by callitquits76 15 Replies latest jw friends
Just this past Sunday study article: WT Dec 15, 2010 Page 20 par 18 & 19.......
'And listening to God means willingly submitting oneself to the arrangement he set in place, the Christian congregation with appointed elders, "gifts in men". Eph. 4:8. Among those "gifts in men" are the members of the Governing Body'.
"...Therefore, when we loyally submit to the direction of the faithful slave and its Governing Body, we are submitting to Christ, the slave's Master. Our showing due respect for the instrument Christ is using to manage his earthly belongings is one way in which we "openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."-Philippians 2:11.
Another Scriptural reason for showing respect for the faithful slave is that anointed Christians on earth are figuratively spoken of as a "temple" that Jehovah inhabits "by spirit." As such, they are "holy."(1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; Ephesians 2:19-22) It is to this holy temple class that Jesus has entrusted his earthly belongings, which means that certain rights and responsibilities within the Christian congregation belong exclusively to this collective slave. For this reason, all in the congregation view it as their sacred duty to follow and uphold the direction coming from the faithful slave and its Governing Body. Indeed, the "other sheep" count it a real privilege to assist the slave class in caring for the Master's interests.-John 10:16.------April 1, 2007 Watchtower pars 12-13 Loyal to Christ and His Faithful Slave
Actually, here's a post I did on one of the study articles 4 years ago: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/129061/1/April-1-2007-Craptower-All-About-Obeying-The-Slave
Thank you Mary!
Submitting to the GB means submitting to Christ.
It does seem that more than the usual number of recent study editions have been promoting worship of the GB. This new gb certainly wants the glory and worship. ( And my jw brother is happy to give it to them!)
Sadly, I doubt any jws see this.
Even 14 years ago, when I was active, the worship of the GB was common. I know of several examples of people visiting Bethel and seeing a GB member and just about having a religious hard on ... that led to many stories back home at the local congregation. I know, when I was in, I saw them as the local representatives of Jehovah.
The December 15, 2010 Watchtower:
Among those “gifts in men” are the members of the Governing Body,who act in a representative way for the entire Christian congregation. (Acts 15:2, 6) In fact, our attitude toward Christ’s spiritual brothers is a major factor that will determine how we will be judged during the coming great tribulation. (Matt. 25:34-40) Thus, one aspect of the way we gain a blessing is by giving our loyal support to God’s anointed ones.
The “gifts in men” also include members of Branch Committees, traveling over-seers, and congregation elders—all of whom have been appointed by holy spirit. (Acts 20:28) These brothers’ primary responsibility is to build up God’s people “until . . . all attain to the oneness in the faith and in the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ.” (Eph. 4:13) Granted, like the rest of us, they are imperfect. Still, we bless ourselves when we respond appreciatively to their loving shepherding.—Heb.13:7,17.
If you read the corroborating scriptures, especially Matthew 25:31-40, it simply denotes respect and compassion to Christ's brothers:
“When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.
“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. For I became hungry and you gave me something to eat; I got thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you received me hospitably; naked, and you clothed me. I fell sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous ones will answer him with the words, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty, and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and receive you hospitably, or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to you?’ And in reply the king will say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, To the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“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. For I became hungry, but you gave me nothing to eat, and I got thirsty, but you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger, but you did not receive me hospitably; naked, but you did not clothe me; sick and in prison, but you did not look after me.’ Then they also will answer with the words, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them with the words, ‘Truly I say to you, To the extent that you did not do it to one of these least ones, you did not do it to me.’ Matthew 25:31-40
This doesn't denote worship, but due respect and compassion for Christ's brothers. While most here will deny the above examples are Christ’s brothers, they're quite clueless as to who Christ’s brothers actually are, nor do they really care.
"Jesus has appointed the faithful and discreet slave “over his domestics,” ...Should not individual members of the anointed and the “other sheep” trust the slave appointed over them? There are many reasons why the slave class deserves our trust. Two outstanding reasons are: (1) Jehovah trusts the slave class. (2) Jesus also trusts the slave. Let us examine the evidence that both Jehovah God and Jesus Christ have complete confidence in the faithful and discreet slave." - wt2009 Feb 15 p.24 pp.3
