I think I might be ready to let you know one of my questions. I have not asked my parents about this. I am afraid of what they might do.
I tried to invite a friend to the memorial and she objected, saying that every Christian should partake of the emblems because every Christian should be born again.
In answer Jesus said to him: “Most truly I say to you, Unless anyone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”--John 3:3
So I started researching it. I have no answer for her. Here is a bit of what I found.
14 On one occasion Jesus said to the Jews that they would “see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but [they themselves would be] thrown outside.” (Luke 13:28) The “great crowd” of earthly survivors of “the war of the great day of God the Almighty” will be favored with the privilege of literally seeing the resurrected “Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets” back here on the Paradise earth and in royal service under the Kingdom of God by the “Eternal Father,” Jesus Christ.—Revelation 7:9, 14; 16:14; Isaiah 9:6.-- 8/15/1989 Paradise Restored Glorifies God
You are familiar with the scripture that is used to explain how the anointed know that they should partake?
For YOU did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but YOU received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which spirit we cry out: “Abba, Father!” The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children. If, then, we are children, we are also heirs: heirs indeed of God, but joint heirs with Christ, provided we suffer together that we may also be glorified together.-- Romans 8:15-17
Look at the context.
For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those in accord with the spirit on the things of the spirit. 6 For the minding of the flesh means death, but the minding of the spirit means life and peace; 7 because the minding of the flesh means enmity with God, for it is not under subjection to the law of God, nor, in fact, can it be. 8 So those who are in harmony with the flesh cannot please God.--Romans 8:5-8
So I searched this on my Watchtower CD. I found reminders to walk by spirit.
Quote:
If we let God’s spirit guide us, we will not be overcome by improper fleshly desires.—Romans 8:2-10. |
Quote:
To persist in doing Jehovah’s will, we need to put on the Christian personality and to live by the spirit, not the flesh. (Romans 8:4-8; Colossians 3:10, 12, 14) Having Jehovah’s view on the matter will enable us to carry on with our vital spiritual activities.—1 Corinthians 16:13.-- Watchtower 8/1/95 The Rewards of Persistence |
Quote:
Have I set my mind on “the things of the flesh,” rather than on “the things of the spirit”?’ (Romans 8:5-8)-- Watchtower 10/15/01 Who will Separate us from God's Love |
So as Jehovah's people, we are admonished to walk in the spirit as stated in Romans 8:8
However, YOU are in harmony, not with the flesh, but with the spirit, if God’s spirit truly dwells in YOU. But if anyone does not have Christ’s spirit, this one does not belong to him.--Romans 8:9 by which spirit we cry out: “Abba, Father!” The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children.
So we are supposed to have enough spirit to walk in it, but not enough to be God’s children and partake at the memorial?
So I start reading everything I can on the memorial, partaking, being born again, and there are more and more questions without answers.
1 John 5:1 Everyone believing that Jesus is the Christ has been born from God.
John 1: 12 However, as many as did receive him, to them he gave authority to become God’s children, because they were exercising faith in his name; 13 and they were born, not from blood or from a fleshly will or from man’s will, but from God.
1 John 2:29 everyone who practices righteousness has been born from him. 3:1 See what sort of love the Father has given us, so that we should be called children of God; and such we are. 10 The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident by this fact: Everyone who does not carry on righteousness does not originate with God,
Romans 8 and 1 John 3 only have two classes of people, and only one class of Christians. Then I noticed the wheat and the weeds parable is the same way. Two classes of people and all of the wheat are said to be in the Kingdom of their Father.
I also took a look at the scriptures we read at the memorial:
1 Corinthians 11:25, 26 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also handed on to YOU , that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was going to be handed over took a loaf 24 and, after giving thanks, he broke it and said: “This means my body which is in YOUR behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 25 He did likewise respecting the cup also, after he had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood. Keep doing this, as often as YOU drink it, in remembrance of me.”
“As often as you drink it.” But we are told not to drink it. “Drink out of it, all of YOU ; 28 for this means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:28 So if we don’t drink it, we aren’t part of the New Covenant?
“The great crowd of other sheep that is forming today is not in that new covenant.”—Watchtower 4/1/1979 Then we don’t have forgiveness of sins?!!!
1 Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as YOU eat this loaf and drink this cup, YOU keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.” Didn’t he arrive in 1914?
This is too much. It must be resolved before the next Memorial.