The Good News of the Kingdom

lared · Mar 18, 2003

Jesus foretold that the good news would be preached throughout the earth for a witness to all the nations and then the end would come.-------Matthew 24:14

This being the case, in a nutshell, what do you say, is the good news of the kingdom?

And how will it be delivered to all people around the globe?

Evidently, this would be a most astonishing work to ever take place and yet as Jesus said: only a few are on the narrow road to life, most are on the broad road that leads to destruction. 

Since many people around the earth are illiterate or poorly educated, will they lose out because they do not study ancient Hebrew or Greek?  Or will this good news be simple, clear, and appealing to honest hearted ones?

In other words, will we be able to recognize this good news, and if so how?

Sincerely, Lared

Justme · Mar 18, 2003

Hi lared,

You and I would be at almost opposite ends of he spectrum on this, but I'm going to stick close to this thread because I want to get your particular view of this.

Justme

edpobre · Mar 18, 2003

Today at 12:59 AM lared said this in Post #1

Jesus foretold that the good news would be preached throughout the earth for a witness to all the nations and then the end would come.-------Matthew 24:14

This being the case, in a nutshell, what do you say, is the good news of the kingdom?

And how will it be delivered to all people around the globe?

Evidently, this would be a most astonishing work to ever take place and yet as Jesus said: only a few are on the narrow road to life, most are on the broad road that leads to destruction. 

Since many people around the earth are illiterate or poorly educated, will they lose out because they do not study ancient Hebrew or Greek?  Or will this good news be simple, clear, and appealing to honest hearted ones?

In other words, will we be able to recognize this good news, and if so how?

Sincerely, Lared

lared,

You left the other thread without answering my questions. So here goes:

If God's kingdom is established in heaven, why did apostle Paul tell the Colossian Christians that they have been "delivered from the power of darkness and TRANSLATED into the kingdom of the Son of his love" (Col. 1:13)?

Where is this "kingdom of God's Son" found? Is this a DIFFERENT kingdom from God's kingdom  in heaven? Which kingdom was preached by Jesus?

Ed

lared · Mar 19, 2003

Ed,
Sorry, but my post was deleted. I was not allowed to express my views of the good news in that thread.
Sincerely, Lared

lared · Mar 19, 2003

Dear Ed,
At this time I prefer to hear from others. I am afraid of stating my viewpoint on matters, only to either be deleted or ripped.
Sincerely, Lared

Aaron11 · Mar 20, 2003

Just an interesting verse...

"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."
-I Corinthians 11:3

lared · Mar 20, 2003

It is amazing that there is not a rush for ones to express their version of the good news of the kingdom and from what perspective. Or maybe it is not so amazing, since not many claim to be doing this global preaching work.

Any takers?

Sincerely, Lared

Aaron11 · Mar 20, 2003

I know this is not answering all of your questions, but here is some of my thought...

What is the Gospel (AKA good news)? you ask.

The gospel is the good news that our Lord became a man, died for us, and was raised so we can have communion with Him, now and for eternity.

Didymus · Mar 20, 2003

with the rapid advances of modern comunications it is quite forseeable that every one can now hear the gospel before they die.

lared · Mar 21, 2003

Jesus preached about the kingdom. What is the good news of the kingdom.

Here is a hint. Take a look at Daniel 2:44.

Sincerely, Lared

Taffsadar · Mar 23, 2003

What about Jehovas Witnesses view of the good news.

All you friends and you family will die soon. But you can be save if you join this sect which protects child abusers and throw you out if you doesn't agree with our leaders. Your also forced to spend alot of time preaching to unintrested people without getting paid. And for all this you get to live with the forementioned child abusers!

n0rstar · Mar 23, 2003

Today at 01:55 PM Taffsadar said this in Post #11

What about Jehovas Witnesses view of the good news.

All you friends and you family will die soon. But you can be save if you join this sect which protects child abusers and throw you out if you doesn't agree with our leaders. Your also forced to spend alot of time preaching to unintrested people without getting paid. And for all this you get to live with the forementioned child abusers!

I am sorry you feel that way about our works. As an unbaptized Publisher of the Jehovahs Witness orginization, I have to disagree on some of the points you bring out, and the reputation your tryen to put on the congregation. I feel as if I shouldn't have to defend the congregation, as for the works speak for themselves. But with alligations such as these, I can't help but to shed light on some of the things it is your proclaiming about the orginization. I hope that also what I am about to share, helps your obviously malice opinion of the work of the good news, and of the faithful and discreet slave class.

