Ewatchman: christians in the "strictest sense"

by trumangirl 2 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  trumangirl

  I quote from Ewatchman's latest essay "Will Christianity survive the end of the world":

  Indeed, we are assured by God's everlasting Word that the meek will inherit the earth and reside forever upon it. However, in the strictest sense, only anointed individuals are truly Christians. The word "christ" literally means "anointed one." So too, the designation "Christians" applies specifically to the body of anointed followers of Christ. Also, only anointed Christians are in a covenant relationship with Jehovah through Christ?Jesus serving as their mediator with God Almighty. Only anointed Christians comprise the true Israel of God.

  So, to dispel any unease over the topic at hand concerning whether Christianity will survive this world, it is in the strictest definition of Christianity that the question is framed.

  Acknowledging, then, the classical sense of the word "Christianity," the question is now rephrased to say: Will the anointed survive the end of the world?

  What does "prat" mean in the strictest, classical sense?
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  Justin

  I remember reading in Timothy White's A People for His Name that when the "other sheep" or "Jonadabs" first appeared they were not considered Christians because, as pointed out above, the name "Christian" is taken from Christ, which means Anointed. They weren't considered to be Jehovah's witnesses (then spelled with a small "w") either. If you had the earthly hope, you were simply expected to identify yourself as a Jonadab. Then a young girl wrote to the Society and asked them if she could consider herself a Christian. Rutherford didn't have the heart (imagine!) to say No, so he said that anyone who was a follower of Jesus could be considered a Christian.

  Through the years it has been an ongoing problem for the Society to determine how many "classical" things apply to the OS. Now they're considered to be in an inner courtyard of the spiritual temple, but they still can't partake of the Memorial emblems. On and on it goes.
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  El blanko

  Hmmm..... well it also hinges on whether one believes the number 144,000 is a literal number of course and that opens up a whole new series of debates - yawn.

  If the number 144,000 is not literal then the gates swing open for every dedicated person through the ages to be classed as an anointed Christian.

  Me - I've got no idea at the moment and little energy to even care about these trivial matters. I'm sure it's very empowering to believe that you belong to the elite group

  Wouldn't it be nice if all of these issues were as clear as crystal and not open to conjecture.