Falsely claiming to be annointed

by Margie 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Margie

  What does the WTS say happens to someone who claims to be annointed and partakes at the Memorial if that person really isn't annointed? Does someone who is honestly mistaken about being annointed meet the same fate as one cynically claiming to be annointed? This has probably been discussed before, but I can't seem to find it.

  Thanks all!

  By the way, I'm very happy to have found this place. I was raised as a third-generation JW, but was never baptised. My entire immediate family most of my extended family are JWs.
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  Elsewhere

  What does the WTS say happens to someone who claims to be annointed and partakes at the Memorial if that person really isn't annointed?

  The WTS has no say in the matter... anyone can claim to be annointed and the elders have to accept the claim.
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  kls

  If someone claims to be anointed Jehovah will know and weed them out. No really!
  
  
  
  
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  Sweetp0985

  From reading Frannie Bannie(sp) post and some others I've had a chance to read from time to time. I kinda agree with Elsewhere and I kinda don't. If the elders for some reason in their minds don't feel you're annointed they will question you to death and make you even question whether you're annointed or not. So if someone is really old and been a witness a long time they probably wouldn't question it, but if someone that is in their maybe 30's or 40's partakes and may be questionable to the elders, IMO they probably will pull that person to the side and ask them what makes them think they're one of the anointed and if their answer isn't up to par then the elder will probably write the GB and get a vote on it. The GB will probably make their vote according to how much time and pioneering the sis/bro has done.

  But that's just my opinion.
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  Margie

  Thanks, Elsewhere. ***ETA: and everyone else who answered while I was writing this!

  I should have phrased the question differently. What I was really wondering was, let's say Brother X truly believes he's annointed and partakes at the Memorial. Unfortunately, Brother X is insane and is NOT annointed. Other than that, he's a faithful and devoted JW. Meanwhile, Brother Y also claims to be annointed and partakes at the Memorial. Brother Y really knows, deep down, that he's not annointed, but he tells everyone he is because he wants everyone to think he's really important. Other than that, he's a faithful and devoted JW, too. Finally, we have Brother Z. Brother Z doesn't think he's annointed and never tells anyone he is. He goes to meetings, goes out in service on Saturday mornings, works for Rug Doctor, etc. He's also a faithful and devoted JW.

  So now we're in the new system. Does the WTS say that Bros. X, Y & Z will all be chillin' out, maxin' and relaxin' on a paradise earth? If not, what do they say? I don't mean to suggest that the elders are supposed to debunk people's claims of being annointed or anything like that, but I am wondering whether the WTS teaches that there's any penalty for falsely claiming such.
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  Narkissos

  Hi and welcome Margie,

  Cf. Watchtower 82 2/1 p. 25-29:

  How

  Can a Person Be Certain?

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  Those sharing in preaching this good news of the Kingdom in modern times are confident that Jehovah God is leading his dedicated servants by means of his visible spirit-begotten organization, the "faithful and discreet slave." (Matthew 24:45-47) Under its direction the heavenly hope was held out, highlighted and stressed until about the year 1935. Then as ?light flashed up? to reveal clearly the identity of the "great crowd" of Revelation 7:9, the emphasis began to be placed on the earthly hope. (Psalm 97:11) It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, that by that time the full number of 144,000 would have been nearly completed. Of course, any individuals proving unfaithful would need to be replaced. But, understandably, these would be comparatively few. And by whom would these be replaced? It seems reasonable also to conclude that most likely this heavenly hope would be extended to some who had endured in integrity, who had stuck to their dedication over the years, rather than its being held out to unproved newly dedicated ones. (Compare Luke 22:28-30.) However, from reports at hand it appears that even some newly dedicated Christians have considered themselves to be "born again."

