Learn To Do Good!

Today there seem to be many who prefer deceit or trickery to presenting what good reasons they have for what they do or for what they say should be done. Or at best some will only give their opinion about what should be done, based usually on what they already do, but not for any other good reasons than how they "feel" or based on what they personally desire. Alright, then just what is so bad about doing good? If there is nothing bad with doing good then where is all the exposure for learning to do good? While it may seem out of place at times, ask yourself, "Why does doing good ever seem out of place?" We might differ on what is "good" (but, see below), yet should not what we each consider "good" be presented as good in either case?

Usually (at least in my case) it is because something bad is present in or around us that makes what many consider "good" (such as honesty, being respectful, or working at keeping oneself in control in one of many ways) hard to find in so many places. But the solution is not to keep making it hard to do or find the good that so many of us want in ourselves and in others. The solution is, I believe, learning to do good by doing good things.

The expression "learn to do good" is actually from the Bible, from the book of Isaiah, Chapter 1, verse 17. There the God Jah is recorded as speaking to those people whom he called his own, though they were at this time rebellious for no good reasons. So Jah said to them, "Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow" (NRSV). These are good things! They are also the kinds of things that make Jah God happy! Indeed, Jesus of Nazareth showed great care and compassion for just such people.--Matthew 14:14; Mark 6:34.

Should we not at least try and do more of these things today, no matter how much we may personally struggle with our own badness'? Many do. I believe we can all "learn to do good" by doing good, and that we should do good and define what good is based on good reasons, for the alternative is to live with what we are not sure is either good or bad, but accepting it nonetheless in our lives though we do not make other decisions about less important choices in this same way. So we must both come to know and do what we have reasons to believe is good, if we want to do good, that is. At least that is what I am trying to do, each day, no matter how hard each day may be, at times.--Romans 7:19-25.

Specific to Christians, there are many things we can do today to help others while we at the same time work on bettering ourselves, strengthening our families and communities, and of course standing up for what we believe is true for good reasons. But if we find that all we ever do for the sake of the Christ is debate about what is true, then I believe we are missing out not simply on opportunities to do good, but we are also not truly learning to do good by practicing things like those that Jah God himself mentions in Isaiah 1:17. These include 'seeking justice,' 'rescuing the oppressed,' 'defending orphans,' and 'standing up for widows.' Most if not all of us would consider these things "good" if we were the one in need of justice, if we were the one being oppressed, if we were the orphan in need of protection, or if we were a widow in need. Why, then, do we not do these same things for others? Indeed, why isn't the doing of "good" learned more so than it is today?

We can change that in many ways, but primarily by in fact doing what we say should be learned and then done. When we do what we have good reasons to believe is "good" that is how we can in part experience what it means to be "Christian," or what it means to follow in the steps of Jesus, for he was known to others as one who welcomed children (Matthew 19:13-15), as one who showed compassion for those who were suffering (Mark 1:40-42), and as one who took the time to look out for and to feed those who were hungry (Matthew 15:32). That is Jesus of Nazareth, the one Christians call "Christ." But who are we? Sinners, for sure. Yet, we can still do more. Indeed, if we can learn to do "bad," then we can "learn to do good." We just need to be sure we're not confusing the "good" we want to learn with the "bad" we know all too unfortunately well.--Compare Proverbs 17:13; Isaiah 5:20.

If we can all do more in these ways then, according to Jah God, we will "learn to do good" and that, more so than anything else except trust and reliance on Jah himself, will help us all to "cease to do evil" (Isaiah 1:16). Again, we all do enough of that as it is! It's time to add more that is "good" to the world around us, and to those close to us. To learn more about how you can help those in need or be more involved in the Christian ministry of the Christian Witnesses of Jah in your area, email me (greg@elihubooks.com) and I will do what I can to help you assist those close to you, or to set up a local outreach to others who need help.

