carib-jim
02-15-2010, 12:47 PM
If as I've stated in my previous post "Who are Jehovah's Witnesses" on this site, that the use of the name Jehovah's Witnesses by persons to identify themselves today is in error, then what about the claim by the WTBTS, members of the religion Jehovah's Witnesses, and of others in these various Internet forums, that the organization known as Watchtower & Bible Tract Society, and the Kingdom Halls of Jehovah's Witnesses are God's visible organization on earth? Is this claim correct? The simple answer is NO, such a claim is incorrect and not supported by scripture. The next question would probably then be,'What then accounts for the obvious reasonableness and scriptural harmony in the teachings of this organization,where as the other Christian denominations are so deficient in their teachings?'
That is a question that I have had to answer for myself and I would like to share what I have discerned on this matter. In doing so I won't provide an exhaustive list of scriptures to support my reasoning, rather I'll give an overview of the argument with a few scriptures and leave it up to the interested person to do their own research to test the veracity of the claims I'll make. After almost 20 years of being spoon-fed by the WTBTS I'm not inclined to attempt to spoon-feed anyone myself, rather I want to encourage persons to apply the council of 1 John 4:1-Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world (New Living Translation). Also, anyone who has read the writings of e-watchman, Perimeno and Timothy Kline will no doubt find that I haven't added anything terribly new to what has already been said. I'm not seeking to. Rather it is my hope that by contributing my findings it may help advance the accurate understanding of Jehovah's purposes and, if I may say with all humility, help put an even finer focus on what others have written.
That said, please allow me to share this: Jehovah's visible organization is no more than and no less than the body of spirit anointed Christians on earth. Paul calls this body God's temple (Roman 12:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; ) and the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). That makes the WTBTS and Jehovah's Witnesses just another Christian denomination even though it has help so many people come to accurately understand perhaps, all of the basic truths in the bible. Truths that are being obfuscated by the other denominations. But in doing so,and so successfully, the WTBTS has likely positioned itself to be best placed to fulfill Jesus' words at Matthew 24:23-24.
This appears to be the culmination of the historical process described in the bible at Matthew 13:24-29,36-43; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 Corinthians 11:19; Acts 20:29; and that can be confirmed from recorded history. Beginning with an almost wholesale corruption of the basic teachings of the bible shortly after the death of the apostles, the wheat like sons of the kingdom under the direction of Jesus acted as a force to re-establish the truth (Matthew 28:18-20).
We can visualize it this way; a few persons in a corrupted Christian denomination discern that some of the church's teachings are wrong and advocate for reform. The church's hierarchy dutifully attempts to crush the heresy. The so called heretics leave to establish a new denomination almost invariably under persecution. The new Christian denomination is now Satan's newest target. It becomes thoroughly infected and makes new further progress discerning truths. This process repeats itself until after two millenia it produces a Christian denomination that has accumulated more basic truths than all the others, the WTBTS (Daniel 12:4-5). Altogether, these Christian sects then act as a filter and magnet to draw Jesus' sheep to the denomination/sect that has the most truth in it.
The bible teaches that Jesus' sheep are drawn, not to a faithful and discreet steward, since its impossible for a human to tell wheat from weed (Matthew 13:28-29), but rather that the sheep would be drawn to the master's voice (John 10:3-5), which is the truths in the bible along with the conduct of his disciples (Matthew 7:16-20; John 13:35). I think it highly improbable that sheep-like ones that Jehovah would choose for life in heaven would be confused about the relationship between Jesus and his father or the fate of the earth or if persons will be consigned to a fiery hell for eternity etc. These basic truths are all firmly established in the WTBTS and this explains why, though it is a denomination, it has such insights into Jehovah's purposes, there are spirit anointed Christians associated with the WTBTS. But as stated already, its not possible for a human to tell who is wheat and who is weed even if others swear that they can. Also note that Matthew 13:24-29,36-43 teach that wheat and weed are part of one field. We should understand this field as body or organization since if the two groups were segregated into distinct organizations it would be easy to differentiate between the two.
To summarize the point, sheep-like ones examining the teachings of the various Christian denominations would see that the WTBTS has the most truth and associate with it, but once there would not be able to tell the wheat and weeds apart- until the time of the end!
Once again, it being that the WTBTS has more truth than others, puts it in a good position to be a cause of stumbling to the chosen ones. Consider Luke 18:9-14, there Jesus describes what may very well prove to be the attitude of persons associated with the WTBTS during the period covered by Matthew 24:4-20;Rev 11:3;Dan 11:29-35. Having come to accurately understand so much of the basic truths that others can't seem to grasp, they are absolutely convinced that the advanced teachings of the WTBTS are also true,and are therefore ill prepared to adjust at the urgings of the two witnesses during that time, whereas persons from other denominations and religions, having had their sense of certainty devastated by the world's condition brought on by Satan's ouster from heaven and without any credible explanation for whats happening may be more inclined to listen to the two witnesses.
