Comparative Religion Overview Jehovah s Witnesses

Transcription

1 Comparative Religion Overview Jehovah s Witnesses The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4 Prepared by Ross Wakeley

2 Comparative Religion: page 15 Study 3: Jehovah s Witnesses Introduction and History: May I come in and talk about world issues? Would you like to buy a copy of The Watchtower magazine and see how its articles can help you with everyday life? Just who are these people? The Jehovah s Witnesses (JW s) take their name from Isaiah 43:10: You are my witnesses, says Jehovah. Their two semi-monthly magazines, The Watchtower and Awake! had global publication figures for each issue in January, 1996 of 18,950,000 and 15,730,000, respectively. That adds up to over 832 million magazines a year! [source: organization/wtpuplic.htm]. Due to their beliefs, JW s will not celebrate birthdays, Christmas or Easter; they will not take part in religious education at school; will not accept blood transfusions; refuse to do military service; won t vote or give allegiance to any country. Around 80,000 people are JW s in Australia (2001 Census) and six million people globally, according to their official website The popular book by Walter Martin, Kingdom of the Cults, classifies the Jehovah s Witnesses, also known as The Watchtower Society, as a cult that was founded in the 1870s by John Taze Russell, in America. Russell had revelations about Christ s return, but they didn t occur on the dates and in the way that people expected them to. He published seven volumes of his teachings, and the seventh one published posthumously, called The Finished Mystery, prompted a split in his followers, with the majority going off with Joseph F. Rutherford, who called the group the Jehovah s Witnesses. Nathan Knorr led the group from 1942 and numbers grew quickly. Key beliefs of Jehovah s Witnesses: They alone proclaim God s truth and the only hope for the world is for everyone to join their organization. God is one person, Jehovah, who once existed all alone in space. God created Jesus, who in heaven was the archangel Michael. On earth he was a man, but not divine. When God raised him from the dead he returned to heaven as a spirit. Jesus death on the cross or torture stakes as they prefer to call it does not guarantee anyone eternal life. Man can accept this as a ransom for his past sins, but the only guarantee of salvation is continual striving to obey God, as revealed by the Watchtower organization. The Holy Spirit is the invisible active force that moves his servants to do his will, and is nether personal nor God. All other churches and all governments are controlled by the devil. The present world system will end soon with the Battle of Armageddon. Those who survive will reign with Christ for 1,000 years. During this time there will be neither disease nor death nor any unhappiness. Flowers and fruit will grow abundantly and wild animals will become tame.

3 Key beliefs of Jehovah s Witnesses: Comparative Religion: page 16 After 1,000 years all the dead will be raised up. Those 144,000 who reach the required standard will live in heaven. The vast majority will live on earth, while those who reject JW teachings will be annihilated. God s kingdom on earth was established in 1914, when Christ returned to his temple and began to cleanse it. The devil was cast out of heaven and God fully established this part of his kingdom. The earthly part of his kingdom will be set up within the lifetime of those alive in Every earthquake, famine, war and catastrophe is a sign of the end which is coming soon. Many now living will not see death is on of the JW s favourite themes. Jehovah s Witnesses teaching: God > God's personal name is Jehovah (The Truth Shall Make You Free, 17) > Only Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting (Make Sure of All Things, p. 486) > Jesus Christ is not One God with the Father (MS p. 485). > Holy Spirit is God's Active Force, not a person (MS, p. 487). > There was a time when Jehovah was alone in universal space. All life and energy and thought were contained in him alone (Let God Be True [1952], p. 25). > Conclusion is that Satan is the originator of the trinity doctrine (LG, p. 101). > Elohim is the plural of majesty. It does not mean that he is mysteriously a trinity (New Heavens and New Earth, p. 36). Jesus Christ > Not Jehovah God. He was the first son that Jehovah God created (LG, p. 32). > The First Creation by God (MS, p. 282). > Jesus Christ had a pre-human existence (LG, p. 34). > Michael the archangel is no other than the only-begotten Son of God, now Jesus Christ (NH, p. 30). > Jesus was born about Oct. 1, B.C. 2, of the virgin Mary (LG, p. 36). > At baptism Jesus was anointed to become the Messiah or Jesus the Christ (Anointed) (LG, p. 38). > He showed his subjection to God by humbling himself to a most disgraceful death on a torture stake (LG, p. 35). > God raised him as a mighty immortal spirit Son (LG, p. 40). > Christ was not raised in flesh, but with a spiritual body (MS, p. 426). Holy Spirit > The holy spirit is the invisible active force of Almighty God which moves his servants to do his will (LG, p. 108). Sin > Sin is a falling short of God's mark of perfection, transgression of His righteous law (MS, p. 456). > Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God's plainly stated law (MS, p. 457). > At death, Adam was to return to the dust, a return to non-existence (NH, p. 88). > No descendant of Adam is free from sin: all inherit it from first man (MS, p. 458). > All are born in sin (imperfect, with wayward tendencies) (MS, p. 456). > Adam brought death not only upon himself, but also upon all the race descended from him (NH, p. 89). > Perfect human life was lost with its rights and earthly prospects (LG, p 114).

