W
Waynec
Guest
This is rather long. I didn’t know how to respond to this knowing that the JW’s don’t believe in the immortality of the soul. This is from their daily text reading for April 19 I added the texts below for convenience. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Tuesday, April 19
He reasoned with them from the Scriptures.—Acts 17:2.
How might we reason with an individual who feels that bad people should be tormented forever in hellfire? First, we could assure him that the wicked will be punished. (2 Thess. 1:9) Then, we could have him read Genesis 2:16, 17, which shows that the penalty for sin is death. We might explain that by his sin, Adam caused the entire human race to be born as sinners. (Rom. 5:12) But we can point out that God said nothing about being punished in hellfire. We could then ask, “If Adam and Eve were in danger of being tormented forever, would it not have been fair to warn them of that?” We could then read Genesis 3:19, where sentence was pronounced after their sin but nothing was said about hellfire. Instead, Adam was told that he would return to the dust. We might ask, “Would it have been fair to tell Adam that he would go back to the ground if he was really going to a fiery hell?” That may cause the person to think more deeply on this subject.
Acts 17.2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
2Thes1.9
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Gen2>16,17And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Rom.5.12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Gen3.19 in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Tuesday, April 19
He reasoned with them from the Scriptures.—Acts 17:2.
How might we reason with an individual who feels that bad people should be tormented forever in hellfire? First, we could assure him that the wicked will be punished. (2 Thess. 1:9) Then, we could have him read Genesis 2:16, 17, which shows that the penalty for sin is death. We might explain that by his sin, Adam caused the entire human race to be born as sinners. (Rom. 5:12) But we can point out that God said nothing about being punished in hellfire. We could then ask, “If Adam and Eve were in danger of being tormented forever, would it not have been fair to warn them of that?” We could then read Genesis 3:19, where sentence was pronounced after their sin but nothing was said about hellfire. Instead, Adam was told that he would return to the dust. We might ask, “Would it have been fair to tell Adam that he would go back to the ground if he was really going to a fiery hell?” That may cause the person to think more deeply on this subject.
Acts 17.2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
2Thes1.9
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Gen2>16,17And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Rom.5.12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Gen3.19 in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.