We all descend from Adam and Adam was created by God. This means that we can all call ourselves God’s children. But that is just a technicality. Legally, we are fatherless; we are orphans.
Noah was a special man, chosen to survive the destruction of the ancient world. Yet Jehovah never called him son. Abraham was chosen to found God’s nation of Israel because he put faith in the Almighty, and such faith was counted to him as righteousness. As a consequence, Jehovah called him friend, but not son. (James 2:23) The list goes on: Moses, David, Elijah, Daniel, Jeremiah—all outstanding men of faith, yet none are called God’s sons in the Bible. [A]
Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father in the heavens….” We now take this for granted, often failing to recognize the earth-shaking change this simple phrase represented when first uttered. Consider such prayers as Solomon’s at the inauguration of the Temple (1 Kings 8:22-53) or Jehoshaphat’s appeal for God’s deliverance from a massive invading force (2Ch 20:5-12). Neither refers to the Almighty as Father, only as God. Before Jesus, Jehovah’s servants called him God, not Father. All of that changed with Jesus. He opened the door to reconciliation, to adoption, to a familial relationship with the Divine one, to calling God, “Abba Father”. (Ro 5:11; John 1:12; Ro 8:14-16)
In the well-known song, Amazing Grace, there is a poignant stanza that goes: “I once was lost but now am found”. How well this captures the emotion so many Christians have felt down through the centuries when first coming to experience God’s love, first calling him Father and meaning it. Such a hope sustained them through untold sufferings and the miseries of life. The wasting flesh was no longer a prison, but a vessel that, once abandoned, gave way to the true and real life of a child of God. Though very few grasped it, this was the hope that Jesus brought to the world. (1Co 15:55-57; 2Co 4:16-18; John 1:12; 1Ti 6:19)
A New Hope?
For 20 centuries this has been the hope that has sustained faithful Christians even through unimaginable persecution. However, in the 20th century one individual decided to put a stop to it. He preached another hope, a new one. For the past 80 years, millions have been led to believe they cannot call God Father—at least not in the only sense that matters, the legal sense. While still promised eternal life—eventually, after a thousand additional years—these millions have been denied the hope of legal adoption. They remain orphans.
In a landmark two-article series entitled “His Kindness” in the 1934 Watchtower, then president of the Watchtower, Bible & Tract Society, Judge Rutherford, convinced Jehovah’s Witnesses that God had revealed through him the existence of a secondary class of Christian. The members of this newly revealed class were not to be called children of God, nor could they consider Jesus as their mediator. They were not in the new covenant and would not inherit eternal life upon their resurrection even if they had died faithfully. They were not anointed with God’s spirit and must therefore reject Jesus’ command to partake of the memorial emblems. When Armageddon came, these ones would survive it, but would then have to work toward perfection over the course of a thousand years. Those who died prior to Armageddon were to be resurrected as part of the resurrection of the righteous, but would continue in their sinful state, having to work together with the Armageddon survivors to gain perfection only at the end of the thousand years. (w34 8/1 and 8/15)
Jehovah’s Witnesses accept this understanding because they consider that Rutherford was part of the 20th century “faithful and discreet slave”. As such he was Jehovah’s appointed channel of communication for his people. Today, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses is considered to be that slave. (Mt 24:45-47)
A Doctrine Unwittingly Disavowed
From what does this belief stem, and why have all the other churches of Christendom missed it? The doctrine is based on two premises:
- There is a prophetic antitypical correspondence to Jehu’s invitation to Jonadab to get into his chariot.
- The six Israelite cities of refuge typified a secondary form of salvation for the vast majority of Christians today.
The application of these typical/antitypical prophetic parallels is not to be found anywhere in Scripture. To put that another way for clarity’s sake: nowhere in the Bible is application made to link Jehu’s invitation to Jonadab nor the cities of refuge with anything in our day. (For an in-depth analysis of these two articles see "Going Beyond What Is Written")
This is the sole basis upon which our doctrine denying millions the hope of adoption as God’s sons is founded. Let us be clear! No other Scriptural basis has ever been provided in our publications to replace Rutherford’s revelation, and to this day we continue to refer to his teaching in the mid-1930s as the moment when Jehovah revealed to us the existence of this earthly “other sheep” class.
