HOLD ON! EVERYBODY BETTER CHECK OUT THIS INFO!!!

by bjc2read 2 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  bjc2read

  The Watchtower Society and Governing Body have many times told us that Jesus is the mediator ONLY for the anointed and not the "Great Crowd" of other sheep. (Revelation 7:9-15) For example these quotes,

  *** w09 4/15 p. 27 Appreciating the Greater Moses *** "Value Christ as Mediator" 14 Like Moses, Jesus was a mediator. A mediator acts as a bridge between two parties. Moses mediated the Law covenant between Jehovah and the Israelites. If the sons of Jacob obeyed the laws of God, they would remain God’s special property, his congregation. (Ex. 19:3-8) That covenant stayed in force from 1513 B.C.E. until the first century C.E. 15 In 33 C.E., Jehovah initiated a better covenant with a new Israel, “the Israel of God,” which became a worldwide congregation made up of anointed Christians. (Gal. 6:16) While the covenant mediated by Moses included laws written by God on stone, the covenant mediated by Jesus is superior. Its laws are inscribed by God on human hearts. (Read 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:10.) Thus, “the Israel of God” is now God’s special property, ‘a nation producing the fruits’ of the Messianic Kingdom. (Matt. 21:43 ) Members of that spiritual nation are the participants in that new covenant. Still, they are not the only ones to benefit from it. Untold multitudes, even many who at present are asleep in death, will receive everlasting blessings because of that superlative covenant.

  *** w08 12/15 pp. 13-14 Appreciate Jesus’ Unique Role in God’s Purpose *** “The Mediator of a New Covenant” 11 Read 1 Timothy 2:5, 6. Jesus is the “one mediator between God and men.” He is “the mediator of a new covenant.” (Heb. 9:15; 12:24) However, Moses is also spoken of as a mediator—the mediator of the Law covenant. (Gal. 3:19) How, then, is Jesus’ role as Mediator unique? 12 The original-language word translated “mediator” is a legal term. It refers to Jesus as a legal Mediator (or, in a sense, an attorney) of the new covenant that made possible the birth of a new nation, “the Israel of God.” (Gal. 6:16) This nation is composed of spirit-anointed Christians, who form a heavenly “royal priesthood.” (1 Pet. 2:9; Ex. 19:6) The Law covenant, with Moses as mediator, was not able to produce a nation like that. 13 What does Jesus’ role as Mediator involve? Well, Jehovah applies the value of Jesus’ blood to those being brought into the new covenant. In this way, Jehovah legally credits them with righteousness. (Rom. 3:24; Heb. 9:15) God can then take them into the new covenant with the prospect of their becoming heavenly king-priests! As their Mediator, Jesus assists them in maintaining a clean standing before God.—Heb. 2:16. 14 What about those who are not in the new covenant, those who hope to live forever on earth, not in heaven? While not participants in the new covenant, these are beneficiaries of it. They receive forgiveness of their sins and are declared righteous as God’s friends. (Jas. 2:23; 1 John 2:1, 2) Whether we have a heavenly hope or an earthly hope, each one of us has good reason to appreciate Jesus’ role as the Mediator of the new covenant.

  *** w91 2/15 p. 18 par. 11 “You Were Bought With a Price” *** 11 Nevertheless, in a preliminary way, the great crowd have already “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14) Christ does not act as Mediator of the new covenant toward them, yet they benefit from this covenant through the work of God’s Kingdom. Christ still acts toward them, however, as High Priest, through whom Jehovah can and does apply the ransom to the extent of their now being declared righteous as God’s friends. (Compare James 2:23.) During the Millennium, they will gradually “be set free from enslavement to corruption [until finally they] have the glorious freedom of the children of God.”—Romans 8:21.

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  However,

  HOLD ON! EVERYBODY BETTER CHECK OUT THIS INFO!!!

  bejay
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  Larsinger58

  The WTS is represented by the vineyard workers who work for 11 hours. Each hour is 7 years and thus this is 77 years from 1914-1991. But there is a two-class system implied here, beginning with the third-hour workers who are not told up front they will get the penny, even though ALL the workers get the penny in the end.

  So in this case, it really doesn't matter if the WTS emphasizes the covenant is with those who go to heaven and thus not the "other sheep" who look forward to life on th earth, because in the end, the "other sheep" get invited to heaven as well! So if the covenant is only for the heavenly class, that's fine, because after the work is finished, ALL are part of the heavenly class, including the "other sheep."

  When an hour is 7 years, then the 3rd-hour workers show up after 21 years. Add 21 to 1914 and you get 1935, which is when the official "earthly class" or "other sheep" were recognized within the organization. So this strange two-class system with JWs was actually prophesied in the Bible. The only thing is, though, the "other sheep" class get the "penny" just like the first-hour workers, something of shock, surprise and a little disappointment to the first-hour workers, who are said to murmur against them. So regardless, this is something new to them and thus JWs don't understand this parable nor recognize that ALL the workers get the penny, which even they clearly know represents the heavenly calling.

  So, in a way, you could say the covenant is not offered to the "other sheep" but that is only temporary, from 1935-1991. After Christ returns during the "last hour" (1991-1998) and starts paying the workers, from the last to the first, everybody gets the penny and thus everybody gets invited to join into the heavenly covenant. Thus this becomes a non-issue, doctrinally speaking.
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  irondork

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