The Man of Lawlessness in the 21st Century

[Space Merchant]

On 8/6/2019 at 1:07 PM, Witness said:

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2014764

 

And yet in what you linked it speaks of the chosen ones and several allusions to those of the church, as is, with what JWI and what the boy conveyed in the other thread which are in connection with this, especially concerning the church that Jesus built.

[Witness]

On 8/8/2019 at 2:51 AM, Space Merchant said:

nd yet in what you linked it speaks of the chosen ones and several allusions to those of the church, as is, with what JWI and what the boy conveyed in the other thread which are in connection with this, especially concerning the church that Jesus built.

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

²⁰ They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” ²¹ But the temple he had spoken of was his body.

The body of Christ is the Temple of God:

Elsewhere, the apostle Paul wrote of anointed Christians as “growing into a holy temple for Jehovah.” (Eph. 2:20-22)  w10 7/15 pp. 20-24

However, generally when the Christian Greek Scriptures speak of the “congregation” in the broad sense, they are referring to the 144,000 as a body subject to the head Christ Jesus. Thus Paul, at Ephesians 1:22, 23, speaks of “the congregation, which is his body,” and later writes: “I am speaking with respect to Christ and the congregation.”—Eph. 5:32  Wt 63/9/1 p. 538  “Names for Christ and His Congregation” 

Because, by self-scrutiny and after their hearing the Memorial discourse, they honestly acknowledged to themselves and to others that they were not members of Christ’s body, which the Scriptures show is made up of only 144,000 members under Jesus the one Head. w52 2/15 pp. 111-114 

Ever since Pentecost the “body of Christ,” which is limited to the one hundred and forty-four thousand that John saw “standing upon the mount Zion” with the Lamb, have been receiving the benefits of this provision, being declared righteous in the sight of God because of their faith in Christ’s sacrifice and their dedication to do Jehovah’s will.—Rev. 14:1, NW. w54 9/1 pp. 521-523

Body of Christ = Temple = House of God

"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."  Eph 2:20-22

The Body of Christ/temple is being built to serve the needs of all the children of God in the Kingdom.  This is God’s promise to His future children – it is the New Covenant promise of life.   Rev 21:2-4,9-12

 

 

 

[Space Merchant]

@Witness 

About John 2:19 (19-12) of this we know. This verse (or small passage), of which only Apostle John had recorded, John 20:19 is something of debate in the realm of those for/against Trinitarianism, such as the proclamation that spawns a pushed notion that Jesus Christ himself had performed the miracle of Self-Resurrection, which is false, due to that it was mentioned countless times that God had raised Jesus from the dead, more so, making him both Lord and Christ, which was professed by Simon Peter at Pentecost 33AD unto the disciples and evidently unto converts who accept both the faith and the teachings. What Jesus met by means of what he had said confused the Jews, for they assume he was talking about the Temple of Herod, which had been constructed in 46 years’ time. Later on we see when Jesus was under trail, his opposers, those against him began to speak his words, but clearly mix and twist regarding what Jesus had said, to spin the narrative, if you will (Matthew 26:61; 27:40 and Mark 14:58). But the factor of the matter is that Jesus was speaking figuratively as this is evident in John 2:21, for he was comparing his death and resurrection to that of destroyed/rebuilt temple. Jesus is also referred to as another term, the cornerstone, and both Simon Peter and Apostle Paul also a similar saying concerning the followers of Jesus.

Regarding the that the body of the Christ is the Temple of God, of this we also already know, and in that temple there is the faith, there is the teachings.