4 Comparative Religion: page 17 Steps to becoming a Jehovah s Witness Initial visit during the first visit, the Jehovah s Witness aims to introduce themself and leave some magazines or other literature. Many who think the best way to get rid of them is to take a magazine find that this is the best way to ensure another visit! Return call every potential convert will receive a second visit when the JW s will try to find out a person s reaction to their literature. They will seek to arrange a home study group for the interested person. Home Study Group the contact will be encouraged to bring friends to study some of the publications in their home. After a few weeks, they will join a larger group to look at the teachings in more detail. The Kingdom Hall after a home study, the contact will be invited to the Kingdom Hall. Here they will be given VIP treatment and as they have prepared in advance, they will understand the teaching occurring in the Kingdom Hall. Visiting the contact will now be expected to attend mid-week lectures and learn how to go door-to-door themselves. Baptism the final stage in becoming a Jehovah s Witness is to be baptised. Are they God s Witnesses? They quote from the Bible, but their New World Translation is inaccurate and has never been accepted by accredited theological scholars. For example, they translate the first verse of John s gospel: Originally the Word was and the Word was with God and the Word was a god. The a before the final word is not in the original Greek. Its inclusion relegates Jesus to a secondary god. JW s take verses out of context to back up their beliefs. Witnesses are forbidden blood transfusions and will let a member die if necessary, often quoting either: Leviticus 3:17, 4:1 17 The LORD said to Moses, This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood. or... Leviticus 7:26 28: The LORD said to Moses, And wherever you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or animal. If anyone eats blood, that person must be cut off from his people." JW members believe that Jesus has already invisibly returned to the world. This conflicts with Revelation 1:7 in its teaching on Jesus second coming Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Charles Russell said he was a competent Greek scholar and claimed all existing Bible translations were unreliable. However, it was proved in court in Canada that he could not read Greek, though he had sworn under oath that he could. Another controversy was Charles Russell s Miracle wheat sold for one dollar a pound, which was claimed to outgrow other seeds by as much as five times. He tried to sue a paper for $100,000 for labelling the claims a fake, but lost his case when government examiners could find no distinct superiority in the grain. In 1947, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Jehovah s witnesses were not a religious body. When the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7

5 Comparative Religion: page 18 Jehovah s Witnesses teaching: Redemption and Salvation > Adam is not included in those ransomed. He had perfect life, and this he deliberately forfeited (LG, p. 119). > Jesus Christ laid down in sacrifice a perfect HUMAN LIFE, equal to that which Adam forfeited (You May Survive Armageddon, p. 39). > The ransom, or redemptive price with which redemption is made, is "the man Christ Jesus" (LG, p. 113). > His perfect human life with all its rights and prospects, was laid down in death, but NOT FOR SIN AND IN PUNISHMENT (LG, p. 116). (Jesus was raised a divine spirit creature.) > That which is redeemed or bought back is perfect human life with its rights and earthly prospects (LG, p. 114). > The value of the perfect human life was now available for use on behalf of faithful men (LG, p. 116). This, makes possible general resurrection for mankind with opportunity for eternal life (MS, p. 411). > The Bible plainly shows that 144,000 will share in heavenly glory, while the others will enjoy the blessings of life down here on earth (LG, p. 298). > All who by reason of faith in Jehovah God and in Christ Jesus dedicate themselves to do God's will and then faithfully carry out their dedication will be rewarded with everlasting life (LC, p. 298). > An unnumbered crowd of faithful persons do not expect to go to heaven. They have been promised everlasting life on earth if they prove their faithfulness (LG, p. 231), by faith in Jehovah's baptism, "provided...they abide in him keeping their good conscience through faith and loyal service (NH, p. 311). > Armageddon survivors and the mass of humankind will find life here on earth amid paradise conditions (LG, p. 279). > It is a gross twisting of the Scriptures to use Jesus' words of John 3:3 to make them embrace all mankind (The Watchtower, Nov. 15, 1954, p. 681). This "great crowd" of people are not "born again," nor do they need to be born again," because they gain everlasting life on the earth (Ibid., p. 682). Retribution > The doctrine of a burning hell where the wicked are tortured eternally after death cannot be true (LG, p. 99). A dead person is unconscious, inactive. The soul (entire being) itself is DEAD (MS, p.143). > The millennial judgment day (the 1,000-year judgment day) will take place after Armageddon (LG, p ). > The final test will come by the loosing of Satan out of his restraint (at the end of the Millennium) (LG, p. 293). > Those supporting Satan (at the end of Millennium) will, with the Devil himself, be cast into the "lake of fire and sulphur." They are drowned in everlasting destruction (annihilated) and for them there is no resurrection (LG, p. 270). > All who reject the Kingdom message will be destroyed (LG, p. 190; YM, p. 341). Source: Note-all references are to Jehovah s Witnesses books Biblical doctrine of the Trinity: The term trinity comes from tri-unity (3 in one). Defined, it simply means that, "within the nature of the one God there are three eternal persons Father, Son and Holy Spirit". In considering this topic, if it can be shown that: There are three persons in the New Testament, each identified and called God (Jehovah) and if there is only one God (Jehovah), then the conclusion must be the three persons are the one God.

