What do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe?
(A Biblical/Factual Response)
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but only in its entirety, including ministry
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In a six page tract published by the
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (WBTS), entitled What Do Jehovah's
Witnesses Believe? a select few of their teachings are mentioned. Among
other things, the reader should be aware of the following:
(1) Their denial of the deity of Christ is based on
Scripture which shows the true humanity of Christ while avoiding or distorting
other Scriptures which affirm His true deity such as Jesus' statement after His
resurrection that he has all 100% authority or power in Heaven and
on earth (Mt. 28:18). Notice: Jesus, not the Father, has all
authority in Heaven! Remember, Jesus humbled himself when he came to the
earth, taking the very nature of a servant, even though his nature is God
(Phil. 2:5-8).
(2) The Jehovah's Witnesses (JW's) have their own Bible
translation called the New World Translation (NWT), which has
inconsistently translated the Greek word which shows that Jesus received
worship from His disciples. In that translation, if it can be properly
called such, Jesus is said to have received "obeisance" and not "worship." Among
other places, please see Mt. 28:9. That same Greek word found there is properly
translated at other passages as "worship" in their Greek English Interlinear
called the Kingdom Interlinear Translation (1969 edition). To be
exact, in Mt. 2:11; 14:33; 28:9 and 28:17 the Greek word is translated
obeisance because it refers to the Lord Jesus, but when the same exact Greek
word is used at Rev. 5:14; 7:11; 11:16; 19:4; 20:4 and Jn. 4:20 it is rendered
worshiped because it doesn't refer to Jesus. This is not good
scholarship, neither is it being consistent, as they claim in the foreword of
their translation.
(3) Another striking characteristic of the NWT is their
usage of "Jehovah." They have done this over 6,000 times in their Bible! But in
other literature that they have published, they have gone on record as stating
that Yahweh is "the more correct way" to render God's name! Their actual
quote is:
While inclining to view the pronunciation "Yah.weh"
as the more correct way, we have retained the form "Jehovah"
because of people's familiarity with it since the 14th century (The
Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures (KIT), 1969 ed., p.
23).
Furthermore, they admit that no one ever used the
Latinized word "Jehovah" until the thirteenth century. This word is of
Catholic origin:
By combining the vowel signs of 'Adho.nay
and 'Elo.him' with the four
consonants of the Tetragrammaton the pronunciations Yeho.wah'
and Yehowih' were formed. The
first of these provided the basis for the Latinized form "Jehova(h)." The
first recorded use of this form dates from the thirteenth century C.E.
Raymundus Martini, a Spanish monk of the Dominican Order, used it in his
book Pugeo Fidei of the year 1270. Hebrew scholars generally favor
"Yahweh" as the most likely pronunciation (Aid to Bible Understanding,
1971, pp. 884, 885).(26)
(4) Another unique characteristic of the JW's belief
system is their strange view that only 144,000 will enter Heaven. Please know
that the 12,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel (equaling 144,000) as mentioned in
Rev. 7:4-8 and 14:1-3 does not state that they will be the only ones that
will enter Heaven!
Let's take a look at two passages by focusing in on the
words "before the throne":
Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb,
standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his
Father's name written on their foreheads. (Rev 14:1) And I heard a sound
from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder.
The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. (Rev 14:2)
And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living
creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who
had been redeemed from the earth. (Rev 14:3)
The second passage is:
After this I looked and there before me was a great
multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and
language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They
were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. (Rev
7:9) And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who
sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." (Rev 7:10) All the angels were
standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living
creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped
God, (Rev 7:11) saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and
honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" (Rev
7:12) Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they,
and where did they come from?" (Rev 7:13) I answered, "Sir, you know." And
he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they
have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Rev
7:14) Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day
and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent
over them. (Rev 7:15)
Please note, according to Rev. 14:1-3, the 144,000 are
"before the throne." If they are in Heaven, then there are many others in Heaven
as well because that same phrase "before the throne" is also found in 7:9 and
refers to a great multitude that no man can count, which is a different group
from the 144,000!
