Who is the "Christ class"?

by cameo-d 3 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  cameo-d

  And who gets to decide who belongs in Christ class?

  What is identifying characteristics of the "christ class"?
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  compound complex

  The Mystery of Christ To whom, then, does the Apostle in 1 John 2:27 refer in the words ye and you? The Heavenly Father purposed, as previously stated, that more than our Lord Jesus should constitute this Anointed One. He purposed that the Lord Jesus should be the Head of an anointed company, who should constitute His Body. And this is implied in the type in the under-priesthood, who received a measure of the anointing oil. They prefigured the real Priesthood to come: "Ye are a Royal Priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."--1 Peter 2:9. And as we further study, we find that this is the Mystery mentioned in the Scriptures: to wit, that the great Messiah so long promised should be composed of many individuals; and that these many individuals, with the exception of the Head, should be gathered out from the children of wrath, from fallen mankind, and should be justified through the merit of their Head--the merit of His human sacrifice. All, then, who have joined the Lord are counted as members of that one Body, "the Church of the Living God," "the Church of the first-born," whose names are "written in Heaven." (1 Tim. 3:15; Heb. 12:23.) Looking back to the institution of the Church, we see that it could not be instituted until Jesus had presented Himself as a sacrifice, that the merit of His sacrifice might be made applicable to all those who would become members of His Body--those who would make the same consecration unto death that He had made, and who would then walk in His footsteps. At that very time there were some of this class waiting. They had been Jesus' disciples, hearkening to His words. They believed His testimony that if they would take up their cross and follow Him they should partake of His glory. Under the influence of this promise they became His followers. But they could not receive the anointing until He had made satisfaction for their sins. Therefore our Lord instructed them to wait at Jerusalem until this blessing came upon them. The Scriptures tell us that the anointing came upon them at Pentecost. It came from the Father through Christ, after His ascension. Indeed, St. Paul tells us that all blessings come from the Father, who is the Fountain of blessings; and all come through the Son, who is the Channel.-- 1 Corinthians 8:6. Just what the anointing is, is difficult for us to comprehend or to explain. Only in proportion as we comprehend it can we make it plain to others. The Lord has endeavored to make it as plain as possible to us by the use of various terms and figures. He calls it a begetting, in the sense that a new life is started. The spiritual nature begins in us at the moment we receive this begetting. And whoever receives it cannot retain it unless he grows and has the Lord's Spirit perfected in him. Watch Tower, February 1st, 1914, page 36

  Blueblades
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  cameo-d

  "we find that this is the Mystery mentioned in the Scriptures: to wit, that the great Messiah so long promised should be composed of many individuals;"

  So is this saying that Jesus will not actually return, but instead the "Christ class" will be giving orders on his behalf, sometime in the future?
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  Trevor Scott

  Ah yes, the "Christ Class". One of Russell's core doctrines was that "The Christ" was not Jesus, but Jesus plus the 144,000 "anointed":

  The word Christ signifies anointed. Anointing means designation to official position in God’s arrangement. The Christ is the instrument or channel for the blessing of mankind. The Christ is composed of Jesus, the great and mighty head, and 144,000 members. --The Harp of God, 1921, p 187

  You don't find such explicit reference to this view in current Watchtower writings, no doubt on account of Matt 24:4,5,24:

  Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
  For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.

  Nowadays the doctrine is couched using less direct terminology. While no longer directly referred to as "The Christ", the 144,000 are still referred to as "anointed" (the Greek "Khristós", Christ, literally means "anointed"). And the 144,000 are still said to be "co-rulers" with Christ, "associate kings and priests", etc, who will, along with Christ, restore the rest of mankind to perfection:

  *** w67 7/15 p. 447 The Removal of Mankind’s Chief Disturber ***

  Christ and his 144,000 associate kings and priests will minister to mankind and raise them up from the imperfect state in which desires of the flesh have such a hold upon them.

  *** w85 12/1 p. 17 par. 17 Declared Righteous as a Friend of God ***

  During the Millennium, the enthroned Lamb, Christ Jesus, together with his 144,000 associate kings and priests, will apply a program of spiritual and physical “curing of the nations.”

  *** w87 7/1 p. 24 par. 13 Divine Blessings for “the Ones Having Insight” ***

  When, by the end of the Thousand Year Reign, Jesus and his 144,000 associate kings and priests have restored faithful humans to perfection, they will indeed have brought “many to righteousness.”

  *** w07 9/1 p. 20 Highlights From the Book of Daniel ***

  The anointed will ‘shine like the stars’ in the fullest sense during the Millennial Rule of Christ, when they share with him in applying the full benefits of the ransom to obedient mankind on earth.