Someone correct me if I'm not entirely clear on any possible "new light" on this issue, but I got to wondering about something that the Watchtower teaches that seems downright frightening.
Okay, so the "anointed" are supposed to be whisked right up to heaven after death, "in the twinkling of an eye" as the scripture goes, to an immortal life serving as princes with Jesus and co-ruling with him for the Millennial reign. Am I correct so far?
Meanwhile, dull normals who aren't smoten in the great slaughter of Armageddon or who were fortunate enough to die BEFORE Armageddon and therefore earn the right to be resurrected will have to live out 1000 years on earth to gradually attain perfection. They are not immortal but only have "eternal life" meaning that they can still snuff it if the Almighty so sees fit. In fact, many billions of these WILL snuff it in the final cleansing supposed to occur after the Millennial reign when Satan is set free from imprisonment.
My question is, why would Jehovah grant immortality - ab initio - to a group of EXTREMELY imperfect humans who have barely lived at all (in a cosmic timeframe) when so far the only other creation to receive that privilege was Jesus, who was not only a perfect man to begin with but also had billions of years of prior existence as proof of his loyalty? It seems pretty risky to grant immortality to a bunch of humans considering the blatant imperfection shown by many of these "anointed" ones right up to their deaths.
Not even Jehovah would have the authority to smack 'em down anymore because he's given them carte blanche by granting them immortality. All those egos running wild seems like a surefire recipe to create hundreds of "Satans" after the first few hundred years of immortality get dull.
Serious question about WT policy on anointed immortality.
by marmot 7 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
marmot
-
LtCmd.Lore
Not even Jehovah would have the authority to smack 'em down anymore because he's given them carte blanche by granting them immortality. All those egos running wild seems like a surefire recipe to create hundreds of "Satans" after the first few hundred years of immortality get dull.
He wouldn't be able to kill them... but you'd be surprised what you can live through.
-
LtCmd.Lore
*** w06 10/1 pp. 5-6 You Can Live Forever ***
The Gift of Immortality
Jehovah God is “from time indefinite to time indefinite.” He is immortal. (Psalm 90:2) The first person to whom Jehovah granted the gift of immortality was Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul explains: “Christ, now that he has been raised up from the dead, dies no more; death is master over him no more.” (Romans 6:9) Indeed, contrasting the resurrected Jesus with earthly rulers, Paul describes him as the only one among them having immortality. Jesus will remain “alive forever.” His life is “indestructible.”—Hebrews 7:15-17, 23-25; 1 Timothy 6:15, 16.
Jesus is not the only one to receive such a gift. Spirit-anointed Christians chosen to rule as kings in heavenly glory receive the same kind of resurrection that Jesus did. (Romans 6:5) The apostle John shows that this privilege is granted to 144,000 individuals. (Revelation 14:1) They too receive immortality. Regarding their resurrection, Paul says: “Flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom . . . The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality.” Death has no hold on those who receive such a resurrection.—1 Corinthians 15:50-53; Revelation 20:6.
This divine revelation is remarkable indeed. Despite their spirit nature, not even angels were created immortal. This is shown by the fact that those spirit creatures who joined Satan’s rebellion will be executed. (Matthew 25:41) Jesus’ corulers, on the other hand, receive the gift of immortality, which is proof of Jehovah’s unshakable confidence in their faithfulness.
Does this mean that only 144,000 individuals, a relatively small number when compared with the billions of humankind who have ever lived, will live forever? No. Let us see why.
That was in 2006. So unless there's been new light in the past few months that I haven't heard of, yeah, you're right. That's pretty dumb.
Amusingly, the scripture they use to 'prove' that angels are mortal, says absolutely NOTHING about death: (Matthew 25:41) 41 “Then he will say, in turn, to those on his left, ‘Be on YOUR way from me, YOU who have been cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
And that proves that angels are mortal how exactly?
Lore - W.W.S.D?
-
Metamorphosis
Jesus’ corulers, on the other hand, receive the gift of immortality, which is proof of Jehovah’s unshakable confidence in their faithfulness.
and this is really funny in the light of the fact that some of the 'annointed' have to be replaced due to unfaithfulness according to the society...
-
OnTheWayOut
LtCmd points to some scriptural information that causes them to stick to saying the
anointed are immortal.The basic WT doctrine is that these folks are fully tested as to loyalty. They are so
fully tested that Jah has no worry granting immortality. They won't ever disappoint him
like Satan did. They are granted more than even the angels are granted.That doesn't mesh well with their 2007 information (posted somewhere on JWD) that
anointed ones are not necessarily more spiritually inclined than rank and file other sheep.
They need to subject themselves to the elders, and they are not all that special.
How, then are they fully tested as to loyalty? I guess if they aren't obedient to the WTS
and it's lower managers, they are not truly anointed. I think that's what they want us to
think. Also, they want us to think that the GB are God-like (if not God, Himself) and all
the other FDS are ordinary JW's. That's kind of hard to accept, yet it is accepted. -
aniron
Jesus’ corulers, on the other hand, receive the gift of immortality, which is proof of Jehovah’s unshakable confidence in their faithfulness.
I was just thinking.
According to the WT the "anointed" are chosen for their faithfulness etc on the earth now and are rewarded with heavenly life.
But I thought who is the most faithful?
The "Anointed" one who lives for maybe 90 yrs on earth. Who according to the latest, has no more "holy spirit" than anyone else in the WT.
Or the member of the "other sheep" who lives through this system on earth, then goes through Armageddon, and its horrors.
Then spends the next 1,000 years under Christs rule, bringing the earth back to Paradise, then to be "tested" by Satan at the end of that before being declared righteous.
It seems to me that a person who spends less than a tenth of that time on earth gets a better reward than one who goes through a 1,000+ years on earth.
-
aligot ripounsous
It seems pretty risky to grant immortality to a bunch of humans considering the blatant imperfection shown by many of these "anointed" ones
Not only that but they are granted this immortality (let's keep in mind that some will survive until after A) even before they have really overcome the trials that will go with the GT, "a tribulation such as has not been from the beginning, nor ever shall be", plus the 1000 years (a long time indeed) and finally the final test with Satan, whereas the poor old bastards of the great crowd will have to fight their way to eternal life like in hurdles race. So much for equal shares of Holy Spirit.Who is the master mind on the East River who has devised such a brilliant scheme, a real praise to God's justice.
-
Anti-Christ
That's a good one marmot, I got one too. If your are incorruptible and immortal, either you can not die or you can not sin, so if you can not die you could do what ever you want but if you can not sin you just lost your free will.