Jehovah's Witnesses..I am wondering about some of the 144,000 ..or the Anointed in your religion..has any of

Question

them that are of the anointed ever been disfellowshiped? If so..do you no longer count them as one of the annointed? If so..wouldn't that be judging them?

full_of_......I think you have a lot of your answer backwards in the first part..It is the JW's who tell their followers not to read and or associate with other Church members and read their publications.....Other religions have NO problem with their members talking to JW's and reading their publications. I am not sure where you are getting your information from..but, it is very wrong.

As for the part that you wrote about Preachers using the WT publication to give their sermons..WHAT? Where did you get that information? I highly doubt that they would ever do that..Please, don't just say something like that without telling us where and how you know this..please give us more information.

Answer 1

Yes, even in the modern Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses there have been apparent "anointed" ones who have had to be disfellowshipped because of unrepentance of serious sin.

A person indicates his belief that he is "anointed" by partaking of the emblems during the commemoration of the Last Supper, with one of the 100,000 congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses. Congregations allow any adult member of the audience to partake, but only report the number of baptized Christians who do so.


Jehovah's Witnesses understand that one's partaking of the emblems does not in itself guarantee that one is actually "anointed". Similarly, Jehovah's Witnesses understand that one's disfellowshipping does not guarantee that one will be judged adversely by God and Christ. It seems rather obvious, however, that individuals and congregations must work conscientiously to preserve the will of God.

(James 4:17) If one knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_16.htm

Answer 2

First, no one is automatically disfellowshipped for anything. Many who commit serious moral offenses are merely reproved and exhorted to 'go and sin no more.'

Granted, the act of being disfellowshipped is a harsh measure: Paul likened it to handing an individual over to Satan in order for them to be disciplined by the hard experience. Because of its severity, disfellowshipping can either make or break the person—depending on how they individually respond to the discipline.

On a positive note, those who are disfellowshipped, or otherwise alienated from the congregation, can take comfort and courage that Jehovah is not bound by the rulings of human tribunals.

A disfellowshipped person may, in fact, demonstrate more faith in Jehovah through their own personal struggle than the many 'faithful' ones who simply go with the program. So, if that is someones situation here on Y/A: never give up faith and hope.

Answer 3

Only God can ultimately judge someone and Jehovah's Witnesses know this. If an instance occurs when Jehovah's Witnesses are actually following the Bible's COMMANDS and PRECEDENTS concerning disfellowshipping and someone else considers it as "judging" someone, then that is their own misconception.

The Bible tells us to "quit mixing in company with ANYONE (this of course, means ANYONE)" who is doing certain things outlined in the Sriptures:

"But now I am writing YOU to quit mixing in company with ANYONE called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man." -1 Cor. 5:11


Based on the principles of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Christian Greek Scriptures by COMMAND and PRECEDENT authorize expulsion, or disfellowshipping, from the Christian congregation. The Apostle Paul helped set this precedent. (Cor. 5:5, 11, 13; 1 Tim. 1:19, 20)

Some of the offenses that could merit disfellowshipping from the Christian congregation are fornication, adultery, homosexuality, greed, extortion, thievery, lying, drunkenness, reviling, spiritism, murder, idiolatry, apostasy, and the causing of divisions in the congregation. (1Cor. 5:9-13; 6:9,10; Tit. 3:10,11; Rev. 21:8)

Answer 4

It is extremely rare. But there is the Biblical example of Judas. As one of Jesus' 12 apostles, he would certainly have been in line for a heavenly reward. However, he died unfaithful after having betrayed Jesus.

At Acts 1:23-26, a replacement was sought for Judas. After praying to God: "You, O Jehovah, who know the hearts of all, designate which one of these two men (Joseph or Matthias) you have chosen, to take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas deviated to go to his own place," Matthias "was reckoned along with the eleven apostles."

Just a side point, before anyone asks, Jehovah's Witnesses do not cast lots to determine who is of the 144,000 and who is not. Matthias' selection was prior to the out-pouring of holy spirit at Pentecost 33 C.E. and after that there is no mention of the disciples using this method for selecting overseers and their assistants or to decide matters of importance.

