Posted by Bejay [BJ721] on November 29, 1999 at 19:39:01 {DGglKT6Uj2Qd6.0xyhd28fgMQdduVo}:
In Reply to: ***To Practicus, Friend, JWs posted by practicus on November 29, 1999 at 15:38:47:
Greetings Practicus:
: The comparison can be made because Christendom claims to be in the New Covenant and passes itself off as the direct heir of the faith of Jesus Christ and the apostles. Christendom believes and endeavors to act officially as if this is so, despite the fact that Christendom actually enshrines an apostate version of Christianity.
If this is so, then why do we, as Jehovah's Witnesses, believe that the anointed, footstep followers of Jesus, have been found thru out the past 1900 years within Christendom?
Was not their baptism and anointing accepted as being genuine before Jehovah God for the past 1900 years? And all of this within the walls of Christendom.
Further, where was Pastor Russell BAPTIZED, and ANOINTED, according to the Watchtower Society? Was he not in Christendom? How could C.T. Russell become a member of the New Covenant, while in Christendom, if God was having no direct dealings with Christendom as recepients and beneficiaries of the New Covenant?
It is interesting to note that C.T. Russell was baptized as an INFANT as a PRESBYTERIAN. And as we know, he never ever, recanted this baptism. -- See 1975 Yearbook pg. 35 par. 1
We must now ask, was his baptism and anointing valid, according to the Watchtower Society?
The answer is yes!
In fact, it is known, the Watchtower Society did accept baptisms from ex-Christendom members up until the year of 1919? These individuals did not have to get re-baptized, if they did not wish.
Their professed anointing and baptism was fully accepted by the Watchtower Society. Up until that year, individuals who were baptized within Christendom, and anointed there too, were fully accepted as International Bible Students, if they were baptized before the year of 1919? In other words, they did not have to be RE-BAPTIZED.
The Society's full acceptance of these individuals, would be impossible if Christendom itself, and its baptisms, was not considers to be genuine. Thus, the Watchtower Society did consider Christendom, an authentic recepient and beneficiariy of The New Covenant, at least up until the year of 1919.
Bejay