Eternal life and knowledge of Them

[Srecko Sostar]

JW's preach about Kingdom, Armageddon, and Eternal Life. This eternal life shall be in the future, after the last ordeal/exam at the end of the Kingdom of Christ, that is, at the end of 1000 years of that Kingdom.
The concept of eternity and therefore of eternal life for man is great desire of all people. No one wants to die, unless he is very old and infirm or severely ill or in great suffering. But many people, even under such circumstances, have desire to survive and live. 
 

JWs are not sure, will they get eternal life. But they have great hope for it, if they remain faithful to God, as they say.
Because of such stand, it is interesting to note the famous words written in the Bible. "And this is an eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." - Mat 17
This is where we meet the equalization of terms. Knowing God and Jesus = Eternal Life. Conversely, eternal life = the knowledge of God and Jesus.

What JW's doing to get knowledge of God (and eternal life as result)? They read the Bible, they read WT publications, they listen to lectures, going preaching ..etc. The program for getting to know God and Jesus consists of, for the newcomers, in the Bible study system, attending meetings, preaching, and baptism. Consecration and baptism should mean that these new members have had by then, to that moment (cca 6 months  or 1 year) came to know God and Jesus enough to give their lives to Them .... and to have hope for future eternal life.

Further question applies to both, newly baptized and those who have been "in the knowledge of God and Jesus" for decades. Do you have eternal life? Do you have it now? 

JW's are very sure how they know the truth and Them, now.  What is the truth? To know Them. Jesus also said: I am The Way, The Truth and The Life. What Life? Eternal Life or some other Life? As result of what JW's know, we should, supposedly, conclude how JW's have: The way, the truth and the eternal life, because of how this facts are presented by them, about knowledge they have. 

JW's will say how they will get it (eternal life), after the end of 1000th year Kingdom. But Jesus said how eternal life IS knowing Them. When?.... when you/they will know Them? In 1 century, after every Jesus' lessons and speech? Or after teaching that people received by Apostles who had been "inspired"? Or after people have been educated by Russell' publications, and get to know Them in such way? Or through preaching methods incorporated by JW organization?  

Well, if JW's say how they will get eternal life in the future, that would mean how they don't know God and Jesus today. Jesus spoke about different logic: To know Them means you have eternal life. Do you know Them now? If you say, Yes, this would mean you have eternal life now. 

But i see another issue here, too. God (and Jesus) living from eternity to eternity. In that sense, all what is connected about knowing Them is outside life span of every human. Possibility to know God and Jesus is impossible to human, because we are not eternal. Even with future aspect that some of us will live forever, it is not enough time to be in position to collect (with mind and heart) all what is possible to know about Them. In our position today, as people who lives 70-90 years, it is also impossible to know Them in such short period.

We coming to these questions too:

About what knowledge (in quality and quantity) Jesus spoke?

About what eternal life (when and what sort of life....You will be in paradise with me, today, or after 1914, or after Kingdom ends... etc.) Jesus spoke? 

... or you can suggest some other questions too :))

[Arauna]

Knowing them - jehovah AND jesus.  How many religions do you know which openly preach Jehovahs name AND jesus.  

Jews know the name of God and refuse to use the name, muslims made the God of the Quraish tribe their God, most Christian's pray only to Jesus and do not accept that his soul was in death 3 days - so do they "know" him? 

I can go on and on..... I hope you get the drift. 

[Srecko Sostar]

Thanks @Arauna for participate with comment.

To know someone's name is definitely very important. But it can be just beginning or start to get to know somebody. In some or many cases, all our "knowledge" about another person stops with this first step - knowing his/her name. 

We also have another thing with Bible names. Some of them (individuals) have more than one name. For example: Bible scholars said how Jesus has several names. Does he had each of these names only for separate period of time, and for special role he had for particular reason? Or does he has all this names in every and each period of time no matter of what his special name or title speaking about him and his participation in something?

To know name or names is not sufficient for complete knowledge about person who carry that name. Perhaps it is "revelation" for people to see how God has the name - JHVH. But is that fact automatically bring them to position of having or not having "eternal life"? But on contrary too, for example, we have people of Moses time and before. Some verses give impression how Jew slaves in Egypt and Moses didn't know the name of God. But that not stopped them to worship him and to have hope in him. Even without knowing his name, they were in privileged position. God loved them and want to free them from slavery. God wanted to give them "eternal life" in promised land. Despite the fact they didn't know his name. 

By this i just want to show how God can do miracles and give favor and mercy and love to ignorant people - to people who don't know first and fundamental thing of every relation - The Name.  

[Arauna]

Thanks for your kind reaction Srecko.   When I know your name i am cannot say I know you. One has to have walked with that person for some time to know their qualities, what they like and do not like.

Same with God.... we have to know more than his name..... when we have walked with him for some time and read his word we know his qualities and what he likes and does not like.  Even though we cannot see him - we can later on really love him from the heart because we understand and know who he really is.

If someone tells you that your best friend stole something..... you can defend him and say he will never do that......because you know him well. In the same way we defend jehovah when people accuse him of bringing evil on them or does not care about them