Christians' heavenly hope

The unity of all Christians

Let's have a structure for our document: Does the Bible support the separation of Christians into two classes? 1. Do the promises of the New Testament refer only to the first Christians or to all Christians? 2. Are there believers who do not go to heaven? Did the believers from the Old Testament go to heaven? 2.1. The unity of all believers 2.2. Are there believers who do not go to heaven? a. David (Acts 2:34 "For David did not ascend to heaven...") b. Job (Job 14:7-15) c. John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11-12) 3. Is the promise of "inheriting the Earth" given to another category of believers? 4. Do Revelation 7 and 14 support the two-class theory? 5. Final thoughts and conclusion

I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that you sent Me (...) Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:20-21.24)

The main signs spoken of by Jesus, through which the world can recognise his followers, are love and unity. The perfect unity, for which He also prayed, is realised both in this life and after.

God, who wanted so much for his children to be in unity, promised the same hope for all who believe in Him: eternal life in deep community with Him in heaven.(1)

The aim of Jesus' coming was "... to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 12:10). Because of our sins we were far from and alien to God(2), our Creator: we were as his enemies(3). Jesus overcame sin(4), brought us forgiveness, reconciled us to God(5), renewed our lives(6) and so brought us back into sonship. In this way we can again call God our Father(7), be in eternal community with Him and with Jesus and with ALL those who love Him.

All those who serve Jesus will be there, where Jesus is.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. (John 12: 24-26)

In the context of the passage above, Jesus speaks about the suffering that will come upon Him, and the fruit of His suffering and obedience. He will bring much fruit through this and will bring salvation to all those who obey Him. He also draws a parallel: those who follow Him, should also be ready to give up their lives (not necessarily physically but first of all spiritually, not to live for themselves), and so He gives them the promise that they will be with Him for ever; as they participated in His suffering so they will participate in his glory as well. Similarly in 2 Timothy and John it is written:

It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him... (2 Timothy 2:11-12)

Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going. Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:1-6)

Jesus encourages the disciples to have trust in Him, because this is why he came: to show the way to the Father, to prepare a place for us, and to take us with Him into heavenly glory - into eternal community with Him and the Father. His statement about the way shows that this is the goal and the way for all those who want to follow Jesus.

In spite of these clear words from Jesus, the Jehovah's Witnesses teach that there are two classes of Christians who have different hopes(8): one class (consisting of 144.000 chosen ones) have heavenly hope; the other class (a great multitude) have an earthly hope. They can interpret it so only by ignoring the very clear words of Jesus and the apostles.

Besides the words of Jesus mentioned above (where Jesus clearly says that all those who serve Him and all those who will believe the words of the apostles will be together with Him, will see His glory in its fullness and will share in the same joy(9) as Him), there are a lot of passages in the New Testament which speak about the heavenly hope that Christians have(10). Jehovah's Witnesses interpret these passages as referring to the 144,000 chosen ones, or sometimes they simply say, "it refers to the first Christians"(11).

But let's examine first one of their most important passages, a pillar of their teaching:

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom... (Luke 12:32)

And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers." (Luke 12:42-46)

This passage – according to them(12) – speaks about the 144,000 chosen ones who form "the little flock". Additionally, this passage "gives them" the basis upon which they demand that their members obey the Watchtower Society without question, because it is the "faithful servant" "who gives food at the proper time" to the other servants.

Actually, it is not possible to find a base for such an interpretation from Jesus' words - rather the contrary.

If we look at v.32 in its context, it is obvious that Jesus didn't address these words to a special group of his followers, but they are a part of an encouragement, which is valid for all time for anyone who wants to follow him. The flock is little, not because it consists of only 144,000, but because it consists of those who walk on the narrow way.(13)

Furthermore, a central topic in Jesus' teaching is that no one should be smaller or greater; that we should all be brothers, children of the same Father.(14)

In the parables we should not try to attribute a meaning to each detail, as they are a pictorial way of expressing certain ideas. This parable has a similar content to the previous ones (v.36-40). Jesus told many parables which focus on the aspect of watchfulness, since he wanted to make us conscious, that only by persevering in good and by remaining steadfast in obeying Him can we reach the goal.

An additional aspect expressed in this parable is summarised in verses 47-48. Everyone is accountable according to the responsibility they received: those who know the will of God – the Christians, as well as those who do not know – the others. This idea might be an answer to Peter's question from v.41. Jesus wanted to make him conscious of the fact that everybody should be watchful and aware of how they conducts their lives, regardless of their level of understanding or responsibility.

For further examination we shall take a close look at two questions:

1. DO THE PROMISES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT REFER ONLY TO THE FIRST CHRISTIANS OR TO ALL CHRISTIANS?

Jesus came to save mankind, to call all those who long for God's glory. That's why we can state clearly, that the New Testament was not only written for the first Christians, or for 144,000 chosen Christians.(15) The promises it contains refer to all Christians of every time. This fact is plainly visible from some passages:

John, the apostle, writes about Jesus' coming into the world:

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:10-13)

Jesus did not come only for His generation, but for everybody (which even the Jehovah's Witnesses accept as fact). So, John's statement that those who receive Him receive the right to become children of God, is valid for everybody who believes in Him.

However, according to Romans 8:12-17, the children of God are led by the Spirit of God and are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. Wouldn't the fellow heirs of Christ be together with him in heaven?

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:12-17)

Similarly, Christians are called the "seed of Abraham", "heirs of the promises", "children of God", "the temple of God" and the "new Israel" (Galatians 3:6-7.16.29; Ephesians 2:11-23, 3:6-7; Romans 8:17; 1 Corinthians 3,16-17, etc.). Jehovah's Witnesses claim that all these expressions are used only for the first Christians, for the 144,000 chosen.(16)

In the case of Romans 8:17 we can see that this interpretation is completely without base. We can still examine some further cases.

Paul explains in Galatians 3 about the identity of the sons (or seed) of Abraham.

Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "all the nations will be blessed in you." So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:6-9)

He says, that the sons of Abraham are all those who believe (v. 6 - 7), because they follow the faith of Abraham. According to v. 9 they are blessed together with Abraham. They are sons of God through their faith in Jesus Christ (v. 26) and heirs according to the promise (v. 29). Their faith is the assurance of their inheritance (v. 26 – 29).

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)

So Abraham (an heir of the earthly hope according to the teaching of the Jehovah's witnesses) inherits the same blessing as all those who believe in Jesus, who are children of God and heirs of the heavenly hope.(17)

In this context we arrive at the point at which we shall examine the second proposed question:

CONTINUATION - 2. ARE THERE BELIEVERS WHO DO NOT GO TO HEAVEN? DID THE BELIEVERS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT GO TO HEAVEN?