by seedy3 10 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I was just in a discussion with a JW who was talking about being born again. Now I know that JW's beleive that only the annointed are born again but when are they born again? Also is there any Watchtower references to that? If so where?
The way I undrstand it, for the annointed to be born again they have to die and be born again into the spirtit realm of heaven. This guy is telling me no it is when they are accepted as annointed. any comments with references??
Seedy
It's when they leave the borg.
I am in touch with a couple who say they are annointed( part of the 144.000 still in the W.T ) She was telling me that she knew Jesus was the one we should worship.... That is when she was born again when she realized that. I can confirm her thoughts I was a JW for over 20 years NEVER praised Jesus -only in the end of the prayer) but in 1989- I was explained to by many exJWs - that we had been wrong giving exclusive worship to Jehovah( by the way the name is not correct) Slowly but surely they showed me from the bible that unless I was born again I cannot inherit the heavens. I did as scriptures ask ( O.K. unbelievers get the rocks ready) I asked Jesus to come into MY life & be MY LORD & Savior .... I know with out a doubt ----that day I was born again.Oct 20th 1989 ... I am a new creation from what I was in the borg>>>>>>>>Running out the room so your stones dont hit me...lol
P.S I will admit I was a breech birth I came feet first,,, walking for over 20 years with a lie
Here's the Watchtower's view:
*** w01 5/1 Spiritism and the Search for True Spirituality ***
"Unless anyone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Do not marvel because I told you, You people must be born again."John 3:3, 7.One of the apostles later wrote: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3, 4, Revised Standard Version; John 1:12, 13) Clearly, the rebirth that Jesus referred to was a spiritual experience that would occur while his followers were still alive, not a future reincarnation
*** w98 2/1 p. 17 Greater Blessings Through the New Covenant ***
Jesus mentioned this to the Pharisee Nicodemus when he said: "Most truly I say to you, Unless anyone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) The 120 disciples at Pentecost 33 C.E. were the first imperfect humans to experience this new birth. Declared righteous under the new covenant, they received holy spirit as "a token in advance" of their royal inheritance. (Ephesians 1:14) They were "born from the spirit" to become adopted sons of God, which made them Jesus brothers and thus "joint heirs with Christ." (John 3:6; Romans 8:16, 17) Their being "born again" opened the way for wonderful prospects.
*** w96 7/1 p. 15 Jehovahs Great Spiritual Temple ***
Also, through his baptism with water and holy spirit, the man Jesus Christ was born again as a spiritual Son of God. (Compare John 3:3.) This meant that God would in due course recall his Son to heavenly life, where he would serve at his Fathers right hand as King and High Priest "according to the manner of Melchizedek forever."Hebrews 6:20; Psalm 110:1, 4.
*** w95 7/1 p. 10 Christian Witnesses With Heavenly Citizenship ***
Children of God
5
When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, holy spirit had already come upon Jesus, anointing him for his future kingship in Gods Kingdom, and God had publicly acknowledged Jesus as His Son. (Matthew 3:16, 17) Jehovah begot more spiritual children at Pentecost 33 C.E. Faithful disciples gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem were baptized with holy spirit. At the same time, they were born again from holy spirit to be Gods spiritual sons. (Acts 2:2-4, 38; Romans 8:15) Further, they were anointed with holy spirit with a view to a future heavenly inheritance, and they were sealed in an initial way with holy spirit as a token of the certainty of that heavenly hope.2 Corinthians 1:21, 22.
*** w92 11/15 pp. 5-6 Why Some Are Born Again ***
Born Again to Rule as Kings
Jesus told Nicodemus that those who are "born again . . . enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:3-5) What is that Kingdom? In symbolic language, early in human history, Jehovah God gave notice of his purpose to use a special "seed"a coming rulerto crush the head of the original Serpent, Satan the Devil. (Genesis 3:15; Revelation 12:9) As revealed progressively in the Scriptures, this "seed" is identified as Jesus Christ, who reigns with corulers in a unique expression of Gods sovereignty, the Messianic Kingdom. (Psalm 2:8, 9; Isaiah 9:6, 7; Daniel 2:44; 7:13, 14) This is the Kingdom of heaven, a government in the heavens that will vindicate Jehovahs sovereignty and rescue mankind from bondage to sin and death.Matthew 6:9, 10.
