(Reporting not Supporting) When the WTS speaks of the
“congregation” is it speaking of the Israelite nation, the first century
congregation of only anointed Christian members, of the WTS group of “anointed”
JWs or Christians in every group?
Notice how the WTS defines
“Congregation of God.”
*** WTS Index 1930-85
Congregation of God ***
CONGREGATION
OF GOD
(Also called 144,000; Anointed; Body of Christ; Bride of Christ; Chosen Ones;
Elect; Holy Nation; Israel of God; Kingdom Class; Little Flock; New Creation;
New Nation; Royal House; Royal Priesthood; Sanctuary Class; Sons of Levi;
Spirit Begotten; Spiritual Israel; Spiritual Sons)
During the time of Russell, the Congregation of God was
considered made up of Jesus Christ and the Anointed. I will try to find that quote.
** Paradise Everlasting book (1989) chap. 14 pp. 125-126 Who Go
to Heaven, and Why? ***
THE
CONGREGATION OF GOD
17 The Bible tells us that Christ is the head of God’s congregation, and that
its members are subject to Jesus. (Ephesians 5:23, 24) So the word “church,” or
“congregation of God,” does not refer to some building.
Rather, it refers to a group of Christians. (1 Corinthians 15:9) Today we may
speak of the congregation of Christians with whom we associate. In the same
way, we read in the Bible about “the congregation of the Laodiceans,” and, in
the apostle Paul’s letter to Philemon, about “the congregation that [was in
his] house.”—Colossians 4:16; Philemon 2.
18 However,
when the Bible speaks of “the congregation of the living God,” it is referring
to a particular group of Christ’s followers. (1 Timothy
3:15) They are also called “the congregation of the
firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens.” (Hebrews
12:23) So this “congregation of God” is made up of all Christians
on earth who have the hope of heavenly life. In all, only 144,000 persons finally make up the
“congregation of God.” Today only a few of these, a
remnant, are still on earth. Christians who hope to live forever on earth look
for spiritual guidance from members of this “congregation of the living God.”
The Bible also refers to this congregation of 144,000 members by such terms as
“the bride, the Lamb’s wife,” “the body of the Christ,” “the temple of God,”
“the Israel of God,” and the “New Jerusalem.”—Revelation 21:9; Ephesians 4:12;
1 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 6:16; Revelation 21:2.
(Thus the
non-anointed are not part of the Congregation of God then, the idea in the
bible) There was a time that the Watchtower deliberately would say
Jehovah's witnesses and their companions, that only the Israelites were called
"Jehovah's witnesses" in the Old Testament and that only anointed
(jw) are spiritual Israelites, thus not the great crowd.)