6 Comparative Religion: page 19 Examining the Biblical evidence for the doctrine of the Trinity: Is the Father called God (Jehovah)? We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. 2 Peter 1:16, 17 Paul, an apostle sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead. Galatians 1:1 Is the Son called God (Jehovah) Who is Alpha and Omega? "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8 Jesus said, "I am making everything new!" He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. Revelation 21:5,7 Jesus said, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:6,7 These Scriptures affirm that Alpha and Omega is Jesus Christ, Jehovah God. Note that Jehovah God died and rose again! When I saw Jesus, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Revelation 1:17,18 If you have only 30 seconds and you are talking with a Jehovah's Witness, show them the following three verses: "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8 Jesus said, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13 Also use Revelation 1:17,18 Then ask this question "when did Jehovah God die?" Their usual answer is, "but Jesus died". That is precisely the point. Jesus is Jehovah! Christians agree with J.W's that Jesus was fully man. He was also fully God. To deny this is a grave contradiction of the Bible God's Word. God took on the form of man. What did God declare His name to be? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1, 14 Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" God said, "I will be with you... Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you." Exodus 3:11-14

7 Comparative Religion: page 20 The divinity and humanity of Jesus: Why did the Jews stone Jesus? Jesus said, Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad." "You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!" "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. John 8: Note in vs. 58, the title or description Jesus takes upon Himself What does this verse say about the nature of Christ? In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. Colossians 2:9 See also Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1; Philippians 2:5-11 Jesus did not give up His divine nature when He took on human flesh. He chose temporarily to self-impose limitations upon His divine qualities eg: He accepted not being all-powerful, everywhere at once., etc. Jesus choose to live as a man on earth, totally submitted to the will of God, the Father in heaven (John 5:19,30). Hebrews, chapters 7-10 tell us that because of who Jesus was by nature, the God- Man, He was not a finite sacrifice, one man dying for one man. Instead He was the Lamb of God who gave His life once for all time. So, in Philippians 2:10,11 at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. See too Isaiah 45:22,23. Jesus is Jehovah God (John 20:28) Is the Holy Spirit a person called God? Here we see the Holy Spirit identified as God Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God." Acts 5:3,4 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Acts 13;2 The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. 2 Timothy 3:16 (The Message) No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20, 21. The Holy Spirit dwells in every Christian Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 We are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. 2 Corinthians 6:16

8 Comparative Religion: page 21 Is there only one God? There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men. 1 Timothy 2:5 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.galatians 3:20 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Deuteronomy 6:4 This is what the LORD says-- Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Isaiah 44:6 The Bible teaches there are three Persons called God. The Bible also teaches there is only one God. The three Persons Father, Son, Holy Spirit are the one God (Trinity = Tri-unity), three in unity of one eg: water = gas, solid, liquid yet all the same in nature. Involvement of the Trinity in the Bible narrative: General truths Luke 1:35 Role of the Godhead in the conception and birth of Jesus Christ. Matthew 3:16,17 Father and Holy Spirit present and active at Jesus baptism. Matthew 28:19 Godhead involved in the Great Commission. 2 Corinthians 13:14 Father, Son, Holy Spirit equal in Paul s benediction. Role of the Godhead in Jesus resurrection If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Romans 8:11 God has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead. Acts 17:31 These Scriptures clearly point to the involvement of Father and Holy Spirit in Jesus resurrection. See also 1 Thessalonians 1:9,10; John 2: Jehovah s Witnesses deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus, yet we read... Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. Luke 24:36-40, see too John 2:19-21; 20:25-29 Salvation is by grace not works: Although Jehovah s Witnesses assert that salvation is by good works, God s Word declares the message of freedom our salvation is totally a gift of God s grace. It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast.ephesians 2:8,9 This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:11,12 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

