Please read the below excerpt from a 1996 Questions from Readers on the difference between the little flock and other sheep. The article makes it very clear that both classes receive the holy spirit and there is absolutely no discernible difference whatsoever between the 'anointed' and the 'other sheep'. The Society is well aware there is no practical difference at all between these two so-called 'classes' of JW Christians. Both 'classes' get the holy spirit in equal measure, they all have the same knowledge, they are all preaching and doing the same things.
So, exactly how is this composite 'slave class' providing 'food at the proper time' to the 'other sheep'? In what way has this 'slave class' been 'appointed' over all Jesus' belongings when 99.9% of elders in the organisation are of the 'other sheep'? Exactly what is the so-called 'faithful and discreet slave' class doing differently from the 'other sheep' to justify their exclusive claim to Matthew 24: 45-47?
The Society takes great pride in its claims to be a modern-day restoration of original, 'true' Christianity, yet the truth is, of course, that there were no 'classes' of Christians in the first Century at all. It is explicit in Scripture that ALL Christians who professed faith in Christ, repented, and were baptized received the holy spirit and were thus 'anointed'. They all professed the same hope (Eph 4:4). Thus the Watchtower Society can hardly claim to be a restoration of original Christianity at all. It is certainly preaching a different 'good news' than the apostles taught (2 Cor 11:4; Galatians 1: 6-9).
The entire concept of two separate 'classes' of Christians, with two separate 'hopes', is completely unscriptural. There is not the slightest bit of evidence in the Christian Greek Scriptures to justify the Watchtower Society's creation of these artificial classes of Christians.
*** w96 6/15 31 Questions From Readers ***
"Can we say that God’s servants today who have the earthly hope have as much of God’s spirit as do spirit-anointed Christians?
Members of the “other sheep,” though not having had the experience of being anointed, in other respects do receive holy spirit. The Watchtower of April 15, 1952, observed:
“The ‘other sheep’ today perform the same preaching work as the remnant, under the same trying conditions, and manifest the same faithfulness and integrity. They feed at the same spiritual table, eating the same food, absorbing the same truths. Being of the earthly class, with earthly hopes and a keen interest in earthly things, they might interest themselves more in scriptures relating to earthly conditions in the new world; whereas the anointed remnant, with heavenly hopes and strong personal interest in the things of the spirit, might study more diligently those things in God’s Word. . . . Yet the fact remains that the same truths and the same understanding are available to both classes, and it is just how the individuals apply themselves in study that determines the comprehension of heavenly and earthly things they acquire. The Lord’s spirit is available in equal portions to both classes, and knowledge and understanding are offered equally to both, with equal opportunities for absorbing it.” "
Interestingly, compare the above with the following:
*** w53 9/15 554 Creating Counterfeit Christianity ***
NO CLASS DISTINCTION
"Early Christians were all brothers. No class distinction could rightfully exist. (Jas. 2:1-9) Christians were not to bow down worshipfully before another, as Peter told Cornelius. (Acts 10:25, 26) No Christians kissed Christ’s hand or toe; instead, he washed their feet! “If I, although Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash the feet of one another.” (John 13:14, NW) If bowing down and kissing toes and hands were Scriptural, then, according to Jesus’ example, Christians would have to do this, not to a select few, but to all their brothers. Clearly, such procedure is not Scriptural, and Christ set no pattern for class distinction."
WTS's two 'classes' of Christians is completely artificial
by yaddayadda 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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yaddayadda
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Leolaia
*** w96 6/15 31 Questions From Readers ***
"Can we say that God’s servants today who have the earthly hope have as much of God’s spirit as do spirit-anointed Christians?
Members of the “other sheep,” though not having had the experience of being anointed, in other respects do receive holy spirit. The Watchtower of April 15, 1952, observed:
“The ‘other sheep’ today perform the same preaching work as the remnant, under the same trying conditions, and manifest the same faithfulness and integrity. They feed at the same spiritual table, eating the same food, absorbing the same truths. Being of the earthly class, with earthly hopes and a keen interest in earthly things, they might interest themselves more in scriptures relating to earthly conditions in the new world; whereas the anointed remnant, with heavenly hopes and strong personal interest in the things of the spirit, might study more diligently those things in God’s Word. . . . Yet the fact remains that the same truths and the same understanding are available to both classes, and it is just how the individuals apply themselves in study that determines the comprehension of heavenly and earthly things they acquire. The Lord’s spirit is available in equal portions to both classes, and knowledge and understanding are offered equally to both, with equal opportunities for absorbing it.” "
So why aren't members of the "great crowd" permitted to partake of the Memorial emblems? The Memorial invites both the "great crowd" and the "little flock" together to the table enacting the Lord's Evening Meal, but only the "little flock" get to eat the same food that the Lord shared to his disciples. What is the point of the "great crowd" being there at all, if they only observe? When Jesus said, "Keep doing this in remembrance of me," the "this" referred not gathering together to hear a talk but eating of the bread and drinking the wine.
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yaddayadda
Exactly, Leolaia.
Even if there were two 'classes', there is no scriptural justification whatsoever to restrict partaking of the emblems to only one 'class'.
In fact, the Society even states that the 'great crowd' inherit 'the kingdom' - just the earthly 'realm' of the kingdom rather than the heavenly 'realm':
*** w99 3/1 18 "The Temple" and "the Chieftain" Today ***
21 It is not only the chieftain and the priesthood who have assigned places in this restored land. The dividing of the land shows that each one of the 12 tribes has a secure inheritance. (Ezekiel 47:13, 22, 23) So those of the great crowd not only have a place in the spiritual paradise today but will also receive an assignment of land when they inherit a place in the earthly realm of God’s Kingdom
*** w97 9/15 20 Who Will Survive "the Day of Jehovah"? ***
If you yearn to live forever in an earthly paradise, you must demonstrate heartfelt support for true worship, as Jehonadab did. Then you may be among Jehovah’s faithful servants, who will soon experience the fulfillment of Jesus’ words: “Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world.”—Matthew 25:34.
If they 'great crowd' still 'inherit the kingdom' according to Matthew 25:34 then why continue the sham of denying them the emblems?
The confusion lies in the Society's very narrow interpretation of what 'the kingdom' is: that it is a heavenly 'government' for a small minority of Christians. They are bending the entire Christian Greek scriptures around Luke 22:28-30 and a couple of verses in Revelation. -
yaddayadda
deleted - double post.
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greendawn
The WTS doctrine of the two classes is an absolute mess a crude doctrinal error as was to be expected from those meddling in religion while having no proper training in theology or religious philosophy. You go to a lawyer when you need legal advise but not for religious advice and all the more so when that lawyer is an alcoholic. How superficial can things get, lawyers acting as doctrine makers.
The dubs based that concept on two very tenuous interpretations, the other sheep being a different class of Christians and the 144 000 being a literal number. Both are obviously false the other sheep are the gentile Christians who differ in nothing from the Jewish Christians (one faith, one baptism) and the 144 000 are a symbolic number in a symbolic circumstance.
Then there is the question why are the GB lording it over everyone, why do they want the other "anointed" subordinated to themselves and even to their non anointed elders, and how can the other sheep be anointed when they are not part of the New Covenent and do not participate in the bread and wine?
You can talk about seeing the charlatans at work, the sole channel of God making a crude mess of things. But perhaps it is not so much incompetence as it is an intentional twisting of the Bible to suit their agenda.
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Pahpa
Most Bible commentaries agree that the "other sheep" mentioned by Jesus (John 10:16) were the Gentile believers who were invited into the family of God starting with the conversion of Cornelius and his family. (Acts 10) These Gentiles joined with the early Jewish Christians to become "one flock" under "one shepherd."
The problem with Jehovah's Witnesses is that they are locked into the peculiar interpretation of the Watchtower Society. Russell and Rutherford both decided that Christ's return was invisible. Rutherford changed the date of the event from 1874 to 1914. Based on this false assemption, it was easy for Rutherford to propound any "new light" that fit his purposes. So, Jehovah's Witnesses have inherited this "legacy" and are stuck with it.
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Gayle
So the two classes are: the first class GB and the 2nd class are the faithful & discreet and other sheep in reality.
How is the term "governing body" in NWT Bible, translated in the other versions?
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blondie
How is the term "governing body" in NWT Bible, translated in the other versions?
Actually, the term "governing body" does not appear in the NWT Bible.
When you use the search on the WT CD, nothing comes up.......
The term "organization" is not in the NWT either.
And we know according to the WTS if a term is not in the Bible it cannot be a true Christian teaching.
Blondie
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Gayle
Thank you Blondie!!!
When was the term "governing body" first started then by JWs & where did they get that term?
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Doug Mason
The WTS writes:
Of course, these dedicated, baptized “other sheep” of the “great crowd” have not been begotten to be God’s spiritual sons, with a heavenly inheritance. They are not spiritual Israelites. They have not been taken into the new covenant with the opportunity to become God’s “kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” They have never been sealed with God’s spirit as an advance token of their heavenly inheritance. They have not been anointed with God’s spirit as prospective joint heirs with Christ in his celestial kingdom. But do they nonetheless have holy spirit on them?
Overwhelmingly the facts answer Yes! Especially since 1935 C.E., the “great crowd” have worked with the spirit-begotten, anointed remnant. They have given convincing evidence that God’s holy spirit is operative upon them. A person on earth does not need to be begotten by God’s spirit in order to have His active force go into operation upon him.
("Holy Spirit – The Force Behind the Coming New Order!" 1976. chap. 8 pp. 157-158 “Spirit of Life from God Entered into Them”)