[From ws1/18 p. 17 – March 12-18] “O our God, we thank you and praise your beautiful name.” 1 Chronicles 29:13 The whole of this article is based on the premise that the organization is really what it claims to be, God’s organization. (See Jehovah has always had an organization for a recent discussion on this topic.) Without this premise the entire reasoning presented in this article is groundless and without substance. The entire thrust of the article is another plea for money.

This plea for money is becoming a regular theme in literature and videos.

See Seeking Riches that are True WT review (Aug 28-Sep 3 2017). See Clam Review of September 18-24 2017 under the Congregation Book Study discussing the Kingdom Rules book Chapter 18 para 1-8. See Clam Review of October 16-22, 2017 under Local Needs. Jehovah wants us to be Generous (video) in Clam meeting for Nov 20-26, 2017.

These are just the most recent.

The opening paragraphs remind us quite rightly that Jehovah not only owns all resources, but also “uses them to provide what is needed to sustain life.” Also that both our Father and Jesus our Lord have miraculously “provided food and money when needed.” As is usual a Pre-Christian example is quoted to support a Post Early Christian ‘need’, rather than providing an early Christian era example. So because the Israelites were invited to support Jehovah’s specific arrangement for the Nation of Israel, somehow we are expected to support those who claim to be Jehovah’s organization today. Since virtually all Christian religions claim to be God’s one true church or organization, (as opposed to just the Nation of Israel in the past) we surely need some undisputable way of identifying if Jehovah has an organization today, otherwise we would at best be wasting our money, and at worst supporting an organization backed by Satan the Devil, God’s opposer.

There are three questions raised:

“Why does Jehovah expect us to use our valuable things to give back to him? How did faithful ones in the past support the activities of Jehovah’s representatives financially? How does the organization use the money that is donated today?”

“Why does Jehovah expect us to use our valuable things to give back to him?”

The real question should be ‘Does Jehovah expect us to use our valuable things to give back to him today? And if so, How?’

Then they give the unsupported statement (in paragraph 5) “Giving is also an expression of our worship of Jehovah”. Perhaps attempting to support this statement they quote Revelation 4:11 but that does not substantiate their claim. They then attempt to apply the pressure to donate by again using a Israelite example (presumably because no first century Christian example exists in the Scriptures), to highlight that as “the Israelites were not to appear before Jehovah empty-handed”, and so by implication we must not be empty handed in supporting their man-made organization and thereby attempt to guilt trip us into contributing.

Paragraph 6 continues this theme of giving support to organization goals with the following “A son or a daughter who may be pioneering and living at home may rightly give the parents some funds to assist with household expenses.” Should not Bible principles govern all decisions and actions? So how does Ephesians 6:2-3, 1 Timothy 5:8 and Mark 7:9-13 affect the matter? According to Ephesians a son or daughter should show honour to their parents regardless of their age, otherwise it will not go well with them in God’s eyes. 1 Timothy clearly says “Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith” His own would be in particular his or her parents. Finally Mark 7 emphatically shows that no-one can hide behind the excuse that they are ‘serving Jehovah’ to avoid the responsibilities clearly laid out in the scriptures.