WT 5/1/06 -Backing Away from 1914? - NO

by TheListener 33 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  stillajwexelder

  *** w99 7/15 pp. 10-11 Helping People to Draw Close to Jehovah ***

  Our

  Role in Jehovah’s Work

  5

  Writing to fellow anointed Christians, the apostle Paul speaks of "the ministry of the reconciliation" and says that God reconciles people to himself on the basis of Jesus Christ’s ransom sacrifice. Paul says that it is "as though God were making entreaty through us" and that "as substitutes for Christ we beg: ‘Become reconciled to God.’" What a heartwarming thought! Whether we are anointed "ambassadors substituting for Christ" or are envoys with earthly hopes, we should never forget that this is Jehovah’s work, not ours. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) It is really God who draws people and teaches those who come to Christ. Jesus stated: "No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him; and I will resurrect him in the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by Jehovah.’ Everyone that has heard from the Father and has learned comes to me."—John 6:44, 45.

  6

  In these last days, how does Jehovah draw people and open to them the "door of faith"? (Acts 14:27, footnote; 2 Timothy 3:1) A key way is by having his Witnesses proclaim his messages of salvation and of judgment against this wicked system of things. (Isaiah 43:12; 61:1, 2) This worldwide proclamation is sending a tremor through the nations—a portent of the judgmental shattering soon to come. At the same time, people who are "precious" in God’s eyes are being drawn out of this system and are finding security in his "house" of true worship. Jehovah is thus fulfilling his prophetic words recorded by Haggai: "I will rock all the nations, and the desirable things of all the nations must come in; and I will fill this house with glory."—Haggai 2:6, 7, footnote; Revelation 7:9, 15.

  7

  Jehovah opens the hearts of these God-fearers—"the choicest things of all nations"—that they may "pay attention to the things being spoken" by his Witnesses. (Haggai 2:7, Jewish Publication Society; Acts 16:14) As in the first century, Jehovah at times uses his angels to direct his Witnesses to sincere people who have cried out to him for help. (Acts 8:26-31) As individuals learn about the wonderful provisions God has made for them through his Son, Jesus Christ, they are drawn to Jehovah by his love. (1 John 4:9, 10) Yes, God draws people to himself and to his Son by means of His "loving-kindness," or "loyal love."—Jeremiah 31:3, footnote.
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  stillajwexelder

  *** w98 12/15 pp. 17-18 This Is the Day of Salvation! ***

  "Become

  Reconciled to God"

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  How Jehovah has favored the "new creation"! Says Paul: "All things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of the reconciliation, namely, that God was by means of Christ reconciling a world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and he committed the word of the reconciliation to us." (2 Corinthians 5:18, 19) Mankind has been alienated from God since Adam sinned. But Jehovah lovingly took the initiative in opening the way of reconciliation through Jesus’ sacrifice.—Romans 5:6-12.

  10

  Jehovah has committed the ministry of reconciliation to the anointed, so Paul could say: "We are therefore ambassadors substituting for Christ, as though God were making entreaty through us. As substitutes for Christ we beg: ‘Become reconciled to God.’" (2 Corinthians 5:20) In ancient times, ambassadors were dispatched mainly during periods of hostility to see if warfare could be averted. (Luke 14:31, 32) Since the sinful world of mankind is alienated from God, he has sent his anointed ambassadors forth to inform people of his terms for reconciliation. As substitutes for Christ, anointed ones beg: "Become reconciled to God." This entreaty is a merciful urging to seek peace with God and accept the salvation he makes possible through Christ.
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  stillajwexelder

  *** w91 7/15 p. 17 par. 19 Please Jehovah by Showing Kindness ***

  19

  Anointed Christians are ambassadors substituting for Christ, and the great crowd are his envoys. Together they urge people to become reconciled to God so as to gain salvation. Paul did not want anyone to receive Jehovah God’s undeserved kindness through Jesus Christ and miss its purpose. That could happen to us if we failed to do the work for which that undeserved kindness made us fit. Being on friendly terms with God as those reconciled to him, we will not be receiving his undeserved kindness in vain if we fulfill "the ministry of the reconciliation, namely, that God was by means of Christ reconciling a world to himself." (2 Corinthians 5:18, 19) We will also be doing others the greatest kindness by helping them to become reconciled to God.
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  candidlynuts

  i see it comes from the cited scripture in 2nd corinthians..

  i looked thru several other bible translations and no where does it say " substituting" for Christ in any other bible.

  NWT

  20 We are therefore ambassadors substituting for Christ, as though God were making entreaty through us. As substitutes for Christ we beg: “Become reconciled to God.”

  KJV 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

  NAS bible 20 Therefore, we are ( AG ) ambassadors for Christ, ( AH ) as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be ( AI ) reconciled to God.

  english standard version: 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God
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  candidlynuts

  thanks stilla.

  dunno why i never caught that wording before.

  i went thru every bible on biblegateway.com and NONE of the other references uses the term " substitute for christ"
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  heathen

  I don't think they can abandon 1914 and have any credibility whatsoever . I think they lose credibility when they try to determine when the anointing was completed . That's nothing but opinion based on numbers that were counted in 1935 and after that people decided not to eat and drink at the memorial . I think it's clear that the GC was not identified in 1935 because the kingdom did not arrive and save them from the GT . The GC are the ones that are saved from the destruction brought on by the kingdom arrival and perhaps other things contribute to conditions that make animal life on planet earth very difficult . The great crowd are survivors and are not part of the first or second resurrection , is my point.
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  Leolaia

  I just did a count with the 2005 CD ROM of the frequency of 1914 references in the Watchtower magazine, and it definitely looks like they have been referring to it less frequently in recent years (probably because of the dispensing of the 1914 Generation doctrine, but I think there's more to it than that):

  
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  yaddayadda

  "Whether we are anointed "ambassadors substituting for Christ" or are envoys with earthly hopes, we should never forget that this is Jehovah’s work, not ours. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)"

  Where on earth do they get this idea of a separate 'envoy' class? There is only one occurence in the whole of the NT of the word 'envoy' in the NWT (I don't know what other translations say) and that is at Philippians 2:25, which is Paul merely calling Epaphroditus his envoy.

  Another fiction?
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  Leolaia

  Here is the graph for 607 as well:

  
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  JesusDeity

  Now that there are dates here...what about the infamous years of 1925,1928,1975.

  How do they not call themselves false prophets.