In my next post I'll discuss this topic from aspect of prophetic drama.
That is a question that I have had to answer for myself and I would like to share what I have discerned on this matter. In doing so I won't provide an exhaustive list of scriptures to support my reasoning, rather I'll give an overview of the argument with a few scriptures and leave it up to the interested person to do their own research to test the veracity of the claims I'll make. After almost 20 years of being spoon-fed by the WTBTS I'm not inclined to attempt to spoon-feed anyone myself, rather I want to encourage persons to apply the council of 1 John 4:1-Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world (New Living Translation). Also, anyone who has read the writings of e-watchman, Perimeno and Timothy Kline will no doubt find that I haven't added anything terribly new to what has already been said. I'm not seeking to. Rather it is my hope that by contributing my findings it may help advance the accurate understanding of Jehovah's purposes and, if I may say with all humility, help put an even finer focus on what others have written.
That said, please allow me to share this: Jehovah's visible organization is no more than and no less than the body of spirit anointed Christians on earth. Paul calls this body God's temple (Roman 12:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; ) and the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). That makes the WTBTS and Jehovah's Witnesses just another Christian denomination even though it has help so many people come to accurately understand perhaps, all of the basic truths in the bible. Truths that are being obfuscated by the other denominations. But in doing so,and so successfully, the WTBTS has likely positioned itself to be best placed to fulfill Jesus' words at Matthew 24:23-24.
This appears to be the culmination of the historical process described in the bible at Matthew 13:24-29,36-43; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 Corinthians 11:19; Acts 20:29; and that can be confirmed from recorded history. Beginning with an almost wholesale corruption of the basic teachings of the bible shortly after the death of the apostles, the wheat like sons of the kingdom under the direction of Jesus acted as a force to re-establish the truth (Matthew 28:18-20).
We can visualize it this way; a few persons in a corrupted Christian denomination discern that some of the church's teachings are wrong and advocate for reform. The church's hierarchy dutifully attempts to crush the heresy. The so called heretics leave to establish a new denomination almost invariably under persecution. The new Christian denomination is now Satan's newest target. It becomes thoroughly infected and makes new further progress discerning truths. This process repeats itself until after two millenia it produces a Christian denomination that has accumulated more basic truths than all the others, the WTBTS (Daniel 12:4-5). Altogether, these Christian sects then act as a filter and magnet to draw Jesus' sheep to the denomination/sect that has the most truth in it.
The bible teaches that Jesus' sheep are drawn, not to a faithful and discreet steward, since its impossible for a human to tell wheat from weed (Matthew 13:28-29), but rather that the sheep would be drawn to the master's voice (John 10:3-5), which is the truths in the bible along with the conduct of his disciples (Matthew 7:16-20; John 13:35). I think it highly improbable that sheep-like ones that Jehovah would choose for life in heaven would be confused about the relationship between Jesus and his father or the fate of the earth or if persons will be consigned to a fiery hell for eternity etc. These basic truths are all firmly established in the WTBTS and this explains why, though it is a denomination, it has such insights into Jehovah's purposes, there are spirit anointed Christians associated with the WTBTS. But as stated already, its not possible for a human to tell who is wheat and who is weed even if others swear that they can. Also note that Matthew 13:24-29,36-43 teach that wheat and weed are part of one field. We should understand this field as body or organization since if the two groups were segregated into distinct organizations it would be easy to differentiate between the two.
To summarize the point, sheep-like ones examining the teachings of the various Christian denominations would see that the WTBTS has the most truth and associate with it, but once there would not be able to tell the wheat and weeds apart- until the time of the end!
Once again, it being that the WTBTS has more truth than others, puts it in a good position to be a cause of stumbling to the chosen ones. Consider Luke 18:9-14, there Jesus describes what may very well prove to be the attitude of persons associated with the WTBTS during the period covered by Matthew 24:4-20;Rev 11:3;Dan 11:29-35. Having come to accurately understand so much of the basic truths that others can't seem to grasp, they are absolutely convinced that the advanced teachings of the WTBTS are also true,and are therefore ill prepared to adjust at the urgings of the two witnesses during that time, whereas persons from other denominations and religions, having had their sense of certainty devastated by the world's condition brought on by Satan's ouster from heaven and without any credible explanation for whats happening may be more inclined to listen to the two witnesses.
In my next post I'll discuss this topic from aspect of prophetic drama.