The Bible clearly states that no one knows the day or the hour.
Being that the Sociaty has been wrong on many occasions about when the End will come, wouldn't it be prudent to, live your life as good christians and accept that there is a likelyhood that you will not see the end times in your lifetime.
Thus in addition to being Christians, maybe plan well for the future, namely, getting a good education, investing in savings , planning for to retire financually well off?
2007-09-09 07:59:57 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
God purposely did not reveal the date of Armegeddon to us.
The whole point of Jesus' parables about the 10 virgins, the faithful slave, etc. was to impress upon His followers to be ever diligent in living in a way that would be acceptable to Him upon His return.
God wants those who will serve Him consistently, not those who think they can leap into the ark of salvation just before the door slams shut.
2007-09-09 08:13:12 · answer #1 · answered by Simon Peter 5 · 11⤊ 0⤋
We do all those things - we have educations, plan for retirement, invest in savings, etc. But we still live our lives as though the end is near, because it IS near! I have an analogy of this system of things - We are in the toilet and it's been flushed, we are just going round and round waiting to go down the tube, that's how close it is. The signs are all around us, and there are only one or two more signs that have to be fulfilled before the final war between Jehovah and Satan. And the bible already tells us the outcome of that war. The Bible tells us to stay awake, whereas the people of the world are not thinking that the time is short, the Bible says that just as in Noah's day, they take no note of what's going on. But we do!
2007-09-10 05:51:06 · answer #2 · answered by SisterCF 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
One district overseer (a traveling minister) put it this way: "Plan as if Armageddon won't come in your lifetime. Live like it's coming tomorrow."
You seem to have been misinformed about the way Jehovah's Witnesses view the future. We are certainly not against education, savings, or planning for retirement, as long as these pursuits don't crowd out spiritual things.
Jehovah's Witnesses do, however, believe that Armageddon will come in the near future, based on the sign of the last days that Jesus gave us. Because 'no one knows the day or the hour', it makes it all the more important that we "keep on the watch" and try to 'prove ourselves ready'.
2007-09-09 11:11:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋
As Jesus said:
"When u see the fig tree, knowing its fruit is ripe,
so too will it be in the last days."
(Not quoted, just from memory)
Also, as in Noah's day, they took no note,
until the flood came & swept them away.
Everybody needs to take care of theirselves,
provide for their family etc...
"Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those of his own household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith" (1 Tim 5:8)
So, we like the rest of humanity, like to eat, buy toothpaste, toilet paper, etc...
We gotta pay bills too.
Secure for our future when we are older,
@ an age when u are not able to work.
If u don't u may end up homeless & eating cat food.
(my husband jokes about this all the time;
that I'll b eating cat food when I'm old(er);
and says bc I'm such a good cook,
I'll b eating better than the other old ladies. Ha. Ha.)
Shoot! I can't work now, and I still like to eat,
so I gotta do something, right...
I don't need nor want to b financually well off.
I'd like to be finacially comfortable.
I just need the necessities of life.
2007-09-09 09:04:30 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
Because we can see the signs that it is very close. If you look at Matthew 24:4-14, all these things are happening. This is very convincing proof that the end is near.
There are lots of Witnesses who still prepare for their future even though we know Armageddon is close, because, as you said, we still don't know when it's coming.
2007-09-09 09:26:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
Because Armageddon IS around the corner. It always has been. And it will be until it arrives. Would it be prudent to live life as a good Christian and accept the likelihood that we will not see the end in our lifetime? No, that would not be prudent at all. There is, of course, nothing inherently wrong in having savings, getting an education, and planning for retirement. Just as there is nothing wrong with having life insurance, health insurance, car insurance and a Last Will and Testament. As a practical matter, all those things should be taken care of.
As for "financially well off", surely people are aware that there is really no such thing! No matter how much money one has, it can disappear in a heartbeat. Thus, the scriptures warn of the deceptive power of riches. Proverbs 18:11 says: “The valuable things of the rich are his strong town, and they are like a protective wall in his imagination.” Did we get the sense of that? Only in his imagination does money build a protective wall of security.
Did Jesus have anything to say on the matter of riches? It is Christ himself who warned about the “deceptive power of riches” at Matthew 13:22. Moreover, at Matthew 6:19-21 he warned this way: “Stop storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal. Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
What do the scriptures say about saving up with a view toward being financially well off? Notice the words of Christ at Luke 12:15-21: “ . . . even when a person has an abundance his life does not result from the things he possesses.” With that he spoke an illustration to them, saying: “The land of a certain rich man produced well. Consequently he began reasoning within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, now that I have nowhere to gather my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my storehouses and build bigger ones, and there I will gather all my grain and all my good things; and I will say to my soul: “Soul, you have many good things laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, enjoy yourself.”’ But God said to him, ‘Unreasonable one, this night they are demanding your soul from you. Who, then, is to have the things you stored up?’ So it goes with the man that lays up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.”
How foolish that man was. Money is important, make no mistake. At Ecclesiastes 7:12, we read: “Wisdom is for a protection the same as money is for a protection; but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom itself preserves alive its owners.” So knowledge and wisdom are superior to money.
Is there a likelihood that Armageddon will not come in my lifetime? If nobody knows the day or hour, how could I possibly say such a thing? If I don’t know when it WILL come, how can I know when it will NOT come? I can’t. The fact of the matter is, while Christ did not give us the day or hour, he did give us a composite sign by which we would be able to determine where we are in the stream of time. All those who have become intimately familiar with that sign know where they are in the stream of time. So do I.
In truth, it is better to be prepared on a daily basis than to be caught totally unawares.
Hannah J Paul
2007-09-09 11:52:30 · answer #6 · answered by Hannah J Paul 7 · 3⤊ 4⤋
Have you read Revelation 17 and 18? the fall of all false religions... Have you seen the news and Documentals about religions (Friends of God, God´s warrior , Jesus´s camp) Have you seen the 1365 million dollars payed in the last four years by Catohlic Church?
Religions are falling that will happen prior to destruction are you telling me to take the risk of not pay attention to all that signals? if you want you can do it , but in our case we won´t take that chance.
2007-09-09 16:04:52 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
The end of the world is just around the corner, the JW's don't have a corner on that market. and God does expect us to live our lives as if every day were our last, in addition to being prepared IN CASE it isn't. Good stewardship as well as prudence is a calling of God.
2007-09-09 08:13:39 · answer #8 · answered by I-o-d-tiger 6 · 9⤊ 1⤋
Can you say where you get the idea that the SOCIETY made the 1975 prediction? That was hearsay.
The society never have said not to take care of your future, just that it shouldn't be your number one priority.
Can you justify from the bible why a Christian SHOULDN'T "live with Gods day in mind"?
2007-09-09 11:08:01 · answer #9 · answered by Paul S 4 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Where have you been?
What have you been listening to?
Planning for the future ....meaning education, savings and retirement is just fine.
The only note of caution a JW would add is don't make it a priority.
Don't make it job #1.
The whole thrust of your comment goes against the repeated advice of Jesus himself:
"Keep on the watch!"
That's what their 'society' has been doing.
You want to fault them for keeping on the watch?
2007-09-09 08:36:13 · answer #10 · answered by Uncle Thesis 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