by irondork 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
The statement was made: The other sheep will not survive the coming battle of Armageddon unless they draw close to the faithful and discreet slave.
That's how it sticks in my mind but no matter how I tweak various key words into the search engine, I cannot find the quote I am looking for. Does anyone have a thread saved in their files on this?
Much appreciated.
Here is one of my very many 'Favorites' from the Watchtower Library. I think this may be what you were thinking of.
"Keep testing the inspired expressions" (1 John 4:1) and "obey God as ruler, rather than men." (KM Sept. 2007 Question Box)
w838/15p.23par.14UnitedFruitBearers "Just as the anointed “branches” of the “true vine” must remain in union with Christ, the “other sheep” must remain in close union with “the faithful and discreet slave,” Christ’s anointed “brothers.” Only thus can they hope to ‘inherit the Kingdom prepared for them from the founding of the world.’" — Matthew 25:31-40 .
10 Today the anointed spirit-begotten witnesses of Jehovah, comprising the “faithful and discreet slave,” serve as an earthly channel of communication for the great crowd of people who will survive Armageddon. These anointed witnesses along with the “great crowd” of companions form the modern-day Christian organization through which God’s spirit is in operation. (Matt. 24:45-51; Rev. 7:9-17) Never has God had more than one channel of communication at one time. Failure to recognize and associate with his anointed witnesses would certainly indicate that one is not in Jehovah God’s organization and under his spirit. Unfortunately, the Israelites forgot the value of right association and congregated with those outside the gates of Israelite cities, as we read in the Psalms: “And they went mingling with the nations and took up learning their works. And they kept serving their idols, and these came to be a snare to them.”—Ps. 106:35, 36.
WT 15 Jan 1966
Or this;
w89 9/1 p. 19 par. 7 Remaining Organized for Survival Into the Millennium
I seem to remember that there was no one like Job in all the earth - blameless and upright; and yet he was no part of God's accepted nation.
Also, this account involving Christ himself gives the salutory lesson (and warning) that we have neither the right nor the capacity to determine who is acceptable to God & Christ. A very dangerous postion to assert!
(Mark 9:38-41) "John said to him: "Teacher, we saw a certain man expelling demons by the use of your name and we tried to prevent him, because he was not accompanying us." But Jesus said: "Do not try to prevent him, for there is no one that will do a powerful work on the basis of my name that will quickly be able to revile me; for he that isnot against us is for us. For whoever gives YOU a cup of water to drinkon the ground that YOU belong to Christ, I truly tell YOU, he will by no means lose his reward."
Survival 1984, page 84
All who want to be marked as having God’s approval must accept the instruction that Jehovah is providing through that “slave” class and become true worshipers of Jehovah. They must not be persons who honor Jehovah with their mouths but who really love the world’s ways. (Isaiah 29:13, 14; 1 John 2:15) They must love Jehovah and his standards and feel grieved at heart, “sighing and groaning,” over teachings and practices that dishonor him. No one will put a literal ink mark on their forehead. But when they have the symbolic mark it will be obvious to all that, as dedicated, baptized Christians, they have put on the “new personality” described at Ephesians 4:24. They have a living faith. Publicly and privately they endeavor to do what will honor Jehovah. Not only persons who have come out of Christendom but all, regardless of background, who hope to survive into the “new earth” as associates of the anointed class must have this mark.
Particularly significant is the fact that Jehovah’s executioners were told that age, sex, singleness or marriage relationship was no reason to spare an offender against Jehovah. A married person must individually have his or her mark in order to be spared. If parents resist having their children marked or if they fail to bring them up as servants of Jehovah, they must bear the responsibility for what happens to those children. Although obedient children of godly parents are viewed as “holy” by Jehovah, rebellious ones are not. (1 Corinthians 7:14; Psalm 102:28; Proverbs 20:11; 30:17) If children are old enough to become baptized Christians but do not want to live up to the requirements, whether they are baptized or not, their age will not result in their being spared. How vital, then, for each individual of responsible age to be clearly marked as a person dedicated to God and doing his will!
w89 9/1 p. 19 par. 7 Remaining Organized for Survival Into the Millennium
"Only Jehovah’s Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the "great crowd," as a united organization under the protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil. "
While the “other sheep” are not branches of the Abrahamic-covenant “olive tree” or of “the true vine,” Christ Jesus, they must prove themselves to be Christ’s disciples. Like all the anointed Christian “branches,” they must “keep bearing much fruit.” This they do by producing Christlike qualities of the new personality, including “the fruitage of the spirit.” (Galatians 5:22, 23; Matthew 28:19, 20; Colossians 3:5-14) But to be really fruitful they give active expression to such qualities by sharing in the work of preaching “this good news.” (Matthew 24:14) Just as the anointed “branches” of the “true vine” must remain in union with Christ, the “other sheep” must remain in close union with “the faithful and discreet slave,” Christ’s anointed “brothers.” Only thus can they hope to ‘inherit the Kingdom prepared for them from the founding of the world.’—Matthew 25:31-40.
WT 15 Aug 1983
Thank you The Searcher and Black Sheep. You both came up with the one I was looking for.
Just as the anointed “branches” of the “true vine” must remain in union with Christ,the “other sheep” must remain in close union with “the faithful and discreet slave,” Christ’s anointed “brothers.” Only thus can they hope to ‘inherit the Kingdom prepared for them from the founding of the world.
Looks like my memory took the scenic route. :) Thanks a lot!
They will not survive without the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger. Yet, their dedication was to Jehovah--how often they made that clear. Even if the organization goes down, even if Christi-SCAM-ity itself goes down, even if they are reincarnated in a post-Abrahamic-religion era, they are still going to be held by the angels and the universe to their Jehovah dedication forever. Even if they turned apostate. Even if they attempted to dedicate their souls to another God or Goddess.
Trouble is, they will not survive with the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger either. You see, nothing they say ever comes true in regard to divine judgment. Relying on them merely results in soul stagnation and ultimately damnation. You are stuck pious-sneering, you give all your assets to the Washtowel, and you rely on the Washtowel for every little decision. Really, is wearing a pale yellow shirt with a brown suit or a white dress shirt with navy polka dots with a navy blue suit all that wicked? How many people have been made to suffer simply by someone whose shoes had a little scuff mark, taking a step a centimeter too long, or that has pink ink in their call book instead of using pencil?
