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00:01 If you’d open your Bibles to Romans 12:1, 00:05 we’ll note that the apostle Paul, 00:08 as has been commented on, 00:10 talks about reasoning on matters. 00:15 That’s Romans 12:1, it says: 00:18 “Therefore, I appeal to you by the compassions of God, brothers, 00:22 “to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, 00:25 “holy and acceptable to God, 00:28 a sacred service with your power of reason.” 00:33 Ah, so Paul says reasoning has power to it. 00:39 A synonym for power is influence. 00:44 And so if you reason something out, 00:46 you’ll be influenced to make the proper decision, basically. 00:51 Now, he also introduced something else in our text today. 00:55 Let’s go there. 00:55 It’s 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, 00:58 and we’ll read verses 1 and 2: 01:05 “However, brothers, 01:07 “concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ 01:09 “and our being gathered together to him, 01:12 “we ask you not to be quickly shaken from your reason 01:17 “nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement 01:22 “or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, 01:27 to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.” 01:32 So he introduces this aspect 01:35 of being quickly shaken 01:39 once you come to a conclusion on a matter 01:42 after reasoning it out. 01:45 Now, he says don’t be quickly shaken 01:47 once you come to a conclusion of the matter 01:50 as a result of reasoning the matter out. 01:54 And that’s what he was telling the Thessalonica congregation here. 01:57 In the first letter, he had talked about and warned them 02:01 that Jehovah’s day was imminent and that it was coming, 02:06 and as a result, some in the congregation went beyond that, 02:09 saying that it was here. 02:11 In fact, as verse 2 says, 02:13 there apparently was even a letter that appeared to be from Paul 02:18 and saying that it’s not that it’s coming 02:22 —Jehovah’s day is here. 02:24 And so some got sidetracked 02:28 as a result of not thinking it through, 02:32 and their faith was shaken, apparently. 02:34 And then as you continue, 02:37 Paul then helped them to reason further that no, 02:40 there are other things that have to happen before Jehovah’s day. 02:46 So we’d like to talk about this matter 02:48 of quickly being shaken —that is our faith. 02:53 It’s important because we spend years 02:58 developing a relationship with Jehovah God 03:01 and developing a solid faith, 03:03 and just this idea that Paul introduces 03:06 that one’s faith can be quickly shaken 03:09 is a rather disconcerting thought. 03:13 It can happen to any of us, really. 03:15 I just think about Judas Iscariot, right? 03:18 John 6:64 says that from the beginning Jesus knew 03:22 who was the one who would betray him —from the beginning. 03:25 From the beginning of what? 03:27 The Insight book says: 03:28 “‘From the beginning’ of when Judas started to go bad, 03:32 started to give in to imperfection and sinful inclinations.” 03:36 Well, how long did that process take? 03:38 Well, it was less than a year from the time he was appointed as an apostle. 03:42 Now, we know his appointment was no mistake. 03:47 So within that short period of time, 03:50 this man went from an apostle to an apostate. 03:55 That’s why it’s such good counsel that Paul gave 04:00 for us not to be quickly shaken 04:03 from matters that we have established as a result of good reasoning. 04:09 Now, there are times that we’re more susceptible 04:13 to our faith being quickly shaken than others. 04:18 And I’d like to talk about that for just a moment. 04:21 What could some of those times be? 04:24 Well, it could be when we’re going through stress, 04:28 depression, or anxiety. 04:32 The March 1, 2010, Watchtower, makes this comment: 04:37 “Judgment may be clouded 04:39 when one is under great emotional stress.” 04:44 Now let me give you an example 04:46 —hypothetical, but here’s an example— 04:49 a brother has a deep relationship with his parents; 04:53 his mother suddenly dies. 04:56 This is a great emotional blow to him; 05:01 he slips into a mild depression, 05:05 and as a result, his personal study 05:09 and his spiritual activities slow down. 05:14 Then a short time later, a sibling is disfellowshipped. 05:20 This crushes him; he can’t sleep. 05:24 He wakes up; he gets to the computer; 05:28 he turns it on, 05:31 and he slips into watching something inappropriate. 05:36 Now, what’s just happened? 05:38 Well, his good reasoning ability was shaken. 05:41 It’s of note that the November 15, 1992, Watchtower, 05:46 puts it this way: 05:48 “Severe and prolonged mental depression 05:51 “may have worn away 05:53 “some of the person’s normally strong emotional fiber 05:58 or may have made it extremely difficult to make wise decisions.” 06:02 So, what could the brother have done? 06:05 Well, when he first recognized this mild depression 06:09 or slipping from the spiritual activities, 06:13 it would have been good for him to get someone to help him identify the cause. 