Romans 10: 9 Simple Salvation - Not So Fast Says WT.

by Sea Breeze 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Sea Breeze

  "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved". - Romans 10: 9

  I find it interesting that this simple requirement for salvation has been a specific target of WT since their beginning.

  First, JW's call Jehovah Lord, not Jesus. The fact that scripture calls Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords doesn't seem to matter to them.

  Secondly, since almost its inception the WT has denied the bodily resurrection (which is the only kind there is) of Jesus.

  It's almost like the WT specifically crafted doctrines to cheat people out of the pithy, simplicity of salvation announced in Romans 10:9.

  In this bizare WT statement below, the reason for denying the bodily resurrection of Jesus is blamed on the Van Allen radiation belt.
  
  Jesus could not take a human body through the Van Allen radiation belts and outer space to heaven - w63 4/15 pp. 234-243
  
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  Atlantis

  Sea Breeze:

  Those sons-a-bitches get it wrong every time!

  Grandpa!
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  hoser

  If salvation came at no cost how would the watchtower corporation get free labour for their real estate flipping business?
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  BelisemDeBelimakom

  
  
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  Beth Sarim

  Belisem:

  That's where mind control is dangerous.

  JWs minds are just like your caption.
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  ThomasMore

  WTC was incredibly immature when it came to doctrinal pace-setting. It was as if they unable to see the domino effect of a teaching.

  I recall the hyper-criticism they piled on other religions that taught seminary. They claimed to hate titles yet they proliferated them (elder, ministerial servant, circuit overseer, district overseer, GB, pioneer, auxillary pioneer, etc).

  Even before I left, it was obvious that they were blind guides. At a Summer convention, I sat uncomfortably as the Bethel speaker announced a revised doctrinal position. I wondered why no one seemed to be reacting with skepticism. These days most of their nonsense spews out at the Annual Meeting first. When they have filed the rough edges off, it goes into print and into convention outlines. What nonsense!
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  Beth Sarim

  No one reacts with skepticism because,, they're under "mind control"

  Believing that Gods channel is delivering "new light". Which claims to be "God's mouthpiece" but also says they're infallible & may not get things right. And no apology is necessary.

  Thats what cognitive dissonance does . Thats why no one is skeptical.
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  Halcon

  "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved". - Romans 10:9

  How would you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord? Is it simply stating it out loud?

  I'm curious as to why this step would be necessary if you believe it in your heart.
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  Sea Breeze

  Halcon, this is a reference to the abandonment of oneself that is required for salvation..."a living sacrifice". It is a reference to the dethroning of self and the enthronement of Jesus as Lord.
  
  And of course before we could logically put someone on the throne of our life, we need to make sure they are really legit. That's what the resurrection is for. Before the cross, Jesus predicted that he would resurrect himself from the dead, while he was dead.

  So, if you are good with a man who resurrected himself from the dead being the Lord of your life, that's about all there is to getting saved. Living the Christian life is a 3 step process though.
  
  1. Justification

  2. Sanctification

  3. Glorification
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  Vidqun

  Sea Breeze, while you're on the subject of Romans, can you tell me how JWs interpret the olive tree, the breaking off of the natural branches and the grafting in of wild olive branches? If I remember correctly they view Israel as the 144,000. Who would the wild olive branches be?

  It is clear that Israel here refers to fleshly Israel, because he quotes Isaiah (10:22, 23): "Moreover, Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, Although the number of the sons of Israel may be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved." (Rom. 9:27) Later on he reasons that God will show mercy to the remnant because of his promises to their forefathers: "True, with reference to the good news they are enemies for YOUR sakes, but with reference to [God's] choosing they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers." (Rom. 11:28 NWT) Again, this proves that he views the natural branches as fleshly Jews.

  I remember there was a Watchtower article dealing with the subject many years ago, but my memory fails me.