Jehovah’s Witnesses
This sect was begun in 1872 by Charles Taze Russell. Like Joseph Smith before Him, Russell was a product of a perversion of Christianity that was prevalent at the time. The movement, called Restorationism (or primitivism) sought to return the modern church to the beliefs of the early church. Specifically, Russell was influenced by the Millerites, a sect that predicted (falsely) the return of Jesus Christ to the earth in 1843. He began a Bible Study with his father and several others in 1870 to discover the origins of doctrine, creed, and traditions. In this Bible study, attended by several prominent Millerites, the group came to the conclusion that several Christian doctrines, including the doctrine of hell and the trinity, were not supported by the scripture.
Summary of Beliefs
The major problem with the Jehovah’s Witnesses is how they deal with God. Like all cultic beliefs, they have an incorrect view of God. Specifically, the Jehovah’s witnesses believe that God (called Jehovah) is God in one person. They deny the trinity , and the deity of both the Holy Spirit and of Jesus Christ. The Jesus of Jehovah’s Witnesses is a created being, the Archangel Michael who was a perfect man, not God in the flesh. He was killed on a stake, resurrected as a spirit separate from his body, and began his invisible reign over the earth in 1914. Salvation is found in the Jehovah’s Witnesses church alone, as the church is the only source of truth, and the self- proclaimed prophet of God. In addition to following the teachings of the church, a member must do good works, which include attending all services, Bible studies, and door-to-door evangelism. There is no real assurance of salvation, a Jehovah’s Witness only knows if they are ‘born again’ if they actually reach heaven.
Another significant part of the theology of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is on their view of Eschatology. As mentioned above, they believe that Jesus Christ has been ruling in heaven as a king since 1914 (a date that they claim to have arrived at from prophecy found in scripture based on some faulty history) and that we have been in the last days since 1799, 1844, or 1914 (depending on which prophesy you hold to). The problem is that their leadership has nailed down several different dates for the return of Christ, all of which have proven false. The resurrection of the 144,000 saints happened either in 1878 or 1918, the judgment of religion in 1878 or 1919. In 1975, many JW’s sold their homes, businesses, and spent wildly on their credit cards thinking that Armageddon was going to happen and the millennium was going to begin. This was also predicted in 1914, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1925, within the generation of 1914, or generations that touched those born in 1914. In 1995, the JW’s, after countless wrong predictions about Armageddon and the Millennium, finally settled on the return of Christ being imminent.
Perhaps the most significant part of eschatology is personal eschatology, or what happens when a Jehovah’s Witness dies. They teach that all people, like Adam, return to dust and cease to exist. But that is not necessarily the end. Many millions will be resurrected to live life on earth- even evil people. The people who are evil will have a second chance to respond to Christ. Only those evil people who might respond to Christ are allowed to be resurrected. The rest are in Gehenna. There are 144,000 saints who were resurrected in 1878 or 1918, or else there is 9000 around on the earth still that can participate in the annual communion celebration. Only the 9000 ‘chosen’ know that they are the ‘chosen’. Those who are part of the 144,000 are the ones who are presently in heaven or will be to rule with Christ. Finally, those who do not respond to Christ now or after the earthly resurrection will be annihilated. There is no eternal, conscious torment in a place called hell. The penalty for sin is simply death. The sinner just ceases to exist.
Biblical View
There is no shortage of evidence on the Jehovah’s Witnesses theological stands. The difficulty does not lie in showing the differences between Biblical Christianity and the Jehovah’s Witnesses, rather, it is in communicating it to those who are sucked in by this cult. The average Jehovah’s Witness is more adept at using his Bible (the NWTB translation) and more knowledgeable of his theology than even most Christian seminary students. This is due to the high level of indoctrination tied into their salvation. They believe that the more they work and study the scriptures, the more likely they will be part of the 144,000 that go to heaven. In other words, they take very seriously the knowledge of their faith because it is part of determining whether or not they are saved. The problem of spiritual abuse is rampant in such belief systems. Those in leadership can indicate that the faithful are not giving or doing enough to merit the grace of God. This type of pressure to do more, along with verbal manipulation and threats - even shunning of certain members- can destroy those who have put their hope in this type of system.