Christian Tract Idea #1

The other day I went through my "drawer of good intentions" and I found a draft of a trifold tract/brochure that I started thinking about in the summer of 2006. Unfortunately, I could not get a scan of the hand-written draft into this Blog (I'm still learning!) but here is what I had in mind:

Page 1 (front page when folded): Title super-imposed on an image of a peaceful scene or majestic background (image not yet determined) with the words, "Beliefs with Good Reasons from" centered with varying letter size from the top through to the middle (if "from" can be detached from the first part of the title but lower on the front page) and, "the Christian Witnesses of Jah" on the bottom. The complete front-page title is: "Beliefs with Good Reasons from the Christian Witnesses of Jah," but broken up in a way that fits with the chosen image and that is appropriate for the chosen type of lettering and style.

Page 2 (bottom page when folded): Mailing space for the sender's information, for the addressee's particulars, and for postage.

Page 3 (the "tucked in" page that will be viewable on the right side of the inside of the brochure, before it is completely unfolded, or on the far right of the cover page if the brochure is opened so that all three pages are visible): The words (in bold), "1 Thessalonians 5:3 (New Testament)," followed by a space and then the full quotation of the text followed by the image of the UN with its logo, "Peace and Security," which is then followed by the web address where these words and this image are located online (namely, http://www.un.org/peace/). Then the date the link was last checked will be captioned below the UN image, with a couple lines of explanation linking the two (the quoted NT text and the UN image/"Peace and Security" heading) and then noting as a result the need to be aware of the times but without unnecessarily motivating people over such things.

My draft shows I printed off this page from the UN web site back on October 9, 2006. The link still shows the same image and wording. This is the one prophecy and warning that Christians should always feel comfortable relating, for it is both fulfilled today and balanced in that it tells us to keep ready, gives us something specific to look for, but then leaves the matter essentially alone and between each person and the one who is coming as a "thief," namely, Jesus. With this text and with the proper captioning of it in relation to the UN's declaration of "Peace and Security," we can concentrate on the other three subjects (see below) and then like Paul leave each person to appreciate the fulfilled prophecy and to also prepare for the coming of the Christ as if for a "thief" in the night. Beyond this, nothing else is needed, just as Paul wrote in verse 1.

Page 4 (the page opposite the front cover, viewable on the left-side when the brochure is first partly unfolded): The heading in bold, "Jehovah God," followed by a section titled, "Historical Significance," followed by several lines of evidence highlighting some of the more outstanding historical involvements of Jah God with men. After this will be a new section titled, "Name:" next to which will be one or two sentences about the name "Jehovah/Jah." Then follows a collection of images of the best forms of the divine name available (with proper reference/source material citations) followed by a brief section that highlights what the Bible means when it says that humans are "made in God's image," noting a few key characteristics of humanity that show how we are indeed made in the image of Jah God.

Page 5 (the middle inside page when you fold open the brochure): The heading in bold, "Jesus Christ," followed by a section titled, "Historical Significance," followed by several lines of evidence/information which is then followed by a new section titled, "Name:" next to which will be one or two sentences about the meaning and importance of Jesus' name. Then follows a listing of historical references to the Jesus of the Bible (both from the Bible's oldest manuscripts and from several non-biblical but historically credible sources), followed by a brief section that shows how we see Jah God through Jesus, for Jesus is God's exact image and likeness (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). Finishing this page will be a few key points about Jesus and what he did and taught that show us how we can live practically today and also worship God "with spirit and truth."--John 4:24.

Page 6 (far right, inside page when opened): The heading in bold, "The Bible," followed by a section titled, "Historical Credibility," followed by several lines of evidence or information that puts the Bible in a unique category among ancient texts, which is then followed by a new section titled, "Description:" next to which will be one or two lines about what the Bible is, that is, what it contains. Then follows a collection of images showing some of the best textual witnesses to several Bible books, which is then followed by a listing of several "Notable Bible Teachings," which finishes off the brochure.

Well, that's my first Christian tract idea, or at least it was a little over two years ago! I still think this format and this type of presentation will be helpful to many, especially if the content is balanced, credible, and simply highlights good reasons for belief in Jah God, Jesus Christ, and for accepting the Bible as the best source of information for learning about both of them. But I would love to hear from others about any ideas you may have for completing this or some other tract that highlights Christianity and various beliefs associated with it. Critical to our purpose is that we present this information in a way that gives others a look at some of the best evidence available for some of our most important beliefs.

