Don't have any dealings
with Disfellowshipped, Disassociated, Apostates, Worldly Associations or
other Religions per the Society.
Disfellowshipped or Disassociated
as per WTBTS
*** w81 9/15 23-4 Disfellowshiping-How to View It ***
16 Persons who make themselves “not of our sort”
by deliberately rejecting the faith and beliefs of
Jehovah’s Witnesses should appropriately be viewed
and treated as are those who have been
disfellowshiped for wrongdoing.
COOPERATING WITH THE CONGREGATION
17 Though Christians enjoy spiritual fellowship when they discuss or
study the Bible with their brothers or
interested persons, they would not want to have
such fellowship with an expelled sinner (or one who has
renounced the faith and beliefs of Jehovah’s
Witnesses, disassociating himself). The expelled person has
been ‘rejected,’ being “self-condemned” because of “sinning,” and those
in the congregation both accept
God’s judgment and uphold it. Disfellowshiping, however, implies more
than ceasing to have spiritual
fellowship.—Titus 3:10, 11.
18 Paul wrote: “Quit mixing in company . . .
, not even eating with such a man.” (1 Cor. 5:11) A meal is a
time of relaxation and socializing. Hence, the
Bible here rules out social fellowship, too, such as joining an
expelled person in a picnic or party, ball game,
trip to the beach or theater, or sitting down to a meal with
him. (The special problems involving a
relative who has been disfellowshiped are considered in the
following article.)
*** w81 9/15 26 If a Relative Is Disfellowshiped . . . ***
2 God had purposed that families should be united in true worship,
so religious beliefs would not create
any divisions. But incidents occurred in which religion became a family
issue. One of these was when
Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebelled. Jehovah confirmed that he was dealing
through Moses and Aaron,
not through these religious rebels. Then Moses told the people to get
away from the rebels’ tents. What
would the children and households of Korah, Dathan and Abiram do? Would
they put loyalty to family
ahead of loyalty to Jehovah and his congregation?Most
of those closely related to the rebels put family
before God. Jehovah executed these relatives
along with the rebels. —Num. 16:16-33.
*** w81 9/15 29 If a Relative Is Disfellowshiped . . . ***
18 The second situation that we need to consider is that involving
a disfellowshiped or disassociated
relative who is not in the immediate family circle
or
living at one’s home. Such a person is still related by
blood or marriage, and so there may be some limited need to care for
necessary family matters.
Nonetheless, it is not as if he were living in the same home where
contact and conversation could not be
avoided. We should keep clearly in mind the Bible’s inspired direction:
“Quit
mixing in company with
anyone called a brother that is a fornicator
or a greedy person . . . , not even eating with such a man.”—1
Cor. 5:11.
*** w81 9/15 30 If a Relative Is Disfellowshiped . . . ***
21 Great care needs to be exercised that a person’s situation as a
disfellowshiped sinner is neither
overlooked nor minimized. As the sons of Korah well demonstrated, our
chief loyalty must be to Jehovah
and his theocratic arrangement. We can
be sure that when we uphold his standards and prefer
association with his organized people, rather than with wrongdoers,
we will have his protection and
blessing.—Ps. 84:10-12.
*** w81 9/15 30 If a Relative Is Disfellowshiped . . . ***
22 Normally, relatives are often together
at meals, picnics, family reunions or other social gatherings. But
when someone has unrepentantly pursued sin and has had to be disfellowshiped,
he may cause
difficulties for his Christian relatives in regard
to such gatherings. While they realize that they are still
related to him, they do not want to ignore Paul’s
advice that faithful Christians should “quit mixing in
company” with an expelled sinner.
23 There is no point in looking for some rule as to family members
being at gatherings where a
disfellowshiped relative might be present. This would be something
for those concerned to resolve, in
keeping with Paul’s counsel. (1 Cor. 5:11) And yet it should be appreciated
that if a disfellowshiped person
is going to be at a gathering to which nonrelative Witnesses are invited,
that may well affect what others
do. For example, a Christian couple might be
getting married at a Kingdom Hall. If a disfellowshiped
relative comes to the Kingdom Hall for the wedding,
obviously he could not be in the bridal party there or
“give away” the bride. What, though, if there
is a wedding feast or reception? This can be a happy social
occasion, as it was in Cana when Jesus attended.
