Hi SS, I like your name, and I'll go as "easy" on you as I can muster, lol (j/k) .
This may seem a bit "technical," so bear with me...
Your first Q: Do JW’s qualify as Christ disciples based on John 13:34, 35?
Answer: No, and not for the reason you may think.
First we have to look at WHO was the Lord speaking to? and what was his "mission" so to speak? Because EVERYTHING Jesus said in the Gospels was strictly said TO the House of Israel and did NOT apply to Gentiles:
Matthew 15:24: "But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the HOUSE OF ISRAEL."
Secondly, all the 12 apostles were told also to go ONLY to the House of Israel, and NOT to any Gentiles:
Matthew 10:5,6: "These twelve Jesus sent out and COMMANDED them, saying: "DO NOT GO INTO THE WAY OF THE GENTILES, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the HOUSE OF ISRAEL."
Conclusion: Every scripture and every word spoken by the Lord in the Gospels, including John 13:34,35 applies to the House of Israel and Jesus' dealings with them solely. The entire Bible (excepting the Pauline Epistles) were directed to and have to do with God's dealings with the House of Israel. Every book written by every Bible writer (except for Paul) were written FOR THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.
Therefore, John 13:34,35 can NEVER apply to the JWs because they are not of the House of Israel. This is not to say that Christians should ignore the entire Bible except for Paul's writings (because our entire faith is founded upon the Lord's dealings with Israel), but to get a "crystal clear picture" of what scriptures applies to whom, it helps to keep in mind who the Lord (and the apostles) were speaking to.
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Secondly, and correct me if my memory is bad on this, but isn't this phrase: "the main identifying mark of CHRISTIANS" strictly a WATCHTOWER propaganda phrase that they use REPEATEDLY to "seduce the minds" of the JWs (ie, give JWs a "fat head," so to speak, a "false pride" over all other Christians in other denominations) to MAKE THEM/JWs THINK they have all this "love love love among themselves" when it's really just a PLOY to keep the JWs "drunk" [seduced] with a "superiority complex"?
heehee, that was a mouthful, lol.
Thirdly, there were NO CHRISTIANS YET (Acts 11:26) when the Lord spoke these words to his JEWISH-ONLY-disciples in John 13 . Therefore, your question [and the scripture] cannot possibly apply to the JWs as "the main identifying mark of CHRISTIANS" as stated at: John 13:34, 35- "I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”
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As for your next Question: "Do you think THEY at least qualify as SOME of Christ disciples? based on the main identifying mark of Christians..."
By "THEY" I'm guessing you mean what the WT teaches, ie, the "anointed class," the FDS, the 144,000, etc. as being "SOME of Christ's disciplies"?
If that's what you mean, I will answer on that premise...
First off, I don't "buy" the WT-teaching that only 144,000 "qualify", etc., but that ALL believers are to have the Lord as THEIR PERSONAL MEDIATOR and NOT the "org" and/or the GB/FDS, et al, as their mediator. ALL JWs have the opportunity to be a follower of Jesus Christ and develop a personal relationship with him without the "middle men" up in The Tower.
So on that note: I've heard it said that the Lord can only judge people by WHAT THEY KNOW at any given time (and I would certainly hope that is true since I didn't know beans when I was a JW... in other words, I ONLY KNEW what THEY TOLD ME the scriptures meant, which I know now is not correct at all).
So my point is that if a JW sincerely in his/her heart feels/thinks they are one of Christ's followers, I would trust He would have mercy on them in their current limited understanding [a/k/a DECEPTION by the WT echelon].
Even so the question remains, Can anyone be a follower of someone they don't really even "know"? The WT teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ and WHO HE IS and WHAT His Plans are, are NOT correct. So can any JW really be a follower of Jesus without having correct understanding? I don't know... I'm not the Judge and I cannot read hearts, so I'm just "throwing that out there" as "food for thought." I mean, the JWs are NOT EVEN LOOKING for the Lord's RETURN because they think Jesus is NEVER coming back in person, but that JHVH is somehow going to cause the Big-A from "out there in the sky somewhere."
