Are some of the anointed ones now already ressurrected and gone to heaven as the society claim?

by Truthexplorer 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Truthexplorer

  Frankly, I am a little bit confused by this teaching. Why? Well when I read 1 Thes 4:13-18, it contradicts what the society claim.

  Paul wrote -

  Moreover, brothers, we do not want YOU to be ignorant concerning those who are sleeping [in death]; that YOU may not sorrow just as the rest also do who have no hope. 14 For if our faith is that Jesus died and rose again, so, too, those who have fallen asleep [in death] through Jesus God will bring with him. 15 For this is what we tell YOU by Jehovah’s word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord shall in no way precede those who have fallen asleep [in death]; 16 because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. 17 Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we shall always be with [the] Lord. 18 Consequently keep comforting one another with these words.

  It appears to be saying that this would all happen at the same time. This would make sense as they are the bride of Christ which one then initiate the 1000 year rulership of Christ.

  Why would some start to rule as Kings ahead of time?

  http://perimeno.ca/Letters_0110_midst_of_enemies.htm

  TE
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  jonathan dough

  Yes, it supposedly started in 1918, but that theory is all nonsense. The JWs are wrong about everything.

  More info here: http://144000.110mb.com/144000/i-5.html#VI
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  blondie

  The WTS teaches that the wedding of the bride and Christ takes place shortly after Babylon the Great is destroyed (shortly after which they say the great tribulation starts). But they don't teach that each individual anointed jw will have died and be in heaven. Imagine, some will miss the wedding!
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  donuthole

  As I understand it - in 1878 Russell, and other likeminded individuals, expected to be raptured to heaven. When this didn't occur as expected, it was explained that the resuurection to Heaven had already occured - but invisibly. In 1878 the righteous dead went to Heaven, they would be joined by others as they died, until the end of the Harvest in 1914 when the remainder living would join them.

  The Jehovah's Witnesses have kept this idea but shifted the dates forward. Jesus invisible presence begins in 1914, the invisible resurrection follows in 1918, and after that any annointed who die immediately go to Heaven. (That is why the Bethel graveyard is nicknamed the "launch pad".) They have went back and forth of when those still alive go to heaven, pre-armaggedon or post-armaggedon. The last I knew they just left it open and didn't commit one way or another.
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  Truthexplorer

  This is from the March15th 2005 WT

  When does the heavenly resurrection take place? “During [Christ’s] presence,” answers 1 Corinthians 15:23. World events since 1914 clearly show that both Christ’s presence and “the conclusion of the system of things” began in that year. (Matthew 24:3-7) So there is reason to conclude that the resurrection of faithful Christians to heaven has already begun, though, of course, unseen by humans. That would mean that the apostles and the early Christians have been raised to heavenly life. What about Christians living now who have the sure, God-given hope of ruling with Christ in heaven? They are raised “in the twinkling of an eye,” or immediately after they die. (1 Corinthians 15:52) Since the resurrection of this small group of 144,000 precedes that of the large number who will be resurrected to life on earth, it is called “the earlier resurrection” and “the first resurrection.”—Philippians 3:11; Revelation 20:6.

  So, let me get this right, if the society are saying that the apostles and other early anointed ones ressurrection [to heavenly life] has already begun! how will those who are living, 'together with them', be caught away in the clouds to be with the Lord?

  Surely what the scripture is saying is that the anointed who have died will take part in the first ressurrection (ie all at the same time) when Jesus calls them with an archangels voice; and then at that time the anointed who are living 'will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we shall always be with [the] Lord. 18

  This would then make sense of the scripture at Rev 19:7 Let us rejoice and be overjoyed, and let us give him the glory,because the marriage of the Lamb has arrived and his wife has prepared herself.

  The scriptures appear to point to a specific moment in time (when Jesus calls them with an archangels voice); that the 1st ressurrection happens, and caught up together with those of the anointed still living; whence the marriage of the lamb.

  Yet we read in the WT that the 1st ressurrection has been phased in over the past 100 years?

  Boy, am I confused?

  TE
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  Chalam

  Hello TE,

  Yet we read in the WT that the 1st ressurrection has been phased in over the past 100 years?

  Boy, am I confused?

  Just read the bible (non NWT) and ask the Holy Spirit to be your guide, He will clear up the confusion.

  2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 (New International Version)

  1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. Who is the antichrist that verse 3 says is revealed?!

  Revelation 20:4-6 (New International Version)

  4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

  Where are the saints who have been beheaded because they have not taken the mark of the beast?

  Where is the 666 mark on the right hand or forehead without which we cannot buy and sell?

  The WT are liars, deceivers and false prophets.

  Blessings,

  Stephen
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  heathen

  Revelation states that the souls of those murdered for bearing witness jesus cry out from under the alter and told to rest a little while longer until the last of the bretheren die by the ax. The whole thing is a death pact. IMO The writing on the wall for this old world is written in the blood of the souls slautered for following in christs steps.
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  heathen

  Revelation states that the souls of those murdered for bearing witness jesus cry out from under the alter and told to rest a little while longer until the last of the bretheren die by the ax. The whole thing is a death pact. IMO The writing on the wall for this old world is written in the blood of the souls slautered for following in christs steps.
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  Nathan Natas

  No.

  There is no "spirit realm." There is no "heaven" for "souls" to go to.

  Everyone who has died has returned entirely to the earth that fed them.

  Enjoy life free of superstitions and fantasies.
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  wannabe

  Hi All!

  It's not possible any are in heaven at this time, due to the fact that the final sealing of the heavenly calling isn't completed as yet. Read Revelation 7:1-4 where it tells us four Angels are holding back the four winds of destruction until the final sealing of the heavenly calling is completed. Those four Angels are still holding tight those four winds. All of the heavenly calling had to be all together at the same time. None would begin to reign as king priests unless they were all together at the same time. Remember what Paul said in Corinthians: "You have begun ruling as Kings without us have you?" Read Matthew 24:29-31 where it tells you when the resurrection begins. That has not occured as yet. It doesn't begin until Jesus takes ACTIVE KINGDOM POWER. Wannabe