I will work on finalizing this tract and getting it professionally designed, printed, and then I will make it available to all for online download and distribution wherever and however possible. But I would like to hear from others first, so let me know your thoughts! Once this tract is done, we can work together on other materials that, with Jah's blessing, will provide good reasons to others about our Christian hope!--1 Peter 3:15.

"At that time a start was made ... "

In the Bible book of Genesis, Chapter 4, verses 25-26, we read about how after Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4:8-10) his mother Eve eventually gave birth to a son whom she named "Seth," which means "appoint" or "set in place." The explanation given in the text itself, by Eve, says that "Seth" was chosen as Eve's son's name since "'God has appointed another seed in place of Abel, because Cain killed him'" (verse 25). Then Genesis says that Seth had a son whom he named "Enosh." With Enosh "a start was made of calling on the name of Jehovah."--Verse 26.

Jehovah's Witnesses have done much to bring forth the truth about the biblical God's name, both in their public and private worship of Jehovah God and also through their literature and Bible translations. Of course, it can also be said that Jewish and many Christian groups have in similar or in other ways helped preserve and make available texts and manuscripts that have served as the basis for much of the work done by Jehovah's Witnesses in the past century or more. But when it comes to Jehovah's Witnesses, those loyal to the Watchtower Society or to any man or group of men no matter what they teach, no matter how many changes they make, or no matter how little biblical or other support they give for what they say Christians 'must do,' such ones are not "calling on the name of Jehovah" in the way that a true witness of Jehovah God or Jesus Christ would.

I write this in part because of what we read from Jehovah's greatest Witness, his own Son, Jesus, who told those in ancient Ephesus, "I know your deeds and your labor and endurance, and that you cannot bear bad men, and that you put those to the test who say they are apostles" (Revelation 2:2). If you are a Christian then ask yourself, "Do those whose teachings I follow allow me to do what Jesus here in Revelation says should be done?" If not, then those whom you follow cannot possibly be who they say they are, that is, if they say they are "apostles" or anything like an apostle or 'sent-forth one' from Jesus or from God.

"Calling on the name of Jehovah" or on the name of Jesus is not simply a vocalization of either name, but involves a reliance on or trust in one or both that is then made manifest by the 'call.' "Calling on the name" of Jehovah or Jesus therefore requires faith in them, but nowhere in the Bible is such faith said to have anything to do with a dependency on or trust in men, something the Bible expressly tells us not to do (Psalm 118:5-14; 146:1, 3). That is why Paul, a real apostle of God and of Jesus (1 Timothy 1:1), wrote the following in Galatians 1:6-12 (NWT):

I marvel that YOU are being so quickly removed from the One who called YOU with Christ’s undeserved kindness over to another sort of good news. But it is not another; only there are certain ones who are causing YOU trouble and wanting to pervert the good news about the Christ. However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to YOU as good news something beyond what we declared to YOU as good news, let him be accursed. As we have said above, I also now say again, Whoever it is that is declaring to YOU as good news something beyond what YOU accepted, let him be accursed. Is it, in fact, men I am now trying to persuade or God? Or am I seeking to please men? If I were yet pleasing men, I would not be Christ’s slave. For I put YOU on notice, brothers, that the good news which was declared by me as good news is not something human; for neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught [it], except through revelation by Jesus Christ.

Paul did not simply write about such things; he practiced what he preached by "standing face to face against" other apostles like Peter and others who, though directly appointed by Jesus to "feed [Jesus'] little sheep" (John 21:15-19), were nonetheless "condemned" because they 'put on a pretense' before others and "they were not walking straight according to the truth of the good news" (Galatians 2:11-14). This is exactly what Jesus says he approves of according to Revelation 2:2, quoted above. Yet, this is precisely what the Watchtower Society and its agencies resist, even to the point where they caution their followers to not "harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding."--“Make Your Advancement Manifest,” The Watchtower, August 1, 2001, page 14, par. 8.

Thus, in spite of Paul's counsel many religious leaders today who call themselves "Christian" or "Jehovah's Witnesses" are more protective of their place and position (compare John 11:48) than they are with being corrected or with working with those whom they call "brothers," as brothers, like Paul and Peter who did not become arrogant and self-righteous over their respective appointments and positions to such an extent that it kept the congregation in a state of confusion and doubt. In such a state, it is hard to believe that individual Christians or groups of "two or three" or more could "call on the name of Jehovah" in "spirit" and in "truth."--Matthew 18:20; John 4:23.