There are many sincere Bible students among my JW brethren—men and women who love truth. It is fitting to draw the attention of such ones to a recent and important development. In the 2014 Annual Meeting as well as a recent “Question from Readers”, the “faithful and discreet slave” have rejected the use of types and antitypes when such have not been applied in the Scriptures themselves. The application of non-Scriptural prophetic types is now considered to be ‘going beyond what is written’. (See footnote B)
Since we still accept Rutherford’s teaching, it appears that the Governing Body is unaware that this new teaching invalidates his entire premise. It appears that they have unwittingly cut the pins out from under our “other sheep” doctrine.
Sincere Bible students are left to ponder the following dichotomy of facts based on accepted JW theology.
- The faithful and discreet slave is God’s appointed channel of communication.
- Judge Rutherford was the faithful and discreet slave.
- Judge Rutherford introduced the current “other sheep” doctrine.
- Rutherford based this doctrinal finding solely on prophetic types not found in Scripture.
Conclusion: The “other sheep” doctrine originates from Jehovah.
- The current Governing Body is the faithful and discreet slave.
- The Governing Body is God’s appointed channel of communication.
- The Governing Body has disavowed the use of prophetic types which are not found in scripture.
Conclusion: Jehovah is telling us that it is wrong to accept doctrine based on prophetic types not found in Scripture.
We must add to the above statements one unassailable truth: “It is impossible for God to lie.” (He 6:18)
Therefore, the only way that we can resolve these contradictions is to admit that either the current “faithful slave” is wrong, or that the 1934 “faithful slave” was wrong. They simply cannot both be right. However, that forces us to acknowledge that on at least one of those two occasions, the “faithful slave” was not acting as God’s channel, for God cannot lie.
They’re Just Imperfect Men
The standard response I’ve gotten when confronting one of my brothers with an obvious error made by the “faithful slave” is that ‘they are just imperfect men and make mistakes’. I’m an imperfect man, and I make mistakes, and I have the honor to be able to share my beliefs with a wider audience through this web site, but I have never suggested that God speaks through me. It would be incredibly and dangerously presumptuous for me to suggest such a thing.
Consider this: Would you take your life savings to a broker who said that he was God’s appointed channel of communication, but also admitted that sometimes his stock tips were wrong because, well, after all, he’s just an imperfect human and humans make mistakes? We are dealing with something far more valuable here than our life savings. We’re talking about saving our life.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are now being asked to put implicit and unconditional trust in a body of men claiming to speak for God. What then are we to do when that self-appointed "faithful slave" gives us conflicting instructions? They tell us that it’s okay to disobey Jesus’ command to partake of the emblems because we are not spirit anointed. However, they also tell us—albeit unwittingly—that the basis for that belief “goes beyond the things written”. Which edict are we to obey?
Jehovah would never do this to us. He would never confuse us. He only confuses his enemies.
Facing the Facts
Everything presented thus far is fact. It can be verified easily using on-line resources available to everyone. However, most Jehovah’s Witnesses will be troubled by these facts. Some may adopt the attitude of the proverbial ostrich and bury their head in the sand hoping it will all go away. Others will raise objections based on the interpretation of Romans 8:16 or simply hunker down, putting blind trust in men with the disclaimer that they need do nothing but wait on Jehovah.
We will attempt to address these issues and objections in the next part of this series.
_________________________________________
[A] 1 Chronicles 17:13 speaks of God being a father to Solomon, but in that context we can see this is not a legal arrangement, an adoption. Rather, Jehovah is speaking to David about the way he will treat Solomon, such as when a man reassures a dying friend that he will care for his surviving sons as if they were his own. Solomon was not given the inheritance of God’s sons, which is eternal life.
[B] “Who is to decide if a person or an event is a type if the word of God doesn’t say anything about it? Who is qualified to do that? Our answer? We can do no better than to quote our beloved brother Albert Schroeder who said, “We need to exercise great care when applying accounts in the Hebrew Scriptures as prophetic patterns or types if these accounts are not applied in the Scriptures themselves.” Wasn’t that a beautiful statement? We agree with it. Subsequently he stated that we should not use them “where the scriptures themselves do not clearly identify them as such. We simply cannot go beyond what is written.” – From discourse given by Governing Body Member David Splane at the 2014 Annual Meeting (Time marker: 2:12). See also the “Questions from Readers” in the March 15, 2015 The Watchtower.
Archived Comments
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Comment by peter on 2015-03-19 13:15:22
Shalom my brother i wanted to share a thought with you about a comment you said. I quote: Before Jesus, Jehovah’s servants called him God, not Father. I have to correct you my brother on that view, you would be surprised to find out that..that is not the case. Israel has always known God as their Father example the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah 63:16 it read's For you are our father,though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not recognize us.You,Jehovah, are our father;you have been called our protector from ancient times. Read also Malachi 2:10 where the prophet emphasized God's role as father to all. it reads, Do we not all have one father? Did not one God create us? Read Deu 32:6 Is this how you repay Jehovah,
you foolish, unwise people? Is he not your Father, your creator? also Psalms 68:5 He is a father to the fatherless and an advocate for widows.God rules from his holy palace. I could site many more passages in the hebrew scriptures where his people viewed Jehovah as their Father. even in their hebrew names they show that view for example the name Abiel means God is my father. Abida = my father knows, Abiezer =my father helps. and Abinadab= my father gives freely. Abishalom = my father is peace. and so many hebrew names carry the thought of God jehovah as their father. So i would rethink my brother on your view on the issue. Good post tho Shalom.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2015-03-19 16:37:20
Israel is indeed referred to as God's son and he, its father. Jehovah is viewed as the Father of the collective. The nation, the people, the group. That is the OT view. However, considering God as a personal Father, an intimate that would inspire his servants to cry out "Abba Father"--essentially calling him Papa or Daddy--is not a concept found in the OT. The nation was God's son, but the individuals were not his adopted children. They did not get the inheritance of sons. Otherwise, there would have been no need for Jesus to open the door to reconciliation with God making possible the adoption of humans as God's sons.
Reply by on 2015-03-20 04:01:32
Hi Meleti you took three words out of my mouth
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2015-03-20 07:57:06
Which three, or did you mean "the words". :)
Comment by miken on 2015-03-20 07:23:11
Do all the clergy of Roman Catholicism and of Protestantism agree that Jehovah’s witnesses have been and are God’s prophet to the nations? but, Who discerned the divine will for Christians in this time of the world’s end and offered themselves to do it? Who have undertaken God’s foreordained work for this day of judgment of the nations? Who have answered the call to the work and have done it down till this year 1958? Whom has God actually used as his prophet?
14 By the historical facts of the case Christendom is beaten back in defeat. Jehovah’s witnesses are deeply grateful today that the plain facts show that God has been pleased to use them. All the preaching and all the Bible educational work that they have done till now in 175 countries and islands of the sea they confess has been, not by help of a military army, nor by human power, but by God’s spirit, his invisible active force. (Zech. 4:6, AV) It has been because Jehovah thrust out his hand of power and touched their lips and put his words in their mouths. It has evidently been because he commissioned them to be over the nations and over the kingdoms. Happy are all those who have seen what the work of Jehovah God for now is and who have volunteered to do it.
Watchtower Jan 15, 1959, pages 40-41
The Watchtower has claimed to publish “the words of God’s prophet” (Watchtower 1936 p.182 par.18) and that “God uses The Watchtower to communicate to his people; it does not consist of men’s opinions.” (Watchtower 1/1/1942 p. 5)
Jehovah’s Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus’ second coming, have suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Because of this, some have called them false prophets. Never in these instances, however, did they presume to originate predictions ‘in the name of Jehovah.’ Never did they say, ‘These are the words of Jehovah.’ Awake March 22, 1993 page 4, Footnotes
See Deut 18:20-22.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2015-03-20 08:00:33
It's the Brooklyn two-step. We say we are not God's prophet and are not inspired, while saying we are God's way of communicating with mankind.
Thanks for bringing these Watchtower quotes into the light of day, Miken.Reply by stonedragon2k on 2015-03-20 16:36:41
The excuse: 'They are just imperfect men' - that simply does not wash.
The truthfulness of Jehovah's message is not contingent on the agency.
For example God used a donkey to speak to Baalam. The donkey was neither perfect or human, but it correctly conveyed Jehovah's message.
Jesus said at Luke 19:40 that God could use the stones to cry out the truth.
Finally consider the words of Joshua, which I use as my benchmark to counter any such comments:
Not a promise failed out of all the good promise that Jehovah had made to the house of Israel; it all came true. (Joshua 21:45)
God used imperfect men in Joshua's day, but EVERYTHING CAME TRUE!!!
There was no 'the light is getting brighter', 'a generation meant this, but now it means this' and so we could go on.
GOD USES IMPERFECT MEN = A TRUE MESSAGE THAT COMES TRUE.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2015-03-20 17:45:49
Excellent reasoning. Thank you.
Reply by stonedragon2k on 2015-03-20 19:43:22
Thank you brother
Reply by Mailman on 2015-03-21 02:08:01
Wow, you nailed this one! Bookmarking this... it deserves another look every time the same argument is raised by our brothers who are no longer thinking outside of the Governing body box.
Reply by Mailman on 2015-03-21 02:12:19
Wow, you nailed that thing. Problem with this argument is it absolves the Governing Body "always". They like to play the imperfection card always when there's a perceived flaw from their declarations re: new light. Can't members be disfellowshipped too for their inaccurate pronouncements about sacred matters?
Reply by kev on 2015-03-21 11:58:58
Yeah the old the brothers are imperfect card It doesnt wash with me any more . The last time an elder said that to me i said that so are the members of christendom but they are condemned arent they . . Needless to say they didnt like that one but it is true isnt it . Kev
Comment by noble_minded_thinker on 2015-03-20 12:37:05
In the 2014 November Study Edition Watchtower article "Now You are God's People" they liken the "other sheep" to the foreign residents that resided with the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt. The idea is that the foreign residents were not part of God's covenant with Israel but could still worship God acceptably provided that they stayed closely associated with God's covenant people.
When I read this article it certainly seemed like new information to me as I've never heard this explanation before. I would be interested in some more in-depth analysis on this explanation.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2015-03-20 17:40:05
Hi noble minded thinker, and welcome to our little group.
I do not know if that is a new understanding or not, but what I can tell you is that it is based on another typical/anti-typical prophetic parallel that is the concoction of the minds of men. There is nothing in the Bible linking the Egyptians that crossed the Red Sea with the Israelites to a secondary group of Christians. Simply put, the writer was looking for some incident in Bible history that would seem to support the idea that the other sheep are a separate group of Christians with a different hope, excluded from the new covenant and the spiritual nation of Israel. It is the doctrinal equivalent of the tail wagging the dog. The Bible is so complex and there are so many diverse events related in it, that it is quite possible for anyone with even a modicum of imagination to take any wild idea they may have and find some apparent, even convincing, parallel. But we must not be deceived. The Bible is not a secret code book to be deciphered by the wise and intellectual among us.Reply by filadefia on 2015-03-27 03:25:18
True talk, brother! The same way they switch simple parables to prophecy (The 10 Virgin, The leaven etc!) So sad they have the audacity to be teaching these things that are not in any way remotely related, and tomorrow they will swing the meaning to something else.....
Reply by anderestimme on 2015-03-20 18:08:09
No, nmt, it's not new. I found it as far back as the 10/15/53 Watchtower. However, using the principle "let scripture interpret scripture", I submit this:
(Ephesians 2:19-22) 19 So you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the holy ones and are members of the household of God, 20 and you have been built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone. 21 In union with him the whole building, being harmoniously joined together, is growing into a holy temple for Jehovah. 22 In union with him you too are being built up together into a place for God to inhabit by spirit.
Reply by kev on 2015-03-21 05:31:28
i think the reasoning was from the article a people whose god is jehovah . The vast mixed company that came out of egypt is not a very good prophetic pattern for the great crowd non anionted jehovahs witnesses . They did not reach thier promised land but died in the wilderness for thier lack of faith .its ok qouting the OT in support of the two classes of christian But im not aware of this teaching in the NT . Jesus clearly said the other sheep would become one flock . John 10 .paul clearly said there is one hope to which christians are called . Ephesians 4 .The bible does speak of the first and second ressurection though revelation 20 . The first of gods faithful worshippers the second for the rest of mankind who will be judged based on what the had done during thier lives .
Reply by kev on 2015-03-21 12:09:03
I guess the witnesses are striving to be part of the 2 nd ressurection the ressurection of judgement . Revelation 20 .
Comment by JimmyG on 2015-03-20 16:47:17
This is an example of 'doublespeak'
Comment by JimmyG on 2015-03-20 16:50:26
My last comment was a response to Miken's.
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