Let Nothing Deprive You of the Prize

Beroean Pickets – JW.org Reviewer

[From ws17/11 p. 25 – January 22-28] “Let no man deprive you of the prize.”? – Col 2:18. Consider this picture. On the left we have two old people looking forward to the hope of being with Christ in the Kingdom of the Heavens. On the right we have young people looking forward to the hope of living in a paradise earth. In reference to Christians—to repeat, in reference to Christians—does the Bible speak of two hopes? The last paragraph of this study concludes: “The prize before us?—whether immortal life in heaven or everlasting life on a paradise earth—?is marvelous to contemplate.” Is this teaching based on Scripture? Granted, the Bible speaks of two resurrections. “And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Ac 24:15) When Paul refers to “these men”, he is referring to the Jewish leaders who were standing before him in a judicial hearing seeking his death. Even these opposers believed in two resurrections, as did Paul. Nevertheless, Paul’s personal hope was to achieve the resurrection of the righteous. “I am pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God by means of Christ Jesus.” (Php 3:14) So why would Paul say that he had “hope toward God…that there is going to be a resurrection of…the unrighteous” if he wasn’t hoping for that end himself? The love of Christ was in Paul as it should be in all his followers. Just as God does not wish any to be destroyed, Paul, secure in his own hope, also hoped for a resurrection of unrighteous ones. This was not a guarantee of salvation, but it was an opportunity for such. Jesus said: “But if anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I came, not to judge the world, but to save the world.” (Joh 12:47) Judgment day is yet future, so those who have died—even those who have heard Jesus sayings, but not kept them—are not judged unworthy of the opportunity of life. There is a hope for such unrighteous ones. Many of these will be those who call themselves Christian; who hear Jesus’ sayings, yet do not keep them. However, that is not the message that Jehovah’s Witnesses are imparting via the opening illustration of this article. For Witnesses, there are actually three resurrections. One of the unrighteous to earth, and two of the righteous: one to heaven and the other to earth. Righteous non-spirit-anointed Jehovah’s Witnesses are known as the other sheep of John 10:16. These are declared righteous as God’s friends to live everlastingly on the earth. They get resurrected at the start of the 1,000 reign of Christ to prepare the way for the resurrection of the unrighteous which follows. The righteous Jehovah’s Witnesses will teach and instruct the unrighteous hordes that will return progressively. Other sheep elders among Jehovah’s Witnesses will serve as rulers or princes on the earth for the anointed kings ruling far away in heaven with Christ. (This is how Witnesses misapply Isaiah 32:1, 2 which clearly applies to the anointed brothers of Christ who rule with him in the kingdom of the heavens. – Re 20:4-6) Here’s the problem: The Bible doesn’t teach this earthly resurrection of righteous other sheep. With that in mind, let’s look at all the evidence provided in this article to support the idea that the other sheep of John 10:16 are not part of the anointed followers of Jesus, the children of God. To be clear, we’re dealing with finding proof that everyone depicted on the right side of the opening illustration is envisioning a legitimate hope as they picture their prize. Paragraph 1 The other sheep have a different hope. They look forward to gaining the prize of everlasting life on earth?—and what a happy prospect that is!?—2 Pet. 3:13. 2 Peter 3:13 says: “But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise,