Elders are Judges

stillajwexelder

When I quoted from it after my dad said elders aren't judges, my dad said, "Where did you get that book? from another post

When a fellow elder once said on a Body of Elders meeting - the CO shot him down in flames. Of course they are Judges -they are under-judges of Christ Jesus - the yare Under-Shepherds of Christ Jesus - we sit as under-judges on Judicial Committees all the time. The CO put this elder in his place - THE ELDERS ARE JUDGES - as of course it says in Pay Attention toYourselves and All the Flock

atypical

That's my biggest argument when I talk to my family about disfellowshipping. How can we say elders are imperfect and not blame them when they screw up, and at the same time allow them to judge people, sentencing them to death in effect? We are told all the time that only Jehovah can read the heart, and then we watch as elders sit in a closed session and decide the fate of people's lives. They are given so much lee-way that the regular jw is not even allowed to know the slightest detail of a judicial committee meeting.

Honesty

Stilla, did you tell him it came from the apostates?

zagor

my dad said elders aren't judges

True they are also Jury and Executioners

greendawn

Those judicial committees they make to judge others are completely out of order especially when dealing with fragile teenagers.

stillajwexelder

Stilla, did you tell him it came from the apostates? NO that is the whole point - this was the CO talking to a fellow elder in front of the body - the CO said elders are under-judges

Honesty

NO that is the whole point - this was the CO talking to a fellow elder in front of the body - the CO said elders are under-judges

It did come from apostates, then. If the JW's would only look objectively at the way trials were carried out in the Bible and compare them to the WTBT$ trials of today they might have an eye-opening experience.

freydi

MEETINGS--Elders in Court of Inquiry Question 1916

Question(1916) "Is it proper for the elders to sit at a court of inquiry and cite any supposed to be walking in a disorderly manner to appear before them and explain their conduct? Or should the Lord's advice given in Matthew 18:15-18 be followed?" Answer: "I agree with the suggestion of the question that it should be handled in harmony with the Lord's direction in the passage cited. The Lord's word does not authorize any court of the Elders, or anyone else, to become busybodies. This would be going back to the practices of the Dark Ages during the inquisition; and woud be showing the same spirit as did the inquisitors......We should have confidence in the Lord."

What Pastor Russell Said P 479

blondie

Of course, the WTS speaks out of both sides of its mouth on this issue:

Elders are judges

Elders are not judges sort of

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w94 8/1 p. 16 Cultivate Reasonableness ***

5

When elders act as judges in the congregation, they endeavor to follow Jesus’ reasonable example.

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w92 7/1 p. 14 Elders, Judge With Righteousness ***

) In turn, as Head of the Christian congregation, Christ uses the faithful and discreet slave class and its Governing Body to appoint elders, who at times have to act as judges. (Matthew 24:45-47; 1 Corinthians 5:12, 13; Titus 1:5, 9) As surrogate judges, these are under an obligation to follow closely the example of the heavenly Judges, Jehovah and Christ Jesus.

Since 1935 the anointed have received the loyal support of an ever-increasing "great crowd," whose hope is to survive "the great tribulation" and live forever on a paradise earth. (Revelation 7:9, 10, 14-17) As "the marriage of the Lamb" approaches, more and more of these are being appointed by the anointed Governing Body to serve as elders and judges in the upwards of 66,000 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses throughout the earth. (Revelation 19:7-9)

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w92 7/1 p. 15 Elders, Judge With Righteousness ***

Elders acting in a judicial capacity should remember that the real Judges of each case are Jehovah and Christ Jesus

With reverential fear, the elders judging a case should do their utmost to be sure that Jehovah is really ‘with them in the matter of judgment.’ Their decision should accurately reflect the way Jehovah and Christ consider the matter. What they symbolically ‘bind’ (find guilty) or ‘loose’ (find innocent) on earth should be what has already been bound or loosed in heaven—as revealed by what is written in the inspired Word of God. If they pray to Jehovah in Jesus’ name, Jesus will be "in their midst" to help them. (Matthew 18:18-20, footnote; The Watchtower, February 15, 1988, page 9) The atmosphere at a judicial hearing should show that Christ is truly in their midst.

*** w77 3/1 p. 147 Judging with Righteousness, Wisdom and Mercy ***

? Jehovah has raised up elders who are in a position to serve as judges and counselors. These men must meet the divine requirements set out at 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.

stillajwexelder

Yes the balance is that council from a CO (letter from Brach and hence Mother) ALL JUDICIAL COMMITTEES ARE TO E VIEWED AS SHEPHERDING CALLS. - Now we of course know in reality this is horse s--t but it is the official line

Elders are Judges

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