Exploring the Doctrine of the Jehovah’s Witnesses
By NiteOwlDave
niteowldave@gmail.com
Recently, I spent five hours over three visits with several pleasant Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW's) who showed up at our front door advancing the message of The Watchtower.
The first two visits were with two women in their forties who must have thought I was a possible convert to their faith because of the many questions I pitched their way.
The third session was a long one around the dining room table, with the original two women on each side and a more abrupt woman, more knowledgeable about the Bible and the JW teachings, seated directly in front of me.
We tossed off the gloves and gave it a go.
As expected, after three hours we wound up in gridlock. I was not a whit closer to becoming a JW adherent, and they remained solidly fixed in their positions despite what I thought was a solid presentation of who Jesus Christ really is according to clear, biblical references.
The trio focused too much on the teachings of The Watchtower which I told them in advance I reject because it conflicts with the Bible.
The Watchtower is the primary means of disseminating the doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses. It includes articles relating to Bible prophecy, Christian conduct and morals, as well as the history of the Bible. I insisted there is no companion book to the Bible.
In preparation of our round-table discussion, I wrote and printed off a 15 page overview comparing JW beliefs and what the Bible states and gave them each a copy when we were done talking.
I asked them to proof it and get back to me about any errors before I posted it on my website. I never received a response.
A couple of tips when sharing:
1. Be polite and listen closely to the presentation of others.
2. Ask follow-up questions or ask them to "Continue."
3. Question their sources.
4. If they ask if they can bring a friend back, be prepared; you're likely going to be dealing with a JW heavyweight who may have deserted true Christianity and is today full of anger.
So, back to the dining-room table.
Me: “If I understand what you have been telling me, I need to join the Jehovah’s Witnesses' organization because, you claim, it is the only way I can learn Jehovah's will.
“Then, if I continue as a faithful Jehovah's Witness for the rest of my life, I will be rewarded with another life on earth because the 144,000 special seats in Heaven with Jesus are, no doubt, all taken.
“You claim the JW way is the only way to God. Upon my death, my body and soul go into the ground but I will be resurrected for another test of good works and obedience for 1,000 years.
“If I prove myself to be Jehovah-worthy during the 1,000 years and don't rebel against God, I will live on a renewed perfect earth for eternity. That's providing I don't rebel against God.
That is quite complicated. That doesn't offer any solid hope.”
*****
Let's examine what the Jehovah’s Witnesses promote and what the Bible teaches.
There can be no conflict.
The JWs deny the Trinity
The Bible points out that God exists in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - called the Trinity. The JW’s reject this and preach there is just one solitary being, Jehovah God. (Yes, I am aware that the word "Trinity" does not appear in the Bible. However, there are many references in the Bible that point to the reality of the Trinity.)
How can one deny a Trinitarian God in face of the following Scripture?
Matthew 3:16-17 says, “After his baptism, as soon as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God coming down in the form of a dove. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son, and I am wonderfully pleased with him.”
Matthew 28:19 says, “Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 13-14 say, “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. May God's love and the Holy Spirit's friendship be yours.”
Genesis 1:26 says. “Let us make man…”
Job 32:8 says, “But it is not mere age that makes them wise. Rather, it is the Spirit in a man.”
Acts 7:59 says, “And as the murderous stones came hurtling at him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’.”
Thus, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—the Trinity!
The JWs teach that Christ is merely one of God's creations. YIKES.
Because Christ was part of the Trinity, He is God. The Jehovah’s Witnesses preach that Christ was God's first-created creature. SO WRONG.
John 1:1 says, “Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God.”
Colossians 1:15-19 say, “Christ is the exact likeness of the unseen God. He existed before God made anything at all.”
Do works help us get to Heaven? No.
The Bible proclaims that Christ completed our salvation at Calvary. The Jehovah’s Witnesses preach that our admittance into a peaceful afterlife can be achieved only by being a JW in good standing, and good works.
Romans 3:24-25 say, “Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious ideal. Yet, now God declares us not guilty of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins.”