Further, please remember this: the JW's take part
of the Rev. 14:1-3 passage literally and part of it figuratively. In other
words, the number they take literally but they figuratively interpret the
Israelite tribes to mean something other than Israelite tribes!
The Lord Jesus taught:
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am,
my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
(John 12:26)
From the above passage, Jesus taught that all of his
servants will be in the same place as he is! Hence, since Jesus is in
Heaven, all of his servants, which certainly exceeds 144,000, will be in Heaven
with him, according to Jesus himself!
(5) While JW's call themselves "Christians," the reader
should be advised that not everyone who says, "Lord, Lord" will enter into the
kingdom of God (Mt. 7:21). Moreover, the JW's fail the test to identify
themselves as being "in the faith." In 2 Cor. 13:5, we read:
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the
faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in
you—unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Cor 13:5)
Since the JW's wrongly teach that Jesus is Michael the
Archangel, without any clear Scriptural backing, and since an angel cannot dwell
in multitudes of Christians at the same time, then their view of Christ is not
only wrong but they would fail the doctrinal test to be in the faith!
(6) So what do JW's want from you and what do they
believe about salvation? Let the following quote from their own literature
answer this:
Do not conclude that there are different roads, or
ways, that you can follow to gain life in God's new system. There is only
one. There was just the one ark that survived the Flood, not a number of
boats. And there will be only one organization—God's visible
organization—that will survive the fast-approaching "great tribulation." It
is simply not true that all religions lead to the same goal. (Matthew
7:21-23; 24:21) You must be part of Jehovah's organization, doing
God's will, in order to receive his blessing of everlasting life.—Psalm
133:1-3. (You Can Live Forever In Paradise On Earth, 1982, p. 255.)
The JW's want you to spread their false teachings, just as
they themselves do. Furthermore, their own literature clearly states you
must be part of their organization to receive everlasting life, as
you just read. Finally, the JW religion is based on the teachings of a
Bible-defined false prophet from their first president, C. T. Russell, on
through to the present time. Though they claim the light gets brighter and
brighter, their own prophetic track record has consistently remained the same,
that is, one false prophecy after another after another! They have made
prophecies that have failed about the following years: 1914, 1915, 1918, 1925,
1931, 1941, 1975 and 1995. Though the JW's claim they "admit their mistakes,"
they refuse to admit their 1975 false prophecy (or "mistake" as they call
it). A true prophet does not make false prophecies (Jer. 28:9)!
The Lord Jesus warned that false prophets would arise
and would "deceive" many people (Mt. 24:11, 24). Dear reader, don't allow
yourself to be a victim of this organization, which is a ravenous wolf in
sheep's clothing (Mt. 7:15) but claims of itself to be Jehovah's
organization.
Those who will, in the end, enter God's kingdom have a
trusting, submitting and enduring faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
Furthermore, such faith in Christ produces holy living and good fruit. And all
those "in the truth" today can wholeheartedly agree with the Apostle Thomas who
called Jesus both his Lord and his God (Jn. 20:28). For more information,
contact:
Evangelical Outreach
PO Box 265
Washington, PA 15301-0265, USA
Mr./Ms. Jehovah's Witness, don't be deceived by the
Watch Tower!
Please notice the picture at the beginning of the
tract, "What do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe?" One woman is giving another what
the JW’s call a home Bible Study. Look closely at the picture. The book shown is
not the Bible but a Watch Tower publication. Also notice the brief case in the
teaching woman’s lap. These brief cases that the JW’s carry are always full of
WT publications. The JW’s claim that one cannot find or know the truth by
reading the Bible alone. How does this claim compare with what God has stated in
2 Tim. 3:16,17?
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the
man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Note that in the first paragraph of the second section
on page 2 of their tract they only quote 2 Tim. 3:16, omitting verse 17 because
it does not agree with their belief. It states that God’s word, the Bible, alone
is completely sufficient.