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  Any who in comparatively recent times dedicated themselves and were baptized and who consider themselves to be "born again" would do well to reflect seriously on the following questions: What reasons have you for feeling that Jehovah God has planted this hope in you? Could it be that your emotional feeling is a holdover from the mistaken belief you previously held while in Babylon the Great that heaven is the destiny of all good people? Or could it be that you feel this way because you had great inward disturbances, that you at first fought against the idea but it gradually won out? But did it win out because you wanted it that way, perhaps even unconsciously? Such struggles do not of themselves prove that you were "born again."

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  Or do you feel that you have been chosen by God to be one of the 144,000 anointed ones because of your keen appreciation of spiritual things, because of your fondness for deep spiritual truths? Then note that ever so many who do not profess to be "born again" are ?spiritual men? in the fullest sense of the word. (1 Corinthians 2:14, 15) And there is no question about the spiritual strength of those men and women of faith listed in Hebrews chapter 11. None of those were "born again." All of them looked forward to "a better resurrection [to life under God?s kingdom]" right here on this earth.?Hebrews 11:35.

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  Or might it be that you feel the way you do because of your displaying more zeal than some of your fellow Christians? But that of itself could not be the determining factor, for the apostle Paul time and again found it necessary to counsel anointed Christians in regard to taking their spiritual obligations seriously. (1 Corinthians 11:20-22; Galatians 4:9-11) Or could it be that your profession to be of the anointed is due to a lack of modesty? There are some who quite recently have professed to be of the anointed but who, instead of building unity in the congregation, have felt they must have their own Bible study group. To the contrary, mature "born again" Christians remain close to the local congregation even though it is largely comprised of the "other sheep." (John 10:16) However, a person?s being "born again" is a personal matter between God and each Christian. No one should judge another on this question.?Romans 14:10.

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  From all the foregoing what do we conclude? That Jehovah God is just and righteous, wise and loving. He has the right to assign his intelligent creatures to their respective roles?some to serve his purpose in the heavens, others to do so here upon earth. It is not as though the heavenly prize is something to be gained by personal choice and effort, or to be coveted selfishly. It is unique and no human creature may presume upon it. It is indeed a marvelous undeserved kindness that Jehovah God bestows on a few of his creatures, in the furtherance of his wise, just and loving purposes, but not due to any special merit on their own part. Being "born again" is limited to these. (Romans 3:23, 24; 11:33-36) Also, everlasting life on the paradise earth is an unspeakably privileged goal toward which rightly inclined persons may press forward. (Revelation 21:1, 3, 4) All is undeserved kindness. No one should be so presumptuous as to say to Jehovah, "What have you been doing?"?Daniel 4:35.

  From a different perspective, you might realize that the whole "two hopes" doctrine as taught by the WT has no basis whatsoever in the New Testament. Any believer reading Paul or John will naturally apply what he/she reads to him/herself and not to "people of a different class" -- and so understand that he/she is "anointed", or "born again". Because a number of JWs, including members of the Brooklyn headquarters, realized that in the late 70's was the aforementioned article issued in 1982. Raymond Franz' Crisis of Conscience (Atlanta, Commentary Press) is a good introduction to this issue.
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  Elsewhere

  So now we're in the new system. Does the WTS say that Bros. X, Y & Z will all be chillin' out, maxin' and relaxin' on a paradise earth? If not, what do they say?

  They will say something to the effect of: All we can do is leave it in Jehover's hands and he will judge with righteousness.

  Basically the WTS has backed itself into many corners like this and that is their standard reply. Ironically JWs like to bash Catholics for all of the "miseries" the church has.
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  stillajwexelder

  The official view is that "It is between that person who claims to be anointed and JEHOVAH" The letter to the BOE from the Society will say "It is up to the individual BOE whether or not to count them as such on the Memorial Attendance Form.
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  Narkissos

  Stilla...: can you feel the contradiction between your two sentences? Is it the person's or the BOE's responsibility?
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  stillajwexelder

  Narkissos -I hear what you are saying and I know it is contradictory - but those are the facts my friend - what can I say Je ne comprends pas?