144,000 are you one of them?

by JCinme 36 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • JCinme
    JCinme

    Hey I've been studying Jehovah's Witness beliefs but I had a question, how does anyone know who the 144,000 are? If you could respond with what you know that would be great. Thank you.

  • Cellist
    Cellist

    Welcome to the board, JCinme.

    How do they know they're one of the 144,000? That's the eternal question. It's been asked here on the board repeatedly. The closest answer you'll get is: they just know!

    Cellist

  • uninformed
    uninformed

    There is a scripture in Romans the 8th chapter that states, "God's Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are God's children". Those who partake of the new covenant emblems among JWs feel that is the verse that gives them the "sense" or feelin that they have been adopted as children of God.

    Everyone else is warned not to partake of the emblems representing the blood and body of Christ, as they would be "drinking death to themselves" because they are not adopted as God's children.

    This teaching denies the many verses in the Bible that teach Jesus gave his life a ransom for all who would believe in him. the problem that JW's have is that they believe that only those go to heaven that are in the new covenant, a position that I now consider a false teaching. Jesus made the covenant for a kingdom AFTER the Last Supper, (Lord's Evening Meal).

    If Christ is your saviour, partake of the memorial emblems, whether or not you are one of the 144,000, which I also believe and have believed for decades that it is a symbolic number.

    hope this helps

  • JCinme
    JCinme

    Thank you for responding so quickly. Are the majority of people on here JW's? I am under the assumption that they are but I am curious?

  • uninformed
    uninformed

    Don't know for sure. Lots of ex witnesses and hurt people. Quite a few that are pretty dirty mouthed. Lots of sacreligious people too. Lots of people have been hurt bad by JW's and are really angry.

    u

  • Severus
    Severus

    Welcome to the board! Most members of this site are ex-Jehovah's Witnesses, although I am a JW.

    You should know that this board is critical of JWs but you may find that helpful in your studies of the religion.

    The 144,000 is a number that JW take literally as a special group of "anointed" that will rule in heaven. This number was supposedly sealed in the 1930's but new anointed JWs keep popping up.

    JWs identify anointed people by counting those who partake of the bread and wine at the Memorial (of Jesus death). That number is currently 8,524 (year 2005) but that number has not decreased significantly in many years.

    Another interesting fact is that the anointed are also called the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" (FDS). It is from the FDS that JWs receive their channel of communication from God. However it is only a group of 12 anointed men called the "Governing Body" that actually make any decisions or lead. The other 8500 anointed are not consulted formally.

    I hope that helps. I can provide JW publication quotes if you wish.

  • ferret
    ferret

    WELCOME: JCinme

  • kittyeatzjdubs
    kittyeatzjdubs

    yes i am...

    i am number 143,999.

    really...

    i am...

    luv, jojo

  • Legolas
    Legolas

    Welcome!

  • Star Moore
    Star Moore

    Welcome to the board. Yes most of us are XJW's and some of us are really well read and you can learn alot from them, because they struggled very hard to understand the truth.

    I have been a JW since 1979. I left the organization in Sept. 2005, I did start partaking 5 years ago. I know I've been born again . Whether the number is a literal number of 144,000, I don't know... It may not be because 12 x 12 is 144....and 12 is complete. So it could be a complete number. In Rev. 7 it talks of 144,000 being from the 12 tribes of Isreal... I believe the Jews make up a large part of the 144,000. And that JW's make way too little of their favor with God.

    I would like to hear from you if you want to send me a message. I'd love to talk more to you. Star

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit