Question #64

The WTS teaches that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will not reside with Christ in his heavenly kingdom. How then do you explain Mt 8:11 in which Jesus says," But I tell you that many from eastern parts and western parts will come and recline at the table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens"?

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The Watchtower teaches that because that is a biblical teaching. Unfortunately, the masses of churchgoers are untaught and ignorant as regards basic Bible truths.

The truth is, no one may go to heaven unless they be born again. That is what Jesus stated to a Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus. How does one become born again? Jesus went on to explain that a person has to be born from the water and the spirit. In other words, a person must be baptized into Christ and be anointed with holy spirit. And the truth is, no one before Christ was baptized into Christ or anointed with holy spirit. In fact, Jesus was the very first person to be anointed and born again. That is what the words messiah and Christ mean – anointed one. That is why at Romans 8:29 Paul described Jesus as “the firstborn of many brothers.”

At Matthew 11:11-13 Jesus stated: “Truly I say to you people, Among those born of women there has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is. But from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of the heavens is the goal toward which men press, and those pressing forward are seizing it. For all, the Prophets and the Law, prophesied until John…”

In stating that John the Baptist was the greatest man but a lesser one in the kingdom is greater than he, Jesus was saying that John was not in the kingdom. And why was such a great man not in the kingdom? Because he was murdered before Christ ascended back to heaven to pour out the promised anointing spirit; hence, John was not born again, as Jesus said one must be in order to enter the kingdom.

Churchgoers are largely ignorant about what the kingdom of God is. Most imagine that it is heaven itself, but that is not the case. The kingdom is a government located in heaven composed of Christ and 144,000 born again, associate kings and priests. Their being born again means that they are ultimately reborn as spirit sons of God in heaven. That heavenly kingdom is going to destroy all earthly political governments and rule the world. It will bring about the resurrection of the dead back to earth. There is also to be a great crowd of persons who will survive the end of this present, evil system. In the 25^th chapter of Matthew Jesus said that these sheep-like persons will inherit the kingdom.

That does not mean that they are born again rulers though. Inheriting the kingdom means that they will enjoy the many blessings that the kingdom will bring.

Since it was not possible for Abraham, Isaac or Jacob to have been born again followers of Jesus, for obvious reasons, their entering the kingdom is used in an illustrative way. Since Abraham is called the Father of all those having faith and his sons are the founders of the nation of Israel, Jesus used Abraham and sons to represent the faithful chosen ones who will comprise the Israel of God, Christ’s anointed congregation. 

Question #65

Every true Christian would agree that we should follow the commands of God. In Mk 9:7, God the Father commands us to listen to Jesus. Do you follow this command and listen to Jesus? After all, Jesus died for your personal sins (1Jn 2:2, 1Pet 2:24). Jesus tells us to go directly to him (Mt 11:28-30), and the Father commanded us to listen to Jesus. Why? Because JESUS gives us everlasting life (Jn 10:28), and so that JESUS will enter our house and be with us and give us the right to sit on his throne (Rev 3:20- 21). Do you pray to Jesus as Paul and the early Christians did (1Cor 1:2)? Do you partake of the flesh of Christ as Jesus commanded (Jn 6:51)? If not, then are you following the command of the Father who said "Listen to him"?
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Jehovah’s Witnesses listen to Jesus. And not just listen, they earnestly endeavor to obey him as Lord.

On the matter of prayer, When Jesus was on earth he taught his disciples how to pray in his name and he set the example in his own personal prayers. Jesus, of course, did not pray to himself. At John 17:3 Jesus prayed to the one whom he addressed as “the only true God.” So, if true Christians are going to follow the example of Jesus they will pray to the only true God too, whom the Bible reveals is named Jehovah.

Jehovah’s Witnesses also endeavor to listen to Christ by publicly preaching and being no part of the world. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not share in popular holidays and customs that originated in paganism.

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not take up arms and kill their fellowman nor do they become involved in the political affairs of the world. The masses of churchgoers generally see no contradiction with praising Jesus as God while directly or indirectly supporting corrupt politicians and promoting war.

For example, the last president Bush was elected to office due in no small measure to the vigorous support by the evangelicals in America. One particularly zealous pastor electioneering for Bush was reported to have told his flock that no true Christian could vote democratic. (Which, ironically, is true, of course, but neither would a true Christian vote for a Republican)

At any rate, no sooner was Bush elected then he plunged America into a war with no end. So far over one million Iraqis have died as a result of the violence Bush set into motion with the undying support of Jesus-praying, Bible-thumping, flag-waving fundamentalists.

Jesus said that many people who claim to follow him are deluded and will be condemned on that day. Specifically, Jesus stated: “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

According to Jesus, true Christians are not merely those who say they believe in Jesus. And they certainly are not those who pray to Jesus. The true Christian is he who does the will of God.

Obviously, there is an enormous element of hypocrisy on the part of those who would presume to present 65 questions for Jehovah’s Witnesses.