What brought ME out of the WT , was one day it dawned on me, Mathew 25:35,36 ..I was hungry and you gave me food;I was thirsty and you gave me drink;I was a stranger and you took me in, I was naked and you clothes me,I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.
I was being told this was some "symbolic action" we were supposed to take towards the WT version of the faithful and discreet slave. And something inside me just said, "No it isn't" Its real. We are supposed to be taking care of people, other people in need. Anybody in need.
Thats why James 1:27 says True religion is taking care of widows and orphans. Not publishing books. Not passing out magazines, not dissecting the minutia and endless words of the governing body in the publications. that is not what God cares about at all. God cares about how we treat other people. God's "household" is just people on this earth, "who then is the faithful and wise servant" is a RHETORICAL question in Mat: 24:45 The question is about how are YOU are living your life and using what you have to improve things for other people and using your talents and resources.
There is no qualifying, "the least of these" ( not "my brothers" therefore restricting your works to some "governing body") it just says the least of these strangers, sick, hungry,in need. Its not an "Organizational" statement. Mathew 24 and 25 is about the whole of mankind over time, not a specific reference to a religous leadership.
Who is the faithful and discreet slave? Is a RHETORICAL question
by villagegirl 25 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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villagegirl
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Phizzy
This had vaguely sunk in to my mind some years before I left, but strangely was not the "Straw", but we all seem to be different as to the final trigger that gets us to walk.
I thank you for your posts and your insights, I am sure you are helping many of our Readers, who hopefully will become Posters before too long.
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The Searcher
Jesus made it clear exactly who would be counted as his brothers - and he wasn't referring to an elite group!!
Anyone could become his brother and be reconciled as a son of God, if they accepted him as their ransom & Mediator!
(Matthew 12:50) whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."
(Matthew 13:38) The field is the world; as for the fine seed, these are the sons of the kingdom;
(Matthew 25:40) To the extent that YOU did it to one of the least of these my brothers, YOU did it to me.
(Mark 3:35) Whoever does the will of God, this one is my brother and sister and mother."
(Luke 8:21) In reply he said to them: "My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."
(John 1:12,13) However, as many as did receive him, to them he gave authority to become God’s children.........
(John 15:14) YOU are my friends if YOU do what I am commanding YOU.
(Rom. 8:14) For all who are led by God’s spirit, these are God’s sons.
(1 John 5:1) Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God ..........
(Revised Standard Version)
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Pickler
Thanks villagegirl.
the simplicity & overall "rightness" of this understanding of the scriptures just blows my mind. No wonder they don't encourage anyone to simply read their bibles.......
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Larsinger58
The "faithful and discreet slave" who inherits all of God's belongings is JESUS CHRIST.
This can be related in overview to the parable of the "rich man and Lazarus" where Lazarus at first is seen to be unfaithful, outside the gate of the rich man who is seated at a table of food. The rich man represents the GB. Lazarus is a disfellowshipped person, represented by his being outside the gate of the rich man, thus outside the organization at this point. He has spiritual ulcers which makes him unclean. His ulcers are licked by dogs which shows a connection between the dogs and why Lazarus has been disfellowshipped. The dogs represent straight or bisexual men who sodomize prostitutes. In ancient times, male prostitutes, dressed as women would prostitute themselves and engage in anal intercourse in the fashion that dogs have intercourse, so those men got the nickname of being "dogs." Thus, Lazarus is a male prostitute and he has been disfellowshipped for homosexuality. At this point, the rich man is the faithful slave and Lazarus is the unfaithful slave. Lazarus represents the person into whom Christ would dwell at the second coming. Christ could not use his original body and thus has to use the body and identity of one of his followers to become flesh again. Christ took on many appearances after his resurrection to emphasize that when he returns he would be in another body. Apparently, the last body and appearance he took up was of the body and appearance of the person he would inhabit at the second coming, who is Lazarus in the parable. Thus, again, in the beginning, the rich man is the faithful slave and Lazarus is the unfaithful slave.
But then things change. We see Lazarus now in the bosom position of the father, which means he has now become the messiah. But the rich man, the Governing Body, is now in torment, cast out by Jehovah. Thus in the end, the GB is no longer the faithful and discreet slave, but Lazarus is. Lazarus, Jesus Christ in the flesh, is now the faithful and discreet slave.
