Can we continue the question about Proverbs 4:18, seeing as it was never actually answered?

Question

'The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day' - which is claimed by the Watchtower Society as proof that they are God's chanel for 'new light' today. This is how they dismiss their errors and explain away false statements; the closer we get to Armageddon, the clearer Truth will become. I was so busy ducking the flak in a similar Q, it closed before I could get round to answering it! Could other contributors kindly offer their insights? Thanks!

I never give thumbs down to anyone answering my questions, by the way! Feel free!

Reallytrue - not so much a rant, more of a doxology! Blessings on you!

Answer 1

The Watch Tower Society's idea that God is using them to bring 'new light', or that through them, the light of God's truth is getting brighter and brighter, is amazing.

They keep switching the light on and off! But their founder, C T Russell spoke truth when he said, 'If we were following a man undoubtedly one human idea would contradict another and that which was light one or two or six years ago would be regarded as darkness now. But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, and so it is with truth; any knowledge or light coming from God must be like its author. A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth.'

Well, the Watch Tower Society has switched off the light it used to shine, that said the separating of the sheep from the goats was well along, admiting now it hasn't yet started. It has switched off the light it used to shine, that said the generation alive at the start of 1914 will be the generation still alive to see Armageddon start. Just 2 examples. I'll be here all night if I try to complete the list. If 'old light' was actually darkness, admitting it wasn't true cannot be claimed as the light getting brighter - at best it is only the darkness turning grey. How can anybody be dazzled by that?

Answer 2

I've said it before and I'll say it again: In context, the verse speaks of the difference between the path of the righteous (as Jesus said, we are to be light in a dark world) and the wicked who are in darkness.

Now, if we want to take "light" in the literal sense, what does it say here? Not that there is "new light", but that the light shines "more and more"

Now, my example (again): If you walk into a dark room carrying a flash light, you see the general outline of things in the room, from that little bit of light--enough light to keep you from stumbling (same word used in v. 19).

Now, if you shine the full beam onto a specific object, what happens? You are able to see it better and make out the finer details of that object, are you not? But does the object change into something that it never was, because the light has now touched it? No, it does not. If it was a lamp before, it will still be a lamp, just better in view.

So, should "New light" contradict and be used as an excuse to completely reverse what came prior. The light should only get brighter in the sense that, as we become more Christlike, we become more righteous/sanctified.

Answer 3

Hi, How ya doin today?
I can't quite understand how they call that
"proof" that they are God's Channel for
"new light" today? -
All knowledge comes from God. Where do we get that knowledge? From the WORD.
What happens when you compare the statements and beliefs and writings of the
J.Witness folks? You get problem after
problem after problem. Why? Because it
contradicts the very Word of God. You cannot take a few verses and create your own "story" around them; every single verse
in Scripture is validated and accredited by
another verse in Scripture - that means that
the Word of God always explains itself, and
any portion of the New Testament can be
verified by the Massorah. If someone comes up with their own fairytale surrounding any of the New Testament Writings, and it is NOT locked in truth by
the Massorah, theres a clear problem there.

I don't want to in any way upset any of the
nice J.W. folks on this forum, but the truth is that there's not gonna be some Pastor
standing between you and God when you are judged - its gonna be you and you alone;
and, you are gonna have to answer to the fact that you listened to man, rather than to
Gods letter that he wrote to each person
personally. The entire lesson of the Book of
Job in the Old Testament, was "LISTEN TO GOD, NOT TO MAN".

I think maybe people tend to listen to man rather than Gods Word because they don't have a true teacher in their Church who can handle the manuscripts and the languages,
and who is familiar with the Social order and laws of the times, and also with idioms or figures of speech used in all three languages - these in particular have really
confused people - like when Paul would say we will meet the Lord in the air - the word air
is actually "spiritual body" in the manuscripts.
And where Paul might say we will meet Him in the clouds - thats a Greek idiom which simply means "in a large group gathered".
But man puts these mistakes together and
some fancy Pastor says its proof of the rapture doctrine - its certainly NOT.
It is absolutely necessary to have a teacher
who is knowledgeable, otherwise you are
gonna end up believing whatever "pastor" sounds the best.
Anyway, I don't mean to turn this into my own rant, and apologize -
as far as the statement "the closer we get to armageddon, the clearer truth will become", is that their statement or yours?
Anyway, of course its true - those who teach false doctrine will have to, sooner or later, be exposed for what they are, right?

