The Bible says that the 144,000 (Rev. 7:3,4) will be chosen from among humans to be "kings and priests" together with Jesus, their brother.
Rom. 8:28 We know that God makes all his works cooperate together for the good of those who love God, those who are the ones called according to his purpose; 29 because those whom he gave his first recognition he also foreordained to be patterned after the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 Moreover, those whom he foreordained are the ones he also called; and those whom he called are the ones he also declared to be righteous. Finally those whom he declared righteous are the ones he also glorified.
Jehovah's Witnesses learned that those 144,000 are the only ones who will live in heaven. To reach that conclusion it is necessary to understand that earth will continue to be the place where humanity will live in the future (Rev. 21:3,4)... but as the Scripture speaks of a small group that has a special mission and will go to heaven with Jesus, then we can understand that many things that are said in the NT apply only to them, BUT NOT to all Christians.
Psal. 115:16 As for the heavens, they belong to Jehovah,
But the earth he has given to the sons of men.
For many centuries the Roman church taught the people that all the good would go to heaven and all the bad would go to hell. In that way they confused humanity making them believe that the earth was a disposable planet. However, millions of people will continue to live on the planet after the removal of human rule, and the Bible calls them "a great crowd." (Rev. 7:9).
What differences exist between the 144,000 and the great crowd?
Rom. 8:28 We know that God makes all his works cooperate together for the good of those who love God, those who are the ones called according to his purpose; 29 because those whom he gave his first recognition he also foreordained to be patterned after the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 Moreover, those whom he foreordained are the ones he also called; and those whom he called are the ones he also declared to be righteous. Finally those whom he declared righteous are the ones he also glorified.
Jehovah's Witnesses learned that those 144,000 are the only ones who will live in heaven. To reach that conclusion it is necessary to understand that earth will continue to be the place where humanity will live in the future (Rev. 21:3,4)... but as the Scripture speaks of a small group that has a special mission and will go to heaven with Jesus, then we can understand that many things that are said in the NT apply only to them, BUT NOT to all Christians.
Psal. 115:16 As for the heavens, they belong to Jehovah,
But the earth he has given to the sons of men.
For many centuries the Roman church taught the people that all the good would go to heaven and all the bad would go to hell. In that way they confused humanity making them believe that the earth was a disposable planet. However, millions of people will continue to live on the planet after the removal of human rule, and the Bible calls them "a great crowd." (Rev. 7:9).
What differences exist between the 144,000 and the great crowd?