Jehovah’s Witnesses: Christian or Cult, Part III

This is the last part of a three-part series on the cult known as the Jehovah’s Witnesses.  You can find part one here and part two here.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe the Last Days Began in 1914

Mixing different verses from the Old and New Testaments, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have come up with the date of 1914 as being the beginning of the last days.  From their booklet, “What Does the Bible Really Teach,” (pp 215-217), the date 1914 is derived from Jesus’ words in Luke 21:24, who mentions that Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.  Romans 11:25 also mentions the fullness of the Gentiles, and says that a partial hardening has happened until Israel until fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  Has the fullness of the Gentiles happened?  Some interpret the word fullness as being a time or a number.  I believe that until the rapture of the church takes place and the church is taken to heaven, we are still in the time of the Gentiles.  Just as Romans 11:25 says, Israel is currently in a state of partial hardening UNTIL the time of the Gentiles is over.  Has Israel turned to Christ yet?  The country is current in preparations to build the third temple so that sacrifices can resume.  Jesus was the ultimate blood sacrifice for our sins and our salvation and none other is needed.  Until Israel accepts Jesus as their Savior, they are still partially hardened and, thus, the fullness of the Gentiles has not come in.

Back to the date of 1914.  In the 21st chapter of Luke, Jesus is explaining the conditions on earth prior to His return.  Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies.  There will be great earthquakes, famine and plagues.  There will be great signs in the heavens.  There will be great distress upon the land.  Right now, Israel has turned what was once practically a barren desert into a vast area of produce.  They are not surrounded by armies, although they are surrounded by enemies.  The Jehovah’s Witnesses calculate the date of 1914 by adding 2,520 years to October 607 BC (which they refer to as “B.C.E.,” strangely – before common era).  607 BC was the date Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians.  The 2,520 years comes from a scriptural reference in Daniel 4:10-16, which are the verses that speak of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.  In the vision, an angelic watcher tells Nebuchadnezzar that a period of seven times would pass over someone who would live with the beasts of the field.  The angelic watcher also told the king that a tree would be chopped down and all of its branches removed.  The Jehovah’s Witnesses took the “seven times” from this verse and compared it to three-and-a-half times in the book of Revelation 12:6 and 12:14 and multiplied by two.  Unfortunately, Revelation 12:6 is talking about days, not years.  Somehow the Jehovah’s Witnesses decided to use 2,520 years for “seven times” instead of 2,520 days, which is the correct interpretation for “seven times,” if Revelation is used as a guide.  As far as Nebuchadnezzar’s vision is concerned, Daniel interpreted the vision later in Daniel 4.  The vision was about Nebuchadnezzar, not Jerusalem or Israel.  So there is absolutely no connection between the trampling of Jerusalem under the Gentiles’ feet, the 2,520 years and their prediction of 1914 marking the beginning of the last days is false.

If you want to look at this in a very simple fashion, I can prove their “1914 is the beginning of the last days” prophecy with one chapter in the Bible:  Acts 2.  This was the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on mankind (Acts 2:1-4).  In Acts 2:17, the prophet Joel is quoted as saying, “And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams.’”  Peter was talking about that moment when the Holy Spirit was poured out on them.  The prophet Joel called it the last days.  The last days have been here since the day of Pentecost, not 1914.

Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe Jesus Was the Archangel Michael

Denying the divinity of Jesus is a very dangerous move, but it’s something done by thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world.  In their aforementioned booklet, pp 218-19, the Watchtower Socierty has linked 1 Thessalonians 4:16 with Jesus being the archangel Michael.  That verse reads, “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice.”  They figure that if Jesus has the voice of an archangel, he must be Michael.  They also go on to say that the term “archangel” is only used in the Bible in singular form and is never plural.  In addition, they determined that because Michael leads an army of angels in the book of Revelation and Jesus has an army of angels in other parts of the Bible, they must be one and the same.  Colossians 1:15-17 tells us a different story.  It reads, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”  Nehemiah 9:6 says that God created all the hosts of heaven.  Psalms 148:2 refers to angels and hosts and in verse five says they were created by His commandment.  John 1:1-5 says Jesus existed in the beginning with God.  In John 10:30, Jesus said that He and the Father were one.  So if Jesus created everything we see and everything we don’t, did He create Himself, too?  Of course not.  Jesus is part of the Holy Trinity – three distinct personalities but representing God:  the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Everything else was created by Him for Him.

Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe Only 144,000 Go to Heaven, Part II

I’m covering again in this post, even knowing I covered it in part two.  I wanted to be more explicit and help you to understand that what the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe isn’t Biblical truth.

As I mentioned in part two, the Jehovah’s Witnesses cult uses a reference in the book of Revelation to drive home the point that only 144,000 go to heaven.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses use Revelation 14:1 to determine that only 144,000 go to heaven.  That verse reads, “Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.”  So 144,000 people sealed with the mark of God and were standing on Mount Zion with Jesus.  The cult does not bother to go into further detail or show the context in which this verse was written.  Revelation 14:4 says the 144,000 were virgins.  Revelation 7:3-8 describes the 144,000 prior to receiving their seal of God as being from the 12 tribes of Israel.  To reiterate what I wrote in the last post, unless the Jehovah’s Witnesses are all Jewish virgins, they’re not the 144,000 spoken of in Revelation.

One other major section from the book of Revelation was also missed.  Revelation 7:9 says a great multitude which no one could count from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues are standing before the throne and the Lamb.  The 144,000 are considered the saved remnant of Israel.  But they’re in heaven with what Revelation 7:9 described as a number of people that no one could count.  There are many, many more people that make it to heaven.  And simply reading a few more verses in the Bible exposed this lie.

Summary

After having read the material given to me by a member of the Jehovah’s Witness cult, I can’t call this organization anything but a cult.  They deny the divinity of Jesus.  They believe, at least partly, in works-based salvation.  They believe only 144,000 people go to heaven, even though John 3:16 tells us something completely different.

Also, were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Jehovah’s Witnesses?  Matthew 8:11 says they’re in heaven.  I believe the Bible tells us they were found righteous because of their faith, not because they were Jehovah’s Witnesses.

By setting the groundwork for man to believe he can save himself, the Jehovah’s Witnesses remove the need for the death and resurrection of Jesus.  By limiting the number of those who can enter heaven, they are attempting to create a high-demand, low-supply situation for their cult.  And by implying that one can lose their salvation, it takes away the hope of each of us who worship Jesus.  We’re all sinners and we all fall short of the glory of God.  If Christians have to continually earn their salvation over and over again, we are not free but laden with burdens.

Now, ready for the good news?  Jesus came to set us free.  We’re not good enough to get into heaven on our own merit.  But Jesus died for all of our sins–past, present and future.  Do you want to know how to get into heaven?  It’s not by following religious cults.  It’s about having a personal relationship with Jesus.  Believing that Jesus was born of a virgin, died for your sins, and rose again.  How do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?  Pray.  Read His word.  And if you ask Him to be your Savior, He will save you from your sins instantly.  If you’re sincere, you’ll be changed forever on the inside.  And then you’ll want to live like Christ lived, and your actions and works in life will reflect Christ living inside you.  It’s not the works that save you.  Works are what you’ll want to do once Jesus saves you, so you can be like Him.

Jehovah’s Witnesses: Christian or Cult, Part II

I’m picking up where I left off last week on Jehovah’s Witnesses:  Christian or Cult, Part I with three additional examinations as to why the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization is a cult.

As with last week, I’ll continue to dissect the Watchtower Society’s booklet, What Does the Bible Really Teach? and help you to understand that what the Bible teaches really isn’t in this Watchtower guide.

Strike Four:  Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe Water Baptism is a Requirement for a Relationship with God

Chapter eighteen, page 175 of the Watchtower booklet says this:  “Water baptism is a requirement for all who want to have a relationship with Jehovah God.”

This is as far from the truth as the east is from the west.

