 |
What I would like to know is if people do not get baptized will they not make it through the Judgment day? I never have had a straight answer from anyone. What I believe from reading the Bible is if you are not baptized you will not be able to be apart of the 144,000, but can still live in paradise. I am not baptized as of right now, I would like to be baptized but I do not attend the meetings due to certain reason, nothing to do with Kingdom hall or the watchtower. What is your opinion on this matter? |
 |
Jesus said that "unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." The context of Jesus remarks to Nicodemus in the 3rd chapter of John had to do with being born again. So, Jesus was clearly saying that in order to become born again—with the prospect of eventually going to heaven—a person had to be baptized both in water and in holy spirit. The reality is that a person cannot choose to be born again from the holy spirit. Jehovah himself does the choosing. However, we all have the choice to dedicate ourselves to God and Christ and submit ourselves to Christian baptism. It is Jehovah's will that all who choose to serve him, whether anointed or not, should be baptized. It is part of the required public confession of our faith. Now, what if a person is unable to be baptized—for whatever reason—yet they are inwardly devoted to God? Fortunately Jehovah knows us intimately. Jehovah knows our hearts. He knows our circumstances. Is God so unreasonable so as to reject or condemn those who call upon his name in faith, but who may not have undergone baptism? Consider the case of Rahab—the prostitute. Jehovah decreed that Jericho and all the nations of Canaan were to be entirely devoted to destruction. Yet, Jehovah made an exception to his own decree. Rahab—a Canaanite and practicing prostitute no less—along with her entire family, were spared destruction. Why? Because Rahab acknowledged Jehovah and performed an act of faith in assisting and obeying the Israelite spies. She followed their instructions to stay indoors and tie a scarlet ribbon in her window as a sign. In other words, in order to be saved she had to take a stand and identify herself as being in support of Jehovah's people. Both Paul and James referred to Rahab's faith. James specifically made the point, though, that her faith is not what saved her. She also acted in harmony with her faith. Perhaps for you, and others, a comparable act of faith might be making the effort to become associated with a congregation and get baptized. Perhaps, though, Jehovah may accept another outward demonstration of faith from unbaptized persons during the judgment phase. The biblical account of Rahab certainly gives us some insight into Jehovah's mercy and should help us appreciate that God makes provision for salvation for people who are not officially dedicated to him or part of his organized people—provided that they recognize those who are God's people and make some public demonstration of their faith. |
|
I am having trouble understanding if the prophecy in Ezekiel chapter 6 is about our time or only related to what the Jews went through in being taken captive to Babylon. Can you give me a clue as to if it is also talking about our time or maybe just the 1st Century besides? |
|
In the 6th chapter of Ezekiel, Jehovah expresses his determination to completely obliterate the apostate Jewish system of things, while allowing a remnant to survive. The means by which Jehovah expressed his judgment was through "the sword, famine and pestilence." In fact, the judgment of the "sword, famine and pestilence" is mentioned over 25 times in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Your question: Does that judgment apply to spiritual Israel? The answer is yes—in principle. How do we know? According to Jesus his presence and the initiation of the judgment, which begins first with the house of God, is marked, among other things, by nation fighting nation, food shortages and pestilence. The horsemen of the Apocalypse confirm that same ordering of events. So, it is by means of the hardships and tests brought on by global war, famine and pestilence that Jehovah will bring himself into judgment with his people—ultimately, refining and reclaiming a chastened remnant who, like the house of Israel of old, "will have to know that I am Jehovah; not in vain did I speak about doing to them this calamitous thing." (Ezekiel 6:10) |
|
Why can couples be separated for years and not be divorced? The woman leaves her husband, buys another home and does not divorce the husband, why is it not acceptable to divorce? |
|
According to Jesus Christ, the only acceptable grounds for divorce in the eyes of God is adultery. However, some marriage mates may separate—not having legitimate grounds for a scriptural divorce. While it is not Jehovah's Will that any marriage be dissolved, God recognizes our imperfect state and does tolerate separation—provided that each one remains chaste. Paul addressed this situation at I Corinthians 7:10-11, where he wrote: "To the married people I give instructions, yet not I but the Lord, that a wife should not depart from her husband; but if she should actually depart, let her remain unmarried or else make up again with her husband; and a husband should not leave his wife." The danger is that a separation may result in one mate or the other eventually succumbing to temptation—in which case, can the "innocent" mate really be totally innocent? Certainly, being separated from one's legally married spouse is not an enviable situation to be in. No doubt that is why Paul exhorted husbands and wives not to separate—and if they do, to return to each other. However, Paul's exhortation is just that—an exhortation. It is not law. Jehovah makes certain allowances—but with those allowances come additional accountability before God. |