Colossians 1:20 says, “It was through what his Son did that cleared a path for everything to come to him.”
2 Corinthians 5:21says, “For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 say, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
John 1:12 says, “But as many as received (Christ), to them He gave the right to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”
To summarize:
• We are all sinners.
• Christ took care of our cursed sins on the cross.
• Salvation cannot be attained by doing good works.
• Good works are evidence of our salvation.
• Eternal salvation is available free to anyone who will repent of his sin and invite Christ into his life as Savior and Lord.
The JWs deny that Christ arose from the dead
Consider these verses:
John 20:24 says, “After greeting them (his disciples, following the crucifixion) he showed them his hands and side. How wonderful was their joy as they saw their Lord!”
John 20:27-29 say, “Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger into my hands. Put your finger in my side.” Said Thomas, "My Lord and my God.”
Here's an eye-opening verse:
Then Jesus told them, "You believe because you have seen me. But blessed are those who haven't seen me and believe anyway."
The JWs believe that Christ returned to earth in 1914 and was invisible
The Bible says Christ will be visible when He returns.
Matthew 24:30 says, “And then at last the signal of my coming will appear in the heavens and there will be deep mourning all around the earth. And the nations of the world will see me arrive in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.”
Revelation 1:17 says, “See! He is arriving, surrounded by clouds, and every eye shall see him—yes, and those who pierced him.”
JWs teach that unbelievers face annihilation at death. No, it’s Heaven or Hell.
The Bible states that eternal punishment awaits those who reject or ignore Christ's gift of free salvation. The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that those who do not become a Jehovah’s Witness will be annihilated with no conscience upon death.
Matthew 13:42 says, “And all who are evil will be thrown into the furnace and there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Let those with ears, listen!”
Matthew 22:14 says, “Bind him hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
2 Peter 12:17 says, “And there will be great weeping and gnashing of teeth as you stand outside....they are doomed to the eternal pits of darkness.”
Jude 1:13 says, “They wander around looking as bright as stars, but ahead of them is the everlasting gloom and darkness that God has prepared for them.”
Revelations 14:9-11 say, “...and they will be tormented with fire and burning sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and Christ. The smoke of their torture arises forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night.”
What a horrible, conscious eternity awaits the person who, although perhaps active their whole life in church, have never had a one-on-one relationship with everlasting God and never confessed his sin and called out to Christ for his salvation.
He will spend forever, wide-awake in eternal suffering. If you are not sure you're going to Heaven, chances are you're not, and Hell awaits.
That's what is so frightening when you poke into the devilish doctrines of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and other cults.
********
Here is some history of the Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses were founded in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, in 1852 by Charles Russell.
Russell taught that the end-times started in 1799 and that Christ returned in 1874. These dates were later changed in 1914 when Armageddon failed to appear. Prophecies about 1915 also failed.
Russell died in 1916 and was succeeded by Joseph Rutherford who falsely predicted Armageddon would take place in 1918 and 1925.
In 1931, the title Jehovah Witnesses was adopted.
In 1942, Nathan Knorr succeeded Rutherford. His major accomplishment was overseeing the completion of The New World Translation of the Bible in 1961, with its major false liberties.
The name Jehovah’s Witnesses is synonymous with the name Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
Headquartered now in Brooklyn, NY, the governing body of the Witnesses wields absolute authority over its membership and popularizes its doctrines by mass distribution of magazines like The Watchtower and Awake.
A Witness is obedient to The Watchtower, which promotes a false gospel as outlined above:
Other JW notes
• The Witnesses refuse blood transfusions, will not salute the flag or honor any government, will have no part of war, or honor traditional Christian holidays.
• The most grievous error in the doctrine of the JW's is their insistence that Christ is inferior to God.
Consider John 8:42 where Christ said, "That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am the Messiah, the Son of God, you will die in your sins."
Matthew 16:15-16 state, "Then He (Jesus) asked them (His disciples), 'Who do you think I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'The Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.'"