While we are commanded by Jesus to be baptized, it is not a requirement for a relationship with God or for salvation.  Titus 3:5-7 is very clear:  “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

So how do you have a relationship with God?  The Bible says that you only need to believe in Jesus to become a child of God.  John 1:12 says this:  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name…”  Believing in Jesus is a great first step in having a relationship with God.  But there’s also praying and reading God’s word.  You speak to God through prayer, and Jesus taught us how we should pray in Matthew 6:7-13, and God will speak to you through His word.  Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  The Bible provides guidance.  The Holy Spirit, once it indwells in you, can give you wisdom and understanding as you read it.

Strike Five:  Jehovah’s Witnesses Deny the Trinity

The translation committee I mentioned last week that wrote the New World Translation for the Jehovah’s Witnesses completely changed the meaning of the Gospel of John.  Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that John 1:1 states, in part (and this is from page 202 of their booklet), “…the Word was a god,” and they signify that Jesus was simply in a “high position among Jehovah’s creatures…”  (What Does the Bible Really Teach?, p. 202)  Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe that Jesus and God are one.  Their material quotes other translations of the Bible, none of which I’ve ever even heard of, and try to blame the error on various translations from the original Greek.  However, they never bother to discuss John 10:30 where Jesus simply says, “I and the Father are one.”

Strike Six:  Only 144,000 go to Heaven

The Jehovah’s Witnesses have twisted scripture in their New World Translation to make it say whatever they want you to believe as part of their cult.  In their booklet, when discussing the topic of communion (which they call “the Lord’s evening meal”), it reads, “Humans can thus become clean in God’s eyes and can enter into the new covenant with Jehovah.  This covenant, or contract, makes it possible for 144,000 faithful Christians to go to heaven.”  The only place in the real scripture that mentions 144,000 people is in the book of Revelation, where 144,000 Jewish (Revelation 7:4-8) virgins (Revelation 14:1-4) are sealed.  So unless the Jehovah’s Witnesses are from the twelve tribes of Israel and are virgins, they’re not the sealed 144,000  mentioned in Revelation.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t have an exclusive contract with God.  John 3:16 says it very plainly:  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”  Romans 10:13 is also very clear that salvation isn’t limited by number:  “…’Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”  2 Peter 3:9 elaborates on this even further: “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”  God wants everyone to come to repentance.

Next week, I’ll wrap up this series on the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Jehovah’s Witnesses: Christian or Cult, Part I

I had an opportunity two weeks ago to speak with a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses that were going door-to-door in my neighborhood. Having not read my copy of The Kingdom of the Cults recently, I was admittedly a little rusty on what beliefs they held that placed them on the cult list in the first place. So I listened to their speech for a few minutes to pick up on some clues. The Holy Spirit was ringing alarm bells in my head as I stood there outside my home and listened to their heretical teachings. After pointing out some scripture in 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15 and referencing a passage in Matthew about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob being in heaven, the duo excused themselves citing a need to do more studying before they could address my Bible-based statements that clearly contradicted their belief system. Before they left, one of the gentlemen handed me a copy of their booklet, What Does the Bible Really Teach?, a publication from their parent organization, the Watchtower Society. And as they left, I reminded them that Jesus is the only way and invited them back once they had an opportunity to study so we could chat.

I took the time to dissect their What Does the Bible Really Teach? booklet and was astounded by the number of unbiblical “truths” spread by this organization. In fact, the quotes from scripture contained in the booklet were off somewhat from everything I’d read and been taught. While the two individuals were talking with me, I noticed that they were reading from a Bible, so I did some research into the translation being used, the New World Translation, and was equally stunned at what I discovered.

Strike One: Jehovah’s Witnesses have their own version of the Bible that twists scripture to make it fit their belief system.

According to this Wikipedia article, the New World Translation was created specifically for the Watchtower Society, the parent organization of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. And instead of giving credit to the translation committee responsible for it, the members asked the Watchtower Society to keep their names anonymous, stating that they did not want to “advertise themselves but let all the glory go to the Author of the Scriptures, God,” and that the translation “should direct the reader… to… Jehovah God”. It sounds like to me that the members who made up this committee, which was comprised of multinationals, didn’t want their true affiliations to be known. After having read some of their scripture, it’s clear to me to whom some, if not all, of its members have their allegiance.