 

"All your friends and family will die soon"

True, in the society we live in today, can you honestly say that you are guaranteed to live tomarrow? certinly not as James 4:14 says: "You do not know what your life will be tomorrow." So it must be urgent for us to change the course of our lifes. Which is to truely show reptentance (Mat 3:12; Rom 2:4)

Acts 3:19 "Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get YOUR sins blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the person of Jehovah

But you can be save if you join this sect

Some define sect to mean a group that has broken away from an established religion. Others apply the term to a group that follows a particular human leader or teacher. The term is usually used in a derogatory way. Jehovahs Witnesses are not an offshoot of some church but include persons from all walks of life and from many religious backgrounds. They do not look to any human, but rather to Jesus Christ, as their leader. (1989) Reasoning from the Scriptures; pg. 202; Paragraph 1; Published by the Watch Tower Orginization

Now, bein a baptized member of Jehovahs Witness, doesn't mean your saved, you works have to go further then that. What was the first thing jesus did after he was baptized? (Mat 3:13-17) First account was he was tempted by the devil (Mat 4:1-11) after then, at first chance, he began to preach The Good news of the Kingdom (mat 4:17) and has made it a commandment of all his loyal disciples (Mat 24:14; Ro 10:10; Mat 10:32), All the apostles did so (Acts 4:18-20; 5:28,29)

So we can draw to conclusion, that bein baptized, and doin what Jesus had commanded, we can have everlasting life on earth. Free from sickness, pain, death, dieses (Rev 7:9, 15-17; 20:14; 21:4)which protects child abusers

No, Jehovahs Witness's will not protect child abusers. We have to obey the laws of the land like anyone else (Rom 13:1-4) If after he has been persecuted, and set free by the judicial system, he can then repent of his sins, and come back (This process is both long, and not easy, just saying your sorry doesn't cut it, first you can file an appeal with the elders, then if your evidence that you commited the sin is greater, you will be disfellowshipped. and there is regulations to this, after 1 year, u can file an appeal to be reinstated, and if you have proven that you have shown TRUE repentance, you may be allowed back - at no time during bein disfellowshipped, are you NOT allowed to the hall)

and throw you out if you doesn't agree with our leaders.

Matthew 5:27-30 "YOU heard that it was said, You must not commit adultery. 28 But I say to YOU that everyone that keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If, now, that right eye of yours is making you stumble, tear it out and throw it away from you. For it is more beneficial to you for one of your members to be lost to you than for your whole body to be pitched into Ge·hen´na. 30 Also, if your right hand is making you stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you. For it is more beneficial to you for one of your members to be lost than for your whole body to land in Ge·hen´na.

SO if one was NOT upholding the commandments of Jehovah or Jesus, you will be councled, and if you continue to commit adultry, fornication, smoken, stealing, killing - you will be disfelloweshipped (this does not mean your not allowed to the hall, it means you can not be a baptized member of the congregation) Unless your actions interfer with the meeting in progress, then you will most likely be escourted out of the hall.

Your also forced to spend alot of time preaching to unintrested people without getting paid.

No, the preaching work is 100% voluntary. The missionarys that choose of their own free will to go to other nations, countrys and lands are not paid, and are well informed well in advance.

I go out on a regular, of my own free reconnaissance as well as the Brothers and Sisters at the Kingdom Hall I attend.

And for all this you get to live with the forementioned child abusers!

Once again I am sorry you feel this way about the preaching work of Jehovahs Witness's, I hope that the information I provided for you in synergy with the Watch Tower Orginization, helps you to understand who Jehovahs Witness's realy are.

 

and as for the original creater of this thread.
Worldwide Report 2001 Grand Totals
Branches of Jehovahs Witnesses: 111

Number of Lands Reporting: 235

Total Congregations: 93,154

Worldwide Memorial Attendance: 15,374,986

Memorial Partakers Worldwide: 8,730

Peak of Publishers in Kingdom Service: 6,117,666

Average Publishers Preaching Each Month: 5,881,776

Percentage of Increase Over 2000: 1.7

Total Number Baptized: 263,431

Average Pioneer Publishers Each Month: 787,439

Total Hours Spent in Field: 1,169,082,225

Average Home Bible Studies Each Month: 4,921,702

During the 2001 service year, Jehovahs Witnesses spent over $70.9 million in caring for special pioneers, missionaries, and traveling overseers in their field service assignments.

The Brochures, and bibles are also printed in over 200 laungages and dialects

lared · Mar 23, 2003

I suppose Noah was in a similiar situation.

All of his family(outside of his immediate family) and friends were going to perish unless they went along with the program.

Perhaps Noah's sons or daughter-in-laws would have been dismissed if they decided to build the ark their own way or involve themselves in wrongdoing.