9 Facts You Won t Be Told When Jehovah s Witnesses Call At Your Door They teach and believe Comparative Religion: page 22 That all religions except theirs are of Satan, and your Pastor or Priest is under the Devil s control. The Watchtower Society is the only source of truth on earth today, and all churches teach error and will be destroyed at Armageddon. The cross is a pagan symbol of sex worship, and that all buildings or persons displaying the cross are likewise pagan. Jehovah s Witnesses deny that Jesus died on the cross. However, recent new light in the Watchtower Magazine now admits they are not certain about the cross, but will continue to deny it anyway. No one goes to heaven but 144,000 Jehovah s Witnesses, and your soul will be destroyed if you refuse their organization. The Christ child was only an IT, not a HE. See the New World Translation, Luke 2:16,17. Jesus was not the Christ (or Messiah) until age 30, even though their own bible says in Luke 2:11, because there was born to you today a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. After Jesus was buried in the tomb, Jehovah dissolved his body into gases and it disappeared forever. Jesus rose invisibly in three days, so Jehovah had to materialize a fake body for him complete with fake nail prints so His disciples would believe it was really Jesus risen. Armageddon and Christ s second coming were foretold to happen in 1874, 1914, 1925 and 1975 by this non-prophet organization. When Christ failed to show up in 1914, the Society claimed in later years that He had come invisibly of course, and all Jehovah s Witnesses believe this today. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, etc. were to be back on earth as perfect humans in The Society built a palatial home for them BUT when the patriarchs failed to show up, the President of the Society moved in. Their light gets brighter and brighter, allowing for many changes and about faces on their doctrines. Yesterday s error is today s truth. Often the light bounces back and forth from old to new views and back again! Does real light return to darkness? The Watchtower Society and its followers are all prophets of God today and the Governing Body is directed by angels from God. Salvation for Society members consists of doing good works of selling Watchtower books and magazines and winning converts. Soon Jehovah God will become a GRANDFATHER and Jesus will be promoted to EVERLASTING FATHER! THAT Jehovah God is not omnipresent, but still Almighty. Think! How can this be? Source: If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:3-7

10 Comparative Religion: page 23 Summary chart Difference s between Christianity and Jehovah s Witness Jehovah s Witnesses believe... Christians believe... GOD That there is one solitary being from all eternity, Jehovah God, the Creator and Preserver of the Universe and all things. That God is eternal, personal spiritual being in three persons Father, Son and Holy Spirit. See Matthew 3:13-17, IMMORTALITY People do not have an immortal soul. JW s teach the soul is not separate from the body. Scripture teaches that every person has an eternal, immortal soul. See Genesis 1:26, 5;1; Job 32:8; Acts 7:59; 1 Corinthians 11:7. JESUS CHRIST Jesus was not God He was God s first created creature. Jesus deity denied. Jesus is divine and part of the Trinity, God Himself. See John 1:1; Colossians 1:15-19, 2:9; 1 John 5:7,8 ATONEMENT Jesus death provides people with the opportunity to work for their salvation: perfect human life for eternity on an Eden-like earth. The death of Jesus was the complete payment for every person s sin and rebellion against a holy and just God. Rom. 3:24,25; 1 Pet. 2:24, Col. 1:20 JESUS RESURRECTION Christ Jesus was raised a divine spirit. The bodily resurrection of Jesus denied. Jesus bodily resurrected from a grave. See John 2:21, 20:24-29; Luke 24:43 JESUS RETURN Teaches that Jesus returned to earth in 1914 and now rules earth from heaven. Jesus will return physically to earth. 1 Thes. 4:16,17; Matt. 24:30; Rev. 1:7 HELL There is no hell or eternal punishment. Those who do not measure up to Jehovah s standards will be annihilated, meaning they will be or know no more. There is eternal punishment for sin. See Matthew 5:22, 8:11,12, 13:42,50, 22:13; Luke 13:24-28; 2 Peter 2:17; Jude 13; Revelation 14:9-11 Source: So what s the difference Ed, Fritz Ridenour, G/L Publications.