Why the new translation? From Wikipedia:

According to the publishers, one of the main reasons for producing a new translation was that most Bible versions in common use, including the Authorised (King James) Version, employed archaic language. The stated intention was to produce a fresh translation, free of archaisms. Additionally, over the centuries since the King James Version was produced, more copies of earlier manuscripts of the original texts in the Hebrew and Greek languages have become available. The publishers claimed better manuscript evidence had made it possible to determine with greater accuracy what the original writers intended, particularly in more obscure passages. They said linguists better understood certain aspects of the original Hebrew and Greek languages than previously.

During my research, I compared the scriptures from the New World Translation against the New American Standard Bible, which was published just after the NWT. For this post, I will reference comparative scripture from the NIV, which was published later than the NWT, and should certainly contain additional better-understood aspects of the original Hebrew and Greek languages. And since it’s never, we should have an even better sense of what the original writers intended. After all, that’s why they came up with the New World Translation, right?

Strike Two: You can lose your salvation.

On page 130 in the aforementioned Watchtower Society booklet, the commandment from the book of Acts to abstain from blood, among other things, is referenced. The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe this means individuals should refuse blood transfusions, else the believer would be in direct violation of God’s word. Regardless of whether or not blood transfusions are included as part of Acts 15:28-29, page 130 in the Watchtower guide says this: “But if we tried to save our present life by breaking God’s law, we would be in danger of losing everlasting life.” This is in direct contradiction of John 10:29 (NIV) where Jesus made clear that salvation is eternal: “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” John 3:16 (NIV) says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Our salvation isn’t dependent on how good we are or what works we can perform and it’s sealed from the day you became a believer and your sins don’t put it in jeopardy. Either you’re saved or you’re not. No one becomes unsaved, or John 10:29 is a lie. We know from scripture that God does not lie (Hebrews 8:18).

Strike Three: Jehovah’s Witnesses think Christmas is a pagan holiday that real Christians should not celebrate.

Pages 158 and 159 of the Watchtower guide refers to Christmas as unclean because of its supposed ties to a pagan Roman festival which celebrated the “birthday of the unconquered sun.” At the top of page 159, the guide says this: “…those who want to please God do not celebrate it or any other holiday that has its roots in pagan worship.” This contradicts scripture in two places. The first is in Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) which reads, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” It is by faith that we please God, not by our decision to not celebrate Christmas or any other works. The Watchtower guide is also in direct contradiction of Colossians 2:16-17 (NIV) which reads, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Aren’t the Jehovah’s Witnesses judging us for celebrating Christ’s birth at Christmas?

Next time, I’ll delve into additional topics from the Watchtower book that are contradictory of scripture and help you further understand why the Jehovah’s Witnesses are a cult and not a Christian-based organization.

Click to read Jehovah’s Witnesses:  Christian or Cult, Part II

The Jews Need Jesus Too: Dual Covenant Theology Exposed

There are some pastors and church leaders today that believe Jews and Christians are on separate but equal paths to heaven, thanks to what is commonly known as the “dual covenant” theology. Those espousing this false doctrine believe the Jews get automatic entrance to heaven because of their being God’s chosen people.

But it’s a lie straight from the lips of the devil.

Let’s look at a perfect example of what it took to be saved in the Old Testament. Abraham was saved by faith. His faith in God, and not his works, were counted as righteousness by God. (Romans 4:3). How do we know Abraham was saved? Jesus told us so in Matthew 8:11, “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.” According to Jesus, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are all in the kingdom of heaven.

Doesn’t this pose a conflict with John 3:16, which reads, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life?” Not at all.

How is that possible? Read John 1:1-4: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” Follow that with John 1:14: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth,” and John 10:30: “I and my Father are one.” It’s pretty easy to see that the people from the Old Testament believed in Jesus all along.

That is, until He was manifest in the flesh. Paul set out to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jew first, then the Greek (or Gentile). This is described in Acts 13:46: “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” The Jews rejected, and continue to reject, Jesus as their Messiah. So Paul set about preaching the gospel to the Gentiles after the Jews summarily rejected the good news.