The primary distortion of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is on the nature of God. The Bible is very clear about the nature of God. God is a Spirit, and God is One in three distinct persons. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The following verses give support to the doctrine of the trinity:
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Matthew 28:19 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Also see Romans 14:17-18; 15:16;1 Corinthians 2:2-5; 6:11; 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 2:18-22; 3:14-19; Ephesians 4:4-6; Colossians 1:6-8; 1 Thessalonians 1:3-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Titus 3:4-6
In the Old Testament, the idea of the Trinity is not as clearly stated as it is in the New Testament, however, when God is spoken about in Genesis 1, the word ELOHIM is used. Elohim is a plural term that Bible translators translate as God. In Genesis 1:26, God was not speaking to angels, he was communicating within Himself. In Genesis 1:1-2, John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:16-17, we get clarity about the nature of God in creation:
Genesis 1:1-2 1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
John 1:1-3 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Colossians 1:16-17 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Since the very nature of God is distorted, it is no surprise that the nature and work of Jesus Christ is also distorted by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many of these distortions were listed above. The table below illustrates the most glaring differences between the Jesus of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Jesus of the Bible:
Jehovah’s Witness Jesus
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Biblical Jesus
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not deity
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Fully God (John 1:1-4, John 10:30, Hebrews 13:8, John 8:58, Colossians 1:16-17, Revelation 1:8 (cf Isaiah 44:6) 22:12-13)
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no bodily resurrection
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bodily resurrection (John 2:19-22, 20:27, Luke 24:39)
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created
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always existed (John 1:1-4, 14; 3:13, 6:33,38; 8:23, 58-59; 10:30, 17:5, Galatians 4:4, Hebrews 13:8, Colossians 1:17, 1 John 1:2, Revelation 1:8,
|
archangel Michael
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above the angels (Hebrews 1:5-8) THE Son of God (Hebrews 1:8, Matthew 4:3-6) Created all things (including Michael- Colossians 1:16-17, John 1:1-4)
|
Jehovah’s witnesses, like other false religions, have a false view of what it means to please God enough to be saved. For example:
“Christians are in a saved condition. They have the prospect of everlasting life because they are in an approved position before God. As a group, their salvation from Adamic sin and all its consequences is sure. But individually they will be saved to eternal life only if they continue to adhere to all of God's requirements. Jesus emphasized this when he likened himself to a vine and his disciples to branches in that vine. He said: Every branch in me not bearing fruit [God] takes away . . . If anyone does not remain in union with me, he is cast out as a branch and is dried up; and men gather those branches up and pitch them into the fire and they are burned. (John 15:2, 6; Hebrews 6:4-6) Those losing faith in Jesus also lose everlasting life."
The Jehovah’s Witnesses, along with all the other aberrant faith groups, believe that the Bible’s clear teaching is that salvation is a gift of God that is given to those who respond to God’s call to repentance from sin and trusting in Jesus Christ alone through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10, Acts 4:12, Galatians 2:16,20-21). The threat for those who simply put their faith in Christ and do no works is that they will be ‘burned up’.
Finally, the eschatology of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is contrasted by the clear teaching of scripture. The second coming of Christ is not spiritual, it is physical and visible (See Acts 1:11, Revelation 1:7). He is going to return as a lion, bringing judgment to the earth. Only those who repent and trust in Him before the day of judgment will be saved. The idea that we die and either cease to exist or are later resurrected and given a second chance during the millennium to respond to Christ appropriately flies in the face of scripture. Man dies once and after this is the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Those who believe in Him are not under condemnation, but those who do not believe are condemned already (John 3:18) and under the wrath of God (John 3:36). This wrath is eternal and conscious, as Jesus taught. Interestingly enough, Jesus taught more about hell than He taught about heaven. Let us look on Jesus’ teachings on Hell:
Conscious
Matthew 13: 40-42 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 8:11-12 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Hell is a place of fire
Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Matthew 18:8-9 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. 9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Eternal
Matthew 25:41,46 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
John the Revelator also has a number of teachings on Hell that bear listing here as they directly contradict the teachings of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Revelation 14:9-11 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Punishment in Lake of Fire called ‘Second Death’
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Revelation 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
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