Associated with Jesus as corulers are 144,000 who are bought from humankind. (Revelation 5:9, 10; 14:1-4) God has chosen some from Adams imperfect human family to become these "holy ones of the Supreme One," who rule with Christ in the Messianic Kingdom. (Daniel 7:27; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 3:21; 20:6) These men and women put faith in Jesus Christ, who said that they would be "born again." (John 3:5-7) How and why does this birth happen?
These individuals have been baptized in water as Christs followers. God has forgiven their sins on the basis of Jesus ransom sacrifice, has declared them righteous, and has adopted them as spiritual sons. (Romans 3:23-26; 5:12-21; Colossians 1:13, 14) To such ones the apostle Paul says: "You received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which spirit we cry out: Abba, Father! The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are Gods children. If, then, we are children, we are also heirs: heirs indeed of God, but joint heirs with Christ, provided we suffer together that we may also be glorified together."Romans 8:15-17.
As followers of Christ, these have had a new birth, or new start, in life. It has resulted in a conviction that they would share Jesus heavenly inheritance. (Luke 12:32; 22:28-30; 1 Peter 1:23) The apostle Peter described the rebirth in this way: "According to [Gods] great mercy he gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance. It is reserved in the heavens for you." (1 Peter 1:3, 4) This new life in heaven becomes possible for such individuals because God resurrects them as he resurrected Jesus.1 Corinthians 15:42-49.
What About the Earth?
This does not mean that all obedient mankind will ultimately be born again to go from the earth to heaven. Such a mistaken idea was similar to that held by philosophers like Philo, who thought that "life in the body [is] nothing but a brief, often unfortunate, episode." But there was nothing wrong with Jehovah Gods original earthly creation.Genesis 1:31; Deuteronomy 32:4.
Human life was never meant to be brief and painful. Jesus Christ and those born again to serve as kings and priests with him in heaven will remove all the harmful consequences of Satans rebellion. (Ephesians 1:8-10) By means of them as the promised seed of Abraham, "all nations of the earth will certainly bless themselves." (Galatians 3:29; Genesis 22:18) For obedient mankind this will mean life on a paradise earth, far different from the brief, pain-filled existence of today.Psalm 37:11, 29; Revelation 21:1-4.
Thanks NeonMadMan
That was the information I was looking for, I guess I had a misunderstanding of the WT view of being "Born Again". I dunno where I got the idea that the WTS believed they were born again after death.
Thanks again,
Seedy
Mouthy,
I am so glad for you. I am also born again. Just out of curiousity, were you still in the borg when you were born again?
Marianne
Marsal. No I had been kicked out in 1987 Christ found me in 1989.Great to be born EH!? Think of all the years we were" lying" in limbo--- Good to know your on the same page (((hug))
Human life was never meant to be brief and painful . Jesus Christ and those born again to serve as kings and priests with him in heaven will remove all the harmful consequences of Satans rebellion. (Ephesians 1:8-10)
Why didn't Jesus do this when Satan first got out of line and saved mankind the 6000 years of headaches? Yes .....Jehovah didn't "mean" for it to turn out this way..........it didn't go the way he meant it........really? Something went opposite of the "way he meant it" ??? Strange indeed!
I dunno where I got the idea that the WTS believed they were born again after death.
Possibly from reading some of their older publications. I believe that Russell taught that the new birth was something that occurred when one was resurrected to heavenly life, and that in this life, anointed Christians were begotten, not born. I'm not sure when the teaching was changed to the present one.
Groups still holding to the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong also have a similar doctrine.
The phrase "ye must be born again" was a northern aramaic idiom which meant a change in thinking and outlook so dramatic that it was the equivalent of being "born again". The Sanhedrin member that Jesus was talking to didn't understand it because a different version of aramaic was spoken in Jerusalem. Sort of like going to Madrid in Spain and trying to get by on TEXMEX. Apparently the WTBS didn't understand it either. Some of the fundie christian community don't seem to understand it any better.
