Help with question please: JW teaching on resurrection of infants

by Pioneer Spit...oh, i mean Spirit 9 Replies latest jw friends

  • Pioneer Spit...oh, i mean Spirit
    Pioneer Spit...oh, i mean Spirit

    Thanks for all the comments and sympathy you have all expressed concerning the loss of my Great Nephew this weekend, I'm going to print it all and stuff it into a sympathy card for the parents and grandmother.

    I'm expecting that my dad-- the great grandpa, and my brother-- the grandpa will speak at the service, unless it's in a church-then they will likely not even show up. I'm eagerly expecting comments about the resurrection for this 8 mo old. However, from memory it is my understanding that the JWs don't teach that infants will be resurrected unless they have witness parents, or if the parents are resurrected also. For, the logic I remember is, who will care for all the infants that could potentially be brought back?

    You guys rock, thanks again, and thanks in advance for assistance w/ this Q.

  • blondie
    blondie

    It is an open judgment as long as the parents are alive and the GT has not come yet. But the future lives of minor children as said to be dependent on the actions of their parents. At least one parent has to be a jw in good standing, for there to be a resurrection. jws tend to pressure non-jws to study and be baptized as jws so their dead children will be resurreced.

    *** w50 11/15 p. 463 Questions From Readers ***

    Will children who have not reached the age of accountability and who die at Armageddon have a resurrection?—Ohio reader.We cannot be dogmatic about this matter, as God is the judge. However, if Jehovah God expresses an adverse judgment against certain individuals, and does this through his King Christ Jesus at Armageddon, there must be some sort of finality to God’s decision. If so, those destroyed by the judgment of God in the battle of Armageddon are really destroyed. Ezekiel chapter 9 appears to refer to Armageddon, and verse 6 states, "Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark." Those unmarked by a favorable reception of God’s warning receive no mercy from him. This is no injustice on God’s part. If it were a case of absolute justice he would spare no one, as everyone, young or old, is an imperfect sinner. It is only through the exercise of his love and mercy that anyone is preserved through Armageddon or is resurrected.

    Children are affected by the course of their parents, and parents are warned that their iniquity is visited on their offspring unto the third and fourth generation. (Ex. 20:5, 6) Parents are commanded to instruct their children in God’s way, and if in these last days parents refuse to heed the divine instruction and warning they bring destruction upon themselves and their small children at Armageddon. (Deut. 6:6, 7; Eph. 6:4) According to justice God can leave such children dead, for, as Ezekiel showed, all die in their iniquity. (Ezek. 3:17-19; 33:1-6) Parents should remember that their wrong course unfavorably affects their children and may bring their offspring to destruction at Armageddon, just as a right course on the part of parents may put their small children in the way of preservation during Armageddon and opportunity for eternal life in the new world to follow.

  • PinTail
    PinTail

    Jehovah is tender and loving beyond our comprehension everyone who has ever died will live again in the resurrection by means of the redemptive powers of Christ redemptive sacrifice, yes concerning his battle a person would be wise to stay far away from any speculation concerning who Jehovah remembers and who he does not. We could never earn life, all provisions that Jehovah has provided are undeserved totally no matter what we may do our being resurrected to life or being spared is really a complete act of mercy on gods part.

    http://www.southwestbiblestudents.net/

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    It should be pointed out however that the 1950 article was published PRIOR to the changes to the JW resurrection doctrine in the 1960s, which made the resurrection more of a real promise for most of those who died.

  • blondie
    blondie

    That's true, but minor children's future are still tied to the status of their parents as to being jws or not. At least one parent has to be a baptized jw. If both parents die at Armageddon, it is my understanding that their minor children who died or are living will have no future or will die along with their parents. If the parents die before Armageddon, then they and their children would be resurrected.

    Example: Those who died during the Flood, their children died too, and the WTS teaches that none will be resurrected.

    A cruel, unloving teaching from the WTS.

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    That's true, but that example pertains to Armageddon and other instances of "judgment", wherein the Society has continued to teach that there is no hope of a resurrection anyway. With respect to ordinary death and resurrection, the Society teaches that the ransom ensures that there would be potentially billions coming back to life, including babies:

    *** ka [1973] chap. 4 p. 50 par. 13 Kings for a Thousand Years Without Successors ***

    But for the vast majority of the rest of mankind, it will mean learning a new language, the language God purposes for all humankind. In view of good language instructors used by the Kingdom, there should be no great problem on this account. Even resurrected babies can be taught the new language from infancy. In this way they will all be able to communicate with one another directly, with full understanding of one another’s language terms and expressions.

    *** ts [1974] chap. 20 pp. 180-181 For Whom Will Resurrection Bring Benefits? ***

    What of children who die? Will they too return to life when righteousness prevails on this earth? Surely that is what loving parents would want for any children that they may have lost in death. And there is solid basis for entertaining such a hope. Among those reported in the Bible as having been resurrected were children. The daughter of Jairus, who lived in Galilee, was about twelve years of age; Jesus brought her back to life. (Luke 8:42, 54, 55) The boys who were raised from the dead by the prophets Elijah and Elisha may have been older or younger. (1 Kings 17:20-23; 2 Kings 4:32-37) In view of these past resurrections of children, is it not right to expect that a large-scale resurrection of children will take place during Jesus’ rule as king? Most assuredly! We can be certain that whatever Jehovah God has purposed in this regard will be the just, wise and loving thing for all concerned.

