Only One Destiny for All Christians

by cofty 39 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • cofty
    cofty

    The following is an extract from an article I wrote when I left the Watchtower 25 years ago. It may be helpful in reasoning with a JW about the anointed/Great Crowd distinction.

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    To divide people into those with a heavenly hope and those with an earthly one is not a Biblical concept. “There are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell” (2 Pet.3:13), but that does not mean that God has selected some for heaven and some for earth. In the sermon on the mount Jesus began by making the nine statements known as the beatitudes, in which he declares certain types of people to be happy or blessed, and in each case he makes a promise concerning their future. (Matt.5:3-12) It is clear that Jesus is painting a composite picture of all those who belong to Him, not a list from which individual statements could be chosen and applied to individuals at random. Among the promises that Jesus makes are, “the kingdom of the heavens belong to them”, “they will inherit the earth”, “they will see God” and “they will be called sons of God.” If we are part of Christ’s body then we all have the same hope as Paul reminded the congregation at Ephesus. “One body there is, and one Spirit, even as you were called in the one hope to which you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph.4:4-6) Since Jesus will keep all of His promises we can conclude that seeing God, and inheriting the earth, are not mutually exclusive destinies......

    There are, by the Bible’s reckoning, only two sorts of people. Everybody begins as the same sort; children of Adam or, “in Adam”. In this state they are, under “condemnation” (Rom.5:18), “alienated” from, and “enemies” of God (Col.1:21), “children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3), under the “authority of darkness” (Col.1:13), walking in “accord with the flesh” (Rom.8:4), “slaves of sin” (Rom.6:17), and “dead in their trespasses” (Eph.2:1&5).

    This is not the Bible’s description of an especially depraved person but of the normal human condition from God’s perspective. It matters not at all that we may not feel guilty or under condemnation, God’s inspired word says emphatically that we are.

    The other sort of person is, “in Christ”. These are, “declared righteous” (Rom.5:1), “reconciled to God” (Rom.5:10), “born of God” (1 Jhn.5:1) or “born again” (Jhn.3:3), “beloved children” of God (Eph.5:1), “transferred into the kingdom of the Son of God’s love” (Col.1:13), indwelled by “God’s Spirit” (Rom.8:9), part of a “new creation” (2 Cor.5:17), and “alive together with the Christ” (Eph.2:5).

    The difference between these two groups is not that the latter are more worthy, or that they try harder to be good, nor that they naturally have more interest in spiritual matters or an ability to read and understand the Bible. It is simply that they have put faith in God’s provision for their salvation. They have humbly abandoned their attempts to earn His favour and trusted in Jesus as their Saviour. For someone to feel that these blessings could not apply to them because they are not worthy is for that person to miss the point of the good news. Nobody is good enough, that is exactly the point at which the gospel begins.

    We cannot pick and choose which of the above descriptions of those who belong to God apply to us, and which ones do not. We cannot for example be reconciled to God, but not be a “new creation”. (see 2 Cor.5:16-19) We cannot be “beloved children” of God, but not be “born of God”. We cannot draw a line between calling God “Father”, and calling him, “Abba, Father”. If we have not been adopted then we are not His children, He is not our Father, and we have no right to call Him such at all. If we are His children then we are also joint heirs with Christ. If we are “in harmony with the Spirit” then “God’s Spirit truly dwells” in us, but if we do not have the Holy Spirit then we do “not belong to” Christ. (See Rom.8:9-17) Only if we are “led by the Spirit” can we produce the “fruitage of the Spirit”. But again, if we are, then we can cry out “Abba Father” and we are adopted as sons of God and joint heirs with Christ. (See Gal.4:6,7;5:16-24)

  • cofty
    cofty

    The full article is here...

    You will see I was a very full-on evangelical back in the day.

  • KingJehu1
    KingJehu1

    In summary, What is the one hope for Christians ?

  • slimboyfat
    slimboyfat

    I’ve always thought the JW argument for two destinies is a pretty good one. Because the Old Testament does seem to say that Jews are specially chosen. In the New Testament Jesus said that this blessing is removed from natural Jews and given to a nation producing fruits. Paul calls this the “Israel of God” and Revelation talks about those who are bought from the earth to be a nation of kings and priests. Kings imply subjects. Firstfruits imply after-fruits. There are many such passages that can easily be read to imply two destinies. Perhaps among the best is Matt 11:11 which does seem to say that there are believers who are destined for heaven and those who are not, who include John the Baptist.

    Plus even in JW theology it is acknowledged that the heavenly Jerusalem comes down to earth in Revelation 21. So the distinction between heaven and earth may not be as clearly defined. What is maintained is that Jesus selects corulers for the thousand years and this does seem to be taught in various parts of scripture.

  • LoveUniHateExams
    LoveUniHateExams

    I’ve always thought the JW argument for two destinies is a pretty good one - maybe, but I think a pretty good argument could be made against, too.

    Jews (nation of Israel) were chosen, according to the NT & OT. They were God's property. Strict punishments were enforced for disobedience, e.g. stoning for gays who had a sexual relationship and even for children who cursed/mocked their parents. The mainstream Christian argument goes that this was necessary to make the Jews see the need for the Messiah. Fleshly Israel lived on earth; spiritual Israel lived in peoples' hearts and their hope was also spiritual (heavenly).

    It's fascinating that Jesus never said explicitly that the 'other sheep' had an earthly hope. <---- this is correct, right?

    Neither did any of the early Christians say this - not Paul, nor John, etc.

  • cofty
    cofty

    Two destinies - and more egregiously two sorts of Christians - is contrary to the gospel.

    You (SBF) got closer to the NT position when you said - 'the distinction between heaven and earth may not be as clearly defined.'

    Matt 11 does not teach that John the Baptist would not see heaven. John was a prophet of the Old Testament style. The Kingdom of Heaven is a metaphor for the gospel of reconciliation ' The Kingdom is within you'.

  • JoenB75
    JoenB75

    Russell and the JWs are famous for picking verses that may imply something not taught in the Bible. Jesus said the meek shall inherit the earth, hey we can use that as "evidence" of our 2 classes doctrine. However Paul does teach different rewards

  • eyeuse2badub
    eyeuse2badub

    Of course all of your comments are assuming that the bible is true, it's the actual word of a god, the god that no one has heard from for thousands of years, the god that has "patiently" allowed horrific human pain and suffering!

    just saying!

  • cofty
    cofty

    Eyes - I thought that much was obvious.

  • JoenB75
    JoenB75
    Thankfully the watctower god is known to few people ☺️

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