I had a question about baptizim. I was wondering if its true that one must be
baptized in order to survive armegedon. Of course I was to be baptized but I
would like to know what would happen if I didnt get the chance? I have looked
at your website a few times and i'm still exploring it, i'm new to it. So if
you could get back to me that would be great thanks.
That’s a very good question, is it necessary
to be baptized in order to survive Armageddon? It might be good to consider
what baptism is about and why Jehovah requires it.
This is what Insight on the
Scriptures, volume 1, pp. 248-249 under Baptism, says about the origin of
baptism:
The first human authorized by God to
perform water baptism was John the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth. (Lu 1:5-7,
57) The very fact that he was known as “John the Baptist” or “the baptizer” (Mt
3:1; Mr 1:4) implies that baptism or water immersion came to the attention of
the people especially through John, and the Scriptures prove that his ministry
and baptism came from God; they were not of John’s origin. His works were
foretold by the angel Gabriel as from God (Lu
We see that
it was God who introduced baptism of his people. For what purpose? We can learn
the significance and importance of water baptism by what was included in the
Law given through Moses, which became “our tutor leading to Christ.” (Gal.
3:24)
According to the Law the Levites were
cleansed, and also anyone who had become unclean, by spattering “sin-cleansing water” upon them.
(Num. 8:7; Exodus 30:17-21) Insight on the
Scriptures, volume 1, page 1084, says:
In
Let us read in the book of Numbers concerning the law that Jehovah gave his
people, of the offering of the red cow “on which no yoke had come,” and which
had no physical defects:
1The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2 "Here
is another ritual law required by the LORD: Tell the people of
7
"Then the priest must wash
his clothes and bathe himself in water. Afterward he may return to the camp,
though he will remain ceremonially unclean until evening. 8 The man
who burns the animal must also wash his clothes and bathe in water, and he,
too, will remain unclean until evening. 9 Then someone who is
ceremonially clean will gather up the ashes of the heifer and place them in a
purified place outside the camp. They will be kept there for the people of
This
purification ceremony with water, mixed with the ashes of the sacrificial red
cow, a sin offering, was, as it says, “for the removal of sin,” (“the ceremony to wash away sin” —Contemporary
English Version; “the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin”
—New International Version – UK; “The
water will be used to make people pure from their sin” —New International Reader's Version) and it has meaning for us. Note what The Watchtower,
A valuable link in the
record leading to the establishment of God’s Kingdom is provided by the book of
Numbers. It also points to Jesus Christ. For instance, the animal sacrifices and use of the red-cow ashes pointed to the far
greater provision for cleansing through Jesus’ sacrifice. (Numbers 19:2-9;
Hebrews 9:13, 14) (Bold mine)
Further on this, Insight on the
Scriptures, volume 1, page
191, says:
According to Numbers
chapter 19, a sound red cow without defect and upon which no yoke had come was
also slaughtered and burned outside the camp. The ashes of this “sin offering”
were deposited in a clean place outside the camp (Nu 19:9) and thus a portion
was available for mixing with water to be sprinkled on unclean persons or
things to purify them. (Nu 19:17) The
apostle Paul referred to the figurative cleansing of the flesh by “the ashes
[Gr., spo·dos´] of a heifer” to highlight the far greater cleansing of
“consciences from dead works” possible through “the blood of the Christ.”—Heb
9:13, 14. (Bold mine)
The scriptures help us to understand the significance and importance of
baptism, how “the
blood of the Christ,” the sin offering provided for us by God, has far greater
value in purifying us of our sins when we are baptized, than did the “water for
the removal of sin,” under the law covenant. Having repented of our sins,
baptism symbolizes our being washed or cleansed from them, made possible by
“the blood of the Christ.” For that reason we are baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ. (Acts
If anyone refused to comply with the water cleansing regulation, the law said
that he “must be cut off from the midst of the congregation, because it is
Jehovah’s sanctuary that he has defiled.” (Numbers
Once a person has submitted himself to baptism he then becomes a member of
God’s household. (Eph. 2:19) We might compare it to a wedding ceremony. The
marriage is not official until the ceremony takes place. When Peter explained
the event taking place at Pentecost, and many responded, feeling stabbed to the
heart, they asked what they needed to do. Peter answered them, “Repent, and let
each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your
sins, and you will receive the free gift of the holy spirit.” The account says
that “those who embraced his word heartily were baptized, and on that day about
three thousand souls were added” to God’s household. (Acts 2:37-41; 1 Tim.
