Just curious to know which scripture that let an average person know that they were of the annointed and what did it mean to you?
What scripture was it that let an average joe know that they were annointed?
by 20yearfader 14 Replies latest jw friends
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Bobcat
20YearFader:
The question itself, that you pose, has WT indoctrination written all over it. It seems to accept, as a premise, the idea that there are Christians, and then there are "anointed Christians."
Of course, it might only seem that way. You might have a particular angle from which you are asking the question. So first, my apologies if I misunderstand what you are asking about.
But here is what I am finding out:
The Bible only presents Christians as being anointed. The only verses that directly speak of "anointing" in connection with Christians are: 2Cor 1:21; 1 Jn 2:20, 27 (x2). These are the only four verses that mention "anointing" in connection with disciples of Jesus. In all four, the context assumes that all Christians have this anointing. All four speak of this anointing in relation to learning or having knowledge. None of them speak of ruling in heaven or having authority over other believers. Ruling with Jesus in heaven and exercising some authority over other believers is mentioned in the NT. But never in connection with, or as a consequence of, anointing.
There are other terms that relate to "anointing" such as:
Born again, Born from above, Born of water and spirit, Born of God, Born of the Spirit, [there may be others].
"Holy ones" (Greek hagios) is related in the sense that it carries the idea of ones seperated for God. And "anointing" (of people and objects) was done to seperate it (or them) for God's service. Thus, "holy ones" is a proper description of anointed Christians.
There are other NT terms that are related, but a little more indirectly:
New creation, new(ness [of] life, adoption as sons, children of God, [others - I'm still researching].
My point in all this is this:
With all these terms, throughout the entire NT, they are used with the assumption that these describe all Christians. These terms are part of what it means to be Christian.
For many years prior to my recent research, I simply accepted the WT teachings that there were non-anointed Christians and anointed ones. But so far, and I'm not through researching the subject, but so far, I can't find any actual evidence in the NT that the WT is correct. So, if there is such a thing as a non-anointed Christian, the burden of proof falls on the WT to prove it.
But what I see the WT doing is, they are assuming, in their writings, that everyone is a non-anointed Christian, unless he has been specially selected. And it is this that leads to questions which wonder how or why someone has gotten the idea that they are "anointed." I also notice in WT writings that they almost always relate being anointed to following, or being obedient to, their directions.
So, to get back to your question, the real question should be:
What would make a Christian think they are NOT anointed? Because everything in the NT indicates otherwise.
That is a question that the WT does not want JWs to start asking.
Again, if I misunderstand your question, or its purpose, I apologize. And, of course, others may provide answers that are more in line with what you may have been asking about. But I was hoping to spell out this angle too.
Take Care
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Bobcat
I'm adding this as a seperate post because it would make an already long previous post even longer.
Sometimes the WT presents prophecies with an explanation that seems to allow for non-anointed Christians, or what the WT would call "companions of anointed Christians."
Two of these prophecies are:
Zech 8:23 where it mentions 10 gentiles grabbing the skirt of a Jew.
Isa 45:14 which speaks of the unpaid laborers of Egypt serving as slaves to the Jews.
The WT always mentions these in connection with the "great crowd" of Revelation 7. But what they never mention is that Paul alluded to a fulfillment of these prophecies in the 1st century. In the NWT at 1 Cor 14:25, at the very end of the verse, where it says, "God is really among YOU," the reference column cites Zech 8:23 and Isa 45:14. The NWT is not being original in citing Isa 45 and Zech 8 in connection with 1 Cor 14:23-25.
In the context of 1 Cor. 14, the "10 gentiles" and the "unpaid laborers" are the unbelievers who show an interest in Christianity. Once they become Christian they become part of the Jew(s)/Israel to which the unbelievers seek to associate with.
If these non-Jews in the prophecies were "non-anointed Christians," then, there shouldn't be any 1st century application. Which explains why the WT never mentions any such application.
Concerning 1 Cor 14:25, the Commentary on the NT Use of the OT (G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson), p.742, says, in part:
Part of the solution may be found in the relationship between Paul's quotation of Isa 28:11-12 in 14:21 and his allusion to Isa 45:14 and Zech 8:23 in 14:25. While 14:22 mentions both believers and unbelievers, the illustrations in 14:23-25 focus exclusively on unbeleivers and the way they respond to an encounter with a community that is speaking in tongues or one that is prophesying. . . His [Paul's] allusion to Isa 45:14, on the other hand, relates to a later phase in God's relationship with his people, one when even Gentiles would come to recognize the presence of God in the midst of his people and would worship him for who he really is. . .
