The Watchtower magazine states: "The Governing Body is neither inspired nor infallible. Therefore, it can err in doctrinal matters… Of course Jesus did not tell us that his faithful slave would produce perfect spiritual food.”
“Who is Leading God’s People Today?” The Watchtower Study Edition, February 2017 (pg. 26, para. 12) A self evident fact: Truth is not truth unless it's without error. “The Truth” is a Person “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) “The truth” is a person, not teachings or doctrines. "True Food" is a Person “I am the bread of life …Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I will resurrect him on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink … the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. It is not as when your forefathers ate and yet died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:35, 48, 54, 55-69) "Produce" or "Give"? Did Jesus Christ say his faithful slave would “produce” food? Or “give” food? "Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?” (Mat. 24:45) An important distinction. A faithful slave is known by giving "true food" and "the truth," which is Christ. God's Word provides an example of a faithful slave in the apostle Paul. Paul was Chosen as a Vessel "the Lord said to him: “Go! because this man is a chosen vessel to me'" (Acts 9:15) The persecutor was chosen by the Lord Jesus to be a "vessel" for the Master's use. Paul did not produce spiritual food. Later, Paul referred to himself as a mere vessel, a container, for the "treasure" of God. The apostle Paul, a slave for Jesus Christ, expressly preached not himself, but Christ Jesus. He "let" God's light shine so that the face of Christ could "illuminate" the hearts of others. "For we are preaching, not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For God is he who said: 'Let the light shine out of darkness,' and he has shone on our hearts to illuminate them with the glorious knowledge of God by the face of Christ. However, we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the power beyond what is normal may be God’s and not that out of ourselves." (2 Cor. 4:5-7, Reference Bible, 1984 ed.*) The objective in knowing Christ is to be "filled with all the fullness that God gives." "know the love of the Christ, which surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness that God gives." (Eph. 3;19) *Where the 1984 edition reads, "we are preaching, not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord," the 2013 translators added the word "about." The change touches at the heart of this issue. Do you want to hear "about" Christ, or Christ himself? "My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27) Note the Corinthian believers viewed Paul as a "fool." Why? "I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 2:1, 2). God's fullness dwells in Christ. "He is the image of the invisible God ... God was pleased to have all fullness to dwell in him... the glorious riches of this sacred secret, which is Christ in union with you, the hope of his glory." (Col. 1:1, 19, 27) "'Lord, whom shall we go away to?'" Christ Jesus. "'Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life.'" (John 6:68) The "Way" is a Person "Jesus said to him: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) Christ is the Rock Christ is the Rock on which the Christian congregation is built, and of the streams that issue from that rock from which all believers drink, and are refreshed. "and all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they used to drink from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock meant the Christ." (1 Cor. 10:3,4) "Whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty at all, but the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water bubbling up to impart everlasting life.” (John 4:14) "on this rock I will build my congregation, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it" (Mat. 16:18) "'For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.'” (Mat. 18:20) But how few try the method which Christ has expressly enjoined to all his disciples! In all our assemblies we should seek direction in prayer. We cannot prize the promises of God highly enough. Wherever and whenever we meet in the name of Christ, we should consider him as present in the midst of us. Christ is The Center of Everything Jesus said he was. For example, in Luke 24 Jesus applied Moses, the Psalms, and all the Prophets, all to himself. So that in our reading of the Word of God, WHEREVER we happen to be reading, the question that should always be in our minds is: "What has this to do with Christ?" and if you bring that question to your reading of the Word of God, wherever you may read, you will at once get a new understanding of the Word. ALL the Scriptures speak of Jesus. The cumulative effect of all parts of the Word of God is to bring you to Christ. You must not read the Word of God as history, narrative, prophecy, or as anything else as a theme in itself. But always ask the question, "What has this to do with Christ?" and until you can find what it has to do with Christ you have not found the key. So, "Who really is" the faithful slave? "Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?” (Mat. 24:45) The question provides the answer. A truly faithful servant is shown to "give" the true food, like Paul, a "chosen vessel" who "let" Christ Jesus shine as Lord. "For we are preaching, not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For God is he who said: 'Let the light shine out of darkness,' and he has shone on our hearts to illuminate them with the glorious knowledge of God by the face of Christ." (2 Cor. 4:5, 6; Reference Bible, 1984 ed.) "That one must keep on increasing, but I must keep on decreasing" The ministry of John the Baptist was to introduce Christ Jesus to the world (John 3:28-30). Our commission is the same. John was fully satisfied with the place and work assigned him. But Jesus came on a more important work. John knew that Jesus came from heaven as the Son of God and would increase in honor and influence. John knew himself as a sinful, fallible man, who could only speak about the more plain subjects of religion. The words of Jesus were the words of God. Jesus had the Holy Spirit, not by measure, as the prophets, but in all fullness. Everlasting life can only be had by faith in Jesus. Note the “if” “Happy is that slave if his master on coming finds him doing so!” (Mat. 24:46) Followed by a warning. “and will assign him his place with the hypocrites” (Mat. 24:51) No hypocrisy can be baser than to call ourselves ministers of Christ while we are the slaves of pride or ambition. Wherever such are found, may God reform them by his loving kindness, or disarm them of that power and influence which they continually abuse to his dishonor, and to their own aggravated condemnation. “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.” (James 3:1) It is bad to keep away from Christ ourselves, but worse also to keep others from him. The wheat and the weeds "grow up together" Christ Jesus said the wheat and the weeds would "grow up together" until he sends angels to separate the weeds from the wheat. "The Son of man will send his angels, and they will collect out from his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling and people who practice lawlessness, and they will pitch them into the fiery furnace. There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be. At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Let the one who has ears listen." (Mat. 13:24-30, 36-43) "My sheep listen to my voice" "My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27) (Compare to ""I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!'" - Mat 7:23.) "Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today if you listen to his voice ...'" (Heb 3:7) "Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his house and take the evening meal with him and he with me." (Rev. 3:20)
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