3:15)
To be baptized is a command from Jehovah. His son, Christ Jesus, commissioned
his disciples to preach, teach and baptize. (Matt. 28:19, 20) Therefore, we do
not require the permission from any man to obey the divine directive. (Acts
When I was 16 years old I got to know Jehovah and came to love him by reading
the book "From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained," published by the
Society. To help answer the many questions I had, I asked an elderly sister to
study with me (she was already studying with my younger sisters). Then I wanted
to get baptized. I waited for the upcoming District Convention, took my bathing
suit and towel with me and along with 605 others I was baptized. I had not met
with any elders or servants to ascertain if I was ready, or to ask for their
permission. I just went and did it. From the evidence I understand that Jehovah
accepted my baptism. I am sure others have done likewise, and Jehovah has
blessed their obedience.
We need not concern ourselves with the situation where some might not be able
to get baptized, perhaps due to a physical condition, or those who do not have
the mental capacity to understand God’s requirements and thus are not in a
position to obey him. Jehovah is the giver of his laws and it is up to him how
he upholds them and to what extent he may make exceptions. (Romans 14:4) He will
hold accountable, however, the teachers among his people who have substituted
the “sin-cleansing water” with dedication water, and have thus changed the
symbolism, the meaning of our baptism in the process, as if the law regarding
the red cow sin-offering, with the water of cleansing, had no meaning for us
today.
_________________________
Dear Brother Perimeno,
First of
all I would like to introduce myself. I am a baptiszed witness of
Jehovah, and have been for the past 13 years, I was baptized when I was 14
years old. I ran across your website by the most curious of
circumstances.
I had a
few comments about your website, a few critical a few not critical.
First on
your writing about disfellowshipping is never for "disiplinning" I
have to disagree with you. Only Jehovah can judge whether a person is to
be cast into the "lake of fire" or Gehenna. Therefore all
actions taken by the brothers should be viewed with the thought of readjustment
of a brother, wether it be disfellowshipping or not. Never should it be
viewed as if they are punishing the brother. And for any of us to think
different is to judge them. I believe you have made this opinion in
earnest and perhaps have need of correction in your thinking, and perhaps
Jehovah will give it to you in his due time.
Again with
regard to your writing about Prophecies you say that if Jehovah's people preach
something that is not to happen and later we find out it is wrong that we are
liars. You obviously don't know what the word "liar"
means. A liar is a someone who says something to INTENTIONALLY deceive
another perosn. I doubt any of Jehovah's people have that motive in mind
when they witness. Therefore you can not rightly claim they are
lying. Again perhaps, Jehovah will adjust your viewpoint on this
matter.
I sense
you have a strong conviction of right and wrong and have a deep faith in
Jehovah which is good. And your understanding on certain points to be
keen. On others you need to sharpen your perceptive powers.
Jehovah's hand is not cut short. . . .
With
regards to your claim that you hear voices (on your number of occasions
in praying to Jehovah) in your head I urge you to use extreme
caution. For Satan has used this tactic on many brothers. I have
recently been reading through the old volumns of the Watchtower (namely between
1880 and 1910) and have found numerous accounts of how the anointed brothers
back in the beggining of the reorganization of Jehovah's people on earth had
been attacked by the demons and heard voices that they presummed were from
Jehovah. Some brothers realized the true source of the voices and
repented of their actions in communicating with them.
Also there
was a recent Watchtower article that stated very matter-of-factly that an
anointed brother would not "hear voices in his head" that tells him
he is of the anointed or not.
And as
regards your comments on the ingathering of the anointed perhaps not ending in
1935 thus you couldn't have been of the anointed. The two do not
reconcile in my mind. It is very possible that the number of those had
been sealed in or around 1935, yet some may have proven unfaithful to Jehovah
and thus that anointing would pass to other brothers, perhaps of a younger
generation. Jehovah can choose whomever he pleases to serve in heaven as
kings and priests with Jesus. . . .
Now, your
comment on the fact that it is not "nessecary" to understand all
prophecy mentinoned in the Bible goes contrary to the Bible's teaching.
We want to continue to read the Bible daily all the time and increase in
accurate knoweldge of its contents. The whole Bible, including the
prophecies in Revelation. True, Jehovah reveals the prophcies in his own
due time, yet we strive to continue to peer into the perfect law of freedom and
understand its meaning. "All Scripture is inspired of God" to
make us fully equipped.
I have
noticed many of your comments to be fine ones, yet many show that your
understanding of God and his Word and organization need to be improved. A
few side notes, whenver using the word Bible it should be capitolized, as with
the name of the true God.