Jehovah's Witnesses associated with and loyal to the Watchtower Society today are required to accept what the Watchtower Society teaches as if it is "the voice of God" (from The Watchtower, June 15, 1957, page 370, par. 7). This is required by the Society in spite of its many false teachings and failed expectations which it has published for over 100 years, and advanced by those loyal to it simply because the Society tells them that this is what is true, even if what is true later becomes something they consider false. The basis for belief, then, is not the Bible, but the Watchtower Society.

It is precisely because of the apparent, demonstrated abandonment of loyalty to Jah God and to Jesus of Nazareth in favor of their own traditions and reputation among men that so many Jehovah's Witnesses today have decided to no longer work with the Watchtower Society, or with any of the agencies which it controls. Indeed, it has become impossible for many of us to "call on the name of Jehovah" with those who refuse to reject and "repent" of their false teachings (compare Revelation 2:20-23), or at least do what is required of Christians when questioned by others, namely, to give "a defense before everyone that demands a reason" (1 Peter 3:15). But the Watchtower Society and those who bear witness to its teachings refuse to do both on matters of critical importance. True, we all sin; we all make mistakes. But those Jehovah's Witnesses who are Christians first, before accepting what is taught by any man or organization of men, know that it is impossible to put "pleasing men" before being "Christ's slave" (Galatians 1:10). Thus, those who are witnesses of Jehovah God and of Jesus Christ in a biblical sense do not put loyalty to men before loyalty to God. The moment we do that, we show that we are no longer Jehovah's Witnesses, or Christian Witnesses of Jah, or witnesses of anyone but men.

That is a terrible place to find oneself, especially if your intent in starting out with a particular group or organization is to "draw close to God" and to do his will (Hebrews 10:36; James 4:8). I know, because I was in just such a place in association with the Watchtower Society. But after going through my own struggle for faith, and after a good deal of personal evaluation and appreciation for the fact that my baptism was a symbol of my dedication to Jesus of Nazareth and to his Father, it became clear that I needed to continue on in service to them alone or with "two or three" or however many more Christians I can find (Matthew 18:20). Men and their organizations may or may not be helpful in furthering the truth about God, that is, depending on whether they teach what can be shown to be true or most likely true based on good reasons. Why? Because men fail. Organizations fail. But Jesus and Jehovah have given us life, hope, love, and they have never lied or misrepresented the truth, as so many of us have done.

As I have presented briefly elsewhere and in a more extended consideration of the use and pronunciation of the divine name, "Jehovah" is an acceptable Anglicization (= a word that is made English or made like English) of the biblical God's name, just as "Jesus" is an appropriate English representation of the biblical Greek name Iesous, given to him in texts such as Acts 4:10-12. Yet, though millions, indeed, billions today accept "Jesus," they cannot resolve their conflict with "Jehovah." While the Anglicized form "Jehovah" has many good reasons supporting it, the name "Jah" is the least controversial of all forms of the divine name and it is itself an Anglicization of the Hebrew name Yah. In view of this, and in order to help differentiate myself from those who bear witness to men in Jehovah's name, I refer to myself as a "Christian Witness of Jah," as one of Jehovah's Witnesses who does not put loyalty to the Watchtower Society or to any man or group of men over and above loyalty to God.

Though it may seem strange to have to differentiate between those who "call on the name of Jehovah" in terms of loyalty to men or loyalty to Jah God himself, it is necessary. Just as it is necessary to differentiate today between many who call themselves "Christian," so I will differentiate between those who "call on the name of Jehovah" in terms of their association with the Watchtower Society or in association with traditions from any group that are not based on the best available reasons, and those who "call on" Jah's and Jesus' names out of love and a desire for truth, not because we fear men.

