Why do Jehovah's Witnesses ( colossians 3:12-17 ) withhold mercy and grace?

Question

Therefiore as the elect of God holy and beloved, put your tender mercies, kindness,humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you must do................

Why do Jehovahs Witnesses make a disfellowshipped person stay excommunicated for on average a full year to prove repentance?
Isn't this the same as, adding traditions to the gospel , that Christ rallied against.?

I mean If God almighty forgives us before we even ask....Then how can you make a decision that, The (errant) christian must prove to you that they are sorry and why does it take a year or more?
Aren't you going ahead of God?

Answers in your own words would be appreciated...Watchtower cut and paste answers will not be read by me.....I know what they say...I want to hear form you.

Lynn..I am sorry but I have to correct you...I was Disfellowshipped for over a year...I was completely repentant and threw myself on the mercy of the elders...They Disfellowshipped me anyway......I stayed Disfellowshipped for over 15 months...attended meetings...sat at the back of the Kingdom Hall ....no one speke to me ...all the regular witness stuff....If it hasn't happened to you, then you can not say that it doesn't happen at all.....some day I will reveal what sick things happened in the comittee meeting....Make your hair curl

Heiss...That is the least you have ever said on a subject...and you are a bold faced liar!....Is that why there are so few words....You can get disfellowshipped for lying.

Sklemetti.....Per expected...attack me and don't look in your own back yard.....your lack of education is hanging out.

NOT 1...of the Jehovah's Witnesses answered the question directly......The question was about The GRACE of God compared to the lack of forgiveness of the Witnesses.....

Hypocrites......Witnesses condem Priests for the practice of confession...but turn around and misuse scripture to justify their way to punish people.

Answer 1

You are correct for sure. I know of a former Witness. When he started to ask questions about the organizations past that were not appreciated, he was disfellowshiped eventually. He was ignored during their meetings and excluded from family events for over a year. What a price to pay for seeking the truth to some questions.

Praise God he met some real Christians how know what real grace is all about. Thankfully he is now free from the control of the Watchtower.


Achtung - it really does happen. No matter how much you want to belive the Watchtower would never ever do this, the fact remains - many have been disfellowshipped for periods of a year or more.

Answer 2

Question: Why did the Jehovah's Witnesses change God's word in Colossians in NWT? A misconception. God's word remains the same. However, translators do add English words for clarification. This is done with bibles that were translated by trinitarians as well, but trinitarians go a step further to add words that change the meaning of the verse. King James Version Acts 7:59 "And they stoned Stephen, calling upon [God], and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." There is no [God] or theos in the Greek text. Topic: All other (pas) Pas or all in Greek can mean "all other" hence no need for brackets. Take for example the NIV (1984 ) bible it adds "all other" when the word other is not specifically mentioned in the Greek text and with out brackets. 1 Corinthians 6:18 "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body" Other is also added to the King James Version when it is not in the Greek text. Acts 5:29 "Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered" The reason for this is because the Greeks take the word other for granted and expect the reader to know that even though they do not write other they mean it. Scholars like Blass, Debrunner and Funk mention: The omission of the notion 'other, whatever' (§ 306 (5)) is specifically Greek." Trianatrian Discrepancies: 1) None of the Trianatrians mention the above. Do they understand how Greek works? 2) The Trianatrian translation of the King James Version adds "other" when it is not in the Greek. 3) The Trianatrian translation of the King James Version is inconsistent as it does not add the word other to Col 1:16-17 making the trinity God a created being. "...all things created..."

Answer 3

Hi Lemming Princess,

In some cases, people are reinstated in less than a year.

But in spite of what you may read on Yahoo Answers, a person can be disfellowshipped even though they have already repented. In fact, sometimes they are disfellowshipped BECAUSE they repented, strange as it seems.

Unless this has been changed very recently, a person can, for example, "fall away", completely abandon meetings, etc. , live in sin and not be disfellowshpped as long as they are not viewed by the community or those in the congregation as Jehovah's Witnesses. But if that person repents and decides to return, if they are known to have been living an immoral lifestyle, they are required to meet with the elders and are sometimes disfellowshipped AT THAT TIME , AFTER they have decided to "return to Jehovah". The reason for this is that as long as they weren't "viewed" as a Witness, they weren't bringing "reproach" on the religion. But now they're going back to the Kingdom Hall, maybe with an illegitimate baby, and the congregation feels the need to punish them. Otherwise, people might complain because when someone else's daughter got pregnant (unmarried) she got disfellowshipped.