06:17 Now, what is another circumstance 06:20 that could quickly shake our faith 06:25 if we’re not on guard? 06:28 Well, it has to do with the apostates. 06:32 Now, there is something that the apostates are talking about 06:37 and trying to put forward. 06:40 The media has picked it up; others have also picked it up. 06:45 And that is our Scriptural position 06:47 of having a two-witnesses requirement 06:50 for judicial action if there is no confession. 06:53 Now, if you open your Bibles to Deuteronomy 19:15, 06:55 our good reasoning is pretty solid on this. 06:58 At Deuteronomy 19:15, 07:01 the scripture is very, very clear. 07:06 It says: “No single witness may convict another 07:10 “for any error or any sin that he may commit. 07:14 “On the testimony of two witnesses 07:16 “or on the testimony of three witnesses 07:18 the matter should be established.” 07:20 It’s very clear, isn’t it? 07:22 You cannot establish a judicial committee based on one witness. 07:27 But now, listen, here’s what they say: 07:29 “Well now, look, the Old Testament 07:32 “also says that adulteresses should be stoned. 07:37 “Now, since you’re not doing that, 07:39 why do you stick to this two-witness rule?” 07:45 You see, if you’re not careful, that can do some tricks on your mind 07:49 because you have to think it through. 07:52 Well, how might we do that? 07:54 Well, we go to Matthew 18:16 07:57 because obviously Christ Jesus 08:00 established the Christian arrangement, 08:03 and notice what he said. 08:05 Matthew 18:16, he says: 08:08 “But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, 08:12 “so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses 08:16 every matter may be established.” 08:19 So Christ Jesus establishes the fact that there has to be two witnesses. 08:24 Now, it doesn’t mean that if there is only one witness 08:28 that there are no consequences. 08:30 There might be, depending upon the situation, 08:32 but the Scriptures are very clear. 08:35 Before a judicial committee can be convened, 08:39 there has to be a confession or two witnesses, 08:43 so we will never change 08:46 our Scriptural position on that subject. 08:49 Jehovah has given us the ability to reason things out, to think it through. 08:54 So let’s do our part 08:56 and not allow our faith to be quickly shaken. 09:00 Then we can have the confidence that Paul spoke of 09:03 at 2 Thessalonians 3:5 when he said: 09:06 “May the Lord continue to guide your hearts successfully 09:10 to the love of God and to the endurance for the Christ.”
00:01 If you’d open your Bibles to Romans 12:1, 00:05 we’ll note that the apostle Paul, 00:08 as has been commented on, 00:10 talks about reasoning on matters. 00:15 That’s Romans 12:1, it says: 00:18 “Therefore, I appeal to you by the compassions of God, brothers, 00:22 “to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, 00:25 “holy and acceptable to God, 00:28 a sacred service with your power of reason.” 00:33 Ah, so Paul says reasoning has power to it. 00:39 A synonym for power is influence. 00:44 And so if you reason something out, 00:46 you’ll be influenced to make the proper decision, basically. 00:51 Now, he also introduced something else in our text today. 00:55 Let’s go there. 00:55 It’s 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, 00:58 and we’ll read verses 1 and 2: 01:05 “However, brothers, 01:07 “concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ 01:09 “and our being gathered together to him, 01:12 “we ask you not to be quickly shaken from your reason 01:17 “nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement 01:22 “or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, 01:27 to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.” 01:32 So he introduces this aspect 01:35 of being quickly shaken 01:39 once you come to a conclusion on a matter 01:42 after reasoning it out. 01:45 Now, he says don’t be quickly shaken 01:47 once you come to a conclusion of the matter 01:50 as a result of reasoning the matter out. 01:54 And that’s what he was telling the Thessalonica congregation here. 01:57 In the first letter, he had talked about and warned them 02:01 that Jehovah’s day was imminent and that it was coming, 02:06 and as a result, some in the congregation went beyond that, 02:09 saying that it was here. 02:11 In fact, as verse 2 says, 02:13 there apparently was even a letter that appeared to be from Paul 02:18 and saying that it’s not that it’s coming 02:22 —Jehovah’s day is here. 02:24 And so some got sidetracked 02:28 as a result of not thinking it through, 02:32 and their faith was shaken, apparently. 02:34 And then as you continue, 02:37 Paul then helped them to reason further that no, 02:40 there are other things that have to happen before Jehovah’s day. 02:46 So we’d like to talk about this matter 02:48 of quickly being shaken —that is our faith. 02:53 It’s important because we spend years 02:58 developing a relationship with Jehovah God 03:01 and developing a solid faith, 03:03 and just this idea that Paul introduces 03:06 that one’s faith can be quickly shaken 03:09 is a rather disconcerting thought. 