by Triple A 25 Replies latest jw friends
What is the current teaching on resurrection of a Jehovah's Witness.
The reason for this question is that my JW friend just had a very close JW friend of theirs die. How is she going to be sure that her friend is worthy enough to be resurrected?
What can I say that is not mean spirited to get her to think about what assurance she does not have as a JW?
Triple A
something to the effect of nothing you can do as a witness will guarantee you survive armageddon and make it into the "new system" but it helps.
I've never been a JW, but just my 2 cents---> since JWs are so scriptural, show them Romans 10:
Romans 10
1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law: that "the man who doeth those things shall live by them."
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh in this manner: "Say not in thine heart, `Who shall ascend into Heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above)
7 or, "`Who shall descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead).
8 But what saith it? "The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart," that is, the word of faith which we preach:
9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture saith, "Whosoever believeth in Him shall not be ashamed."
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all who call upon Him.
13 For "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Since 1995 the jws believe that everyone that dies before armageddon will be ressurected. So you dont have to be worthy of anything.
(Acts 24:15-16) 15
and I have hope toward God, which hope these [men] themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. 16 In this respect, indeed, I am exercising myself continually to have a consciousness of committing no offense against God and men.
Howdy,
That isn't quite accurate. The righteous resurrected to life are primarily those faithful servants of God who died faithful and are thus deserving of such life. The unrighteous resurrected to judgement are those judged by God worthy of being resurrected itself but who must prove by their seeking knowledge of HIm and their conduct whether they will keep that life. At the conclusion of the Millennial Reign all persons will face a final judgement.
However, JWs do not believe that EVERYONE will be resurrected. The above only applies to those deemed worthy of resurrection by Jesus. Death does not absolve a person from a heinous or evil course of life, it only renders those resurrected or those given a second-chance at life as it were, to get a "fresh start" without the sins of their former lives being weighed.
But if a person is evil and lived such a heinous life then Jesus may not resurrect such ones at all. Indeed many will not be resurrected.
Ok now to the oriignal poster, I am not quite sure of your meaning of your last question about what you should say. Kindness is always the best choice and it is best just to say you are sorry and ask if there is anything that you can do. You shouldn't get into religion at all. Let your friend believe whatever they choose to believe. If they believe the other friend will be resurrected allow your friend to be comforted by that belief, even if to your own mind it is absurd or wrong.
-Eduardo
You are dated I believe. I have the current belief. It was changed with the new understanding of the sheep and the goat in 1995. Our circuit overseer just read an expirence about a little girl with a disfellowship mother and said "it would be better you die now then die at armageddon, because ...". He was reading from his lil script too.
IF you dont wana take my word here is how they explain it to the kiddies now in the new great teacher book. They have gotten more liberal as time goes on.
***
lr (2003 great teacher) chap. 36 p. 190 Who Will Be Resurrected? Where Will They Live? ***Before the criminal talked to Jesus, did he know about God?s purposes?? No, he didn?t. He did bad things because he didn?t know the truth about God. In Paradise he will be taught about God?s purposes. Then he will have the opportunity to prove that he really does love God by doing His will
Will everyone who is resurrected live in Paradise on earth?? No, they won?t. Do you know why not?? Because some will be resurrected to live with Jesus in heaven. They will rule with him as kings over the Paradise earth. Let?s see how we know this.
***
ie (1998 when we die) pp. 26-27 A Sure Hope ***All
in the Memorial Tombs?10
Jesus Christ said: "The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his [Jesus?] voice and come out." (John 5:28, 29) Yes, Jesus Christ promised that all those in Jehovah?s memory will be resurrected. Billions of people have lived and died. Who among them are in God?s memory, awaiting the resurrection?11
Those who have pursued a righteous course as Jehovah?s servants will be resurrected. But millions of other people have died without showing whether they would comply with God?s righteous standards. They were either ignorant of Jehovah?s requirements or lacked sufficient time to make needed changes. These too are in God?s memory and thus will be resurrected, for the Bible promises: "There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous."?Acts 24:15.12
The apostle John had a thrilling vision of resurrected ones standing before the throne of God. Describing it, he wrote: "The sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Hades gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. And death and Hades were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:12-14) Think of what that means! All the dead who are in God?s memory will be released from Hades, or Sheol, mankind?s common grave. (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31) Then "death and Hades" will be hurled into what is called "the lake of fire," symbolizing complete destruction. The common grave of mankind will cease to exist.
