by Comatose 27 Replies latest watchtower bible
Because if you just read it then its plain that all should partake of the emblems and go to heaven etc. They get around that by saying it only applied to those when written who all anointed and then a small group today. So they take away the bible for the average witness. Plus, they tell you what it all means.
Nothing earth shattering here, just a thought I had today.
I admit that I knew very little about the Bible when I accepted a study from JW's. This made me easy picking. Some of it actually makes sense, but only if God expresses His thoughts the way the witnesses explain Him; a little from this part, a little from that part to support, and a clincher from some other part.
but the thing about the NT being written by and for only the 144,000, what a stretch!
As i look back at the "unique teachings" of JW's and makes me realize how much they have twisted the simple message of the bible that Jesus was the key to salvation and that's about it....
I should say after doing extensive research on the bible itself i just don't believe in it anymore and have no regard for any religion.
Yeah SSPO you and I are in the same boat. I don't believe in it anymore, but it still fascinates me how they have taken a simple message and complicated it so much. And the nerve to pretty much indicate that the bible promises only apply to a handful, but if you be good little tag alongs you may get a benefit too. Sheesh.
Someone will have to check Wt. quotes but I think the position is the NT was written principally for the 144,000, meaning others can get benefits either by its moral teachings and by benefitting from the "new earth" and resurrection.
You have to realize that the basis for this focus on a narrow group came from the Reformation and John Calvin's ideas on the "Election of the Elect".
Liverance and Bowens made this comment repeatedly at Gilead. It's a core teaching. it also has as its main benefit to the GB the psychological reinforcement of their authority.
Logically, this idea isn't worth the can of Alpo it's been packaged in.
Funny how the ‘anointed remnant’ living today (especially the 8 GB) boast about being in this covenant relationship with Jesus Christ, but the ones actually practicing the ‘Law Of Love’ toward their fellow man are the ones not in that covenant relationship. Rather odd!
A prime example is when disaster strikes anywhere in the world; instead of encouraging JWs to give generously to reliable charitable organizations (and there are many), the GB repeatedly sends out BOE letters to all 100,000+ congregations telling members to donate to WT without restrictions, not earmarking the funds to any disaster relief effort.
Worse part about it is that the WTBTS does not specialize in disaster relief efforts. Their interest is in buying and selling real estate, using unpaid labor to build Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls and Branch Facilities, publish and print magazines, brochures and lastly ……Bibles.
On the other hand there are organizations that are exclusively formed to do just that……offer relief, shelter, food, water, medical help and countless other benefits to victims of disasters. These are the ones that are practicing the ‘Law Of Love’ to their fellowman.
What are the ‘anointed remnant’, in particular the GB, doing with donated funds for disaster relief that they admittedly call ‘World Wide Work’ funds? You guessed it: Buying and selling real estate, building Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls, Branch Facilities and oh yes, a comfortable enclosure where the top brass of Jehovah’s Witnesses will call home!
Jesus himself said that by their fruits you will recognize them (Mat 7:16). As future disasters strike, chances are that a very high majority of humankind will look to a worldly organization to perform the ‘Good Samaritan’ deed and not give the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses a second thought in this regard!
Its’ just really strange how Jesus, known to have fellow feeling for his neighbor; yet his so called anointed 8 GB demonstrate a could-care-less attitude toward victims of disasters!
Sorry to go off topic!
No such thing as a non-anointed Christian. The concept of a 'true Christian' who has not been born again is completely foreign in scripture. Easily one of the biggest myths of JW's.
"They get around that by saying it only applied to those when written who were all anointed"
If they were all of the alleged "heavenly hope", then why did Jesus waste his breath on the Sermon on the Mount by telling all those guaranteed "heavenly-hopers" in front of him, that they were going to inherit the earth?????????
Also, when preaching and when asked personally, what future did Jesus offer all of those "alleged" heavenly-hopers - immortality? Nope! On every single occasion, (24 times!) Jesus informed them about everlasting life - not immortality. He never mentioned it once!
It reinforces that the other sheep can only come through the anointed to access the scriptures and understand them...secondhand Christians so to speak.
*** w08 1/15 p. 22 par. 11 Counted Worthy to Receive a Kingdom ***
In the decades after the first members of the congregation of anointed Christians were chosen, Jehovah saw fit to have a permanent record made of the earthly ministry of Jesus as well as His dealings with and counsel to first-century anointed Christians. Jehovah thus added the inspired Christian Greek Scriptures to the already existing inspired Hebrew Scriptures. The Hebrew Scriptures were written in the first place for the fleshly nation of Israel during the time that they had a special relationship with God. The Christian Greek Scriptures were written primarily for “the Israel of God,” those anointed as brothers of Christ and spiritual sons of God. Of course, that in no way suggests that non-Israelites could not derive great benefit from studying the Hebrew Scriptures. Similarly, Christians who are not anointed with holy spirit derive immeasurable benefits from studying and living according to the counsel found in the Christian Greek Scriptures.—Read 2 Timothy 3:15-17.
*** w06 6/1 p. 24 par. 12 Jehovah Tells “From the Beginning the Finale” ***
Indeed, the admonition in the Christian Greek Scriptures was written primarily to guide and strengthen anointed ones to maintain integrity and keep themselves worthy of their heavenly calling. (Philippians 2:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:5, 11; 2 Peter 1:10, 11)
*** w02 2/1 pp. 22-23 pars. 17-18 Have You Received “the Spirit of the Truth”? ***
Speaking as one of the anointed and referring to faithful men and women who lived before Christ, the apostle Paul wrote: “All these, although they had witness borne to them through their faith, did not get the fulfillment of the promise, as God foresaw something better for us [the anointed], in order that they might not be made perfect apart from us.” (Hebrews 11:35, 39, 40) During the Millennium, Christ and his 144,000 anointed brothers in heaven will act as kings and priests and dispense the benefits of Christ’s ransom sacrifice on earth. The other sheep will thus “be made perfect” in body and mind.—Revelation 22:1, 2.
18 All of this should impress upon the minds of the other sheep why the Christian Greek Scriptures focus so much attention on Christ and his anointed brothers and their central role in the outworking of Jehovah’s purposes. The other sheep therefore consider it a privilege to support in every way possible the anointed slave class while awaiting “the revealing of the sons of God” at Armageddon and during the Millennium. They can look forward to being “set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God.”—Romans 8:19-21.
...Also only the anointed are members of the Christian congregation
*** w07 4/15 p. 21 par. 7 Let the Congregation Praise Jehovah ***
What we read at Hebrews 2:12, 17 is significant. It shows that in an inclusive sense, Christ was a member of a congregation where he declared God’s name to his brothers. Who were those brothers? Those forming part of “Abraham’s seed,” the spirit-anointed brothers of Christ, “partakers of the heavenly calling.” (Hebrews 2:16–3:1; Matthew 25:40) Yes, the primary sense of “congregation” in the Christian Greek Scriptures is the composite group of spirit-anointed followers of Christ. These 144,000 anointed ones constitute “the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens.”—Hebrews 12:23.
