Were You Offended?

choosing life

Were you offended by the teaching that Jesus is not the mediator of for you, but only the 144,000? 1 Tim. 2 vs 5,6 states that "there is one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all". When I read in the Watchtower that this did not apply to me, I felt very offended. I just could not see how they could say that, in light of this scripture.

I think they use this reasoning to bolster up their control of the flock. They have actually placed themselves in Christ's position. We supposedly have to look to them to save us, rather than Jesus.

Even the apostles never placed themselves in such a lofty position. In Acts 4 vs.12 it states that "there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved." You would think they would have some humility or fear of God, but I sure can't see any.

When I think about these teachings, I realize why so many dubs are beaten down and discouraged. The society actually blocks our relationship with Jesus and God rather than facilitates it. It is a sad situation to be in. So glad to be away from all of that.

unbeliever

It does not offend me personally because I don't care if I have a relationship with Jesus. Now a friend of my dads DA'd himself after he became a born again Christian. After he left I remember him talking about how he refused to go the memorial with his wife. He started calling the memorial the witnesses annual rejection of Jesus Christ.

avidbiblereader

Choosing Life-----Couldn't have stated it better!!!!! Thanks for the statement

Gopher

I didn't understand the Watchtower viewpoint on this until after I had commented at the meeting that 1 Timothy 2:5,6 applies to all Christians.

I was "set straight" by an elder (either during or after the meeting, I cannot remember now) -- who said that Jesus is only the mediator for the "anointed" class of Christians.

I was never able to adopt the Watchtower viewpoint. After all, weren't we taught to pray for forgiveness "in the name of Jesus"? Weren't we taught our prayers go THROUGH Jesus? How then, could he not have been our mediator?

But like a good little Witness, I kept my doubt to myself.

garybuss

I didn't even know most of the Watch Tower Publishing Corporation doctrines until AFTER I left the group. I still say, if ya want to hide something from a Jehovah's Witness, put it in a Watchtower magazine.

fullofdoubtnow

It doesn't bother me now, but as a jw it used to baffle me a little. Like a good little dub though, I just believed it, like I did most things I was taught.

garybuss

I think when I was a Witness, my "belief" was more acceptance than belief. I actually couldn't "Believe" something because I knew current teachings were subject to change. I just accepted whatever they said mostly without question.

Witnesses have more acceptances than they have "beliefs". It's very different to try to refute an acceptance than it is to reason on a belief. That's the element that wannabe apologists don't appreciate about the Jehovah's Witness people.

LongHairGal

Yes, it offended me. The whole idea is to make you feel like an unworthy bastard child begging for crumbs off the table.

Didn't this teaching also go hand in hand with the idea that the new testament (Christian Greek scriptures) was written for the anointed?

If this is true, why even READ the bible at all (esp. the new testament) - if none of it is meant for me??

gumby

I'm like Gary and wasn't aware of it till I was leaving a convention and some apostates were holding up signs across the street that said

..."Jesus is not your Mediator" and it quoted which Watchtower that it was stated in. I wasn't offended when I read the article because their explanation made sense to me at that time. I was content that he was at least my 'High Priest'.

Gumby

Wasanelder Once

If Jesus is the mediator of a "covenant", and that "legal agreement" is for a kingdom with co-rulers and the annual observance is of his mediatorship of that agreement, I had no problem with it because I knew I wasn't going to heaven. That was aside from my belief that Jesus died for all mankind, in that the redemptive value of his blood covered ALL mankind. These were two different issues in my mind and I had no problem reconcilling them. When I read the articles about the annointed being viewed as perfect in God's eyes because of Jesus sacrifice and that everyone else was declared righteous for survival, it gave me pause. That sounds lame.

I guess if you didn't believe in a special arangement between those born again to heavenly life and Jehovah it would be troubling. That's not what we believed though.

I still have no trouble putting those two things side by side. This is mainly because I don't believe any of it any longer.

W.Once

Were You Offended?

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