. People of honest heart need to know that they can trust the Bible, for it is the inspired Word of "Jehovah the God of truth." (Psalm 31:5) There are additional reasons why the Bible is a book for all people, as the next article will discuss.
Next time: A BOOK FROM GOD
Watchtower, 1998
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