Another reason, and a very big one, is that the congregation is very concerned with their reputation and "image" which may be deemed more inportant than the spirituality of just one individual. Kind of reminiscent of the Pharisees when Jesus walked the earth.

So it isn't necessarily whether a person is repentant or not, that determines if they are disfellowshipped.

Let me point out, though, that a person in that situation will not always be disfellowshipped. Sometimes the elders feel they can just do a public reproof - it usually has to do with the noteriety involved.

Likewise, some are disfellowshipped for smoking or similar things even though they're trying hard to overcome them. If they slip up too many times, they'll be disfellowshipped even though they are pursuing a wrong course - not out of a wrong desire - but because of human weakness they haven't yet been able to overcome.

Answer 4

What you seem to have forgotten is that Jehovah's Holy Spirit is guiding these decisions and based on your present attitude I only assume that the correct decision was made in your case.
The Elders as our shepherds have to protect the sheep from negative and destructive influences.
Are you not familiar with 1Cor.5:9-13;Mat.18:17?
You should know that to disfellowship is taken very seriously by the Elders,is only done as a last resort,onus being on the wrongdoer to show remorse and a repentant attitude.
Why on earth would you ask the question on this website.Dont you have literature you could have looked up to provide you with the scriptural answer to your vindictive question?

Answer 5

Clearly if someone has repeatedly and unrepentantly shown that they do not wish to live according to the Bible anymore, there should be at least some proof they have made a change of heart. Change, and proof of such, takes time. Consider, many parents use timeouts. When little Narim or little Motoko willfully misbehave, punishment, with the aim of correction, is needed. At times the little ones will claim anything to make the punishment end, even to the point of lying about being sorry, or trying to mend their ways. One of the points of time out is to give the little one, time to think.

Answer 6

JWs disfellowship all who unrepentantly practice sin. - 1 Corinthians 5:11-13.

God’s righteous standards require them to disfellowship the unrepentant one. Even then, like the father of the prodigal son, they hope that some day the erring one will ‘come to his senses.’ (Luke 15:17, 18)

An understanding heart will enable elders to apply the appropriate Scriptural principles and to take into account the circumstances of each individual. When Jesus healed the woman who had a flow of blood, he showed that Jehovah’s justice means understanding the spirit as well as the letter of the law. (Luke 8:43-48)

The elders make every effort to be merciful, for they are mindful that God is “ready to forgive.” (Psalm 86:5)

Answer 7

I have a fleshly brother and sister both working on getting reinstated. My sister is living with me and her three kids. My sister has been disfellowshipped for five years. I didn't think she would ever come back, when she left she started doing everything, including holidays. She moved in with a man she later remarried, but is now divorced from him due to him trying things with her daughters. She has been going back to meetings for 10 months. Because she was disfellowshipped in another state, they have to be the ones to reinstate her. My brother started going back to the meetings after six months of being disfellowshipped. He has been going to meetings for 15 months. He's in the same situation, he was disfellowshipped in another state. He had left his wife for the secretary, but has been back with his wife for 15 months. So they both did have a bad attitude at the time, and brought reproach on Jehovah's name. But the brothers here are willing to reinstate them, but have to wait for the okay for the congregations that they were disfellowshipped in. We are hoping it will be the same night and we can have a big family reunion. There is no set rule on how long it takes someone to be reinstated. I've known some be reinstated in six months and others over a year. It depends on the circumstances and their attitude.

At the time when they were doing things they shouldn't do, I didn't want to be around them, they weren't the same people. I didn't know who they were. I even told my sister that, I didn't feel that I knew her. She was like a stranger to me. She honestly made me sick to my stomach, to think she was taking her children down with her, was so selfish. Thankfully, she has come to her sense and not to much harm has been done. Her kids wanted to come back to the meetings and the two oldest who are 14 & 15 are now unbaptized publishers and have joined the school. The 15 year old wants to regular pioneer. They have seen the world and don't want it.

I'm sorry you feel you had a bad experience. I hate to say it, but if your attitude now was anything like it was then, I can see why it took awhile for you to be reinstated....and look, now you have totally turned your back on Jehovah. It's never to late to come back. Your always welcome. The angels rejoice more over one who was lost, who returns then over a multitude.