03:13 It can happen to any of us, really. 03:15 I just think about Judas Iscariot, right? 03:18 John 6:64 says that from the beginning Jesus knew 03:22 who was the one who would betray him —from the beginning. 03:25 From the beginning of what? 03:27 The Insight book says: 03:28 “‘From the beginning’ of when Judas started to go bad, 03:32 started to give in to imperfection and sinful inclinations.” 03:36 Well, how long did that process take? 03:38 Well, it was less than a year from the time he was appointed as an apostle. 03:42 Now, we know his appointment was no mistake. 03:47 So within that short period of time, 03:50 this man went from an apostle to an apostate. 03:55 That’s why it’s such good counsel that Paul gave 04:00 for us not to be quickly shaken 04:03 from matters that we have established as a result of good reasoning. 04:09 Now, there are times that we’re more susceptible 04:13 to our faith being quickly shaken than others. 04:18 And I’d like to talk about that for just a moment. 04:21 What could some of those times be? 04:24 Well, it could be when we’re going through stress, 04:28 depression, or anxiety. 04:32 The March 1, 2010, Watchtower, makes this comment: 04:37 “Judgment may be clouded 04:39 when one is under great emotional stress.” 04:44 Now let me give you an example 04:46 —hypothetical, but here’s an example— 04:49 a brother has a deep relationship with his parents; 04:53 his mother suddenly dies. 04:56 This is a great emotional blow to him; 05:01 he slips into a mild depression, 05:05 and as a result, his personal study 05:09 and his spiritual activities slow down. 05:14 Then a short time later, a sibling is disfellowshipped. 05:20 This crushes him; he can’t sleep. 05:24 He wakes up; he gets to the computer; 05:28 he turns it on, 05:31 and he slips into watching something inappropriate. 05:36 Now, what’s just happened? 05:38 Well, his good reasoning ability was shaken. 05:41 It’s of note that the November 15, 1992, Watchtower, 05:46 puts it this way: 05:48 “Severe and prolonged mental depression 05:51 “may have worn away 05:53 “some of the person’s normally strong emotional fiber 05:58 or may have made it extremely difficult to make wise decisions.” 06:02 So, what could the brother have done? 06:05 Well, when he first recognized this mild depression 06:09 or slipping from the spiritual activities, 06:13 it would have been good for him to get someone to help him identify the cause. 06:17 Now, what is another circumstance 06:20 that could quickly shake our faith 06:25 if we’re not on guard? 06:28 Well, it has to do with the apostates. 06:32 Now, there is something that the apostates are talking about 06:37 and trying to put forward. 06:40 The media has picked it up; others have also picked it up. 06:45 And that is our Scriptural position 06:47 of having a two-witnesses requirement 06:50 for judicial action if there is no confession. 06:53 Now, if you open your Bibles to Deuteronomy 19:15, 06:55 our good reasoning is pretty solid on this. 06:58 At Deuteronomy 19:15, 07:01 the scripture is very, very clear. 07:06 It says: “No single witness may convict another 07:10 “for any error or any sin that he may commit. 07:14 “On the testimony of two witnesses 07:16 “or on the testimony of three witnesses 07:18 the matter should be established.” 07:20 It’s very clear, isn’t it? 07:22 You cannot establish a judicial committee based on one witness. 07:27 But now, listen, here’s what they say: 07:29 “Well now, look, the Old Testament 07:32 “also says that adulteresses should be stoned. 07:37 “Now, since you’re not doing that, 07:39 why do you stick to this two-witness rule?” 07:45 You see, if you’re not careful, that can do some tricks on your mind 07:49 because you have to think it through. 07:52 Well, how might we do that? 07:54 Well, we go to Matthew 18:16 07:57 because obviously Christ Jesus 08:00 established the Christian arrangement, 08:03 and notice what he said. 08:05 Matthew 18:16, he says: 08:08 “But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, 08:12 “so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses 08:16 every matter may be established.” 08:19 So Christ Jesus establishes the fact that there has to be two witnesses. 08:24 Now, it doesn’t mean that if there is only one witness 08:28 that there are no consequences. 08:30 There might be, depending upon the situation, 08:32 but the Scriptures are very clear. 08:35 Before a judicial committee can be convened, 08:39 there has to be a confession or two witnesses, 08:43 so we will never change 08:46 our Scriptural position on that subject. 08:49 Jehovah has given us the ability to reason things out, to think it through. 08:54 So let’s do our part 08:56 and not allow our faith to be quickly shaken. 09:00 Then we can have the confidence that Paul spoke of 09:03 at 2 Thessalonians 3:5 when he said: 09:06 “May the Lord continue to guide your hearts successfully 09:10 to the love of God and to the endurance for the Christ.”