On the other
hand this is not to say that the the miracles that you claim to have happened
to you such as an angel visiting you, etc could not have happened. I am
not to judge this, for who am I to dictitate how Jehovah opperates, he can do
so any way he pleases. Now in this regards I would like to share my own
experience with you. First of all I would like to tell you that when I
met my wife we did let things go to far and commited what God's Word considers
Porneia and the elders did disfellowship me for a year. I would like to
tell you that although I sinned I was repentant and my dedication and baptisim
were never annulled by my disfellowshipping. And I continued to
experience Jehovah's love toward me as I was being disiplined for my
disobedience. I would like you to make note of something. It is
true that in Isreal's day that those who practiced gross sin were "cut
off" or destroyed. Yet they were not sent to Gehenna, rather to
Sheol. If you read in the Bible about Korah and the assembly of 250 men
and then Dathim and Abriram where the earth opened up and sallowed those with
them you will read they they "went down alive into SHEOL." Thus
those who were cut off paid for their sins and are resting in Sheol waiting for
a resurecction. Today Jehoavh uses disfellowshipping for certain
unrepentant sinners. Again this is not a punishment meted out by the
elders rather disipline. For you see, we won't have the oppertunity to
die at Armageddon and be resureccted. Our figurative ressurection is
reinstatement.
Anyway, I
was disfellowshipped when the "Draw Close to Jehovah" book came
out. And the chapers on Jehovah's love really touched my heart. I
was very depressed after being disfellowshipped and prayed long and hard to our
loving Father Jehovah about it. It was then that this information arrived
and it was as if he was talking to me telling me that he still cared for and
loved me. It was on a morning I was talking the train to work that I was
readining a chapter in the back on Jehovah's love towards even disfellowshipped
ones right after I had been praying long and hard about this. I knew
Jehovah was talking to me and I started to cry. As I did I looked up to
see a clean-dressed man dressed in slacks a dress shirt and a tie a young man
maybe about 30 staring me in the eyes with a smile as if he knew what was going
on in my head. I hid my face because I knew he could see my tears.
And I wiped them and turned back and the man was gone. Yet I felt a peace
from that stare and it wasn't long after that that I was reinstated into
Jehovah's clean organization.
Another
thing I would like you to know, and I have not judged whether this was demoic
or Godly in nature I am not sure, but I do know it was not natural. I was
at work and a week before I was disfellowhipped I was writing on my keyboard
and something took over and wrote: "What you are about to go through
you will understand in time. You will see, in the end you will
understand. For does not Jehovah reveal his though on the matter in
Ezekiel 18:23." I did not know what Ezekiel
Also I
woud like to you know that I opened up a link to a website about Jehova's name
being used in magic and as soon as I opened it I sensed a very evil presence in
my room. I had to close it and the evil went away. I don't know if
it was because of your website or that one. I cannot judge on that.
Anyway I
have many other comments to make to you perhap at another time as I need to
sleep right now and I have still to read more on your website.
Until
then,
Q P
Second Letter, same day:
Mr. Perimeno,
I like a scripture
very much. It is the one in Psalms 119:165. It states:
"Abundant peace belongs to those loving your law,And for them there is no
stumbling block.."
There is
"no stumblng block" for the rightouess one. Yet one of the
comments of a writer states that anyone with faith in God would be at some of
the Witness teachings.
Do you
presume to say you know more than Jehovah? Are you "pushing
ahead?" Let's just say that you are correct and those whom you
support by publishing their works on this website. Do you not fear to
"push ahead?" Has God appointed you leader? Or have you
and others decided that you could take the position given to Aaron the high
priest, when Korah and his 250 men went before the taburnacle with the incense
holders and were consumed by Jehovah's fire for their relibious
presumptousness? You fool niether me nor any sincere brother that reads
the Bible.
I have
been quite mistaken by you. I read further into your website, especially
the article posted about "dedication and baptisim." I must
admit that the article is most repulsive, and I have many ways to refute what
is written there. Yet I am sure you have been set in your mind asothers
already have. Your smooth words do not deceive me. In my last post
I mentioned several things I have noticed that your understanding has been poor
on. But now I understand why. So I will not try to do that.
Instead I am writing to say that I am shamed of the last letter I wrote
you. This site is indeed full of brothers who are "pushing
ahead." Thinking that they know more than Jehovah. God's
counsel is to not "even say a greeting" to such a person.
So perhaps
you will ensnare others in your demoic web which has been set up. But I
will no longer go along with it. Shame on you. That is all I have
to say. Do you not fear of being set up as a medium for Satan?
You are
laughing right now in your breath. That gives you away, for a true
servant of Jehovah does not laugh under his breath and think he knows more than
another. He is fearful and respectful of others. Shame on
you. Your attitude gives you away for the wicked person you are.