In these and in other ways I intend to 'make a start of calling on Jah's name,' for Jah is my God. I accept Jesus of Nazareth as the one who best represents the will of Jah God. According to the best available reasons, I accept the Bible as the most reliable source of information about the history and teachings of Jah and Jesus, and of those who follow them and of those who oppose them. Christian Witnesses of Jah must never follow the error of the Watchtower Society by requiring others to identify themselves as anything but "Christian" (see Acts 11:26), even if further differentiation and description is needed in order to properly identify those with whom we agree, and those with whom we disagree on important issues. But it is not now nor will it ever be necessary for a person to call him- or herself a "Christian Witness of Jah" before they can be considered a "Christian."

Every Christian is a witness of Jah God and of Jesus Christ, and if all such witnesses do not call on and praise both Jah and Jesus now, in the future they will (Revelation 19:1, 3, 4, 6). So, I say, let's make a start now of 'calling on and praising the name of Jah God'!

Still No Answer

People are busy. Organizations are busy. But many are not too busy to keep publishing things about what others should believe where it concerns belief in God and in what he requires of us. Though many things published about God and the Bible are not true, people believe them anyway without first evaluating what is taught to the extent needed in order to "make sure."--1 Thessalonians 5:21.

The result is that too many today are surrendering their lives to men and to organizations who do not teach what is true because of the best available reasons. Of course, people can publish what they want (most of the time, at least in the United States), but that does not mean people have to believe what is taught, and so ultimately the burden of 'making sure' falls to each of us, individually.--Compare Revelation 2:23.

Therefore, we should all have good (the best) reasons for our beliefs, and those good reasons should not disappear or no longer mean anything to us simply because we also think a person or a group of people 'seem good,' or because they talk about "God" or "Jesus." Appearances are deceiving, and that is why one is said to use them very well to his own end (2 Corinthians 11:14-15), while another looks beyond such things and to what matters most.--Isaiah 11:3.

Similarly, we should approach our beliefs, not by looking at the appearance of a belief based on how someone else presents it, but because of the reasons put forth which we can then make our own after checking the evidence no matter who presents it.--Acts 17:10-11; Galatians 1:7-9.

Jehovah's Witnesses who are Christian Witnesses of Jah believe what can be shown to be most likely true based on the best available reasons. When people 'demand reasons from us for our hope' (1 Peter 3:15), we try to give them the best reasons we have and if they are shown to be less convincing in comparison to other good reasons, then we adjust to what the best available reasons reveal. Because of this, we try never to unduly burden people with beliefs that are not convincing, or that the best available reasons show are between each person and God.--Compare Matthew 11:30; Romans 14:4.

As is true for other religions, sometimes beliefs are put forth as "Christian" but they are not supported by any evidence that associates the belief credibly with Jesus or with his early followers. Other times the reasons offered for a particular belief are unconvincing or even contradicted plainly by other, better reasons so that doubt and even resistance to the beliefs are appropriate, even expected (compare Galatians 2:11-21).

Christians who are told that God and Jesus want people to believe certain things and to act in certain ways should be given good reasons for what is claimed, for no on wants to be "tossed about as by waves and carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in contriving error"; rather, we try to 'speak the truth' based on the evidence available to us (Ephesians 4:14-15). That's the Christian way, the way Jehovah's Witnesses who are Christian Witnesses of Jah try to follow.

But Jehovah's Witnesses who are loyal to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and to its governors no matter what they publish are left without any good reasons at all for many of their beliefs. This makes it impossible not only to answer for their teachings, but it instills in followers of the Watchtower Society a readiness or mindset that is willing to accept critical and important beliefs without good reasons. For example, in “Be Guided by the Living God,” The Watchtower, June 15, 2004, pages 21-22, par. 11, we read (with underlining added):

Decades ago Jehovah’s Witnesses made their stand clear. For example, they supplied an article to The Journal of the American Medical Association (November 27, 1981; reprinted in How Can Blood Save Your Life? pages 27-9). That article quoted from Genesis, Leviticus, and Acts. It said: “While these verses are not stated in medical terms, Witnesses view them as ruling out transfusion of whole blood, packed RBCs [red blood cells], and plasma, as well as WBC [white blood cell] and platelet administration.” The 2001 textbook Emergency Care, under “Composition of the Blood,” stated: “The blood is made up of several components: plasma, red and white blood cells, and platelets.” Thus, in line with medical facts, Witnesses refuse transfusions of whole blood or of any of its four primary components.

