My simple answer for AlmostAthiest. (page 3)

carla

dfed,

If you have time could you address why you believe the script you use only applies to those you call 'annointed' and not all who believe in Christ? If that is how you are using it. Thanks,

carla

vitty

Lets leave this thread for who it was intended ...........and that was ......... AlmostAthiest.

Or we will just muddy the waters, lets just read it

AuldSoul

Lunch/brunch, heck I don't care. I'm happy for the guy. I wish I got a 3 hour lunch. Oh, I work for myself. I can take as long a lunch as I can afford....thinking....thinking....heh-heh.

Narkissos

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law--indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ--if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

This text points to two categories of people indeed. And they don't seem to leave much room for a third one.

daystar

I don't see how you can be "mostly infallible", as it were.

from the peanut gallery... I think I now want to change my handle to "mostly annointed"

TheListener

very intriguing. Thanks defd and AA.

And props to the peanut gallery as well.

Confession

I believe the only honest-hearted answer to AlmostAtheist's question is, "Yes, of course it's possible." Even for the most convinced JW this would be the case.

Think of all the individuals and groups who have each thought themselves to be God's sole representative on earth. Many of them accumulated followers. Now let's say, for instance, that you were a follower of Scottish Pastor Robert Fleming, Jr. (1660-1760 CE.) This man recognized the Roman Catholic church as the AntiChrist, and predicted nearly one hundred years before that it would fall, by his calculations, in 1798 CE. What happened in February 1798? The reigning Pope was taken captive by French troops and was forced into exile!

What if this Pastor Fleming had styled himself as the Faithful & Discreet Slave? In asking one of his proponents why they were so sure he was such, would it really have been satisfying to get an answer like this one?

The spirit itself bears witness with his spirit that he is one of God’s children.

This neither proves, nor even suggests anything. Does this mean that just *anyone* who says they are anointed by God's spirit must be such? All I need to do then is begin to believe that God is working through me as His sole channel, and when people ask me why, I can just say with great mystery, "Why, the spirit itself bears witness with my spirit." What does that even mean?

Even as a zealous Witness elder, when asked why I believed the organization was in fact the sole channel, I wouldn't get irritated with those who disagreed. I recognized, simply, that they hadn't spent the time I had in researching the issue. To me it was the actual evidence at hand that proved to me the Faithful and Discreet Slave was exclusively in association with the Watchtower Society. Could I have been wrong? Even then, recognizing myself as only human, I would have said, "Certainly, I could be wrong. But I'm convinced I'm not. Each one of us has the responsibility to determine for ourselves just who that Faithful and Discreet Slave is." I was confident enough with my position in this regard to admit that, as a human being, I could be wrong.

It is, I believe, a mark of insecurity to take the position that our beliefs are "absolutely and unqualifiedly correct." (This wording, by the way, was exactly that used in the July 15th, 1922 Watchtower in making the gratuitous assertion that Armageddon would come in 1925.)

kid-A

I am going to lunch now, I will be back in 3hr

Ahhhh, so you work for the POST OFFICE, eh Derrick??? LOL

defd

No I am not a Postman. Everyone have a great weekend. Do something to make Jehovah God and Jesus proud. I will try as well.

D.

My simple answer for AlmostAthiest.

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