The apostle Paul, with the authority vested in him, ordered the expulsion of an incestuous fornicator who had taken his father’s wife. (1Corinthians 5:5, 11, 13) He also exercised disfellowshipping authority against Hymenaeus and Alexander. (1Timothy 1:19, 20)

Regarding any who were Christians but later repudiated the Christian congregation or were expelled from it, the apostle Paul commanded: "Quit mixing in company with" such a one; and the apostle John wrote: "Never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him." (1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 John 9, 10.)

If this was to apply to the Christian congregation, it would certainly apply to the 144,000. 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10 says: "What! Do you not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit God’s kingdom." This is the standard that God has laid down and these verses appear in everyone's Bible.

Is it reasonable to think that God would accept people willfully and unrepentantly practicing these things into his heavenly Kingdom?

The vindication of Jehovah's name is what is important. The above practices, if allowed to continue in the Christian congregation, bring reproach on Jehovah's name.

Answer 5

The man who was disfellowshipped in 1 Corinthians chapter 5 was of the annointed.

As humans, our only judgement is that commanded in Scripture, to "remove the wicked man from among yourselves."

His permenant judgement is up to Jehovah. We do know, whether one has the heavenly hope or the earthly, that one who willfully practices sin unrepentantly cannot inherit everlasting life.

Answer 6

I am curious about what the Jehovah's Witnesses teach. They seem to be nice people, but I am not sure whether their teachings is the same as what my pastor teaches.

It seems to me that they have been wrong about some dates for the end of the world,and they don't celebrate holidays.

Answer 7

This is an excellent question that you raise. This is an excellent question. In fact, only Jehovah’s Witnesses can answer this question. Everyone else really should not answer this question because it is likely that their answers are based on their personal opinions, biases, judgments, which have no foundation. Or if those not of the JW faith does answer this question accurately, it is likely that they received their answer from one of our publications.

None of that is foreign because many of the preachers/pastors/priests/etc. use our publications of the Watchtower and AWAKE! for their sermons. Yet, they never tell you where they received that information. Meanwhile, the rest of the congregation thinks that these preachers/pastors/priests have so much knowledge when they really are just stealing what our ‘faithful and discreet slave’ has provided from Jehovah God’s Holy Spirit. (Matthew 24:45-47)

Yet, no one wants to ask these religious leaders where they received their information. Yet, they will tell you not to talk to Jehovah’s Witnesses, not to associate with us nor take our literature. Yet, these pastors/preachers/other religious figures take our literature and other publications, having them in their “library” and use them for their sermons. Go figure!

Now back to your question; there was a previous Watchtower Magazine that had a question that those who read our magazines wanted the answer to. The question was, “Can an anointed Christian who is disfellowshiped later be reinstated and still have the heavenly hope?” What is the answer?

Yes, that is possible. Of course, in each case Jehovah God is the one to determine whether he will extend forgiveness. Did you all get that? This is not for any of us to answer. Therefore, do not even form your own opinions and judgments. This is Jehovah’s question to answer and his ONLY!

The fact that this is possible is borne out by what we read in the apostle Paul’s letters to the Corinthian congregation. He wrote to Christians who had been anointed by holy spirit and given the hope of heavenly life. Paul addressed them as “you who have been sanctified in union with Christ Jesus, called to be holy ones.” (1 Corinthians 1:2; 15:49)

One of these anointed Christians began to practice fornication. When he evidently did not repent and stop his immorality, Paul directed the congregation to disfellowship him. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 9-13) However, it seems that this disfellowshiped person thereafter did sincerely repent. He is understood to be the person whom Paul was referring to in his second letter when he advised the Corinthians to forgive and accept back the former sinner. (2 Corinthians 2:6-11; 7:8-13)

When that man was reinstated into the congregation, what was his hope? Had he lost the heavenly calling, and had his hope now been changed to everlasting life on earth? No, for the earthly hope is not, as it were, a second-chance prospect. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and multitudes of other persons of outstanding faith had the hope of eternal life on earth, but this was not because they failed to measure up to the heavenly calling.

