Governing Body Inspired / the mouthpiece of God?

gb first mentioned:
Watchtower 1943 July 15 p.216 = a "legal governing body"
Watchtower 1944 November 1 p.328 = "a visible governing body under Jehovah God and his Christ" be involved in the election of elders
1955 Qualified to be Ministers p.381 = "the board of directors of this corporation"
...theocracy was still up to the president.

Capitalized GB:
Watchtower 1971 December 15 = "Governing Body of Jehovah's witnesses" - the group leading the religion, separate from the board of directors
January 1st 1976, authority shifted from the President to Governing Body members

 

Is the Governing Body the only mouthpiece / channel to God?

NO - Watchtower 1883 Jan, page 425 - “We have not the gift of prophecy.”

NO - Watchtower 1896 Dec 15, page 306 - “Nor would we have our writings reverenced or regarded as infallible.”

NO - Watchtower 1947 May 15, page 15 - “does not mean those now serving as Jehovah’s witnesses are inspired. It does not mean that the writings in this magazine The Watchtower are inspired and infallible and without mistakes.”

NO - Watchtower 1950 August 15, page 263 - “The Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in its utterances, nor is it dogmatic.”

 YES - Watchtower 1957 June 15 p.370 - "It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the "slave" as we would to the voice of God, because it is His provision."

YES - Watchtower 1961 Aug 15 p.491 
"In prophetic fulfillment, Elihu pictures the governing body in Jehovah’s New World society on earth today. Through this zealous spokesman, Jehovah has brought correction and admonition to his witnesses on earth, building them up in right doctrine, cleansing them from sanctimonious religious practices and making clear their responsibility to proclaim his glorious kingdom by Christ."

YES - Watchtower 1971 Dec 15 p.749

YES - Watchtower 1987 Aug 1 p.19
"Naturally, all elders must submit to Christ's "right hand" of control, guidance, and direction, which he exercises by means of the spirit and the spirit-begotten members of the Governing Body."

NO - Jehovah's Witnesses - Unitedly Doing God's Will Worldwide p.26 "The Governing Body...are not inspired by God..."

NO - Awake March 22, 1993 - “The brothers preparing these publications are not infallible. Their writings are not inspired"

YES - Watchtower 2010 Jul 15 pp.22-23 - ""When the time comes to clarify a spiritual matter in our day, holy spirit helps responsible representatives of the faithful and discreet slave at world headquarters to discern deep truths that were not previously understood."

YES - 2012 Annual Meeting GB alone final say over procedure and doctrine

YES & MUST BE OBEYED - Watchtower 2013 Nov 15 p.20
"At that time, the lifesaving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not."

YES - Watchtower 2014 Aug 15 p.21 - "Jesus also conveys Jehovah’s voice to us as he directs the congregation through “the faithful and discreet slave.” We need to take this guidance and direction seriously, for our everlasting life depends on our obedience."

NO - 2015 Australian Royal Commission  Geofery Jackson NOT God's spokespeople on earth 

NO - Watchtower 2017 Feb p.26  "The Governing Body is neither inspired nor infallible." 

YES - Watchtower 2022 Feb p.4 
"The plain truth is that we cannot say that we trust in Jehovah if we do not trust in his earthly representatives—those whom Jehovah trusts. Today Jehovah leads the earthly part of his organization by means of "the faithful and discreet slave."




 

 

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