Who is Jesus Christ? Chapter 4 Review.

Posted on March 13, 2013 by

This chapter is when we really start to see the most significant and fundamental difference between the teachings of the Watchtower and the teachings of the Bible. Its worth remembering right from the start that for Jehovah’s Witnesses, Watchtower materials are the place to go to really know what the Bible says. Any interpretation outside of the teachings of the Watchtower are instantly wrong as they are not from the Watchtower.

Here is some evidence for this:

“Only this organization functions for Jehovah’s purpose and to his praise. To it alone God’s Sacred Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book,” (Watchtower, July 1, 1973, p. 402).

“We all need help to understand the Bible, and we cannot find the Scriptural guidance we need outside the ‘faithful and discreet slave’ organization,” (Watchtower, Feb. 15, 1981).

“Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible,” (Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 587).

So I hope you can see that when we approach this chapter in the eyes of a Witness we are not simply reading some Bible teaching, which like any other Bible teacher will have some good things to tell us but ultimately by virtue of being from man may have some flaws. Rather we are seeing THE authoritative teaching on who Christ is. When the Witness looks at the Bible they are seeing it through the lens of this chapter, book and Watchtower materials as a whole, to know who Christ is and beyond.

In the third paragraph of the first page of this chapter it says:

3It is important for you to know the truth about Jesus. Why? Because the Bible says: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3)

While this is a true statement that the truth about Jesus is essential to our eternal life we see a hint of the mindset the Watchtower brings here. The New American Standard Bible says:

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

You can see here that multiple other versions show it in this way. In fact in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures which quotes direct from the New Testament Greek, and is published by the Watchtower we see it put this way:

“This but is the everlasting life in order that may be knowing you the only true God and whom you sent forth Jesus Christ.”

Yet the Watchtower organization has changed this to “taking in knowledge of you”.

For Christians its about knowing Jesus, for Jehovah’s Witnesses its about knowing about Him, and you can only really know about Him in the Watchtower organization. They do not have direct access to the Father through Christ, they have indirect access to Jehovah through Christ through the Organization and the first step to this is taking in the knowledge of of the Watchtower teachings in order to qualify for Baptism. Salvation for the Witness can only truly be gained through being in the Watchtower Organization, see this here:

“Come to Jehovah’s organization for salvation” Watchtower 1981 Nov 15 p.21

“Those who will form the nucleus of the “new earth”, a new earthly society of rightly disposed people, are being gathered during these last days. They are already nearly seven million strong, in at least 235 lands and in some 100,000 congregations. These millions have been learning the righteous and just ways of Jehovah, and as a result, worldwide they enjoy a unity that is cemented by Christian love. Their unity is the most pronounced and enduring in the history of the world, a unity exceeding anything experienced by Satan’s subjects.” Watchtower 2007 Aug 15 p.26

Come to Jehovah’s Organization for salvation is a very telling line. It tells us that for these people Jesus alone does not save, Jesus plus active faithful membership in an organization saves. The Jesus that is being proclaimed here is right from the start inferior to the Jesus of Luke 7:50 that says to the woman “Your faith has saved you go in peace”. This Jesus brings a salvation that does not save by faith alone but rather one tha requires works. We see this in Romans 11:6

But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.

Its one or the other, Jesus is able to save or He is not, His work in you saves you to the uttermost, (Hebrews 7:25) or it does not. So my point here is right from the start we see a Jesus that is not powerful enough to save. This is because in the teachings of the Jehovah’s Witnesses He is a created being, not God and therefore His atonement did not have the power to save to the uttermost on its own merits.

We see this on page 40.

At the moment when God’s spirit, or active force, was poured out upon him that day, Jesus became the Messiah, or Christ, the one appointed to be Leader and King.—Isaiah 55:4.

This is a teaching called Adoptionism. It says that up to the point of baptism Jesus was just a man and had nothing divine about Him at all, but at the point of baptism He then receives this call and anointing and becomes the Messiah. Quite often people who believe this also believe this anointing leaves Christ on the Cross.

Either way this teaching is totally unfounded in scripture. We see this in Philippians 2:5-11 (NASB)

5 Have this attitude [a]in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be [b]grasped, 7 but [c]emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death [d]on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus stepped down from His equality with God to be a man like us, being made in the likeness of men. This means when He was found in the likeness of a human He was therefore this person in human form, by no means at Baptism. He is the Word became flesh (John 1:14). 

Jesus says to John the Baptist that He was to be baptised to “fulfil all righteousness” however He did not say it was to receive His divine call or anointing. As is often the case with Watchtower teachings this is not taught in the Bible. The verse quoted given as a reference Isaiah 55:4 in the New World Translation says:

 Look! As witness to the national groups I have given him, as a leader and commander to the national groups.

This obviously provides no basis for the view that Jesus became the Christ at baptism. Often you will find in your study’s with Jehovah’s Witnesses that in reality they are training you to see Watchtower materials as authoritative. You will be asked those little questions at the bottom of the page and you will be guided by the numbers next to the points made above where you can find your answer. This is training people to see the Watchtower materials as the place to find your answer, as you will not find this teaching in the Bible. But in the mind of the Witness as long as the Watchtower materials teach something then it is true as they are the only source of Spiritual food from Jehovah.

We also see this on Page 41:

1 Jesus is Jehovah’s most precious Son—and for good reason. He is called “the firstborn of all creation,” for he was God’s first creation. (Colossians 1:15)

So they use this verse to justify that Jesus was created. Lets take a look at the New World Translation rendering of it.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

This is a fair enough translation of it and I do not find any differences with other Bible versions of note, however in the next two verses we run into massive problems.

because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all other things and by means of him all other things were made to exist,

I have bolded the problematic parts here. The Organization has  added other to support their teaching that Jesus did not create all things as if He had, then He would be uncreated. If He is before all things in verse 17 rather than other things then He would therefore have to be God.