. . . In Paul's scenario "it is the church - itself a predominately Gentile community - through which God will accomplish the eschatalogical conversion of outsiders," and the Corinthian believers have "stepped into the role originally assigned to Israel in Isaiah's eschatalogical drama." Hence the church is the fulfillment of Isaiah's [chap.45] prophecy about Israel.
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20yearfader
thank you bobcat you have to pardon me being born in sometimes i revert back to bad habits.As a child in the org my mother use to tell me the scripture that the 144000 would read and be enlighten that they were anointed.I was just asking so that i could read it with the king james and other versions to see if there was any changes again thank you and i dint want to come off as a drone.
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Lozhasleft
It isn't any scripture that informs an individual that they are anointed. Almighty God anoints individuals with holy spirit by means of Christ his son.
Loz x
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Bobcat
20YearFader:
You did not come across in any bad way to me. And I was trying not to imply anything bad about you either.
I appreciated your question and was trying to cover it from the standpoint of what I have been learning just very recently.
Probably not even a year ago I would have asked the very same question.
Take Care
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Wholly
Thank you Bobcat! Wow.
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DATA-DOG
Bobcat,
It is the WTBT$'s erroneous teaching that create a problem where none should exist. If you reason it out, there is only one Christian hope spoken of in the scriptures. That is to be part of the Kingdom of the Heavens. What does that mean exactly? We have to wait and see. Paul wondered about that too. He came to the conclusion that when Christ is manifest to us, then we shall be like him. What does that mean? We will find out.
Another interesting thing is that prior to the 1930's all Bible Students were " annointed ", there weren't any " non-annointed ", the idea was ludicrous. Then Rutherford decided that the heavenly calling was closed which conveniently set up two-class Christian system, something never spoken of in the scriptures. This teaching continued until the WTBT$ needed more " annointed " to rule the " non-annointed." There is just one mention of the heavenly hope not being closed in a WT article. It is the typical lame non-apologetic change of doctrine normally used. This raises serious questions. What is the Christian hope? Did it end in the 1930's? If it really did then who are the Governing Body, how can they exist? If it did not....
What is not adressed is that in the 1st Century everyone was " annointed." If you were raised in a Christian house, or converted like Cornelius, then you were " annointed!" So imagine an entire household celebrating the Lord's evening meal, everyone partaking! That would be considered heresy today in the WTBT$. In the minds of the R&F " annointed " ones are CO's, DO's Branch overseers perhaps, the GB of course, even Sanderson, or really old people ready to die. Anyone else is considered a wacko. Why? Because of the erroneous teaching of Rutherford! It has been proven wrong, but the WTBTS still wants it to be true! They encourage the idea that " annointed " are odd, perhaps mentally and emotionally disturbed. This of course does not apply to the small group of annointed at World Headquarters dispensing spiritual food. How convenient for them! While being forced to admit Rutherford's HUGE error, they have managed to perpetuate it. So if you partake, you are not to be judged by the Elders. In reality though, you are viewed suspiciously because of the WTBT$'s propaganda that is promoted by the GB!
How does an average Joe know he is " annointed ?" An " annointed " person just reads the NT and feels that they should partake. This happens despite the GB's attempt to shut the door that Christ opened. To be truthful, anyone among Jw's that partakes, even if they are an Elder or Elder's wife, pioneering or whatever, is viewed as weird. This is because in the minds of JW's, " annointed people are GB members or " super-spiritual " people who are very active in the org. Anyone else is suspect, right? Super zealous Brother/Elder Convention speaker= " annointed." Normal guy raising a family getting 10 hrs a month, not serving= weirdo. The WTBTS also adds an air of superiority with being " annointed " which suits their purpose as the top dogs. My belief is that all Christians partake, end of story. Anything else is just human error, going beyond what is written whether intentional or not. I think that is all we need to know right now. Our heavenly Father will place us wherever he wants. We can wonder about thing the scriptures are silent about, it's fun and interesting, but speculation is bad. Persecuting others for not accepting assertions and our personal speculations in the name of God is really bad.
Peace,
DD
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*lost*
bumped
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Band on the Run
Jesus never spoke of two classes. It would be so unJesus to do so. My ggf was anointed. No one ever consulted him. My gm had to cone to grips with being the inferior class on earth. The Jonadabs. It was very generational for generations. When an overseer in his 30s announced he was anointed, we could not wait until the meeting was over. Bethel was going to take him outl The presumption. My gm was outraged beyond belief. Well, maybe they needed him but he was not disfellowshiped. Later, he was.
Christianity was known for its mixing of all classes of people. It inspired some commentators and outraged many Romans.
Paul is furious that agape meals are segregated by class.