What makes Acts 13 interesting is that it defines what is required for everlasting life – a belief in Jesus. After the Jews rejected the gospel, the Gentiles then received the message of salvation through faith in Jesus.

So how do we know that the old covenant is no longer valid and that the Jews need Jesus? Hebrews 8:13 tells us that the first covenant is obsolete: “When He said, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete but whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” The old covenant is no longer relevant. Hence, automatic salvation for faith in God by the Jews does not guarantee eternal life. It’s faith in Jesus that gives eternal life, to Jews and Gentiles alike and for all who will accept it. With the coming of the Son of Man to earth in human form, and the subsequent rejection by the Jews, there is no longer faith in Jesus by them as they continue to wait on their messiah. And Jesus told us while manifest in the flesh that no one comes to the Father except through Him. For those who reject Jesus, there is no other way to the Father.

Detroit Jihad Group Planned to take over US Gov’t

A federal indictment released yesterday told the grim details of a Sunni Muslim who repeatedly used rhetoric to incite Muslims to seize power with violence, establish Shariah Law, take over the United States government and establish a society “where Muslims would rule over non-Muslims.”  The leader of the group, Luqman Ameen Abdullah is quoted in the indictment as saying, “we got to take out the U.S. government.”  Remember that last month a Jordanian Muslim was arrested for a terror plot in Dallas and, in Afghanistan, a U.S. serviceman was shot for drinking water during Ramadan.  Religion of peace indeed.

[Link:michellemalkin.com]

Attempted Muslim Honor Killing

I wonder why I haven’t heard about this on the news.  A Muslim man in Arizona is accused of hitting his daughter with a car because she “failed to live by traditional Muslim values.”  The victim, Noor Almaleki, was hit allegedly by her Muslim father, Faleh Hassan Almaleki, on October 20th along with her boyfriend’s mother.  She is in life-threatening condition with spinal injuries but is improving, according to police.  The father is still on the run.

[Link:creepingsharia.wordpress.com]

Jordanian Muslim Arrested in Dallas Terror Plot

A 19-year-old Muslim man has been arrested in Dallas after allegedly placing an inactive bomb at a 60-story skyscraper in Dallas called Fountain Place. FBI agents that posed as members of an al Qaeda sleeper cell said in an affidavit that the accused terrorist bomber, Hosam Maher Husein, “repeatedly voiced an intent to attack those whom he described to be Islamic enemies, including Christians and Jews“ and that he ”indicated a desire to attack buildings housing credit card companies in a ‘strike to the economy.’“

http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2009/09/25/dallas-jordanian-muslim-arrested-in-attempt-to-bomb-skyscraper/

Former Muslims Group Speaks Out on Eve of Islam March

A group of ex-Muslims have banded together and implored the Department of Justice to protect the rights and safety of ex-Muslims in America from the ravages of Sharia law. Sharia law requires that those who have left the Islam religion be executed. There have been several examples in the recent news of Muslim aggression. A Muslim man killed his wife, citing justification in the Koran. Military personnel were shot by a recent Muslim convert. Hindus were massacred by Muslims and a Dubai bank has forced non-Muslim women to wear shailahs and abayas. Oh, and don’t forget about the U.S. serviceman who was shot for drinking water during Ramadan.

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/09/24/former-muslims-united-speak-out-on-eve-of-islam-on-capitol-hill-march/

The Gospel According to Oprah Winfrey

It’s almost 4:00 p.m. in the United States and in another few minutes Oprah Winfrey will be on tens of thousands of televisions.  Have you ever wondered about Oprah’s spiritual beliefs?  Take a few minutes and watch the video below to satisfy your curiosity.  I’ll give you a hint:  she doesn’t believe Jesus is the only way but instead espouses her own new-age doctrine.

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Islam on Capitol Hill on September 25th

Organizers hope to bring thousands of Muslims to Capitol Hill this coming Friday for a day of “Islamic unity.” But who is behind the effort to bring members of the world’s second largest religion to this nation’s capital? A lawyer who represented the terrorists accused in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Let’s hope the religion of peace doesn’t harm any American soldiers for drinking water during the event.

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/09/21/whos-behind-islam-on-capitol-hill/

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