The verse you pointed to, Ephesians 2:21 has more to it. The outline [By Grace Through Faith] gives us insight of what this chapter conveys concerning Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church of Ephesus while he was in Rome. For 2:11–3:21 in full is concerning the change in the spiritual position of Gentiles as a result of the work of Christ, in addition to an account of how Paul was selected and qualified to be an apostle to the Gentiles, as is with talk of unity among those in the church of the same faith of which I had mentioned just some days ago in the Whitewash thread in response to the boy, which I will quote here:

On 8/5/2019 at 11:45 PM, Space Merchant said:

Ephesians 2:20-22, Chapter 2 in its entirely is regarding all Christians, in this regard, the Ephesians, and at the time Apostle Paul wrote this letter from Rome, while under guard and awaiting trial. More evidence that shows how Witness is painting the message on the wall here is the fact that chapter 1 (also well into 3), from the get go, Apostle Paul addresses both the chosen ones who will be with the Christ and the ones who will have eternal life, coming together in union to God through Jesus Christ. From there it brings us to chapter 2 whereas Paul spoke of the Old Covenant being a blockade to Jews and Gentiles, but because of Jesus sacrifice, because of the death of our Lord, this blockade has ceased to exist, for as stated many times, Jesus’ death enabled the New Covenant, all things pertaining to Spiritual Israel, and God’s people consist of both Jews as well as Gentile, for Paul pointed out already there is no distinction between Jew or Greek, and a nod to Simon Peter, who stated God is impartial, more so, God’s spirit dwells upon True Christians who accept the teachings and adhere to what Jesus taught, as is with worship his God.

Around the time this letter was written, a similar letter was conveyed by Apostle Paul to the Church of Colossae. Both the Colossians and the Ephesians had similar issues, in the case of the Ephesians, there was a lot of paganism concerning them, especially their area, i.e. one of the wonders of the land of which was mentioned in the Bible.

Regarding your source, “congregation” is the joining of people in groups, organized, etc. Said group of people gather together for a purpose and or activity (in this case, they congregate together to worship and profess faith in unity). In the Hebrew text, this term is often associated with The Nation of Israel (or simply put - Israel) whereas in the Greek text, it refers to people and or individual congregations of a body of Christians and or often a direct reference to the general Christian church congregation, however often times some translations the term Church or Congregation is often used in order to show the reader the difference of what is being referred to when and where, etc. The term associated with both church and congregation is "Fellowship" which in brief means the friendly association and or gathering; especially with people who share one's interests, more so, those who are of the faith, called, being in fellowship with the Son who is Lord – For Apostle Paul’s greeting and thanking God for the Corinthians he had mentioned this in his first letter to them.

Said second source of which you pulled speaks of those who are not among the chosen ones who will rule alongside, it even makes the distinction that such ones are dedicated to God and Jesus, more so, being in the same church, having the same faith as those who deem themselves as chosen concerning the body.

Pentecost 33AD and all events regarding it is shown and can be read in the book of Acts chapter 2 in full, its allusion being chapter 1 as is Luke 24 and other marginal references.

Jesus’ sacrifice is also something of benefit for mankind itself outside of the chosen ones, especially the sheep that are loyal and faithful and accepting of the teachings of the Christ of which they accept and built their faith upon, which brings 1 John 2:22 to mind.

The term “Body of Christ” has several main but separate meanings. We already see and understand that in Luke 22:12-14, the term refers to [Jesus' words over the bread at the Last Supper that in regards to his body] and in Apostle Paul’s case, namely in his Letter to the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 and his letter to the Ephesians, Ephesians 4:1-16, [he links the term to the Christian Church (Congregation)]. This term is also in connection of what you are conveying by only small portions from said sources you are drawing from, which is [concerning the chosen ones who will reign and rule with our Lord – Christ Jesus]. For some also associate the term [concerning the Lord when he associated himself with the poor of the world and this is also called the Body of Christ.]

Aside from that, why not show more from your source and or take into account concerning the church itself as I have a bit more?

Of this we know (again... regarding the body of the Christ). We can also take into account of chapter 1 of Apostle Paul’s focus concerning both the chosen ones and the faithful servants of the Christ in the Church. God’s purposes concern his household, for they, the chosen ones who will side with Christ and they, the ones to have the eternal life and resurrection hope, are united with God our Father through our Lord, Christ Jesus. For it is not unknown to anyone that Apostle Paul addresses both, granted that he himself was very close and connected with the Church of Ephesians.

That being said, would have said something sooner, but clearly I was far more focused on all things pertaining on big news that has spun the wheels of the truther community.