So in reality, that is what has happened. On December 25, 1992 I became anointed as the Christ. Christ began to dwell in my physical body to effect his appearance at the second coming. So I am now in the bosom position of the father. Note that Lazarus always loved knowledge, wishing for just a crumb to knowledge. Now he has all the knowledge and all the accurate truth and that is tormenting the GB, the rich man.
To that's exactly the situation now. Christ returned in 1992 through me. Now I'm the one who has all the knowledge. In the end, like the prodigal son, I'm the faithful one but the GB has been unfaithful. But the results is evident. I have all the accurate knowledge now. I can point out the false teachings of the GB and the WTS. That is only possible if Jehovah gives you that insight. Even so, being the Christ I will inherit everything, all of God's belongings.
But, of course, that is characteristic of the situation with Jesus Christ. God makes it work out that he fulfills practically everything. Who but the returned Jesus Christ would be in charge of all of God's belongings? The WTS is confused over this since they think that Christ's return would not be in the flesh but would be invisible and in spirit. But the Bible labels the "antichrist" with that doctrine:
1 John 2:2 YOU gain the knowledge of the inspired expression from God by this: Every inspired expression that confesses Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God, 3 but every inspired expression that does not confess Jesus does not originate with God. Furthermore, this is the antichrist’s [inspired expression] which YOU have heard was coming..."
The WTS is now saying that Jesus Christ returned in 1914 in spirit, not in the flesh.
Anyway, the person who ends up with all of God's belongings and turns out to be the faithful and discreet slave is none other than Jesus Christ at the second coming, who does return in the flesh, but "in the clouds", meaning not in his own body but through the body of someone else. His own first human body was given up in sacrifice so he must use someone else's body at the second coming. He doesn't have to be perfect so he doesn't have to be born again without a human father.
So now you know.
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villagegirl
Larsinger58 Say What ? Your kidding right ? Earth to Larsinger58 , come in Larsinger. Hello ? Hello ? Has anyone got a butterfly net ? Remain calm. Ok Larsinger, you are NOT Jesus Christ, dude, you are just one of about seven billion people here on this planet. Widows and orphans are just widows and orphans, you know kids with no parents or family ? Women alone with no help ? Sick people are just, like, sick people in hospitals and that sort of thing, poor people are? How can I say this,.. poor ? No money, possibly no food to eat today ? People in prison are locked up, actaully in prison, could be mental as well, isolated. Hiding our "talents in the ground" Mat:25:15 is not USING actual talents or money but mostly not developing ourselves or working fully at what ever we have gifts or talent for, like in-born skills and intelligence and abilities, natural abilities, to create, produce, develop, combine with others to create positive, beautiful, useful, lives. By educating ourselves, developing our skills, reaching out to others around us. God is a Spirit. Those who worship Him worship in Spirit and in truth. Jesus said "I am not from this world", he is a Spirit as well.
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Pterist
Lars you never answered this last time ....Hebrews 9:28
New International Version (©1984)
so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.If you are the Christ, why are you not fulfilling this role....you maybe anointed as a Christain like many that have this experience. This New Life is to perfect you as a follower of Christ to conform to HIS image. The greatest in God's kingdom is him that serves not him who elevates himself above others.
Shalom friend.
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Pterist
Who is the Faithfull and discreet slave. .?
He who is given much, much is expected. Some produce 30, 60, 100 % maturity to his image! 2 Peter 1:3-8, Ephesians: 4:11-13,
Matthew 13
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
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Pterist
Lars **** 1 John 2:2 YOU gain the knowledge of the inspired expression from God by this: Every inspired expression that confesses Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God****
This is not referring to Christ's SECOND coming, it is consistant with the context of ALL Johns letters and his gospel, beginning at 1 John 1:1 ....That Christ is the Eternal Life of God in flesh. This is regarded in Christology as "THE INCARNATION" ! God in Flesh !
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wha happened?
Then he added, "Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.' For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."
Mathew 9:13
The GB knows no sin according to them. So Jesus is not seeking them out