Slide 1
Examining Jehovah Witness DoctrinesGalatians 1:6-9 I marvel that
ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of
Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some
that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other
gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be
accursed.Contradictions with Christianity- That Jesus is a created
being a creature. - That Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel
That Jesus was not resurrected bodily, but as a spirit being- That
Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 - That Jesus was only a man on
earth- The Holy Spirit is a force and not a person of God That hell
is simply the graveThat heavens doors are open to only 144,000
peopleThat the majority of Witnesses must remain on EarthThat
salvation is found only through the OrganizationThat salvation can
be maintained only by energetic works for the Organization until
the end, when one may then merit eternal life on a paradise earth.
That Satan is the author of the doctrine of the trinity That Jesus
cannot be given worship, but only honor as Jehovahs first creation
- The trinity - The deity of Christ - The Bodily resurrection of
Christ- The person of God the Holy Spirit- The Lords supper for all
believers (Not just the 144,00) - The promise of heaven to all
believers- The visible return of Christ- The necessity of the new
birth for all believers - The eternal security for the believers -
The conscious eternal punishment of the lostDenial of essential
doctrines The Doctrine of Heaven and Hell for JWJehovah Witnesses
were told by Rutherford that only 144,000 go to heaven, which
caused people early on to join the Watchtower quickly Who and how
many are able to enter it [The kingdom]. The Revelation limits to
144,000 the number that become a part of the Kingdom and stand on
heavenly Mount Zion (Let God Be True, 136).Who is the anointed
saved who are going to heaven? What does the Bible say about the
144,000 number in Revelation God stopped calling people into the
anointed in 1935 And I heard the number of them which were sealed:
and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all
the tribes of the children of Israel.(Revelation 7:4) (NWT =
Same)Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand (v.5)Of the
tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. (v.6)So on and so forth
with the tribesOnly 144,000 go to Heaven What happens to everyone
else in the Watch Tower?Revelation 21:1: And I saw a new heaven and
a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed
away;
Everyone who does not go to Heaven (millions and millions of
people) will go to the new earth where they will resume normal
earthly responsibilities What about those who dont go to either
place? Who goes to hell? No one doesJehovah Witnesses are
Annihilationist which is the belief that when you die (if not
saved) you simply cease to exist, there is no eternal punishment
for the wicked Many Christians today also hold to this view despite
what the Bible says about hellRevelation 20:10: And the devil that
deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where
the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and
night for ever and ever.Jude 1:7: Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and
the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to
fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an
example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.Matthew 25:41:
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:Is Jesus Christ God? Jehovah Witnesses like the book of
revelations, so we will use it in our first example:Revelations 1:8
(NWT): I am the Alpha and the Omega, says Jehovah God, the One who
is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.Revelation 21:6
(NWT): And he said to me: They have come to pass! I am the Alpha
and the Omega, the beginning and the end.To anyone thirsting I will
give from the springof the water of life free.Revelation 22:13
(NWT): I am the Alpha and the Omega,the first and the last, the
beginning and the end. Revelation 1:17:18 (NWT): When I saw him, I
fell as dead at his feet. And he laid his right hand on me and
said: Do not be afraid. I am the Firstand the Last,and the living
one,and I became dead,but look! I am living forever and ever, and I
have the keys of death and of the Grave.When did the First and the
Last (Jehovah God) become dead?Philippians 2:5-11: Let this mind be
in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of
God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself
of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was
made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given
him a name which is above every name:That at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.What did
the early church believe about Jesus? Ignatius (Epistle to the
Romans) (107-108) For our God Jesus Christ, being in the Father, is
the more plainly visible.Polycarp said: Now may the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the eternal High Priest himself, the
Son of God Jesus Christ, build you up in faith and truth and in all
gentleness and in all freedom from anger and forbearance and
steadfastness and patient endurance and purity, and may he give to
you a share and a place among his saints, and to us with you, and
to all those under heaven who will yet believe in our Lord and God
Jesus Christ and in his Father who raised him from the dead.Acts
9:5-6: And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said,I am
Jesus, whom you are persecuting.Itishard for you to kick against
the goads. So he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what do You
want me to do? Then the Lordsaidto him,Arise and go into the city,
and you will be told what you must do.A few obvious areas that says
hes God John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD
and my God.The word Lord () (Greek YHWH in Septuagint) Jesus was
and should be worshipped Matthew 14:33 Then they that were in the
ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son
of God.Revelation 5:13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth,
under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say: Blessing
and honor and glory and dominion to the One seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!Revelation 22:9Then he said to
me, Seethat you donotdo that.ForI am your fellow servant, and of
your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this
book. Worship God.Angels are not to be worshipped Different words
for worship? The angel uses the word they claim does not mean real
worship in this verseJesus is no less than God in human flesh
Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily.Titus 2:13-14While we wait for the blessed hopeand appearing
of the gloryof our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.The Bible
tells us over and over that Jesus is GodJesus Christ is the God of
the Old Testament Isaiah 45:22-23: Look to Me, and be saved, All
you ends of the earth! For IamGod, andthere isno other. I have
sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouthinrighteousness,
And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue
shall take an oath.We read these things applied to Jesus in the New
Testament!Philippians 2:8-13: He humbled Himself by becoming
