14 + 3 years.
Christian Congregation/First Century governing body?
by zev 14 Replies latest watchtower bible
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lawrence
Double Edge, every ten years the WT will feature an article on the Waldenses, pointing to them as a group of likely candidates, and others (to be met later) who carried on "the Faith."
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mizpah
lawrence:
The Watchtower Society likes to link itself with these historical groups to give its own organization a historical legitimacy. Cathars, Waldenses, Wyclifites, etc. all had some things in common. They lived simple lives, they used the Bible in their worship and they were persecuted by the Catholic leaders. They also rejected the authority and rituals of the church. ( Most Protestant churches probably feel that these early groups were instrumental and essential to their own movement in later times.)
However the Waldneses and others did not reject doctrines like the Trinity, Soul or Hell. So if they existed today, the Watchtower would identify them as part of "Babylon the Great." But the distance of history makes them very convenient for the Watchtower "to rub shoulders" with these groups.
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bluesapphire
Anyway this is all smoke and mirrors. The point of the church was not for it to remain in its infant state anyway. It is obvious that Jesus intended for it to grow. No matter what the church would not look the same as in the first century because it was not intended to.
The Watchtower cannot expect to "appear" (if only to themselves) exactly like the first century church because if they did, that would only mean that the church that Jesus founded never grew. How pathetic would that be!
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lawrence
Mizpah-
Very much so, especially when "very convenient."