If the wages of Sin is Death than why

sinis

do the witnesses usually not allow a DA'd or DF'd individual, who may have been a member for decades, the opportunity of a congregation funeral? Especially if the family members or living spouse request it? I thought we were all absolved after death, according to the Bible?

sir82

Jehovah is very forgiving.

The JW religion, not so much.

OUTLAW

JW`s pay for their Sins..They get a WBT$ Funeral..

Thats punishment enough for anyone..

...OUTLAW

lilbluekitty

Good question!

Ding

WT doctrine on this point comes from Romans 6:7. Most translations of Romans 6:7 say that one who has died has been "freed from sin." In the NWT, Fred Franz rendered it "acquitted from [his] sin."

Many Protestant Bible scholars interpret this passage as a born again person being freed from the POWER of sin's control over them in this life because of their spiritual rebirth "in Christ." This interpretation is based on the context of the preceding verse, which talks about people who have been crucified/impaled with Christ not being slaves to sin. It is speaking of a spiritual crucifixion/impalement with Christ, not a physical one. If so, the passage isn't talking about physical death at all but about a "death to sin" in this life.

However, Fred Franz considered Romans 6:7 to be speaking about the wages of sin being physical death. Because of the WT understanding that there is no immortal soul and no punishment for sins beyond physical death, he rendered 6:7 to say that a person who has died has been "acquitted from [his] sin."

I'm not sure why he chose the world "acquitted." A criminal who completely serves his sentence hasn't been "acquitted" of his crime; he has been convicted of it but is no longer being punished because he has served the entire sentence.

All that said, I agree with your point that the WTS doesn't seem to believe its own teaching here. If, as the WT contends, the sinner has fully paid the penalty for his sin by his physical death, why is he not allowed a congregation funeral if the family requests it?

WTWizard

Rather than allowing others to see the "results" of sin or that "all sin is forgiven at death", they would rather the witlesses see that they get no contact with disfellowshipped relatives even at death. That way, they are more cut off and more afraid of getting disfellowshipped themselves.