"Angel of light" revisited

by leaving_quietly 3 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  leaving_quietly

  We're familiar with 2 Cor 11:14: "And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light."

  This scripture came up in a talk today. Now that I'm in the habit of looking at surrounding verses for context, my first question was: "what was Paul saying "no wonder" to?"

  2 Cor 11:12-15: "Now what I am doing I will still do, that I may cut off the pretext from those who are wanting a pretext for being found equal to us in the office of which they boast. 13?For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14?And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light. 15?It is therefore nothing great if his ministers also keep transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness. But their end shall be according to their works."

  I almost laughted out loud when I read this during the meeting.
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  villagegirl

  Amen to that -"Their end shall be according to their works." "false apostles, deceitful workers." What are the "works" of the governing body ? Do their 'works' match what Jesus said we should be doing ?? Matthew 25:31-46 ? this scriptures describes the nations being gathered before Christ and the works are described in detail here: Mat 25: 44,45 ...Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty, or stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison and did not help you ? " verse 45, He will reply,'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of these, you did not do for me. '

  The irony is that the Mediator beteeen God and Mankind, the Christ himself, will find them "Standing in the Holy Place." claiming they themselves ( the GB ) are the 'sole channel of communication between God and Mankind' and that the GB has gone so far as to prevent people from coming into communion with Christ or being spirit begotten as He promised anyone who believed in Him and asked could be welcomed into the body of Christ. The GB by their works, (lack of works), and by their self-aggrandizement, and by their blocking individuals from coming to Christ, are themselves Anti-Christ. But so as they don't get too puffed up, there are MANY anti-Christs, they are just another smear on the reputation of Christianity.
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  earthfire

  This cracked me up! Wow.

  Villagegirl, that's a great point about blocking individuals from coming to God. I'd never thought of it that way before.
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  Julia Orwell

  Village Girl,

  thanks for that! I had the Inquisition arrive at my house yesterday and spout how the GB are the true ones doing the true work of God, and boy they made a convincing case for the unitiated or unreflective! But seeing your post there has strengthened my faith in Jesus, and shown me what a crock the GB are.