Jehovah’s Witnesses: Christian or Cult, Part II
January 11, 2010 by Michael
Filed under False Religions, Opinion
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.
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Daniel7 on Mon, 11th Jan 2010 10:45 pm
Matthew 3:13-16 13 Then Jesus came from Gal′i·lee to the Jordan to John, in order to be baptized by him. 14 But the latter tried to prevent him, saying: “I am the one needing to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?” 15 In reply Jesus said to him: “Let it be, this time, for in that way it is suitable for us to carry out all that is righteous.” Then he quit preventing him. 16 After being baptized Jesus immediately came up from the water; and, look! the heavens were opened up, and he saw descending like a dove God’s spirit coming upon him.
Matthew 28:18-19 19 Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit,…
Acts 2:38 38 Peter [said] to them: “Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the free gift of the holy spirit.
Acts 10:48 48 With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they requested him to remain for some days.
Acts 22:16 16 And now why are you delaying? Rise, get baptized and wash your sins away by your calling upon his name.’
Michael on Tue, 12th Jan 2010 6:37 am
Was the criminal on the cross next to Jesus baptized, or did he just believe in Jesus? The whole point of the Old Testament laws was to show that no one was good enough on their own to get to heaven. So the new covenant was established, a covenant of grace through the shed blood of Jesus, that requires nothing but sincere faith to be saved. The scene at Golgoth proves that.
Daniel7 on Sat, 16th Jan 2010 6:18 pm
If you believe that to be the norm, than you have just invalidated Jesus’ command at Matthew 28:19, 20 to be baptized which as you know can not be done. The circumstances did not allow for this one to publicly acknowledge his dedication.
Michael on Sat, 16th Jan 2010 6:53 pm
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, according to 2 Timothy 3:16. And we’re commanded to do many things as Christians in the New Testament, from Jesus to Paul. The point you’re attempting to make invalidates John 3:16 and the entire meaning of the new covenant: that we’re saved by grace, not by works. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, right? So what work can you possibly do to get saved besides believe in Jesus as your Savior? Any attempt to take one’s eyes off Jesus and to some earthly work is the antithesis of Christianity.
Daniel7 on Mon, 18th Jan 2010 12:16 am
If we could stay on subject that would be great. Baptism is a Christian requirement and since it is it can not invalidate Jehovah God’s undeserved kindness. James 2:21, 22 . . . 21 Was not Abraham our father declared righteous by works after he had offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 You behold that [his] faith worked along with his works and by [his] works [his] faith was perfected,…
Michael on Sun, 24th Jan 2010 7:04 pm
Abraham was declared righteousness by believing God (Romans 4:3-5). But the whole point of the Old Testament was to show that man can’t be good enough to get to heaven on their own accord – they needed a savior. Ephesians 2:8 says that we’re saved by faith not from anything of ourselves; it is a gift from God. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that one has to physically do something to earn salvation, which is baptism in this case. But that one point puts us back under the law. Jesus (the embodiment of God in the flesh) fulfilled the law, something that no man has ever done or will ever do. And if you read the New Testament, you’ll see that under the law if someone broke one commandment, they broke them all. Hence, my earlier point: are you doing every single thing commanded in the New Testament? If not, and you believe you’re under the law and not saved by the shed blood of Jesus, you’re guilty of breaking all of the laws. All I can do is thank God for His grace and for sending His Son to die for my sins. Read Romans 3:20-28. It’s pretty clear on the matter.
Out of sincere love from one human being to another, do yourself a favor: get out of that New World Translation nonsense. The Watchtower Society has twisted and replaced words in scripture and they’re leading you down the wide road to destruction. Take a KJV, NASB, NKJV, ASV, NIV, NLT, ESV or any mainstream Bible with you to your meeting next week and you’ll see what I’m talking about. But as far as this topic is concerned, I’ve given you the truth and this discussion is over. That’s a straight Biblical teaching from Paul.