Other Sheep question

by wizzstick 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Cold Steel

  Any communication by God is revelation. If and when the Governing Board claims "light," they're essentially saying they're receiving revelation, just as the ancient apostles received it. I've often wondered what the members of the GB would do if they actually ever met any of the ancient apostles. Would they consider themselves equal?

  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be
  one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:16)

  The whole thing about the "other sheep" saying in John 10 is that the leaders have completely contrived what it means to fit their own theology. Most sectarians believe the other sheep are the Gentiles. After all, it was uttered before the gospel was carried to the Gentiles. Recall that the Lord said specifically that this other fold would "hear my voice." Also that there would be one fold and one shepherd. Yet the JW leadership stress that this other fold is an eternally separate one!

  Perhaps the Gentiles are the other sheep. Or perhaps they refer to a group of believers elsewhere on the earth that the Jews didn't know about.
• 

  Vanderhoven7

  Russel had it right.

  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:16)

  The words “other sheep” in John 10:16 are not defined for us...so admittedly there is a certain amount of ambiguity which both JWs and the Mormons capitalize on. Now there is a reason for the ambiguity, which I won't go into now. But, letting scripture interpret scripture, we remember Jesus was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel....not to the Gentiles. It was actually some time after Pentecost that the disciples came to realize that Jesus also laid down His life for the Gentile nations and that the gospel was intended for them as well as the Jews; that they both would be one body in Christ as Paul brings out in Eph 2:16 and they would share one hope Eph 4:4 of their calling.

  That's the Bible interpreting the Bible. But the WTS feels it has the authority over the Bible to add to or impregnate this passage with all kinds of extra-biblical teaching:

  According to the WTS Jesus was intending in Jn 10:16 to communicate much more information. To JWs Jesus was actually saying here:

  And other sheep have I, which are not of this fold: no, because:

  1. they will only begin being called early on in the 20th century...not before.

  2. they will not be saints of God,

  3. they will not have the indwelling Holy Spirit.

  4. my righteousness will not be imputed to them.

  5. they will not be justified to life,

  6. they will not merit being raised in the first resurrection

  7. I will not be their personal mediator;

  8. they will not be part of my New Covenant arrangement.

  9. they will not be entitled to partake of the emblems of my death.

  10. they will not have a heavenly hope

  11. they will be not Spirit Begotten Son's of God.

  12. they will need to be affiliated with the Watchtower Society to be saved from ultimate destruction at Armageddon.

  That's what this verse means to Jehovah's Witnesses.... But none of this is in the Bible

  So where do the JWs get these ideas about the other sheep? You guessed it...from men. Their trust is in men, not the Bible.