Asked my Book Study group a question...................... (page 2)

aniron

JW's teach that when a person dies he has paid for his sins. Rom 3:23 "The wages of sin is death..." Does this mean that when Lazarus and others where resurrected where they then sinless?

Actually, that is good question to ask JWs. The WTS has commented on various aspects of it. Of course, you can slough off the question by saying that the Bible is not true, that no one was ever resurrected, that there is no God, but it will not address the question from the JW viewpoint.

1) Why didn't the apostles recognize Jesus when he first appeared to them after his resurrection? The WTS teaches he now was a spirit creature again and took on a fleshly body to be seen by humans...why not one that looked like he did before?

2) Then the WTS has commented on those who are resurrected in the paradise/new system: that a) they will come back at the age the died at but in good health and with all their parts b) that they will then grow younger over time to the ambiguous perfect age.

3) That Lazarus was easily recognizable by his family and friends.

Checking the WT-CD the WTS answers part of this question this way. But ask yourself, why is the WTS answering a question that the Bible does not comment on and that they tell the rank and file that if God wanted them to know the answer, it would be in the Bible.

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w78 9/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***

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When in the future God resurrects persons on earth, will they be of about the same age and appearance as they were formerly?

The Scriptures do not specifically comment on this, but reason and certain Biblical indications suggest that they will.

Regarding the spiritual resurrection, the Bible uses the illustration of plant seeds and says: "God gives it a body just as it has pleased him." Yes, he provides what is fitting and needed. (1 Cor. 15:35-44) We can expect the same of the earthly resurrection.

The Bible accounts of resurrections in the past give no indication that the humans raised were markedly changed in age or appearance. When a boy in Shunem died and was resurrected by Elisha, he came back with the age and appearance that he had at death. (2 Ki. 4:32-37) Consider also Jesus’ resurrection of Lazarus, who had been dead four days and whose body had begun to decay. Did Lazarus come to life drastically changed in appearance or with parts of his flesh decayed away? No. He looked about the same as before. Had he not, religious enemies would certainly have used that fact to discredit Jesus.—John 11:32-47.

Further, we know that Jehovah is a God of order, kindness and mercy. That weighs against thinking that he will bring someone back to life missing a limb or being horribly disfigured by the terminal stages of a fatal disease. (Jas. 1:17; Luke 11:13) This does not require, though, that the individual come back ‘in the prime of life.’ If someone died of heart failure at 75 years of age, why could not God raise him with a comparable body, but with a heart that would continue to pump? Then as the healing power of Jehovah’s provisions, including the merit of Jesus’ sacrifice, were applied, the person could progress toward perfection.—Rev. 22:1, 2, 17.

But it is not necessarily profitable or advisable to pursue questions about the state of resurrected ones. God could have included in the Bible detailed information about just what he will do. The fact that Jehovah did not do so indicates that he does not view it as vital information for us now. He did record in the Bible a number of accounts of resurrections being performed by his power. And he set out in the Scriptures assurances that there will be "a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous." (Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29) Then he left it up to us to develop faith in his Word and his promises. We can be certain that if we ourselves exercise faith and thus survive into the New Order, God will see to it that there will be no insurmountable problems regarding the resurrection. We will have the joy of receiving back, recognizing and helping those who are raised from the dead.

Blondie

AK - Jeff

Good Question to ask. But of course the patt witness answer is a mimic of the article that Blondie quotes here. That is the basic way in which they excuse themselves when not having all the answers.

Certainly witnesses are not alone in that approach. The error of the largest measure is the way they lay the lack of understanding off on Jehovah not revealing it - and then to assert His reasons for not doing so. Leaving the door open for a later 'new light'.

Welcome Jeho-so-fat to the forum. One thing to think about in this Jeho is the original point made in the question - Did Lazurus have his original body - and in the supposed new system will humans have perfect or imperfect bodies? Thinking along those lines will arose suspicion that the witness theology is missing a few teeth as it smiles back at you.

Jeff

sir82

Putting on my JW hat, I would say...

Was he resurrected with the exact same body, in the exact same condition, as it was just moments before the resurrection? If so, the flesh would be drooping & decomposing, the blood would have been separating into plasma vs. the other components, etc. He had been dead 4 days. If he were to have been resurrected in his body as it existed at [resurrection time minus 1 minute], it could not have physically sustained life.

So, he must have been given at least a partially reconstructed body. And, the JW would then reason, if the body was partially reconstructed, then what's the big deal if a whole body is reconstructed in the general resurrection?

diamondblue1974

My advice is to stick to the questions at the bottom of the page, those are the only questions you need to ask, asking any other questions is just being rebellious!

DB74

greendawn

Good point Aniron, obviously death does not clear all sins, that's another obvious oversight by the FDS. If it did clear all sin then all sinners would be equally punished the light sinner the same as the heavy sinner, a very absurd idea.

blondie

I think, aniron, that the scripture you are thinking of is Romans 6:7. Looking at the context I think Paul was referring to those who had died in the likeness of Christ and were resurrected the same way Jesus was to live in heaven, not on earth.

I'm curious too if other Christian religions teach that Lazarus was resurrected sinless the first time based on this scripture?

(Romans 6:1-7) 6

Consequently, what shall we say? Shall we continue in sin, that undeserved kindness may abound? 2 Never may that happen! Seeing that we died with reference to sin, how shall we keep on living any longer in it? 3 Or do YOU not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him through our baptism into his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised up from the dead through the glory of the Father, we also should likewise walk in a newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall certainly also be [united with him in the likeness] of his resurrection; 6 because we know that our old personality was impaled with [him], that our sinful body might be made inactive, that we should no longer go on being slaves to sin. 7 For he who has died has been acquitted from [his] sin.

glitter

A little old JW lady popped round yesterday and it's obvious this issue is very painful for her. She even said she wouldn't be a JW were it not for the resurrection, and that she feels conflicted that they tell her that her husband will not be her husband anymore - but then guilt her by saying "How do you think your husband would feel if he wakes up in the New System and you are not there?".

What mean bastards doing this to a 90-odd-year-old widow.

Thanks for posting this thread - I will definitely use the Lazarus point.

Terry

But it is not necessarily profitable or advisable to pursue questions about the state of resurrected ones. God could have included in the Bible detailed information about just what he will do. The fact that Jehovah did not do so indicates that he does not view it as vital information for us now.

So, why doesn't this policy hold true for all such Watchtower speculations? Especially those concerning date-setting, end times, prophecy fulfillment and Armageddon?

There is an arbitrary, capricious and whimsical stain in the DNA of the FDS.

AlmostAtheist

A fun thing to consider is that if Jehovah could create a new body for you and dump your memories into it AFTER you died, he could as easily do so BEFORE you died. Then there'd be two of you. Or from your perspective, one you and one fake copy of you.

If we now said we were going to kill you and let the copy live, would you say, "OK, that sounds reasonable"?

So why is it reasonable if we change the order of events?

(And why didn't I ever ask myself this 20 years ago?!?!?)

Dave

Asked my Book Study group a question......................

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