"Cultivate Qualities That Can Help You Make Disciples"

This week's Watchtower Study is about cultivating qualities and skills to be disciple-makers.

Paragraph 1 Jehovah's servants must sometimes develop skills and attitudes that will help them to do his will. At God's command, for instance, Abraham and Sarah left the prosperous city of Ur and eventually needed the qualities and abilities required of tent dwellers. (Hebrews 11:8, 9, 15) Leading the Israelites into the Promised Land demanded that Joshua have courage, confidence in Jehovah, and knowledge of his Law. (Joshua 1:7-9) And whatever skills Bezalel and Oholiab may already have had were certainly enhanced or further developed by God's spirit so that those men could successfully share in and oversee the construction of the tabernacle and related work.-Exodus 31:1-11

Witnesses believe people who were born before Christ's covenant will never go to heaven, and if they are resurrected it will be on Earth. In contrast, what does the Bible teach?

Hebrews 1:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Heaven is the prepared home for believers.

Paragraph 2 Centuries later, Jesus Christ gave his followers this commission: "Go ... and make disciples of people of all the nations, .. teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19, 20) Never before had people been given the privilege of doing anything quite like this. What qualities are needed for the disciple-making work? How can we cultivate such traits?

According to JW theology, it was the Archangel Michael who actually gave this command. They ask how they can cultivate such traits. How about recognizing Jesus is not a created being? How about "baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"?

Paragraph 9 The apostle Paul too was deeply concerned about people to whom he preached. For instance, he told those who had become Christians in Thessalonica: "Having a tender affection for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not only the good news of God, but also our own souls, because you became beloved to us." As a result of Paul's loving efforts, some in Thessalonica `turned away from their idols to slave for the living God.' (1 Thessalonians 1:9; 2:8) If we have genuine concern for people, as Jesus and Paul did, we too may experience the joy of seeing the good news reach the hearts of those "rightly disposed for everlasting life."-Acts 13:48.

Their New World Translation poorly translates Acts 13:48. As if some people have a tendency or an inclination towards everlasting life.

Paragraph 13 (James 5:7, 8) James was urging fellow believers to 'exercise patience until the Lord's presence.' If the disciples did not understand something, Jesus patiently explained or illustrated matters. (Matthew 13:10-23; Luke 19:11; 21:7; Acts 1:6-8) Now that the Lord is present, there is a similar need for patience as we endeavor to make disciples. Those who become Jesus' followers in our day require patient instruction. John 14:9.

This is where their twisted theology is visible. First, this paragraph is inane. Second, if the Lord became present only until 1914, how was Christ with them after His ascension? Their Invisible Presence of 1914 doctrine is erroneous.

Matthew 28:30 I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Back to the article.

Paragraph 14 Even though we are patient, the word does not bear fruit in most people with whom we start to study the Bible. (Matthew 13:18-23) After making reasonable efforts to assist them, therefore, we wisely stop spending time with such individuals and seek to find those who are more likely to value Bible truth. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 6) Of course, even appreciative people may need extended help to change their views, attitudes, and priorities in life. So we are patient, just as Jesus was patient with the disciples who had difficulty developing a proper attitude.-Mark 9:33-37; 10:35-45.

Paragraph 17 Jesus also helped people to reason, instead of simply giving them facts. On one occasion, for example, he asked: "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive duties or head tax? From their sons or from the strangers?" (Matthew 17:25) We may enjoy explaining the Bible so much that we have to exercise self-control in order to let the student express himself or explain a matter being considered during a home Bible study. Naturally, we should not overwhelm people with questions. Instead, with tact, good illustrations, and thoughtful questions, we can help them to appreciate the Scriptural points presented in our Bible-based publications.

Paragraph 18 The Scriptures speak of the "art of teaching." (2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:9) Such teaching ability involves much more than helping someone to memorize facts. We should try to assist a Bible student to understand the difference between truth and error, good and bad, wisdom and foolishness. As we do this and endeavor to cultivate love for Jehovah in the person's heart, he may see why he should obey Him.

Study not the Bible, but their publications. Also, if they want to help people see the difference between truth and error, good and bad, and wisdom and foolishness have them read the Watchtower's literature and contrast it to the Word of God.

The best part about this study contains information that JW's may find revealing. I'll have to post this on its own.

Paragraph 3 Approaching people and endeavoring to persuade them to worship the true God requires that we have deep love for Jehovah. The Israelites could prove their love for God by wholeheartedly obeying his commandments, offering acceptable sacrifices, and extolling him in song. (Deuteronomy 10: 12, 13; 30:19, 20; Psalm 21:13; 96:1, 2; 138:5) As disciple makers, we too keep God's laws, but we also express our love for Jehovah by telling others about him and his purposes. We need to speak with conviction, choosing the right words to express our heartfelt feelings about our God-given hope.-1 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Peter 3:15.

Worship The True God

• Deep Love

Ephesians 6:24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

• Obeying His Commandments

John 14:15 [Jesus] If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

• Offering Acceptable Sacrifices

Mark 10:29 Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake"

Mark 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Romans 14:7 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

• Extolling Him In Song

Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

• Telling Others About Him

Acts 1:8 [Jesus] "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Solemnly Testify

Acts 10:42 And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

I can barely hold back the tears.

Just what would I have done if I had been walking out of the Convention Center after a long day with friends and family? Would I have pretended not to listen, not to be bothered, not to be affected by their words?

These people are doing the Lord's work.

"The Bible says that it pleased Yahweh to crush His Son. And if he will crush His Son what makes you think He will not crush you because of your sins?" (see Isaiah 53:10)

Ps. That green book is their 1961 edition of the New World Translation. It is no longer used even though a few words were changed.

New World Translation

This is the New World Translation from the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society published in a single volume in 1961 (replaced by their newest bible in 1984). It is actually a green-colored bible, but the scan came out black.

This 1961 version has a couple of points of interest. For example, a dinosaur on the map of the Ancient World Before Our Common Era that didn't make it to the 1984 edition (also, why do their publications never refer to it as "Before Christ"?).

A most important change is found in Hebrews 1:6. This passage actually is translated correctedly.

"But when he again brings his First-born into the inhabited earth, he says: "And let all of God's angels worship him."

God is commanding all of of His angels to worship His Son. It is idolatry to worship anyone else but God. Therefore to worship (Greek verb: proskuneo) man, beast, graven images, and angels is a sin (thus Christ cannot even be Michael the Archangel).

The 1984 edition changed "worship" to read "obeisance". Interestingly enough the Society at certain points believed Jesus is to be worshiped.

The Watchtower July 15, 1898 pg 216:

"Question: The fact that our Lord received worship is claimed by some to be an evidence that while on earth he was God the Father disguised in a body of flesh and not really a man. Was he really worshiped, or is the translation faulty? (Please note the Watchtower 7/15/1898 question is misleading. Jesus did not come disguised as the Father. He came as the Son, the Word made flesh.)

Answer: Yes, we believe our Lord Jesus while on earth was really worshiped, and properly so...It was proper for our Lord to receive worship in view of his having been the only begotten of the Father, and his agent in the creation of all things, including man."

New Heavens and a New Earth 1953 pgs 27-28 included the Hebrews passage:

"For example, to which one of the angels did he ever say: 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father'? And again: 'I shall be a Father to him, and he will be a Son to me'? But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: 'And let all God's angels worship him.'"