(John 2:1, 2) But will the disfellowshiped relative be
allowed to come or even be invited? If he was
going to attend, many Christians, relatives or not, might
conclude that they should not be there, to eat
and associate with him, in view of Paul’s drections at 1
Corinthians 5:11.
An Apostate is one who does not
believe the way the WTBTS does
*** w83 4/1 24 Reject Apostasy, Cling to the Truth! ***
Attitude Toward Apostates
17 Christians are to be hospitable, but not toward
apostates from the true faith. (1 Peter 4:9) John made
this clear in saying: “If anyone comes to you
and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your
homes or say a greeting to him. For he that says
a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works.” (2
John 10, 11) The “deceivers” were traveling about and actively spreading
false teaching. Of course, it
would have been wrong for any dedicated Christian
to extend the hand of fellowship to them by allowing
these false teachers into his home. It would
also have been improper to give the apostates any kind of
greeting, whether it was welcome on their arrival
or “God speed” at their departure. (Authorized Version)
No loyal Christian would wish a deliberate promoter of false doctrine
success in his work. Certainly, then,
no faithful witness of Jehovah would socialize
with such an individual.—1 Corinthians 5:11-13.
18 Moreover, if a dedicated servant of Jehovah were to entertain such
a deceptive teacher in his home, he
would become “an accomplice” in the “wicked deeds” of that person.
(The New English Bible) Therefore,
no loyal modern-day witness of Jehovah would
greet a disfellowshipped or disassociated apostate or allow
that one to use his Christian home as a place
from which to spread doctrinal error. Surely, there would be
grave accountability before God if a believer
extended hospitality to an apostate and this resulted in the
spiritual death of a fellow worshiper of Jehovah.—Compare
Romans 16:17, 18; 2 Timothy 3:6, 7.
19 Some who once served as Jehovah’s Witnesses have rejected various
Scriptural views based on the
teachings of Jesus Christ and his apostles. For instance, they insist
that we are not living in the “last days,”
despite overwhelming evidence that we are. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) These
apostates ‘have gone out from us
because they were not of our sort.’ (1 John 2:18, 19) Hence, they no
longer have fellowship with loyal
anointed witnesses of Jehovah and their companions, and therefore these
self-seeking heretics have no
“sharing” with the Father and the Son, no matter how much they may
boast of having intimacy with God
and Christ. Instead, they are in spiritual darkness. (1 John 1:3, 6)
Lovers
of light and truth must take a firm
stand against these promoters of false teaching.
In no way do loyal witnesses of Jehovah want to be
accomplices in the “wicked deeds” of such unfaithful
persons by supporting their ungodly words and
activities in any manner. Rather, may we “put
up a hard fight for the faith that was once for al time
delivered to the holy ones.”—Jude 3, 4,
19.
*** w93 8/1 16 Let No One Spoil Your Useful Habits ***
7 How can we apply Paul’s warning about associations? He did not mean
that we should decline to help
someone in the congregation who was finding it hard to understand a
Bible verse or teaching. Indeed,
Jude 22, 23 urges us to give merciful help to sincere ones with such
doubts. (James 5:19, 20) Paul’s
fatherly counsel, however, should certainly come into play if
someone keeps taking exception to what we
know to be Bible truth or keeps making comments
of a skeptical or negative nature. We should be on
guard against association with that type of person.
Of course, if someone became definitely apostate, the
spiritual shepherds would have to act to protect
the flock.—2 Timothy 2:16-18; Titus 3:10, 11.
Worldly Association per the WTBTS
*** w94 2/15 24 Keep Your Distance When Danger Threatens ***
We must also be on guard against extended association
with worldly people. Perhaps it is a neighbor, a
school friend, a workmate, or a business associate.
We
may reason, ‘He respects the Witnesses, he
leads a clean life, and we do talk about the truth occasionally.’ Yet,
the experience of others proves that in
time we may even find ourselves preferring such
worldly company to that of a spiritual brother or sister.
*** km 6/89 1-2 Enjoying Theocratic Association ***
WHOLESOME ASSOCIATION
5 One cannot walk with God while running in association with those
of the wicked and sick society that
approves of everything that God abhors. The Bible warns: “Bad associations
spoil useful habits.” (1 Cor.
15:33) Some in the congregation may be inclined
to invite worldly acquaintances and unbelieving relatives
who have no interest in the truth to social gatherings,
thinking that this will encourage them to accept the
truth. However, is this wise and in harmony with
the Scriptures?