Answer 8

Dear Lemming Princess,

I was thinking along the same line as Schneb but he beat me to it.

Are you familiar with the 50-20 Principle?
It refers to Genesis 50:20 where Joseph tells his brothers - You meant it for evil but God meant it for good.

Edit: I realize that I made a comment but didn't give you an answer. Mercy and grace are attributes of God and human beings need the help of the Holy Spirit to be full of grace and merciful.

Edit 2: Speaking of Grace, the July 1 reading in The Daily Walk Bible covers Proverbs 1-4. I want to call your attention to Proverbs 3:34-35.

He mocks proud mockers but gives GRACE (my caps for emphasis) to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame.

For His glory,
JOYfilled

Answer 9

speaking from personal experience, the amount of time it takes for a disfellowshipped person to be reinstated solely depends on the persons repentance and circumstances surrounding their being disfellowshipped. If in time such a disfellowshiped person comes to the spiritual elders representing the congregation and asks to be reinstated, what occurred, as well as the wrongdoer’s attitude, would have to be considered. The committee of elders handling such a request for reinstatement would want to give thought to the difference between a person who succumbs to sin in a moment of weakness and someone who conspires to sin.

I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses, raised as one and baptized in 1990, and have seen during my lifetime both family and friends be disfellowshipped and reinstated, anywhere from 4 months to 12 years for that person to come back to the congregation. Jehovah is a God of mercy and perfect justice. Jude 23 admonishes the elders to treat the congregation with tenderness and mercy. Jehovah sees all and knows all, He knows the heart of that person, whether they are truly repentant or not. If the elders are with-holding mercy in some way, they are accountable to Jehovah for the way they deal with the flock. The elders should feel keenly their responsibility to protect the congregation, yet always being conscious of God’s mercy and desire that persons gain life. (Rom. 2:4) They realize that they do not have superhuman ability to read hearts and motives perfectly, as does Jehovah, to whom the sinner is accountable. (Heb. 4:13) So they will strive to guide their consideration and decision by God’s Word and what they can determine as to the disfellowshiped person’s attitude and heart condition. If in time the committee of elders should conclude that the sinner has truly repented and worked to purify his heart, then reinstatement is in order. (Jas. 4:8) But there is no set time for that to take place. And even though the congregation may reinstate such a sinner, it is to be remembered that he or she must yet “stand before the judgment seat of God” to render an account.—Rom. 14:10-12.
It may be difficult to not speak to or associate with that person, but accepting divine discipline is vital to our relationship with God.
Just remember, we dont know all the details. Only trust that "Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with YOU because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9) I could go on and on, but I hope this helps in some way.
I urge you to learn more so you will fully appreciate this organization that stays morally clean and separate from this world. www.watchtower.org

Answer 10

I can think of a few occasions where someone was df'd for only a couple of months. Though we weren't supposed to talk about it, everyone would gossip about it.

The one case I know about specifically was just before I quit. I had one friend I was really concerned about. She was very close to me and had become very dependent on me. She was the only JW I had told I was concerned about the abuse/victim problem. She had told me that she'd attempted suicide in the past, and I wanted to prepare her gradually for my leaving.

She told me her own personal story as if to make it seem that I shouldn't quit because of it...

She told me that she had accepted a ride home from Starbuck's from a "brother" who she had known for some time. She told me that it was a little odd because she didn't remember getting home or anything that happened for the rest of that day.

Shortly afterward, she was approached by another brother who told her that the first guy had actually been bragging to him that he date-raped her!

She went to the elders with her story and the guy admitted it. So what do they do? They disfellowshipped HER! They said she was a "loose woman" for having accepted a ride.

Other local elders who hadn't been on the committee appealed her disfellowshipping. The circuit overseer had to take it to headquarters to get it reversed.

She was reinstated after six weeks. No explanation. She wasn't supposed to tell anyone.

The only reason she told me was that she was desperate to convince me to stay. It actually just gave me first-hand living proof of what I had already seen over and over on the web and in the media.

Re: Keichi: "JWs disfellowship all who unrepentantly practice sin. - 1 Corinthians 5:11-13."

No. They don't. They just say they do. See my example here. Among others. How many divorced witnesses do you know?