|
Why is Salvation So Much Easier For the 144,000?
|
|
Chris: John,
have you had time to look into the scripture we were talking about last
week, John 5:24?
John: As
a matter of fact, I did and my hunch was correct. Jesus was speaking
only to the 144,000. This verse really doesn’t apply to the great
crowd, of which I am a part of. I have a
Watchtower
article here from 9-1-78, called, “A Resurrection of Life and One of
Judgment“. It says in paragraph 3, “Before
Jesus said the above-quoted words, he spoke, in John 5:24, 25,
about other “dead” ones whose “hour” for becoming alive had
begun. Such designated ones were said to be “dead” and yet were not
“in the memorial tombs.” They were even then hearing the spoken
“word” of the Son of God and were believing the One who sent him. They
were thus passing over from death to life and would not come into
adverse judgment. Because of having passed over from death to life,
these heeders of the voice of God’s Son were said to live and have the
prospect of everlasting life. These must be the ones who become the
heavenly joint heirs of Jesus Christ, namely, the 144,000 who are given
a resurrection into the spirit realm to be with him in the Kingdom.”
Chris: I
see. So the Watchtower teaches that there are 2 different ways of
salvation. Is this right?
John: What
do you mean by that?
Chris: Well,
you told me that in order to be saved you had to endure to the end,
however, the 144,000 seem to be guaranteed of eternal life now. In the
quote you just read it says that they would not come into adverse
judgment.
John: That
probably means that, unlike the great crowd, the anointed believers will
not face the 1000 year judgment period that will come for all other
men. If you look in paragraph 5 of the article, it says,
“There
was a previous judgment period for these 144,000 when they were on
earth....So, in place of being judged during the millennial reign of
Christ, they share with him in judging redeemed mankind.”
Chris: So,
then, there are 2 judgment periods for the great crowd to endure
through, but only 1 judgment period for the 144,000. Is this
correct?
John: No.
If we endure to the end of this system of things, Faithful Witnesses
will then be judged during the 1000 year reign of Christ.
Chris: Yes,
but in order for you to make it to judgment day, you need to persevere
before Jehovah in this life. You are actually being judged right now to
determine if you’ll even be resurrected. Again why do you have to
face 2 judgment periods while the 144,000 face only 1.
John: I
never thought of it like that before. But I guess that’s right.
The anointed who already died were resurrected to the spirit realm in
1918. The remnant of this class will enter into the heavenly kingdom
when they die or after they survive Armageddon. There is no final test
for them to pass. The article says in paragraph 4, that at the first
resurrection,
“they
are instantaneously resurrected into the heavenly estate”.
Chris: Doesn’t
this sound like a double-standard, John? Why does Jehovah make
gaining eternal life so much more difficult for the other sheep than He
does for the anointed?
John: I
don’t know about that, Chris. You have to remember that the 144,000 do
have to go through a judgment period in this present system. They’re
not off the hook.
Chris: Yes,
but in order for you to be saved, you have to endure through possibly 40
or 50 more years on this earth, undergo another 1000 more years in the
millennium, plus pass an unknown final test. In contrast, the anointed
only have to endure through this present life before being guaranteed of
everlasting life. Their judgment period is much shorter- and no final
exam! Why is it so much easier for them?
John: Well,
it kind of sounds easier for them when you put it that way. But, you
know, not everyone is going to be resurrected at the start of Christ’s
millennial reign. Maybe I won’t be resurrected till a couple of
hundred years after the 1000 years begins. This will make it easier.
Chris: John,
I was told that all Jehovah's Witnesses who die before Armageddon comes
will be resurrected at the beginning of the 1000 years. You told me 2
weeks ago that it gets hard sometimes to keep up your work and field
service now. Imagine another 1000 years of enduring. According to the
Society, not only will you have to clean up the earth and rebuild, but
you’ll have to find extra time to teach all the newly resurrected ones
current Watchtower doctrine. Do you think you’ll make it?
John: Again,
John, all I can do is try. I need to concentrate now on being able to
live through Armageddon when it comes. Do you know that the faithful
Witnesses who survive through Armageddon will have no need of a
resurrection? The article says in paragraph 18,
“The marvelous thing about this
“great crowd” of “tribulation” survivors is that they never
experience a resurrection. Having never died and undergone the
dissolution of the human body, they will have no need for the King Jesus
Christ to call them out of the memorial tombs.
Because of the way they treated the anointed remnant of
Christ’s spiritual brothers in the past, these sheep like ones
have been put at the King’s right side of favor and to them he says at
the beginning of his millennial reign: ‘Come, you who have been
blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
founding of the world.’ Thus they will be ushered into the way toward
the gaining of perfect human life on a paradise earth”.
Chris:
Are
you serious, John? Is the Watchtower saying that the requirement for whether you
enter into the millennial reign of Christ is based on the way that you
treated the 144,000 class?
John:
That’s
what it says here. It even quotes Matthew 25:31-46. Do you remember that
story, Chris? Jesus has separated the sheep from the goats. After he
invites those on his right into the kingdom, he says, “For I became
hungry and you gave me something to eat; I got thirsty and you gave me
something to drink.” Do you remember?
Chris:
Yeah.
John:
The
righteous ones answer him and say, “Lord, when did we see you hungry
and feed you, or thirsty, and give you something to drink?” Jesus then
says, “Truly I say to YOU, To the extent that YOU did it to one of the
least of these my brothers, YOU did it to me”.
Chris:
So
if the Watchtower is right in saying that the 144,000 are Jesus’
brothers, that would mean that you’re not. Right?
John:
Well,
in a sense I am, but the anointed are granted the privilege of being
adopted sons of Jehovah. This would make them true brothers of Christ.
The other sheep don’t need this adoption, since we are not heavenly
heirs.
Chris:
John,
in Matthew 12:46-50 Jesus’ mother and brothers came looking for him.
When He was told of their presence, He asked this question: “Who is My
mother and who are My brothers? He said “For whoever does the will of
My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother”. Did you hear
that? Whoever does the will of Jehovah is Jesus’ brother. Being a
special part of God’s family is open to everyone, it’s not reserved
for a special anointed class. John: Hmm... I’ll think more about that. I'll see you again next week. |