Lies need protection. The truth takes care of itself.
How to answer?
by carla 20 Replies latest jw friends
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blondie
JWs are ready to believe that "worldly" people they don't know will probably die but cannot reconcile that with the death of non-JW spouses, children, parents, etc., people they know and love (or at least like).
But the WTS has said that only those with the "mark" of baptism as one of Jehovah's Witnesses given by the anointed (the man in linen in Ezekiel 9) will survive.
The key words are Ezekiel 9 (4-6) and mark.
All a JW has to do is take their CD and put in the words "mark" "bapti*"
*** w96 1/15 p. 17 par. 9 Jehovah’s Sheep Need Tender Care ***
As a result of his dedication and baptism, he becomes ‘marked’ for salvation.—Ezekiel 9:4-6.
*** w88 9/15 p. 14 par. 18 Listen—Jehovah’s Watchman Speaks! ***
The antitypical ‘man in linen’ is the class of anointed Christians. They go from house to house to put a symbolic mark on those who become part of the "great crowd" of Christ’s "other sheep." The "mark" is the evidence that such sheep are dedicated, baptized individuals with a Christlike personality. They ‘sigh and groan over detestable things’ done in Christendom, and they have come out of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. (Revelation 18:4, 5) Their "mark" will make it plain to God’s executional forces that they should be spared during the "great tribulation."
*** w88 11/15 p. 17 par. 10 Helping Others to Worship God ***An announcement that he is a new unbaptized publisher can be made to the congregation. He should continue studying the Bible, participating in the meetings, applying what he learns, and sharing it with others. Before long, he will want to take the step of Christian baptism, thus becoming approved by God and ‘marked’ for salvation.—Ezekiel 9:4-6.
*** w82 2/15 p. 31 par. 18 "What Prevents Me from Getting Baptized?" ***Just ahead the separating of the "sheep" from the "goats" will come to a conclusion. None will be left on middle ground when God brings the "great tribulation" to sweep away "those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus." (Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9) Only those ‘marked’ for salvation will survive into his new order. (Revelation 7:3, 4, 9, 14; Ezekiel 9:2-6) How happy will be those who have submitted to this ‘marking’ for survival because of being accepted into a dedicated relationship with Jehovah God, as symbolized by water baptism, and continuing in integrity on the narrow road that leads to life!—Matthew 7:13, 14.
*** w72 10/15 p. 638 Are You a Supporter of Divine Rulership? ***If you are one of the unnumbered "great crowd" you will cooperate side by side with the anointed ones. You will be a full advocate and supporter of Divine Rulership. You will see that you maintain the "mark," which is the evidence that you are a dedicated, baptized disciple of Jesus Christ and that you have a Christlike personality that differentiates you from all hypocritical "Christians." You will aid others to get and retain the "mark." This will make you an integrity-keeping slave of the Almighty God, with sure prospects of entering into Jehovah’s further service in His new system of things under the Lamb Jesus Christ.
*** km 10/87 p. 8 par. 7 Help Others to Dedication and Baptism ***Only those ‘marked’ for salvation will survive into Jehovah’s new system. (Ezek. 9:2-6) How happy those who submit to this ‘marking’ for survival will be because of their dedicated relationship with Jehovah God, as symbolized by water baptism!
*** wt chap. 13 p. 124 par. 10 A Great Crowd Before Jehovah’s Throne ***Those of the great crowd are pictured as being marked for survival. (Ezekiel 9:4-6) "The mark" is the evidence that they are dedicated to Jehovah, baptized as disciples of Jesus, and involved in cultivating a Christlike personality. They obey the "voice out of heaven" that says regarding Satan’s worldwide empire of false religion: "Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues."—Revelation 18:1-5.
*** kl chap. 18 p. 180 par. 21 Make It Your Aim to Serve God Forever ***Bible prophecies show that God views such ones as marked to survive the execution of his judgment soon to come upon this wicked system of things. (Ezekiel 9:1-6; Malachi 3:16, 18) Are you "rightly disposed for everlasting life"? (Acts 13:48) Is it your earnest desire to be marked as one serving God? Dedication and baptism are part of that mark, and they are essential for survival.
*** kj chap. 9 pp. 179-180 pars. 40-41 Marking Foreheads of Those to Be Spared ***Many adherents of non-Christian religions are hearing and taking heed to the good news of God’s kingdom and are forsaking such non-Christian religions in response to Jehovah’s call for those who desire to be his people to get out of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. By accepting Christ’s teachings and by dedication and water baptism these also are qualifying to be marked in their foreheads as being true disciples of Jesus Christ.
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They will need this symbolic mark then when Babylon the Great, of which Christendom has been the dominant part, is destroyed in the approaching "great tribulation" so that their lives may be spared by Jehovah’s executional forces. (Revelation 17:1 to 19:2) Reasonably, if false hypocritical religionists inside Christendom who are not marked in the forehead as true Christians are not to be spared, all unmarked persons outside Christendom will not be spared alive, for they are no more true disciples of Christ than are the religious hypocrites of Christendom.
