From Paradise Lost To Paradise Regained: Is the WTS the sole promoter of this doctrine?

by Pallbearer 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Pallbearer

  Howdy folks,

  I am interested in learning whether or not The Watchtower Society is the ONLY religious entity that teaches the "From Paradise Lost To Paradise Regained" idea.

  The "idea" is that God's original purpose for man and the earth has not changed. God purposed for Adam and Eve and their offspring to reproduce and fill the earth and live forever upon it; but the problem of sin entered into the picture and temporarily interrupted that purpose from being completed. Having sinned, the first human couple were expelled from the beautiful garden that God had made for them. So that's when paradise was "lost". Once the problem of sin has been taken care of, mankind will be back on track and the earth will become a physical and spiritual paradise. So that's when paradise will have been "regained".

  So that's the "idea". God's original purpose for mankind and the earth will finally have been completed. The earth is to last forever and be filled with people who also last forever.

  So my question is: If there should happen to be another religion or denomination that understands the Bible the same way the Watchtower Society does with regards to this "idea," then who is it? I personally do not know of any, but if by chance you do I would greatly appreciate being enlightened.

  I have a hunch that this particular "idea" (teaching) is one no other church or religion complies with because, for one thing, they all believe that the earth is going to be burned up.

  Thanks for any help that you might offer.

  Paul
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  slimboyfat

  Christadelphians believe in a paradise earth. In fact probably more so than JWs, in the sense that Christadelphians teach that all believers are destined for life on earth. None are destined to life in heaven.

  On the topic of Adam and Eve, that may be more complicated, because Christadelphians tend to believe God’s foreknowledge is compete. So I suspect they believe that God already knew Adam and Eve would rebel before he created them. It was part of “God’s plan and purpose” — as Christadelphians like to describe it. I’m not sure how that works. I will try to find out!

  The distinction between a plan and a purpose I find interesting, as expounded by Fred Franz in the book “God’s Eternal Purpose Now Triumphing for Man’s Good”. (He could belt out a good book title, old Franz.) In it he basically claimed that God has a purpose and not a plan because a purpose implies a goal or endpoint, whereas a plan implies a particular route to that endpoint. On this basis Franz rejected the word “plan” which Russell had used in the Divine Plan of the Ages, and replaced it with “purpose”. The point being that God knows the endpoint of history, but he does not know beforehand (or more precisely, God chooses not to know) exactly who will be saved or the precise details in advance.

  I don’t know , but you may be on to something here about it being a unique JW teaching. Another related thing to look into might be various interpretation of Genesis 3:15, because it’s related to this idea, and I’ve not come across anyone who reads the prophecy in that verse quite the same way JWs do.
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  Maybe a little off target, but the title of the JW book Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained is a play on words referring to two classic poems by John Milton.
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  Sea Breeze

  Approximately 2/3 of all non-Catholic Christians believe in a literal paradise earth.... they just don't call it that. They call it the Millennial Reign of Christ.

  Amillennialists deny a literal millennial reign:

  Eastern Orthodox
  Oriental Ortodox
  Roman Catholic Church
  Lutheran
  Reformed
  Anglican
  Methodist

  Episcopalian

  Augustine started amillennialism in the late 300's. That view today, is generally a carry-over from roots in the Roman Catholic church.

  The majority of everyone else believes in a literal thousand-year reign, as did the early church leaders.
  

  The first premillennialists [belief in a literal millennial reign] were those who received God's revelation and wrote it down in the Bible. Eusebius tells us that one of the earliest church fathers that had heard the Apostle John and others who had known the Lord and His Apostles was Papias (AD 60-130), the bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia, Asia Minor. Papias taught "that there will be a millennium after the resurrection of the dead, when the kingdom of Christ will beset up in material form on this earth."

  (1) Irenaeus (AD 130-202) tells us that Papias "related that they had heard from him how the Lord used to teach in regard to these times" (the Millennium) in book 4 of Papias' writings, which are no longer extant, except a few fragments. Papias is recorded as saying: "there will be a millennium after the resurrection from the dead, when the personal reign of Christ will be established on this earth."

  (2) Polycarp (A.D. 70-155), bishop of Smyrna, is also said to have been a premillennialist.