    The Bible reveals that by far the majority of mankind -- men, women and children -- will be raised from the dead. As the apostle Paul affirmed in his defense before Governor Felix: "I have hope toward God . . . that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous." (Acts 24:15) The "righteous" are those who lived in God’s favor. The "unrighteous" are the rest of mankind.

    *** g78 4/22 p. 23 Did My Baby Go to Limbo? ***

    My visitors assured me that, according to God’s Word, unbaptized babies, like little Andrew, were not excluded from God’s marvelous provision of the resurrection. Indeed, the vast majority of the dead in memorial tombs will be raised to life here on earth under the heavenly kingdom of Jesus Christ.

    *** w79 6/15 pp. 18-19 par. 11 Resurrected—"Each In His Own Proper Place" ***

    Even the dead infants and unresponsible young children will be favored with a return to new opportunities for growing up to eternal youth on a paradise earth. In that way the death-dealing work of King Herod the Great will be reversed. He sent the inquiring astrologers from the East to Bethlehem, to locate for him the recently born "king of the Jews." He schemed to kill Jesus, the son of the Jewish virgin Mary. After being foiled in his crafty efforts to learn the whereabouts of the prospective "king of the Jews," Herod sent and had his soldiers kill off all the young children two years old and younger. The mourning of the bereaved mothers in and around Bethlehem was foretold in Bible prophecy, along with words of comfort about the resurrection.

    *** g83 10/22 p. 14 Why Do Babies Suffer and Die? ***

    Lovingly, Jehovah has made provision to undo all the harmful effects of inherited sin and death. He has given his heavenly Son, Jesus Christ, a Kingdom government, which will rule this earth for a thousand years. According to Bible prophecies, that Thousand Year Reign is very near. During that time the dead, including babies, will be resurrected.

    *** g86 10/8 p. 27 Baptism—Is It for Infants? ***

    Must an individual be baptized to share in this earthly resurrection? Not necessarily. Many have died in spiritual ignorance. (Compare Jonah 4:11.) Since they never had an opportunity to learn about God, they never dedicated themselves to him. Are such ones forever lost? No, for the apostle Paul said: "There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous." (Acts 24:15) Doubtless included among those resurrected throngs will be infants. Therefore, claims that baptism is necessary to save infants are entirely unfounded.

    *** w88 9/15 p. 7 Where Are Our Dead Loved Ones Now? ***

    What, then, about babies who have died? Will they too be present on the Paradise earth? They do not go to Limbo, which does not exist. But young ones in God’s memory will come back in the resurrection of the dead -- one of the marvelous promises in God’s Word, as we have already noted. (John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15)

    *** w98 7/1 p. 22 par. 14 "Death Is to Be Brought to Nothing" ***

    The resurrection will encompass "the great and the small," both prominent and inconspicuous humans who have lived and died. Why, even infants will be among that number! (Jeremiah 31:15, 16)

    I guess there is the loophole that if the parent doesn't die as well before Armageddon, then the child's resurrection would be potentially compromised as well -- viewing the parent's judgment extending to the child. Also, if the parent is an apostate, then the same may apply -- if the parent is viewed as deserving of the "second death".

  • PinTail
    PinTail

    The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (governing body) is WRONG!

    Imagine how Jehovah feels, here his holly writings clearly show that everyone will be resurrected including father Adam and mother Eve, Jehovah’s great plan that of brings back all humans who have ever died from all the ages past and reeducating them under conditions that are very conducive to them. When the dead including those of the flood and in the time of Sodom it will be mankind’s first opportunity to learn gods ways and make real progress without the affects of Satan and his demons. There is an evil purpose of anyone or group who seeks to imply that Jehovah would sacrifice his dear son for just a few humans when clearly the scriptures teach of the great magnitude of Jehovah’s love for mankind, and that his intent is to redeem all mankind. Jesus gave his life as a ransom, he is our redeemer he has paid the price for our sin and not us, we need not be afraid no more. The GB have put them self’s in a precarious position before almighty god, by their minimizing the power of his dear son’s death at great sacrifice to Jehovah him self.

    http://www.southwestbiblestudents.net/

  • Meeting Junkie No More
    Meeting Junkie No More

    Sadly, my view is that JW teaching on resurrection of infants is pure conjecture, like so much of their teaching on so many subjects.

    That said, the greatest comfort to me is what Jesus said as he was expiring, which was 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit'. Luke 23:45-47; Similarly, at Acts 7:59 Stephen said "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit". For what it's worth, I am content in the simple knowledge that at death our spirits go back to God, from whence they came. Beyond that I leave it in His hands. Just my 2 cents...

  • VM44
    VM44

    Please note that what The Watchtower calls a "resurrection" isn't really a resurrection at all.

  • Meeting Junkie No More
    Meeting Junkie No More

    Really good point, VM!

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