It appears that when you disagree you assume that you are automatically
correct, and therefore I must be wrong. And you dismiss anything out of the
ordinary happening as being from Satan, unless, of course, you yourself have
had an experience. With such an attitude, how could you be receptive to Jehovah
correcting you on anything? (3 John 9)
I would like to take this opportunity to caution you, Q..., not to ascribe to
Satan what Jehovah and his holy spirit has done and is doing, not only in my
case but I am sure also many others of his servants. Giving Satan the credit
for what Jehovah does is what the religious leaders did in Jesus day, and Jesus
condemned them for blasphemy. (Matthew 12:24-32) What I was told (no audible
voice, just the clear words in my head) while praying, in 1983 (as I mention in my experience)
was printed five years later in the Revelation - Its Grand Climax At
Hand! book, on page 117. I hope you are not suggesting that Satan has a
share in printing the Society's literature.
The apostle Paul tells us that Jehovah "has set a day in which he
purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has
appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee to all men in that he has
resurrected him from the dead." (Acts 17:31) His day of judgment is still
future, although near. And we are told that it will start with his own people,
his own house, us. (1 Peter 4:17,18) In connection with "the day
of Jehovah" we are told by the prophet Zephaniah that Jehovah will
"carefully search Jerusalem with lamps, and [he] will give attention to
the men who are congealing upon their dregs and are saying in their heart,
'Jehovah will not do good, and he will not do bad.' (those people who sit
there unworried while thinking, "The LORD won't do anything, good or
bad." -Contemporary English Version) And their wealth must come
to be for pillage and their houses for a desolate waste. And they will build
houses, but they will not have occupancy; and they will plant vineyards, but
they will not drink the wine of them." (Zephaniah 1:7,12,13)
Before Jehovah's "day of fury" comes upon the entire inhabited earth
he will first cleanse his own people. Those who "sit there unworried"
while thinking everything is just wonderful within God's household, will also
experience Jehovah's wrath, while those who are "sighing and groaning over
all the detestable things that are being done in the midst of [us]" are
marked for survival. (Ezekiel 9:4-6) You may not personally be among those who
are "sighing and groaning," but many of our brothers and sisters are.
Many have been stumbled out of God's household because of "the detestable
things that are being done in the midst of [us]." Those who are sick,
ailing, broken, dispersed, lost, scattered and have strayed, are not stumbled
by what I have written. (Ezekiel 34:4-10) Rather, many have expressed
appreciation and have been encouraged to stick with Jehovah and wait for his
coming judgment, even in silence.
Yours have been the first condemnatory letters (2) I have received and for that
reason I decided to post them. You may not agree when Jehovah warns us,
"do not put your trust in nobles, Nor in the son of earthling man, to whom
no salvation belongs. His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; In that
day his thoughts do perish. Happy is the one who has the God of Jacob for his
help, Whose hope is in Jehovah his God." (Psalms 146:3-5) We have been
taught that it is absolutely vital that we do put our trust in man, especially
the nobles (anointed), because our salvation depends on them. This, of course,
contradicts what Jehovah tells us. Thus, we get the opportunity to prove our
faith and loyalty to Jehovah. (please compare Galatians 1:8)
Jesus promised that "just as the weeds are collected and burned with fire,
so it will be in the conclusion of the system of things. The Son of man will send
forth his angels, and they will collect out from his kingdom all things that
cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness, and they will pitch them
into the fiery furnace. There is where [their] weeping and the gnashing of
[their] teeth will be. At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly
as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him that has ears listen."
(Matthew 13:40-43; Zeph. 1:3) The "things that cause stumbling"
include some of our "inspired expression[s] of error" that has
enabled a slave to start impatiently to rule over God's household ahead of
God's appointed time. (1 John 4:6; 1 Cor. 4:8) When Jehovah will expose this in
the near future it will prove to be a huge test for all who did not obey
Jehovah, but had put their "trust in nobles and in the son of earthling
man." At that time, many of those who believed that they had worshiped
Jehovah in spirit and truth, will discover that they will be told, "I
never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness." (Matt.
7:23; John 4:24)
My website is not intended for "those people who sit there unworried while
thinking, 'The LORD won't do anything, good or bad.'" Neither is it for
the ones who have put their trust in nobles, expecting to gain salvation by
means of them. Rather, it is for those among us who are "sighing and
groaning over all the detestable things that are being done in the midst of
[us];" to encourage them not to abandon their hope in Jehovah and continue
to look to him for salvation. My fervent desire is to comfort the sick, ailing,
broken, dispersed, lost, scattered and strayed among God's people, to wait on
Jehovah, because our Creator cares for his sheep, and his day of judgment is
near.
_________________________