WT description of getting anointed

by Kosonen 4 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Kosonen

  The article "Who

  ReallyHaveaHeavenly

  Calling?" Watchtower 91 3/15, pages 19-22 have a description of how the anointing process happens. Here are some parts of that article:

  The 144,000 "have an anointing from the holy one," Jehovah. (1 John 2:20) It is an anointing to a heavenly hope. God has ‘put his seal upon them and has given them the token of what is to come, that is, the spirit, in their hearts.’—2 Corinthians 1:21, 22.

  Yes, those with the heavenly calling have the testimony of God’s spirit to that effect. Concerning this, Paul wrote at Romans 8:15-17: "You did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which spirit we cry out: ‘Abba, Father!’ The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children. If, then, we are children, we are also heirs: heirs indeed of God, but joint heirs with Christ, provided we suffer together that we may also be glorified together." It is by means of God’s spirit, or active force, that anointed ones cry out, "Abba, Father!"

  The chief evidence that a person has been anointed to the heavenly calling is a spirit, or dominant sense, of sonship. (Galatians 4:6, 7) Such an individual is absolutely sure that he has been begotten by God to spiritual sonship as one of the 144,000 joint heirs of the heavenly Kingdom. He can testify that his heavenly hope is not his own cultivated desire or his imagination; rather, it is from Jehovah as a result of the action of God’s spirit toward him.—1 Peter 1:3, 4.

  Under the influence of God’s holy spirit, the spirit, or dominant attitude, of anointed ones acts as an impelling force. It moves them to respond positively to what God’s Word says about the heavenly hope. They also respond in a positive way to Jehovah’s dealings with them by means of the holy spirit. Thus, they are sure that they are God’s spiritual children and heirs.

  When anointed ones read what God’s Word says about his spiritual children and the heavenly hope, their spontaneous inclination is to say within themselves, ‘This means me!’ Yes, they respond joyfully when their Father’s Word promises a heavenly reward. They say, ‘That means me!’ when they read: "Beloved ones, now we are children of God." (1 John 3:2) And when anointed ones read that God has brought people forth "to be certain firstfruits of his creatures," their mental inclination is to respond, ‘Yes, he brought me forth for that purpose.’ (James 1:18) They know that they have been "baptized into Christ Jesus" and into his death. (Romans 6:3) So they have the firm conviction of being part of Christ’s spiritual body and entertain the hope of undergoing a death like his and being resurrected to heavenly life.

  Futher down in the article it says:

  If Jehovah has cultivated in you the undeniable hope of heavenly life, you are counting on that. You offer prayers in expression of that hope. It engrosses you, and you cannot get it out of your system. You have consuming spiritual aspirations.
• 

  Narkissos

  The irony is that, in context, none of the passages quoted imply a special, individual "experience"... they are a theological interpretation of the actual collective practice and self-understanding of the Pauline churches -- the liturgical use of Abba, the reference to God as "Father" and to the Holy Spirit acting through diverse spiritual gifts or charismata, some more dramatic than others. Another interesting text from this perspective is 1 Corinthians 12:1f: "Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Let Jesus be cursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit.

  As well as with other practices (baptism in Romans 6 or the Eucharist in 1 Corinthians 11) Paul intends to show the meaning (according to his theological system of interpretation) of what they are already, ordinarily doing.

  In WT doctrine, otoh, it becomes a very special, exceptional, mysterious experience... not to be experienced by most but unconsciously building expectations and potential for an extraordinary experience.
• 

  yadda yadda 2

  Romans 8 and Galatians 4. If you cry/pray "Abba, Father" to God with genuine conviction, like a child naturally addresses their real physical father, you have received the holy spirit and are "anointed". No need to come up with silly explanations like "Yes, this means me" and wotnot, as if some parts of the Bible are only meant for some Christians but not others. What contrived nonsense.

  Whether you hope to go to heaven or have everlasting life on earth isn't the issue. The hope is not a location, it's a hope of everlasting life through faith in Jesus. The expression "heavenly hope" which the Society is so fond of saying is not found in a single scripture of the Bible.

  The Society's teaching that the 'great crowd' are not in the new covenant and are not spirit-begotten sons of God is untenable. How can the great crowd be rendering sacred service in the naos itself yet not be "anointed'. Absurd.
• 

  Chalam

  Hi,

  You need to understand and experience baptism in the Holy Spirit.

  Matthew 3:11 Mark 1:8 Acts 1:5 Acts 8:16 Acts 10:47 Acts 11:16

  If is for all believers, all who are born-again, not just a 144 000 select few according to the untruths of the WT.

  Acts 2 (New International Version)

  The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

  1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues [a] as the Spirit enabled them.

  5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

  13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine. [b] "

  Peter Addresses the Crowd

  14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
  17 " 'In the last days, God says,
  I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
  Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
  your young men will see visions,
  your old men will dream dreams.
  18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
  I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
  and they will prophesy.
  19 I will show wonders in the heaven above
  and signs on the earth below,
  blood and fire and billows of smoke.
  20 The sun will be turned to darkness
  and the moon to blood
  before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
  21 And everyone who calls
  on the name of the Lord will be saved.' This is still going on, get to a real church! Spirit baptism, speaking in tongues, prophecy, dreams and visions and all the gifts of the Spirit-awesome stuff! Still not sure? 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."

  All the best,

  Stephen
• 

  Narkissos

  Abba is hardly a natural, spontaneous word for a Gentile, Greek-speaking child to address his/her father...

  It can only make sense to the target audience of Romans and Galatians (cf. also Mark 14:36) because it is already part of their collective, religious talk, and most likely used in a ritual or liturgical way (like the -- also Aramaic -- maranatha) -- including ecstatic or charismatic expression (note the use of the verb krazô, to "cry," in both instances). Foreign words tend to sound mysterious and powerful and lend themselves to mystical or magical use (cf. the use of Aramaic transliterations in the Gospel miracle stories).

  Church practice, not individual experience, is the starting point of Paul's argument imo.