Nu-light on Heb 4:12 - "Word of God" == God's purpose as expressed in the scriptures

by nmthinker 7 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • nmthinker
    nmthinker

    Watchtower has historically interpreted Heb 4:12 as emphasizing the power of the holy scriptures to bring about changes in an individuals heart and actions. Most Christian faiths take the "Word of God" to mean Jesus and his teachings.

    Now in the Sept 2016 study WT we have new light! Its so clear now! According to WT the Word of God now means "God's expressed purpose" as contained in Bible - of course as interpreted by the Faithful and Discreet Slave!

    When I read this it struck me as a rather significant change. It shows the WT doubling down on their claims to exclusive knowledge of God's purpose and a further denigration of Jesus and the Bible itself. According the this new understanding, supporting the Watchtower means the word of God is exerting power in your life. Rather than letting the word of God mold you as a person they are now saying that obeying the directives of the GB is what makes you a better person and brings about God's approval.

    Probably someone else can word this better, but I think this new understanding is quite extreme to me.


  • ttdtt
    ttdtt

    Funny how they stand on both sides of the fence.

    When it's good for them they HEAVILY imply that they are inspired.

    And then they say they "have no more Holy Spirit (what does that mean anyway) than others of the great crowd.

    Always Plausible Denial to suit what they want to say at the time.

    When the are wrong (over and over again) they are just men doing gods work as best they can.

    When they want you to OBEY - they are gods spirit directed slave class.

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange

    Everything after Par 1 is pure mumbo-jumbo "spin".

    The WT is a Spin Master.

    Doc

  • sir82
    sir82

    I've got a hunch that this article is merely "part 1" of some noo light.

    I suspect that "part 2" will be that the "expression of God's will" can be found, not only in the Bible, but also in the proclamations of the GB.

    I betcha 6-12 months afterward, we see another "QFR" which makes that point.

  • David_Jay
    David_Jay

    While I can see the Governing Body bend this to their purpose (and I agree with you that this is just a set up in order to more plainly say this, using this information as a sort of "stepping-stone" introduction), but this is actually highly interesting because it is the official Roman Catholic interpretation. The Catholic view borrows slightly from Judaism.

    Accordimg to the Catholicism, God's Word is not limited to what is written in the Bible. It includes all that God expresses and has expressed, even if it wasn't recorded in Scripture. It is commonly called the "economy of salvation," and the "Deposit of Faith."

    For instance, Catholics understand the canonization of Scripture as part of this. Not only are the books of the Bible inspired, but for Catholics the creation of the list of what is included in the canon was also created under direction of Holy Spirit or equally inspired. Though the list of Bible books of the canon does not appear in Scripture itself, the canon is no less a product of inspiration to them. Such, in effect, is the "Word of God," part of the Deposit of Faith as they see it. This includes not only the written Word but the Apostolic Tradition, such as the canon, that comes equally from God and thus things like the canon hold the same authority as Scripture to Catholics.

    Some of this is similar to Judaism that sees not only the Hebrew Scriptures as the "Word of God," but their religion and, for some, the "oral traditions" or Oral Torah as part of that same "Word."

    To a degree it is only logical for these ancient systems to do this as they both predated their unique canonical texts. For Jews and the Catholics/Orthodox, Scriptures were added to their religious systems as they were composed by members. The way they explain that they could be validly added to their religions was claim that it was done by means of 'God's expressed Word,' though not holy writ.

    So it is significant to find this in the Watchtower...and dangerous. Now the Governing Body can use the same type of reasoning to declare that anything they "express" equals in authority to God's written Word. While the other systems used such reasoning to explain how they came to include Scripture as it was produced, the Governing Body will likely use this same reasoning to include anything they wish to say.

    I wouldn't be surprised if the GB start to claim that their current words in the Watchtower will compose "the new scrolls" according to their peculiar interpretation of Revelation and thus must be seen on par with or more important than the Bible.

  • sir82
    sir82

    this is actually highly interesting because it is the official Roman Catholic interpretation.

    It is kind of startling, as time goes on, the JW org seems to become more and more like that organization they love to hate, the RCC.

  • Aroq
    Aroq

    It is kind of startling, as time goes on, the JW org seems to become more and more like that organization they love to hate, the RCC. - sir82


    Why not? I mean it has kept many in bondage thus far. In other words.....It works

  • ttdtt
    ttdtt
    How do I get a dislike for my comment??

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