In the last paragraph on page 2 of their tract is
quoted John 6:57. A common practice of the WT is to pick a few select verses out
of context to support their claims and beliefs. An example of this is found
right here. In Chapter 6 of John, verse 51 it shows that IF you are a true
believer Christ dwells within you. The JW’s reject this clear teaching. (Please
see also 1 Jn. 5:12,13; 1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Jn. 4:4; 2 Cor. 6:14-16).
Why do the JW's use their own Bible? The reason is that
it has many changes that are not in agreement with the original Greek and Hebrew
text, but was made to be in agreement with their unique beliefs. What does God
say in his word, the Bible, will happen to those who add, subtract and change
words from the Bible (Rev. 22:18)?
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of
this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues
described in this book.
In reference to their quoting Mt. 6:9 and Jn. 17:6 in the
first complete paragraph of page 3 of this tract and to their stating that Jesus
prayed to the Father, ask yourself the following question: Why did Jesus allow
and not reproach Stephen, who prayed specifically to him (Acts 7:59)?
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit."
On page 3 of their tract in the second paragraph, the WT
quotes Rev. 1:5. In the immediately preceding verse (4), who is "him who is and
was and who is to come," and where is he seated? Does God the Father share his
throne with a lesser God? Note the NWT indicates that Jesus is a lesser God, "a
god," in John 1:1. (See Isa. 42:8.)
In the second paragraph of page 3 of their tract, the
WT states that Jesus is appointed invisible King. What Bible verses show this
and how does this compare with his physical, visible return (Rev. 1:7 cf. Mt.
26:63,64)?
At the end of the first paragraph of page 4 the WT
quotes Rev. 14:1,3 to try to support that only 144,000 people will enter heaven.
Do all JW's who claim to be of the 144,000 meet the requirements outlined in the
next two verses, verses 4 and 5 of this chapter? Should a believer trying to
understand God's truths read all of this chapter in context to get the full
meaning? Who decides what is to be taken as literal or figurative, the WT or the
guidance of the Holy Spirit? (1 Jn. 2:27; Jn. 16:13)
Remembering that the WT has made prophecies that have
failed about the following years: 1914, 1915, 1918, 1925, 1931, 1941, 1975 and
1995, ask yourself the question, "Why has the WT Society continued to falsely
prophesy about Jesus' return, when not even the Son (Jesus Christ) knows the
date and hour?"
The WT references Mark 12:31 in the second paragraph of
page 5 of their tract and states that they are "widely noted for the love that
is manifested among our Christian brothers," the key word being "our." The Bible
states love for our "neighbor." What are the JW's doing to show their love for
those outside of their own organization?
The WT references Acts 15:28-29 in the second paragraph
of page 2 of their tract, to support their teaching against blood transfusions
used to save lives. When one reads all of the chapter for each reference to the
use of blood it becomes apparent that these are in reference to the blood of
sacrifices to idols, not for saving human lives. Reference what the Bible says
about intent versus tradition in Lk. 14:5.
On page 6 in the first paragraph of their tract, the WT
quotes Jn. 5:28,29 as the JW's believe that the unsaved simply die rather than
going to eternal punishment in Hell, why according to vs. 29 will the unsaved
dead be raised during the judgment, to be informed that they will continue to be
dead?
The WT quotes Mt. 24:36-39 in the second paragraph of
page 6 of their tract. Why do the JW's quote this as their belief, especially
vs. 36, when they have continued to disregard this council by having a long
documented history of false prophecies? Why also do the JW's state verse 39 if
they believe that Christ has already returned invisibly? Have the events
mentioned in verse 40 which happen at Christ's return happened yet?
The WT quotes 2 Peter 3:5-7, 13 in the second paragraph
of page 6 of their tract. Note again according to verse 7 the judgment of those
already dead.
The WT quotes Rev. 7:9, 13-15; 21:1-5 in the second
paragraph of page 6 of their tract. Verses 21:1-5 indicate that God will dwell
with men. Is this what the WT teaches about the paradise on earth? Who is the
first and last spoken of in the next verse, Jesus or Jehovah? Reference verses
22:12-13: is Jehovah coming soon to judge mankind or is Jesus?
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