They simply did not live in the time when the heavenly calling was in process according to Jehovah’s will. (Hebrews 10:19, 20) Comparable faith and integrity are required of all who will gain everlasting life, whether in heaven or on a paradise earth. A Christian who is anointed with holy spirit and made a joint heir with Christ must prove faithful to that calling if he is to receive eternal life at all. (Revelation 2:10, 11; Philippians 3:8-14; Romans 8:14-17)

Matthew 24:14: “But he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.” Yes, it is not ‘once saved, always saved.’ This involves the anointed too. They must endure to the end of their earthly course or to the Great Tribulation.

This, though, does not mean that while they are on earth anointed Christians never sin. In the flesh, they are still imperfect and consequently they sin, as do all humans, and may even commit gross sin. The Christian disciple and Bible writer James, certainly an anointed Christian, wrote: “For we all stumble many times. If anyone does not stumble in word, this one is a perfect man.” (James 3:2; 2:5)

It appears that such unintentional sin resulting from imperfection is what the apostle John meant by “sin that does not incur death.” (1 John 5:16) God can forgive such sins. John said: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

But repentance is necessary. If an anointed Christian today practiced gross sin and did not manifest repentance, the congregation, out of obedience to God’s counsel, would have to disfellowship him. If he subsequently repented, though, he could be forgiven and reinstated, as was the man in Corinth.

God does not, however, forgive all sin. According to what Jesus said in Mark 3:28, 29, those who willfully and knowingly blaspheme God’s spirit can never be forgiven. And Paul wrote: “If we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment.” (Hebrews 10:26, 27) Such unforgivable sin is evidently what John referred to as “sin that does incur death.” (1 John 5:16)

If an anointed Christian sinned against the spirit, practicing willful sin without repentance and ‘impaling the Son of God afresh,’ God would completely and forever reject him. (Hebrews 6:4-6) Not being repentant, he would not be reinstated. Jehovah would have to select and anoint another Christian as a replacement so that the full number of 144,000 would be kept complete. It might be compared to heaven’s choice of Matthias to replace unfaithful Judas Iscariot so that there would be twelve faithful apostles of Jesus on which to build the Christian congregation. (Acts 1:23-26; Ephesians2:20)

Is this to say that if an anointed Christian is disfellowshiped, Jehovah then and there selects a replacement? No human can say that, for we cannot know if the disfellowshiped individual has committed the unforgivable sin. Jehovah knows, and so the matter can be left in his hands. Just how and when he chooses to select a replacement is for him to decide. He did not give a detailed discussion of the matter in the Bible. So rather than speculate on what He will do or try to guess whether a disfellowshiped person is beyond the possibility of repentance, we can leave the matter up to Jehovah, the righteous Judge. (Hebrews 12:23)

If a congregation has had to disfellowship a person but he later repents and is reinstated, we can rejoice over Jehovah’s mercy and forgiveness. (Luke 15:7) That is so whether the person professed the heavenly hope and continues to do so or had and continues to have hope of everlasting life on earth. All of us should take to heart the lessons learned from this—our own need to fight constantly against imperfection and sin, the importance of seeking forgiveness when we do sin and the necessity of enduring to the end so as to be saved. (Matthew 10:22)


Source(s):

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

March 1, 1976 Watchtower Magazine
Published by Jehovah’s Witnesses
Questions From Readers: "Can an anointed Christian who is disfellowshiped later be reinstated and still have the heavenly hope?"
Pages 158-159

Answer 8

I've asked that question, as well. I also want to know how they can disfellowship from their religion someone whom God has chosen to abide with Him in Heaven?

By disfellowshipping an anointed person, aren't they in fact saying their rules are more important than God's anointing?

Answer 9

I am next in line for heaven if one gets the boot!

Answer 10

Now that is a really good question...I am dying to see if any witnesses reply and what their answer to you is!