Greek Scriptures Apply Only to Annointed? (page 2)

Perry

Does someone know, how to distinguish the "most part" for the annointed from the "little part" for the others?

The little part: These are the scriptures the WT is able to twist to keep people far away from Christ and his promises.

The most part: These are the scriptures that are so clear that they are unable to twist them, so they are simply claimed not to apply to us.

Well, I'm more confused than ever. I've been trying to reconcile the NT and its heavenly hope and Genesis with its original hope for mankind on Earth. Either Man was made for Earth or for Heaven? What's the answer?

Hi Roddy,

Keep in mind that there wasn't an original hope... it was a reality. A & E experienced oneness and close family ties with God. The locale was irrevevant to the far more important reality of God's family membership.

"Hope" as you describe it, and its cousin faith, entered the soul as a divine intervention to save the species the He loved so much that he gave his only begotton son so that family life could be restored. The two things that were dealt the death blow were (1) Sin and (2) the Law [read legalism]. Now that those two big obstacles are out of the way, we are free to accept or to reject God's invitation to be his son and for him to be our God in a familial sense, not just intellectually.

Thats why we couldn't understand why this subject wasn't a hot topic among born again christians that we used to meet at the doors. In turn, they couldn't understand why life with God, even now, wasn't more important to us. We thought they were just simpletons for allowing Christ to reside within them without a step by step prediction of the future.

Christians believe in heavanly life with God and also of returning with him in glorified bodies to participate in the Thousand Year reign on earth. The tasks are not nearly as important as the child-like trust Christians have in God's ability and agility, to restore all things. As a result, they follow the Lamb wherever he goes.

As JW's, since we were walking by sight (and fear) and not by faith, we were fertile ground for the enemy to provide all all the "answers". He deceived us exactly as he did our first mother.

Narkissos

One basic flaw of the JW doctrine appears when you take it to its logical consequence: if the NT is only for the anointed, on what grounds are so-called "non-anointed" JWs submitted to any requirement?

Why are they asked to be baptised, follow moral and religious rules, attend meetings, preach? Why are they subject to congregation discipline? No NT quote can be used if the NT is not addressed to them.

This very simple question is rarely asked, and afaik the WT never seriously dealt with it.

Roddy,

Afaik nowhere does the OT suggest a "hope" of individual everlasting life on earth. The "tree of life" in Genesis 2--3 is what mankind was ultimately denied, making it what it is: "knowing good and bad" like the gods, yet mortal like animals. Only in the very late apocalyptic texts does the hope of "everlasting life" emerge, linked to "resurrection". And right from the start this "everlasting life" is associated to a "heavenly" metaphor, e.g. Daniel 12:2f:

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

TheListener

Roddy,

I run up against the same questions. My question has always been : What purpose will the earth serve once everyone is in heaven?

This is one of the teachings that I'm not sure I know how to refute or if it's right.

I do know this:

The OT scriptures use metaphors and such a lot for describing things. There are as many metaphors saying something will last forever or time indefinite when that wasn't really true - it was just a colloquial expression. The scriptures about the earth being here to time indefinite - maybe they're just metaphorical too?

Adam & Eve had a direct relationship with God with no mediator. We can have that too (after the 1,000 year reign) - I don't see how knowing exactly where that relationship occurs is so important. Earth or heaven? We'll be completely satisfied either way.

On the other hand, God did put Adam and Eve on earth and created animals and plants. He told them to become fruitful and fill the earth. So, maybe our final destination will be an earth like Adam and Eve had.

?????

Perry

My post is not being accepted for some reason.

Perry

Oh Well

Perry

Must be the WT deemonz

IP_SEC

Drop it into notepad first to remove the formattin then paste it into the post form. You will have to reformat your fonts and colours and what have you.

Perry

Thanks IP_SEC. I'll try it. My intended post is:

First, the GB asks us to believe that Christ already returned, only we can't see him or dine at his table because he's invisible and inaccessible on our own. Then, they ask us to abandon the bible [OT ok but not the NT] because it was written only to them and not us. Next, they ask us to follow all the rules they see fit to place on our backs and make this a requirement of baptism. Lastly, they constantly encourage us to study the bible as interpreted by WT publications in order to get right with Jehovah.

It seems that if there really is a God he'd have warned us about this kind of a thing. Oh wait! He did. My bad.

The Lie (Matt. 24: 25-27 The Complete Jewish Bible)

“There! I have told you in advance! So if people say to you, `Listen! He's out in the desert!' don't go; or, `Look! He's hidden away in a secret room!' don't believe it. For when the Son of Man does come, it will be like lightning that flashes out of the east and fills the sky to the western horizon.” – Jesus

The Effect (John 5: 39-40 The Message)

“You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you'll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren't willing to receive from me the life you say you want.” – Jesus

The Solution (Galatians 2: 17-21 The Message)

“Have some of you noticed that we are not yet perfect? (No great surprise, right?) And are you ready to make the accusation that since people like me, who go through Christ in order to get things right with God, aren't perfectly virtuous, Christ must therefore be an accessory to sin? The accusation is frivolous. If I was "trying to be good," I would be rebuilding the same old barn that I tore down. I would be acting as a charlatan.

What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.

Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.” – The Apostle Paul

The Bottom Line (John 15: 5 New King James Version)

“Without me you can do nothing.” - Jesus

Greek Scriptures Apply Only to Annointed?

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