6 We have been counseled to be cautious in our
dealings with men of the nations, unbelievers, and ordinary persons.
(See the November 15, 1988, issue of The Watchtower, pages 15-16.) Why
should we have unnecessary social contact with people who still pursue
worldly ways and who have not become worshipers of Jehovah? (2 Cor.
6:14, 15) Some who are negligent spiritually may seek out others who also
hold on to worldly thinking and ways instead of seeking association with
mature Christians who could help them become strong in the faith. They
fail to appreciate that attendance at social gatherings with worldly, unprincipled
people can weaken their faith and corrupt them.—Compare 2 Thessalonians
3:14, 15.
*** w87 11/1 18 Are You Remaining Clean in Every Respect? ***
Many brothers, for example, drop their moral guard during vacation
periods. Neglecting theocratic
association, they strike up friendships with
worldly vacationers. Reasoning that these are ‘really nice
people,’ some Christians have joined them in
questionable activities. Similarly, others have become overly
friendly with their workmates. One Christian
elder became so involved with a female employee that he
abandoned his family and took up living with her! Disfellowshipping
resulted. How true the Bible’s words,
“Bad associations spoil useful habits”!—1 Corinthians 15:33.
*** w93 8/1 18-19 Let No One Spoil Your Useful Habits ***
13 Christians want to be friendly with workmates,
and many experiences bear out how effective this can be
in opening the way for giving a witness. A fellow
worker could misinterpret friendliness, however, as
inviting association in order to have a good
time together. He or she might extend a casual invitation to
lunch, to a brief stop after work for a drink,
or to some recreation on the weekend. This person might
appear kind and clean-cut, and the invitation
might seem innocent. Yet, Paul advises us: “Do not be
misled.”
14 Some Christians have been. They gradually
developed a relaxed attitude toward association with
workmates. Maybe it grew out of a common interest
in a sport or a hobby. Or a non-Christian on the job
might be exceptionally kind and thoughtful, which
led to spending increasing amounts of time with that
one, even preferring such company to that of
some in the congregation. Then the association might lead
to missing just one meeting. It could mean being out late one evening
and breaking the pattern of sharing
in the field ministry in the morning. It could result in watching a
film or a video of a type that the Christian
normally would refuse. ‘Oh, that would never happen to me,’ we might
think. But most of those who have
been misled may first have responded that way. We need to ask ourselves,
‘Just how determined am I to
apply Paul’s counsel?’
15 What we just considered as to the workplace
applies also to our association with neighbors. Certainly,
the Christians in ancient Corinth had neighbors.
In some communities it is normal to be quite friendly and
supportive of neighbors. In rural areas neighbors
may rely on one another because of isolation. Family ties
are particularly strong in some cultures, giving
rise to many invitations to meals. Obviously, a balanced
view is important, as Jesus manifested. (Luke
8:20, 21; John 2:12) In our dealings with neighbors and
relatives, are we inclined to carry on as we
did before we became Christians? Rather, should we not now
review such dealings and consciously determine
what limits are appropriate?
16 Jesus once likened the word of the Kingdom to seeds that “fell alongside
the road, and the birds came
and ate them up.” (Matthew 13:3, 4, 19) Back then, soil along a road
became hard as many feet walked
back and forth on it. It is that way with many people. Their lives
are filled with neighbors, relatives, and
others coming and going, keeping them busy. This, as it were, tramples
the soil of their hearts, making it
hard for seeds of truth to take root. A similar unresponsiveness could
develop in one who is already a
Christian.
17 Some worldly neighbors and relatives may be
friendly and helpful, though they have consistently shown
neither interest in spiritual things nor love
for righteousness. (Mark 10:21, 22; 2 Corinthians 6:14) Our
becoming Christians should not mean that we become
unfriendly, unneighborly. Jesus counseled us to
manifest genuine interest in others. (Luke 10:29-37)
But equally inspired and necessary is Paul’s counsel
to be careful about our associations. As
we apply the former counsel, we must not forget the latter. If we
do not keep both principles in mind, our habits can be affected. How
do your habits compare with those of
your neighbors or relatives as respects honesty or obeying Caesar’s
law? For instance, they may feel that
at tax time, underreporting income or business profits is justified,
even necessary for survival. They might
speak persuasively about their views over a casual cup of coffee or
during a brief visit. How could that
affect your thinking and honest habits? (Mark 12:17; Romans 12:2) “Do
not bemisled. Bad associations
spoil useful habits.”
*** w93 4/15 15-16 Youths-What Are You Pursuing? ***
8 Some worldly youths may seem nice simply because
they do not smoke, use bad language, or engage
in immoral sex. If they are not pursuing righteousness,
though, their fleshly thinking and attitudes can
easily rub off on you. Besides, how much could
you have in common with unbelievers? (2 Corinthians
6:14-16) Why, the spiritual values you hold dear are mere “foolishness”
to them! (1 Corinthians 2:14)
Could you maintain their friendship without compromising your principles?
9 So keep clear of unwholesome associates. Limit
your association to spiritually minded Christians who
really love Jehovah. Be careful even of youths
in the congregation who are negative or critical. As you
grow spiritually, your taste in friends will likely change. Says one
teenage Witness girl: “I have been
making new friends in different congregations. It has made me realize
how unnecessary worldly friends
are.”
*** w88 4/15 27 Discipline That Can Yield Peaceable Fruit ***
7 Christians do not hold themselves aloof from people. We
have normal contacts with neighbors,
workmates, schoolmates, and others, and witness
to them even if some are ‘fornicators, greedy persons,
extortioners, or idolaters.’ Paul wrote that
we cannot avoid them completely, ‘otherwise we would have to
get out of the world.’ He directed that it was
to be different, though, with “a brother” who lived like that:
“Quit mixing in company with anyone called a
brother that [has returned to such ways], not even eating
with such a man.”—1 Corinthians 5:9-11; Mark
2:13-17.
8 In the apostle John’s writings, we find similar counsel that emphasizes
how thoroughly Christians are to
avoid such ones: “Everyone that pushes ahead
and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not
have God . . . If anyone comes to you and does
not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes
or say a greeting to him. For he that says a
greeting [Greek, khai'ro] to him is a sharer in his wicked
works.”—2 John 9-11.
The WTBTS says they are the only
true religion
*** w81 11/15 16-17 'Stay Awake and Keep Your Senses' ***
3Any person who wants to survive into God’s righteous
new order urgently needs to come into a right
relationship with Jehovah and His earthly organization
now.
*** w83 2/15 12 You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth-But
How? ***
A third requirement is that we be associated
with God’s channel, his organization. God has always used
an organization. For example, only those in the
ark in Noah’s day survived the Flood, and only those
associated with the Christian congregation in
the first century had God’s favor. (Acts 4:12) Similarly,
Jehovah is using only one organization today
to accomplish his will. To receive everlasting life in the
earthly Paradise we must identify that organization
and serve God as part of it.
The WTBTS says all other religions
are false and are from the Devil
*** w91 12/1 13 Breaking Free From False Religion ***
Such Babylonish doctrines as the immortality of the soul, a burning
hell, and the Trinity were incorporated
into the teachings of apostate Christianity. The
Catholic, the Orthodox, and later the Protestant churches
all adopted these false dogmas and, therefore,
became a part of Babylon the Great, the Devil’s world
empire of false religion.
*** rs 49 Babylon the Great ***
Babylon the Great Definition: The world empire
of false religion, embracing all religions whose
teachings and practices do not conform to the true worship of Jehovah,
the only true God. Following the
Flood of Noah’s day, false religion had its beginning at Babel (later
known as Babylon). (Gen. 10:8-10;
11:4-9) In time, Babylonish religious beliefs and practices spread
to many lands. So Babylon the Great
became a fitting name for false religion as a whole.
*** w89 4/1 30 Questions From Readers ***
As parts of Babylon the Great, the world empire
of false religion, both Catholicism and Protestantism have
been deeply involved with the commercial and political elements of
this world. (Revelation 17:1-6; 18:1-19)
True, an individual Protestant denomination may have less influence
than the powerful Roman Catholic
Church. But the many Protestant churches combined outstrip the one
Catholic Church in power and
influence. For instance, Protestantism exerts great influence in certain
prominent industrial countries, with
some Protestant clergymen seeking high political office. So this is
one way in which Protestantism, with its
many denominations, has defiled herself even more than Catholicism.