Twice in 2007 I wrote to the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses associated with the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society in a constructive manner that, in part, asked what "medical facts" from their quotation from the "2001 textbook Emergency Care" they believe they are "in line with" when "refusing transfusions of whole blood or of any of its four primary components." Those letters, along with some other related correspondence concerning this issue, can be read at the end of this article.

However, to date, the Governing Body has not responded to this question and no Watchtower Witness loyal to the Governing Body has stepped forward to answer this question, either. Yet, what you read above is still taught as legitimate support for the organization's position that people should refuse transfusions of the four primary components of blood, none of which are actually blood!

As anyone who reads the above can see, there is nothing in the definition of "blood" found in the quoted 2001 textbook that provides any basis whatsoever for the Watchtower's teaching that blood's four primary components should be refused as part of a medical transfusion. Indeed, there is nothing anywhere in any medical textbook that equates blood's four primary components with blood, as if any one component of blood is blood. In fact, even the definition of "blood" that is given in the quoted textbook (and, thus, in The Watchtower article itself!) shows that these four primary components are not blood, but components of blood.

If the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses associated with the Watchtower Society, or those Witnesses loyal to them, choose to explain why the subject textbook is quoted and used in The Watchtower in this way, please let me know. So far, there is still no answer from those responsible for the use of the 2001 medical textbook that is in question.--1 Peter 3:15.

Start Here!

Hello, and welcome to "Watching the Ministry"!

I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and a Christian Witness of Jah. Both are the same thing, really, in that both "Jehovah's Witnesses" and the "Christian Witnesses of Jah" from a biblical perspective have to do with those people who bear witness to the God Jah, apart from the traditions of men (compare Isaiah 29:13; Galatians 1:10). Of course, many who hear "Jehovah's Witnesses" think immediately of those who bear witness to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. That is not what makes one a Jehovah's Witness, and the Christian Witnesses of Jah reject any attempt to equate bearing witness to Jah with bearing witness to men.

Jehovah's Witnesses who are trying to be loyal to God only accept beliefs that are based on the best available reasons. We don't coerce or pressure anyone to believe anything, but we will try to convince others of what we believe is true based on the best available reasons.

We do not push speculative interpretations of Bible chronology or of Bible prophecy. We teach basic Christian doctrine in all its simplicity and complexity, as well as how to live best by following Christian teachings. Our motivation is love for God and a desire to see his will take place "on the earth as in heaven."--Matthew 6:10.

We don't claim to "know" everything, or even to "know" anything (or at least not most things) absolutely. Who does? But we don't have to "know" something in order to have good enough reasons to "believe" it (compare the definition of "faith" given in Hebrews 11:1).

In fact, we believe things all the time that we do not know, such as whether we'll be hit by another car driving through a motor vehicle traffic intersection. Not knowing for a certainty whether a car coming through the intersection will hit us, most if not all of us proceed through intersections according to shared rules that we believe for good reasons will not result in our getting hurt or even killed. So, too, should our most precious beliefs be based on the best available reasons.

If you would like to learn more about the Christian Witnesses of Jah, start here! You can also review an introductory article I wrote about the "Christian Witnesses of Jah," and there is much about us in my Jehovah's Witnesses Defended: An Answer to Scholars and Critics, Third Edition (Murrieta, CA: Elihu Books, 2009), in Chapter 10 and throughout the book.

I will also be talking more here on this Blog about our beliefs, why we believe what we believe, how we can better ourselves and our communities, and how we all can individually and together help those in need. Family is central to our ministry, for "if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith" (1 Timothy 5:8 [NWT]). From here, we reach out to others wherever possible, bringing the good news of God's kingdom and of life through Jesus Christ to as many as possible.

If you have questions about the Christian Witnesses of Jah, Jehovah's Witnesses, or about anything published here or on the Elihu Books web site, email me using elihubooks@gmail.com. I will try to respond to as many questions as I can either directly, here on this Blog, or through the Elihu Books Chat With Us! forum.

Best regards to you all, and may you enjoy the information presented here and the discussions and activities we have planned in the near future through Elihu Books and through the Christian Witnesses of Jah!