Actually, if you consider what I said carefully you will see that what I wrote was correct and it is the present teaching.
What you are referring to with the CO's comment is something that I did not address in my post directly but only alluded to indirectly. I indicated that those WORTHY of resurrection would be either resurrected to life or to judgment. Those resurrected to life are primarily those that are granted (under JW belief) the positions in heaven but also a portion are those "ancient worthies" and other men and women of faith that are to serve as "princes" upon the Earth. Additionally, those with accurate knowledge of God (primarilly JWs who die before Armageddon and who die faithful) (again I apologize this is JW belief, not necessarily my own) may also be among this "class."
All others that are WORTHY of resurrection are resurrected to judgement. These primarilly are those that did not have the opportunity to gain accurate knowledge of God but who otherwise lived a life worthy of resurrection or in the least possess a "heartlike condition" that makes them worthy even if they lived a sinful life. The criminal that Jesus addressed on the Cross may or may not have lived a criminal and sinful life. (The fact is for all we know his crimes were minor or he may have even been unjustly punished by the Romans. We have only the bible account that LABELS him a criminal crucified along with Christ.) Whatever the case, he in rebuking the other criminal and by his statements obviously indicated faith in Jesus, especially in asking Jesus to remember him. Thus evidently his heart is good enougth that Jesus could reassure him that He would resurrect him post-Armageddon (in Paradise).
What the speaker's comment was referring to is something that I didn't address specifically and that is that those persons (non-JWs and "unfaithful" or even "disfellowshipped" JWs) KILLED during Armageddon would be receiving a judgement from God at that time and thus WOULD NOT BE resurrected. (This is similar to the traditional view of God's judgment upon Sodom/Gommorah and other nations and people that he has struck down in the past.)
As for your last citation of "All in the Memorial Tombs" you are evidently unfamiliar with the twist that JWs place upon the phrase "Memorial Tombs" because they give it more meaning than just the common grave. In this scriptural context it is given a similar meaning to the "names in the Book of Life" that is to say that these are persons of such stature that are again WORTHY of remembrance or memorial. Thus these scriptures again are seen to be reassuring that those deemed worthy of remembrance and resurrection will receive such, but it does not mean that all who die and who lie in the common grave or death are resurrected.
I assure you this information is current understanding and teaching.
-Eduardo
Orobus: While you are on this subject....do you have a comment on why the WT, in this instance of the oft recorded phrase only, stategically moved a comma? (esp. when the WT stresses at other times that there was no "punctuation" in the bible)
Bold is the frequently used phrase in the NT
"Verily I say to you today you will be with me in paradise."
"Verily I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise."
"Verily I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise."
The criminal believed in Jesus, calling on His name to remember him. as above in Romans 10
Thanks for the inputs and I am sure more is to come. I see how small changes and little words as in "is" can make a difference in what is meant.
Ok now to the oriignal poster, I am not quite sure of your meaning of your last question about what you should say. Kindness is always the best choice and it is best just to say you are sorry and ask if there is anything that you can do. You shouldn't get into religion at all. Let your friend believe whatever they choose to believe. If they believe the other friend will be resurrected allow your friend to be comforted by that belief, even if to your own mind it is absurd or wrong.
I think that is what I meant when I asked about things that I could say that were not mean spirited. I am not looking to attack her beliefs at this time, althought I want to. At this time I want to be a comfort, but start planting some real seeds of doubt.
Thanks again,
Triple A
Back to the original question, comforting words for a grieving JW are:
"So and so was a wonderful person to so many people. I am sure she is secure in Jehovah's memory."
