The heavenly calling?

by jerome 4 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jerome

  I am getting really confused about this belief that the JWs promote.

  I used to think that it (the heavenly calling ended in 1935) but this really confuses me now because, I think that there are members of the GB (and other annointed) who were born after that year.(1935)

  How is that possible?

  If heaven closed its doors in 1935,
  how could you be of the annointed and you were born after that year? (1935)

  Also now I think that women are of the annointed, am I right?

  If so were they always allowed to partake in the emblems?

  thanks for any replys...

  *******

  Jerome

  The Bible is a two edged sword wield it for evil and it you may get hurt.
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  Amazing

  The Society use to say the heavenly calling ended in 1878 ... then they revised it to 1931, and then to 1935. However, have always allowed that some 'few' replacements could be added to fill the vacancy of an unfaithful Anointed JW who died in that condition.

  By 1952, the Society was still very moderate on this, and did not make much about new Anointed ... even kind of encouraged it in the Jan. 1952 Wt, Question from Readers ... Here is the link: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=7411&site=3#86972

  As the mid-1970s arrived, and since then, the Society has become more concerned about any new Anointed, they have stepped up the strong-arm tactics to scare JWs away from making that proclaimation. Yet, even at this time they still allow for 'new replacements.' Hope this helps some.
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  RR

  Actually, Amazing, 1878 was viewed as the first resurrection 1881 was viewed as the closing of the general call. Not that the door to heaven was closed, but that the number 144,000 had been filled, and that since that time we were living in the replacement period. The majority of Bible Students in Russell day were running for the prize of the high calling, the scriptures tell us that "many are called, few are chosen." We are to be "called, chosen and faithful." many were called, some were chosen, many were not faithful, so they lost their crown and it was give to another. That was the logic behind it. Keep in mind those who were "unfaithful" woild then fall into the great company class, which is believed to be a secondary spiritual class in heaven. So heaven was not limited to the 144,000.

  By 1935, there were well over 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses, so the door was closed and the great crowd was reinterpretated to be an earthly class, and the paradise earth concept was emphasized. The high calling has been lost sight of among the Witnesses. It is held so far above their heads that it is not attainable to them. Like the pharasees of old, "neither do they enter [the kingdom]or let others enter in."
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  Justin

  RR,

  I've been reading Pastor Russell's writings, and I get the impression that the "high calling" was not strictly speaking a "heavenly calling" as JWs think of it today. The emphasis seemed to be that it was a call to a higher level of existence (the divine nature) more than it was to a "place" called "heaven."

  Pastor Russell believed that Jesus had actually returned to the earth's vicinity, though invisibly, whereas Rutherford changed this to a symbolic presence where Jesus actually remains in heaven. So to Russell, the saints when resurrected would have to remain at the earth with Jesus until the Millennial work was finished, at which time they could then return with Jesus to the Father's house.

  But it seems also that the Bible Students were not consistent in this, and at times spoke of the departed ones as though they were already in heaven.

  Do you think I have understood correctly what the original Bible Student teachings were, or have I overlooked something?

  Justin
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  RR

  Justin, I would have to say "yes" and "No" to your question.

  The "Divine Nature" is immortality, to which is limited to Jehovah and Jesus since his resurrection. Angels and such do not have the divine nature, only the spirit nature. Jesus DID returned to heaven upon his resurrection and there he stood next to the father until his return [presence] which is believed to be "within" the earths atmosphere.

  The saints when resurrected go to heaven, what they are doing up there is anyones guess. There are two Bible Students camps, the first believes that the church must be complete in heaven before the reign begins, the other believes that the reign has begun, so those sleeping saints who have been resurrected would be with Jesus now reigning.