Therefore, when Paul says that not only he, but ALL those will receive a crown WHO LOVE HIS APPEARING (Jesus' appearing), then what will happen to the "rank and file JW" who has been taught NOT TO EVEN LOOK for the Lord's APPEARING? Will they be left because they were not AWAKE and WATCHING (thanks to what the WT taught them)? Serious food for thought...
2 Timothy 4:8: Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but ALSO TO ALL WHO HAVE LOVED HIS APPEARING..
Everybody is in a process of learning "real truth" (minus the WT's interpretations), so ask the Holy Spirit what HE thinks... and see what happens. ;-)
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As for the "identifying mark of CHRISTIANS," let's see if we can find one in Paul's Epistles, since it was he whom the Lord commissioned to go to the Gentiles... (and as far as I know, the WT org is made up of mostly Gentiles-?)
Here's a few "identifiers" re: "love" that can apply:
2 Cor 8:23b,24: Or if our brethren [are inquired about, they are] messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. Therefore SHOW TO THEM, and BEFORE THE CHURCHES the PROOF of YOUR LOVE and of our boasting on your behalf.
Ephesians 4:15,16: but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head -- Christ -- from whom THE WHOLE BODY, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the EDIFYING of ITSELF in LOVE.
Oh boy, there's a zillion verses in Paul's epistles than mention love about the Gentile converts... just do a search for "love" at OliveTree.com .
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OK, this is getting way too long, lol.. But I have to add re: the Lord and the apostles only being sent to the Hosue of Israel, you may wonder, where does that leave everybody else?
As mentioned elsewhere, the Lord commissioned Paul exclusively to go to the Gentiles. He was chosen "outside the camp," so to speak, apart from the 12, and was given the special exclusive commission to go to the Gentiles. Here's a few verses that document this fact (for future reference):
Romans 11:13: "For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry..."
Romans 15:16: "...that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles..."
Galatians 1:16: "...to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles..."
Galatians 2:9: "...and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we [should go] to the Gentiles and THEY TO THE CIRCUMCISED." (= House of Israel. Hence, anything in the letters of James, Cephas, John, etc. are directed to the House of Israel and NOT the Gentiles).
Ephesians 3:1: "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles..."
Ephesians 3:8: "To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ..."
1 Timothy 2:7: "...for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle -- I am speaking the truth in Christ [and] not lying -- a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth."
2 Timothy 1:11: "...to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles."
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Therefore, if you want to know what scriptures specifically applies to Gentile believers (a/k/a the "Body of Christ," a/k/a "the Church," during the "Age of Grace" a/k/a the "Age of the Gentiles," read Paul.
"Try it on for size" -- in other words, just keep this "suggestion" in the back of your mind when doing Bible reading/research, and see how it "measures up." For me, personally, it clarifies things enormously... not to mention how it "simplifies" all the confusion created when all the prophecies (for Israel vs. the Church) are all mixed together.
Always think: WHO was this written to? Israel or the "Gentile Age church"? It's pretty clear which are written to Israel. Start with that premise -- even as an "experiment" -- and see how it goes... "feel it out"... "try it out"... and ask the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, Guide and Teacher, to show you...
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Oh, and it helps tremendously if you understand FIRST the "lie" of "replacement theology" which the WT teaches:
http://www.watch.org/showprint.php3?idx=64261&mcat=1&rtn=/index.html
and
http://www.therefinersfire.org/replacement_theology.htm
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For more info -- if desired:
http://www.withchrist.org/MJS/index.htm
http://withchrist.org/MJS/pauline.htm
http://withchrist.org/pauldisp.htm
http://withchrist.org/our.htm
http://www.lesfeldick.org/
http://www.lesfeldick.org/lestimel.html
http://www.lesfeldick.org/plan4hvn.html
http://www.lesfeldick.org/lesqa.html
Sorry for the length... brevity has never been a virtue... :-/
Blessings,
/abbagail
