Jesus Saves From What? March 2015 Watchtower Article

by Perry 43 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Perry

  I just skimmed the titled article on JW.org and once again the Watchtower is misdirecting:

  http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/wp20150301/jesus-death-and-resurrection/
  

  They try and make the OLD case that Jesus saves us from being destroyed at Armageddon. In support, they quote their version of John 3: 16 which uses the word "destroyed" to promote their doctrine of soul annihilation:

  “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed [perish] but have everlasting life.”—John 3:16.
  

  vs. 18 Whoever exercises faith in him is not to be judged [condemned]. Whoever does not exercise faith [believe] has been judged [condemned] already, because he has not exercised faith [believed] in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. - NWT

  
  

  A better word in vs. 16 would be perish instead of destroyed since the soul/spirit is eternal, made in the image of God. (see dead souls talking in Rev. 6:9)

  A better word for judged would be condemned in vs. 18 since believers will also be judged, just not condemned. (Believers are judged at the "Bema seat", aka The Judgement Seat of Christ. Salvation is not on the table here at this judgment see 1 Cor. 3:15. Unbelievers are Judged at the Great White Throne where salvation is the issue)

  However aside from all this, vs. 18 makes it clear exactly what Jesus saves us from. And, it is not from being destroyed at Armageddon. Jesus saves us from being officially condemned at judgment after we die.

  Vs. 18 also makes it clear that we are born into a state of condemnation because we are "condemned already". Works has NOTHING to do with any of this. Also vs. 18 reveals that the object of faith is the name of Jesus not Jehovah.

  Jesus asked for this message to be preached in Acts 1o: 42

  "he [the resurrected Jesus] ordered us to preach to the people and to give a thorough witness that this is the one decreed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. - NWT
  
  So, why doesn't the Watchtower give its members the whole picture? Simple, they would have to abandon their doctrine of the 144K as being the lone recipients of being declared righteous by the blood of Jesus and the sole channel of communication of God for mankind.

  it is reserved for men to die once...but after this to receive a judgment - Hebrews 9: 27 (NWT)
  
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  nicolaou

  White noise Perry, white noise . .
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  Vidiot

  Perry, do you honestly think you'll ever convert anyone here?
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  cofty

  Perry - Your fascination with seeing millions of good men, women and children burn in hell for eternity is sick.

  Is there a sadomasochistic element?
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  Listener

  Sorry, I accidentally pressed dislike,
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  _Morpheus

  I pressed the same button, listener. It wasnt an accident.
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  yogosans14

  Perry..God bless you. The Lord has opened you eyes from the bondag did the WT society. Yes "perish" would be better since the Greek text literally says it. I showed this to a JW and his answer was "well we don't speak Greek, we're talking about English" I face palmed so hard. Yes the spirit is immortal. Paul said we are Soul, Spirit, and Body a tri part being.

  not sure why so many EX jws are attacking you. It's your belief, but I think a lot of them are in this "if watchtower isn't the truth then nothing is" mentality. I could be wrong it that's it seems to me.
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  cofty

  I think a lot of them are in this "if watchtower isn't the truth then nothing is" mentality. I could be wrong it that's it seems to me - yogo

  Actually this is nonsense.

  As you know I was a born-again christian for almost a decade. I know a great deal about christian doctrine and practice.

  I reject theism on evidence. I have studied and thoroughly understood both sides of the debate which is something neither you nor Perry can claim.

  It is ex-JW christians who are guilty of a knee-jerk reaction "if the Watchtower are not the true religion somebody else must be".

  Paul said we are Soul, Spirit, and Body a tri part being

  What is this thing called "spirit" of which you speak?
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  yogosans14

  1 Thessalonians 5:23English Standard Version (ESV)

  23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  
  

  
  

  Also paul said to be absent from the body present with the Lord. Our spirits or souls is what departs when we die. James said the body without the spirit is dead. In revelation John saw the souls of those who had been martyred for there faith in Christ.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Hebrews 12:23New International Version (NIV)

  23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

  
  

  Our spirits are made perfect when we are born again, so we can thus be in the prescence of God at death. On reserruction day our souls will reunite with our glorified bodies.

  
  
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  cofty

  None of that answers the question.

  What is this stuff that you call spirit? What is is made of? What evidence do you have that it exists?