obedient to the point of deatheven to death on a cross. For this
reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above
every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of
those who are in heavenand on earth and under the earthand every
tongueshould confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the gloryof God
the Father.In many places Jesus is identified as the God (Jehovah)
of the OTGod the Father Romans 1:7: To all that be in Rome, beloved
of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our
Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.1 Corinthians 1:3: Grace to you
and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Philemon
1:3: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.Everyone agrees on God the father being God in the BibleThe
Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 12:11: But one and the same Spirit works
all these things, distributing to each one individually as He
wills.The father and son send the spirit John 14:26: But the
Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He
will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things
that I said to you.Acts 5:3-4 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath
Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back
part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine
own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast
thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto
men, but unto God.The spirit is referred to as a person throughout
the BibleBut how can three refer to one? Genesis 2:24This is why a
man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they
become one flesh.Body soul and spirit among other examples
That Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 His eyes are like a flame
of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name
written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe
dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of
God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and
pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a
sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule
them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of
the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has
a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation
19:12-16
Matthew 16:27: For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his
Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man
according to his works.Matthew 24:30: And then shall appear the
sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of
the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the
clouds of heaven with power and great glory.This doesnt sound very
much like a spiritual second comingThe New World Translation of the
Bible doesnt support their positionThen the sign of the Son of man
will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will beat
themselves in grief, and they will see the Son of mancoming on the
clouds of heaven with power and great glory.And he will send out
his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his
chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the
heavens to their other extremityThat salvation can be maintained
only by energetic works for the Organization until the end, when
one may then merit eternal life on a paradise earth. Rom. 3:28-30,
"For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works
of the Law.29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of
Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,30since indeed God who will
justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through
faith is one."John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish, but have eternal life."Rom. 3:22, "even the righteousness
of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for
there is no distinction."Rom. 3:24, "being justified as a gift by
His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;"Sola
Scriptura or the Watchtower?"Let us face the fact that no matter
how much Bible reading we have done, we would never have learned
the truth on our own. We would not have discovered the truth
regarding Jehovah, his purposes and attributes, the meaning and
importance of his name, the Kingdom, Jesus' ransom, the difference
between God's organization and Satan's, nor why God has permitted
wickedness," (Watchtower, Dec. 1, 1990, p. 19)"All who want to
understand the Bible should appreciate that the "greatly
diversified wisdom of God" can become known only through Jehovah's
channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave,"
(Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1994, p. 8).2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture
is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, and for training in righteousness,thatthe man of
God may be complete,equippedfor every good work.What does the Bible
say?Their use of the scripture to support their position is
incorrect because this verse does not say that He was raised a
spirit creature. It says that He was "made alive in the spirit."
What does that mean? Quite simply, it means that Jesus was raised
in an imperishable body. 1: They use1 Pet. 3:18 where it says that
Christ was "put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the
spirit" as an attempt to show that Jesus was not raised physically
but as a kind of spirit creature.Scriptural support of Jesus
spiritual resurrection (not bodily)This is what1 Cor. 15:35-45 says
when it refers to the body as being sown perishable, but raised
imperishable; sown in dishonor and raised in glory; sown a natural
body and raised a spiritual body, etc.2. The Bible says that flesh
and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:44-50.
Therefore, Jesus' physical body could not be raised lest it
contradict this verse.What the Jehovah's Witnesses miss is that
after His resurrection Jesus said, "Touch me and see, for a spirit
does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." (Luke 24:39). You
must note that Jesus did not say, "flesh and blood." He said,
"flesh and bones." This is because Jesus' blood was shed on the
cross. The life is in the blood, and it is the blood that cleanses
from sin: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have
given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls;
for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul." (Lev.
17:11).3. The Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jesus manifested
different physical forms in order to convince the disciples that He
had been raised.This is faulty for several reasons. First, it would
mean that Jesus was tricking His disciples into believing that His
body had been raised when it hadn't. Second, it disregards the
clear teaching of Jesus Himself who said His very body would be
raised.John 2:19-21:Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this
temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews,
Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear
it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.The
Bible is clear that Jesus would raise bodily from the dead, not
just spirituallyHistory also tells us that Jesus raised bodily from
the dead, and that the tomb was emptyMemory verseColossians 2:9 For
in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.