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Terry
According to Jehovah's Witness theology:
1.Jesus is "directing" the preaching activity of JW's door to door.
For what purpose?
Answer: To separate the "sheep" from the "goats". What identifies a "sheep-like one" or a "goat" is the acceptance or rejection of the material the JW delivers at the door.
2.This activity of JW's occurs during END TIMES. When the END comes (Armageddon) the goats are destroyed, the sheep are carried into the Millennium and the rest (who haven't heard the messege in order to decide) get a pass until they are confronted with the messege of Jehovah's kingdom.
Consequently, it is logically inescapable and directly essential to conclude:
1.Door to door work "marks" people for destruction or possible salvation.
2.It is better for a person (at Armageddon) to NEVER HAVE HEARD the messege of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Why? Because, an imperfect hearing under duress and with Satan's influence might blur the "truth" of the messege!
It is far better to NOT ever hear the JW door to door messege and WAIT for Satan to be restrained (in the New Order), when perfection is restored and ideal listening conditions prevail.
We can only be certain of two things:
1.Jehovah's Witnesses are killing far more people than they help by giving them God's Kingdom Messege under LESS THAN IDEAL circumstances!2.JW's fully believe Armageddon brings down destruction on those who hear and don't believe.
If Jehovah did not spare pregnant women, babes in arms, small children, teens, men, women, grandmothers, the diabled or mentally retarded in NOAH'S day---why would he refrain at ARMAGEDDON?
JW's don't want to face the implications of their theology of Doom. It is a corkscrew. It is unjust. It is sadistic and ill-thought out.
Confronting a JW or a non-JW with the full implications of theology is always a dicey matter. It is an EMOTIONAL issue, usually and not an intellectual one.
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BFD
Last year, my JW mom answered the question by saying only Jehovah knows what's in your heart and she believes that not all non-JWs will be destroyed. She also stated it is not a JW belief that only JWs will survive the big A. So this begs the question, "Why listen to the GB if you have love for God in your heart?" I never did get a chance to ask her that question as I don't think that fast when I talk with her. Maybe next time, if ever.
BFD
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hillary_step
Terry,
Answer: To separate the "sheep" from the "goats". What identifies a "sheep-like one" or a "goat" is the acceptance or rejection of the material the JW delivers at the door.
That doctrine changed in the late 90's. They now teach that the separation of the 'sheep and goats' takes place just before Armaggedon and that Jesus and the Angels do this 'separation work', not the guy with the plastic grin in the polyester suit and rubber-soled Oxfords.
Basically they have finally agreed with the interpretation of mainstream Christianity over this doctrine, one that has been available to them for use for many hundreds of years.
HS
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OUTLAW
hillary_step..I was unaware of this change..A question for you Sir..Then what is the advantage of being a JW?..In the past if you did`nt join the JW`s you were a dead man..Now it dosen`t matter because Jesus will make the decision of life and death at armageddon..It would seem you can cruse through to armageddon and take your chances.As you have as good a chance as anyone at getting through armageddon ......I`ll check for your reply later Bud.I got to get some stuff done...OUTLAW
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jaguarbass
Are you saying I'm not going to be destroyed in 1975 when armegedon comes?
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hillary_step
Hello Outlaw,
My apologies for the tardy reply, I have been away from my desk for a while.
I see that the ever capable Blondie has filled in the missing details of the latest WTS teaching about the 'sheep and the goats'. Quite an important reversal in their thinking. In fact they seem to have shifted all the parables that deal with the 'sifting work' forward to the gates of Armaggedon except one, that is, the parable of the wheat and weeds.
It is interesting that this obviously parallel parable, which mimics the sentiment of a 'sheep and goats' scenario, evaded their doctrinal change. When you think about it it becomes clear why. Applying that parable to a 'final harvest' would dismantle their ability to claim exclusivity as the only true religion on earth, something that despite doctrinal changes they are still able to do within their present framework.
Of course, very few JW's, most of whom know little if anything about WTS history, or indeed WTS doctrines in many cases, will notice this compromise in their doctrine.
Best regards - HS
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AlmostAtheist
This article from their site has a subheading "Who will survive? Who will not?". http://www.watchtower.org/library/dg/article_09.htm
Of course, it's ambiguous, and incomplete. It says the survivors will be those that 'submit to god's rule'. You'd need to then show what JW's mean when they say 'submit'. But it's publicly available information, so it's easier to get at.
This article makes it even clearer: http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2000/2/15/article_02.htm It asks, 'How can you survive?', then says, "Yes, you can take refuge along with 'the entire association of brothers' among Jehovah's Witnesses the world over." So people who have not 'taken refuge among JW's' will not survive.
Dave
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anewme
"Those who take refuge among Jehovah's people" will survive.
That may explain why dfd people are receiving invites to the Memorial from their relatives.
Just in case the big A comes on Memorial night, this ambiguous clause in the Watchtower may apply!