Christ states in the Books of Amos, Joel,
Hosea, and others, that He's not a happy camper with regard to false doctrine being
taught, and He plans to return this time not to be crucified, but as a King, and He's gonna be carrying a big rod of iron. I'll leave it up to your imagination what He plans to do with that, but He does specifically state that He's gonna take the center support beam of those false Churches, and He's gonna pull it right out and let the building fall down onto the heads of the idiots who listen to junk instead of to HIM.

Every single Christian Church should have a teacher there who is approved to teach.
The sad thing is, do you know I have found one single church in over 35 years, who actually teach from the manuscripts? ONE.
Thats a statement within itself.

Answer 4

I would have to say that this is referencing the person's (a new christian's) path towards truth and light. At first, you have a glimmer, then, as you begin to study deeper into the scriptures, you see brighter and brighter the truth of God and His love until finally you have light as the full light of day.

God's truth is always truth, if you don't have it you are in the darkness. If you try to pass your darkness off as "limited light" or as an organization you claim that your past doctrine has been replaced with new light, then obviously you didn't have God' truth to start. If you teach your darkness as truth, then you are certainly a false teacher.

Answer 5

Prov 4:18
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. (NIV)

The righteous are righteous because of God's grace though faith. It is an IMPUTED righteousness given to God's ELECT not a self-righteousness of works as preached by the Watchtower.

It is a righteousness that is given to those who believe that Christ is the ONLY Son of God born in this world of the nature of His Father.


Phil 2:5-6
5b Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, (NIV)

The Watchtower rejects this truth, therefore their faith is placed on a deception of works that God cannot accept.

The Bible is clear...


Eph 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
9 not by works, so that no one can boast. (NIV)

The imputation of righteousness is placed on those that believe God's Word and NOT a cult that insists you believe THEIR INTERPRETATION of God's Word.


Rom 4:3-5
3 What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.
5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. (NIV)

Answer 6

Pro 4:18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

The JW's can claim anything they want, doesn't make it valid or true. A man is only made righteous in the eyes of God through Christ, His righteousness translated to His people. How many times have they set a date for Christ's return and been proven wrong? Exactly. They are not light, they are in darkness, and a cult. the JW's and truth are not companions.

Answer 7

The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ and with this in mind I'd like to thank you and the JW's for chatting about Prov 4v18. What a beautiful verse!
As the saving interest in Christ dawns on each of us, our identity in him is revealed as righteousness before God: this is our first glimps of the road of hope which graduly becomes clearer as we are built up in Christ.
Prov 4v18 might well be used to cover up mistakes but the focus of this passage is not the self or our teachings. The spirit filled believer is not here to dwell on the past, cult manipulation or personal vanity, no we are here to take hold of the work of God in our lives.
A perfect day is one spent doing what you see your Father in heaven doing, which includes being gracious and seeing one another in a better light than each of us deserve; JW's included!

Answer 8

Prov 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. King James

This is a beautiful verse, what it is saying it very simple. The life that a Christan lives is clean and is like a shining light. That light will continue till the end of time.

It says nothing about prophecy it is just a poetry. They are making to much of this. There is no hidden meaning here. Many cults and false teachings try to assign meaning where none was intended.

Answer 9

The proverbs are not promises or prophetic it is wisdom that if followed generally are true. This proverb is about the Christian walk. When we were first saved it was like the first gleam of dawn, as we stay in God word we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit, we grow in Godly wisdom until we are called to heaven where we will shine even brighter in Gods glory.

Unfortunately the watchtower society understands more about this proverb than they do of Christ which is frightening.

Answer 10

I would take this to mean that you grow in righteousness... It could be applied to many people or organizations. The part about the Watchtower Society is perhaps applicable but unless they are becoming more and more righteous and an Armageddon actually happens, I would not take it too literally.