  (3) The Epistle of Barnabas (written between AD 120-150) presents the common belief that "in six thousand years, all things will be finished ....then shall He truly rest on the seventh day." The writer speaks of the second coming of Christ with the clear implication that He will setup the thousand year kingdom on earth, followed by the eighth day or the eternal state.

  (4) Justin Martyr (AD 100-165) in his Dialogue With Trypho c. AD 140, a Jewish man, made the following premillennial statement: "But I and others, who are right-minded Christians on all points, are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then he built, adorned, and enlarged, as the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others declare."

  (5) Justin Martyr considered premillennialism an aspect of orthodoxy in his day, "And further, there was a certain man with us, whose name was John, one of the apostles of Christ, who prophesied, by a revelation that was made to him, that those who believed in our Christ would dwell a thousand years in Jerusalem; and that thereafter the general, and, in short, the eternal resurrection and judgment of all men would likewise take place."

  I had a kind lady explain this to me one day in field service. I stopped going in field service when I understood that vast numbers of Christians already believed in a "paradise earth".
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  Earnest

  There are a couple of other churches that have common roots with the Christadelphians such as the Church of God General Conference and the Church of the Blessed Hope (also known as the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith, which was founded by Benjamin Wilson). There are also some offshoots from the Watchtower Society such as the Chicago Bible Students.
  
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  Sea Breeze

  Baptist Churches, Bible Churches, most Evangelical Churches and most Non-Denominational churches will believe in what the WT calls the "paradise earth" (premillennialism)

  The reason that most folks took issue with us in our former door to door work wasn't because they held a different view of a paradise earth (amillennialists excepted). They took issue with us because we were preaching a different gospel than the one taught by the apostles in teaching that Jesus had already returned (in 1914) and the church age had ended in 1935 making the new covenant unavailable and unnecessary. This two-tier salvation (one with the new covenant and one without it) is where we lost most Christians we met. The apostles never preached this gospel.

  though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. - Gal. 1: 8

  Our rejection of the new covenant and expecting to avoid judgement is why we were all so shocking to premillinnialists and amillennialists alike.

  And, they were right....like duh.
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  RolRod

  Plenty of groups believe in Paradise Earth, Bible Students, Jehovah's Witnesses and all their offshoots. As mentioned Christadelphians, various Adventist denominations.

  It should be noted that even among mainstream Christians, many teach that the church will go to heaven and be with the Lord for a 1,000 years. While the earth is scorched and purified, then everyone will return to earth and libe happily ever after!

  RR
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  Sea Breeze

  RR,

  A literal bible reading states there will be a new heavens and a new earth. But, this is after the Thousand Year Reign of Christ, and after the Great White Throne Judgement.
  
  The bible teaches both, not just one or the other. This chart explains:

  

  This chart is basically the same thing but more xjw friendly.
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  Disillusioned JW

  Regarding those mainstream non-JW churches that teach a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ, do they believe that Earth will become totally destroyed and later replaced with a totally different new Earth, or do they believe our Earth will become severely damaged and then fully restored/repaired (and made better than it ever was) and made new in that sense? Likewise do they believe the heavens (where they say God lives?) will be completely destroyed and replaced with a totally different new heavens, or do they mean some other kind of heavens will be destroyed?
  

  Furthermore, if all faithful Christians go to heaven upon death and if they all later rule with Christ for 1,000 years in heaven, what point would there be for them to later return to Earth and live the rest of their lives on Earth in paradise instead of in heaven? Also, why does Revelation say that the God will literally dwell on Earth after the 1,000 years?

  I really want answers to the above questions because I have been very puzzled by what the non-JW churches say about that topic and also by some of what the Bible (especially in Revelation) says on that topic.
  
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  Sea Breeze

  DJW, I think a literal reading is just what it says... NEW Heavens and a NEW Earth.

  the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. - 2 Peter 3: 10

  Also, why does Revelation say that the God will literally dwell on Earth after the 1,000 years?

  Because he is the King of it. Originally, Adam was King of the world. Then, a thief slipped in and stole it from him using deception. Later, God incarnated himself and bought the whole thing with his own blood.

  I believe Jesus used to walk around the garden with Adam, just the two of them enjoying each others company. It will be like that. People just hanging out with God, enjoying him.