Noah also had to preach to alot of disinterested people and Noah did not get paid.

And no doubt he was spoken about abusively just as Jesus and other faithful ones had been.

Striking similiarites....no?

Sincerely,
Lared

PS--I guess one can be glad that Jehovah, our creator, does not twist arms. All are given a choice, just as in Noah's day.

OldShepherd · Mar 23, 2003

Today at 09:18 AM lared said this in Post #13

I suppose Noah was in a similiar situation.

And no doubt he was spoken about abusively just as Jesus and other faithful ones had been.

Striking similiarites....no?

The Mormons are spoken of in what they term an abusive manner. Jim Jones and David Koresh were persecuted. Does being verbally castigated and abused make them right, too?

lared · Mar 23, 2003

Norstar,
The stats that you provided are incredible!!
All credit goes to Jehovah God for bringing the good news to all people.
Sincerely, Lared

n0rstar · Mar 23, 2003

its from the 2002 year book, you can get a CD rom copy of "WatchTower Library 2001" for free at the Kingdom Hall. it inculdes.

All watchTowers and Awakes from 1950-2002
the "NEw World Translation" Bible
Insight on the Scriptures 1 and 2
all the Brochures, publications such as "Revelation CLimax" "Isaiah Prophecy 1 & 2"
Yearbooks from 1970-2002
Kingdom Ministry FLyers from 1970-2002

and its all in a nice interface, makes for realy good forum posting.

Ratioann · Mar 23, 2003

But it doesn't matter how good the "stats" of a church are. Neither is God impressed in any way by our good works. Of course we should do good works, but they are not a part of our salvation. But I'm not sure if this is how you feel. My in laws are JW and I went to church with them because (1) I was curious and (2) I like my mom in law. I don't know why she started going there so I can't say she was duped or anything, but she is easily the smartest person I know.... I don't get it at all. I felt almost ill during the sermon(?). Whenever I find something of interest here I go share it with her and we debate, it's fun.
Anyways, here's my take on the good news...

Before the good news should even be brought up a person should understand the bad news. I find it really irritating when people talk about all the good things God can do for a person without first telling them why God did it. The good news of a cure means little to someone who doesn't think they are sick. People have this strange belief worldwide that they are good people, that they deserve to go to heaven for some reason. They get really upset when someone tells them the are not good at heart people. It's true though, everyone has lied or stolen or commited adultery. By Gods standard we are all guilty, we are liars, thieves, and adulters deserving punishment. This is why Jesus came, He didn't want everyone to perish. And we wouldn't be released just because we are sorry, someone has to pay the fine (just like in a real court). Jesus took the fine for our crimes, so that we can leave the courtroom free men/women. This is the good new ie gospel.
How will this be shared? In everyway the believer can think of. Evangelism uses tracts, tv, radio, art, music, movies and the internet. The more viewers, the better. But I feel the best way is still one on one, it shows you care ( the JWs unfortunately have us beat on this I think). Missionaries to this and street preaching will reach those that perhaps cannot read and surely don't know greek. But knowing greek/hebrew is not that important anyways, because the message is very simple. You commited a crime against God and Jesus paid the fine.

OldShepherd · Mar 23, 2003

Today at 11:41 AM Ratioann said this in Post #17

But it doesn't matter how good the "stats" of a church are. Neither is God impressed in any way by our good works. Of course we should do good works, but they are not a part of our salvation. But I'm not sure if this is how you feel. My in laws are JW and I went to church with them because (1) I was curious and (2) I like my mom in law. I don't know why she started going there so I can't say she was duped or anything, but she is easily the smartest person I know.... I don't get it at all. I felt almost ill during the sermon(?). Whenever I find something of interest here I go share it with her and we debate, it's fun.
Anyways, here's my take on the good news...

Before the good news should even be brought up a person should understand the bad news. I find it really irritating when people talk about all the good things God can do for a person without first telling them why God did it. The good news of a cure means little to someone who doesn't think they are sick. People have this strange belief worldwide that they are good people, that they deserve to go to heaven for some reason. They get really upset when someone tells them the are not good at heart people. It's true though, everyone has lied or stolen or commited adultery. By Gods standard we are all guilty, we are liars, thieves, and adulters deserving punishment. This is why Jesus came, He didn't want everyone to perish. And we wouldn't be released just because we are sorry, someone has to pay the fine (just like in a real court). Jesus took the fine for our crimes, so that we can leave the courtroom free men/women. This is the good new ie gospel.