*** kl 125-6 13 Why Living a Godly Life Brings Happiness ***
15 Being “no part of the world” also means breaking
off all association with “Babylon the Great,” the world
empire of false religion. Unclean worship
spread from ancient Babylon until it held harmful spiritual
dominion over people earth wide. “Babylon the
Great” embraces all religions whose doctrines and
practices are out of harmony with the knowledge
of God. (Revelation 17:1, 5, 15)
No faithful worshiper of
Jehovah will engage in interfaith activities
by sharing in worship with different religions or by having
spiritual fellowship with any part of Babylon
the Great. (Numbers 25:1-9; 2 Corinthians 6:14)
Consequently, many new Bible students send a letter of resignation
to the religious organization to which
they belong. This has brought them closer to the true God, as promised:
“‘Get out from among them, and
separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah, ‘and quit touching the unclean
thing’; ‘and I will take you in.’” (2
Corinthians 6:17; Revelation 18:4, 5) Is not such acceptance by our
heavenly Father what you keenly
esire?
*** w94 3/1 11 Jehovah's Judgment Against False Teachers ***
If Christendom’s religious prophets were standing in Jehovah’s
intimate group, in close relationship with
him as though a faithful and discreet servant, then they too would
be living by God’s standards. They too
would have been making the peoples of Christendom hear God’s own words.
Instead, the modern-day
false teachers have made their followers blinded
servants of God’s Adversary, Satan the Devil.
** w93 4/1 16 Who Are Following the Light of the World? ***
Christendom, with her divisive religions, certainly is not shining
as an illuminator. In fact, the clergy are like
the religious leaders in Jesus’ day. They are
not reflecting the true light from God and Christ. Thirty-three
years ago, the magazine Theology Today said: “Regretfully it must be
acknowledged that this light does
not shine in the Church with commanding brilliance. . . . The Church
has tended to become more and
more like the communities with which it is surrounded. It is not so
much the light of the world as rather a
reflector of lights which shine in the world itself.” And
Christendom’s condition is even worse today. The
so-called light that she reflects from the world
is in reality darkness because that is all Satan and his world
have to offer. No, there is no light of truth
coming from the conflicting and thoroughly worldly religions of
Christendom.
12 It can confidently
be said that the new world society of Jehovah’s Witnesses is the true,
light-bearing
organization today. Unitedly, all its
members—men, women, and young ones alike—let their light from
Jehovah and Christ shine before all mankind.
*** sh 369-70 16 The True God and Your Future ***
8 This identification of Babylon the Great is confirmed by an angel’s
condemnation of her for her “spiritistic
practice [by which] all the nations were misled.” (Revelation 18:23)
All
forms of spiritism are religious and
demon-inspired. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) Thus,
Babylon the Great must symbolize a religious entity.
Biblical evidence shows that she is Satan’s entire
world empire of false religion, promoted by him in the
minds of men in order to divert attention from
the true God, Jehovah.—John 8:44-47; 2 Corinthians
11:13-15; Revelation 21:8; 22:15.
9 As we have seen throughout this book, there
are common threads going right through the confused
tapestry of the world’s religions. Many religions
have their roots in mythology. Nearly all are tied together
by some form of belief in a supposed immortal
human soul that survives death and goes to a hereafter or
transmigrates to another creature. Many have
the common denominator of belief in a dreadful place of
torment and torture called hell. Others are connected
by ancient pagan beliefs in triads, trinities, and
mother goddesses. Therefore, it is only appropriate
that they should all be grouped together under the one
composite symbol of the harlot “Babylon the Great.”—Revelation
17:5.
*** w80 3/1 17 After Destruction of Organized Religion, Which
Way? ***
17 We are to expect the destruction of the most
influential section of Organized Religion, namely,
Christendom with all its babel of religious sects
and denominations. This will occur at Jehovah’s
unchangeable time.
*** w79 8/1 16 Why Will Christendom Not Survive? ***
25 Bloodguilty Christendom of today, with her
pagan customs, man-made traditions, and mixture of
heathen philosophies with Bible teachings, will
fare no better than her ancient prototype. She will not
escape sharing in the fulfillment of Jehovah’s prophecy: “A great tempest
itself will be roused up from the
remotest parts of the earth. And those slain by Jehovah will certainly
come to be in that day from one end
of the earth clear to the other end of the earth. They will not be
bewailed, neither will they be gathered up
or be buried. As manure on the surface of the ground they will become.”
(Jer. 25:32, 33) No! Christendom
will not survive the impending “great tribulation.”
(Matt. 24:1, 2, 21, 22) Moreover, all the rest of
the world
empire of false religion will closely follow
her into destruction!
Back
to Main Page
|
|