I am speaking with a wonderful person about the Jehovah's Witnesses and she has asked myself and my wife who we think the "Agency" that fulfills the Lord's will upon the earth is. My question is, do the Jehovah's Witnesses think that their Watchtower organization is this "Agency" or is it Christ's church on the earth. Furthermore, where is the scripture reference that this is taken from. Any assistance would be most appreciated.
Who Is The Agency that fulfills the Lord's will upon the earth
by descmh 11 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Jeffro
I am speaking with a wonderful person about the Jehovah's Witnesses and she has asked myself and my wife who we think the "Agency" that fulfills the Lord's will upon the earth is. My question is, do the Jehovah's Witnesses think that their Watchtower organization is this "Agency" or is it Christ's church on the earth. Furthermore, where is the scripture reference that this is taken from. Any assistance would be most appreciated.
They think it is. But why do you imagine that there is such a chosen 'Agency' at all?
In the JW dogma, there is only an 'agency' now because of events that supposedly happened in October of 1914. Since the events they claim to have happened didn't, and their supposed basis can be disproved from the bible, their rationale provides no basis whatsoever for answering your question.
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Junction-Guy
According to Jehovah's Witnesses, their organization "The Watchtower" is God's representative on earth, all other religions are false and will soon be destroyed.
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moggy lover
Hi, Descmh and welcome to the board. Your question can be posed in another way: When Jesus died who did He put in charge? The WTS? or Someone else? What did Jesus Himself say?
The clearest statement that Jesus made regarding this is found in His Upper Room Discourse [which takes up chs 13-17 in John] when He assured that with His departure He would not leave them orphans.
In Jo 16:7, He tells them that when He is gone He will "send Him to You" He identifies this "Him" as the "Helper" or the Holy Spirit. The one who now believes in the Christ and the work He has laid out must then acknowledge that it is this Holy Spirit who now is in '' charge" or "directs" this work
Interestingly, it now becomes a matter of interpretation as to how the Holy Spirit discharges this reponsibility. That He does so directly is plain by Jesus' further words when He says: "He will guide you, teach you..etc''
The WTS, on the other hand, implies, that since they are god's "spirit directed" organisation they are the ones in charge, thus, almost imperceptably, causing a shift in emphasis from the Holy Spirit directly, to themselves - thus making the Holy Spirit an indirect source of authority. This mutation of the words of Scripture is a well publicised trait of their's.
So... in answer to your question, you may gracefully, and tactfully point out to you your WT follower friend, that when Christ died He left no man, or body of men acting as a man in charge. That is the exclusive domain of the Helper. One of the traits that will identify the authority of the Holy Spirit is that He glorifies neither Himself nor someone that the WTS calls "jehover" He will glorify Jesus. Personally. Not as representing anyone, "jehoover" or otherwise. [Jo 16:14]
Now all your friend needs to do is look.
Cheers
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KAYTEE
They obviously think they are the ones god is backing,but look at the failed prophecies the wrong statements, the lies, to know that this can't be the case.
In my opinion(and thats all I can go on) The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one,therefore looking at other religions I can't see them doing gods will at all.
The scripture in the book of reverlation Get out of her MY PEOPLE if you do not wan't to receive part of her plagues suggests to me that he is not happy with any structered religion.
They all seem to have skeletons somewhere in their locker.
KT
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KAYTEE
Moggy,
Thats a very good point,I've not seen it like that before re: the holy spirit being given the task of spiritual advancement, if that was the case the helper would have set up the organization back there in 33CE.
KT
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uriah
Judging by all the jockying for position amongst Jesus' disciples when he was on earth, it would seem logical for him not to have any one person or agencey incharge. Russelle started off okay with a loose collection of people of similar minds and we an see how that developed into the organisation today. Far removed from the original concept. There was an article written by an MP - which escapes me at present, but someone here will remember - that describes how organisations turn againt the very thing they were set up to promote. Russell was into character development - not a bad thing for christians to aspire - loving our neighbours/family/helping the poor and needy/ministering to the sick and christain works such as these, to but Ratherafraud this was an anthema and so we had being saved by flogging his books. So with all this human failure, I doubt there will be any one organisation that will fulfill God's will.
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jgnat
Your instincts are right, the JW's think theirs is the sole agency representing Christ on earth today. The keytext for Jehovah's Witnesses is Matthew 24:45.
Matthew 24: 45 NIV "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?"
It would take about six month's of study for you to grasp all the multivarious reasons they have concluded that their organization is the most perfect today. I wouldn't recommend the study.
I subscribe to a varied community of Christians, all following Christ's will in different capacity and will. I consider the scriptures,
John 15:1-8. Jesus is the vine, we are the branches.
Revelation 3:1-5. Jesus addresses the seven churches. Interestingly, the JW's get around this by claiming that the seven churches, candlestands, and stars, are all members of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
1 Corinthians 11:4-25 We all, with our various gifts, are part of the same body. I apply this to the church corporate, as well. We have our Salvation Armies and our Monks. We need both.
And finally, Mark 9:38-39
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us (NIV)
38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.
You might also ask your Jehovah's Witness friends, if they believe they are the sole agency representing Christ today, what god do they think the rest of Christendom is worshipping? I doubt they will give you a straight answer.
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compound complex
Dear Uriah et al,
Please refer to THE FREE MINDS JOURNAL, vol. 22, no. 2, May through October 2003
"Imprisoned Ideas", by W.P. Brown, MP, pp. 9, 10
A member of the British Parliament outlines the dangers of becoming a slave of institutions or organizations
Dis-Organized,
Compound-Complex
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jgnat
A link to "imprisoned ideas" http://www.freeminds.org/fishin/ideas.htm