How will this be shared? In everyway the believer can think of. Evangelism uses tracts, tv, radio, art, music, movies and the internet. The more viewers, the better. But I feel the best way is still one on one, it shows you care ( the JWs unfortunately have us beat on this I think). Missionaries to this and street preaching will reach those that perhaps cannot read and surely don't know greek. But knowing greek/hebrew is not that important anyways, because the message is very simple. You commited a crime against God and Jesus paid the fine.

You are right Ratioann. What is the fastest growing religion in the world today? Islam. And in most Muslim countries Christianity is forbidden. In the few which nominally tolerate Christians, they are persecuted, arrested for spurious reasons, and their churchs vandalized and torched.

While knowing Hebrew and Greek is not a requirement to become a Christian, there needs to be some scholars who do and who can refute the false translations of the Bible that some groups have published. For example, both WBTS, aka JW, and LDS have their own translated in-house versions. And as you would suspect their respective versions support their own teachings but contradicts the other and of course both "prove" that traditional Christianity is wrong, but for different reasons.

sumbebhken de autoiV to thV alhqouV paroimiaV kuwn epistreyaV epi to idion exerama

Reminds me of a song by Don Francisco, The Steeple Song.

I don't care how many buses you own
Or the size of your sanctuary
It doesn't matter how steep your steeple is
If it's sittin' on a cemetery
I don't care if you pave your parking lot
Or put pads upon your pews
What good is picture perfect stage
If you're missin' all the cues?

I don't care if your pastor's super-powered
And your program's always new
What you need is love and truth
And men are going to come to you
It doesn't matter that you know the Bible
If it's all just in your head
The thing I need to ask you is
Have you done the things I said?

n0rstar · Mar 23, 2003

You are correct, stats does not matter to Jehovah. It acts more as an inspirational motivation for those doin the preaching work. But Jehovah and our saviour is impressed by our good works. (Mat 10:32; Eze 33:7; 1 Tim 4:16; 1 Co 9:22)

James 2:17-24
Thus, too, faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.

 Nevertheless, a certain one will say: You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith apart from the works, and I shall show you my faith by my works. You believe there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder. But do you care to know, O empty man, that faith apart from works is inactive? Was not Abraham our father declared righteous by works after he had offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? You behold that [his] faith worked along with his works and by [his] works [his] faith was perfected, and the scripture was fulfilled which says: Abraham put faith in Jehovah, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he came to be called Jehovahs friend.

YOU see that a man is to be declared righteous by works, and not by faith alone.

and yes, part of our salvation is declaring the good news of the Kingdom as Jesus did, our saviour.(Mat 4:17)

Romans 10:10 For with the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation.

THe bad news is all around us, when you open the paper, when you turn on the news, when you go to work, and when you come home. Last thing anyone wants is to hear more bad news. For instance How would you feel if I came to your home, you just got home from work, and I knocked on your door and said: "Hi my name is _____ I came to tell you that you should repent or you will die, your not a good person no matter how much you feel you are, and your probly a pagan and a heathen" at this point the man is either goin to shut the door in your face, or not want to listen to another word you have to say. Its all about People skills.

I agree, Evangelism can be shared in lots of formats, problem with TV is people will be less willing to communicate face to face, and would rather watch it on TV when ever they feel like it, hence leaving the elders without any idea of how active the member of the "flock" is. Tracts, Brochurs are a good tool to use in the field, it displays in a simple format the message, and uses illistrations. Now for the people whom don't own a radio, or TV the best and only true method is to interact with people as Jesus and the Apostles done. (John 14:12, 15; 1John 2:3; Ac 4:18-20; 5:28,29)

Also planting the seed and telling someone isn't the only thing, we should try and persue them so that one day they can teach others. (mat 28:19,20) And although the initial message is simple for you, it can not be so simple for others, and thus all need to take "An accurate knowledge" of the bible. (Heb 10:26; Col 1:9-12)

1 Timothy 2:6 whose will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth

Ratioann · Mar 23, 2003

This could be considered nitpicking, and doesn't have too much to do with the topic, but oh well...

"You are correct, stats does not matter to Jehovah. It acts more as an inspirational motivation for those doin the preaching work. But Jehovah and our saviour is impressed by our good works. (Mat 10:32; Eze 33:7; 1 Tim 4:16; 1 Co 9:22) "

Okay stats can be used as an encouragement, but we know that the main driving force for a christian is pleasing God. I wouldn't say God is impressed with our works because the bible says our works are like filthy rags to Him. The only reason to do good is to show our love for Him. God may be pleased that we love Him and have chosen Him, but not the works themselves. The verses you provided didn't help me much, I used NKJV. You may already believe this, but clarification may be needed for those that don't know.

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