Yet again the direct Greek translation in their own Interlinear provides no support for this teaching, Jesus creates all things and is before all things even in their own material. Its only in the New World Translation that this change has been added. This is deceptive and dishonest in the highest level possible and traps its people into believing something simply because the Organization teaches it rather than the Bible does.

In terms of what does First-born mean, well obviously it can mean the first to be born, however in the Old Testament we see other uses for it:

Psalm 89:27 I also shall make him My firstborn,  The highest of the kings of the earth. (speaking of David)

Jeremiah 31:9 “With weeping they will come, And by supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk by streams of waters, On a straight path in which they will not stumble; For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.”

First-born is often a status or a position rather than talking about birth, In Colossians 1:15 this makes massive sense as Jesus is called the “Firstborn of all creation.” Jesus is the pre-eminent one over ALL creation, the authors intention is clear in v17 by saying He is before ALL things, the Watchtower clearly sees it this way too as it saw fit to make this change yet their own material, their own Greek interlinear shows the clear deception.

This chapter consistently shows that for the Jehovah’s Witnesses Jesus is merely a significant human being rather than God, and that He is not able to save without our works to contribute to our salvation, that must be done while in membership and submission to the Watchtower Bible and Trace Society. There is much more in this chapter that could be commented on but mostly I hope you will see that nothing they teach can be taken at face value, look at the sources for yourself and do not follow the structure of looking to the Watchtower teachings to answer the questions they ask. What you believe about Jesus shapes your eternity as we see in John 8:24 when He says:

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He,you will die in your sins.”

Jesus is saying this in light of when God said who He was in Exodus 3:14 which says:

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (I wonder why He didn’t say Jehovah, worth asking,)

The New World Translation changes this to “I have been” yet the literal Greek says…….

Well I am sure you can guess.

Thanks for reading please leave any thoughts below.

Posted in What Does The Bible Really Teach Manual Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Tony Brown Interviewed on the Mind Renewed Podcast

Posted on March 8, 2013 by

Tony Brown

Tony Brown who regularly writes posts for this blog was recently interviewed on The Mind Renewed Podcast. Talking about his background as a Jehovah’s Witness and reaching out to them, this is well worth a listen. This is a great podcast that interviews people from various different backgrounds and interests and looks at them from a Christian Perspective. For Tony’s Interview please click here. Or direct from our site below.

Tony Brown Interviewed on the Mind Renewed Podcast.

(left click to listen or right click, save link as to download.)

I was also interviewed on the same podcast a while ago about reaching out to Mormons, please see that and other things on the subject here.

As well we as a ministry now have our own podcast. Its early days yet but we have a couple of episodes on there. Please see that here.

Thanks a lot and please leave any thoughts or questions below.

Posted in Interview, Ministry Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Watchtower Magazine – March 2013 Review

Posted on March 4, 2013 by

As Easter approaches and Jehovah’s Witnesses look forward to their annual ‘Memorial Supper’, the March edition of The Watchtower magazine asks the question:
Did Jesus Promise the Evildoer Life in Heaven?

The ‘Evildoer’ in question, is the one of the two criminals crucified either side of Jesus. The question asked is of much importance as The Watchtower teaches its adherents, that heaven is only for a select group of 144,000. This means that the vast majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses you or I encounter will only have a hope of living on Earth.
In attempting to answer the question: Did Jesus Promise the Evildoer Life in Heaven?
The article begins:
The question arises because Jesus promised the criminal who was being executed alongside him a future life in Paradise. Jesus said: “Truly I tell you today, You will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43) Note that Jesus did not say where that Paradise would be. Did Jesus mean, then, that the evildoer would join him in heaven? (Italics mine)

The first thing to notice is where the WT places the comma in the Scripture quote from Luke 23:43: “Truly I tell you today, You will be with me in Paradise.”

There is no justification for placing the comma after the word ‘today’, but the WT does so to support its own theology. The Watchtower cannot have Jesus saying to an ‘Evildoer’, ‘today you will be with me in Paradise’. The WT belief is that when people die they are ‘conscious of nothing at all’ (Ecclesiastes 9:5); they are non-existent, awaiting a future resurrection from the dead. Hence, the ‘Evildoer’ was not going anywhere when he died on the cross next to Jesus.

Strong’s Concordance says this about the word ‘today’ in Luke 23:43:
“today’- Strong’s Concordance 4594 semeron neuter (as adverb) of a presumed compound of the art. 3588 and 2250; on the (i.e. this) day (or night current or just passed); generally, now (i.e. at present, hitherto): KJV– this (to-) day.

This shows that the word ‘today’ is in the present tense and Jesus was promising the so called ‘Evildoer’ that he would be in Paradise with him that very day.

Fearful that Jesus could have actually meant that this ‘Evildoer’ was forgiven upon his confession, and he may be admitted into heaven, The Watchtower reinforces their belief that salvation by faith alone is not enough.

The article continues…
First, let us consider whether that evildoer met the qualifications for heavenly life. Humans with heavenly prospects have been baptized in water and with holy spirit and are thus spirit-begotten disciples of Jesus. (John 3:3, 5) Another requirement is that they conform to God’s moral standards and manifest such qualities as honesty, integrity, and compassion. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) They must also remain loyal to God and Christ till the end of their earthly course. (Luke 22:28-30; 2 Timothy 2:12) Only by meeting those requirements can they show themselves worthy of being resurrected and qualified for the weighty responsibility awaiting them in heaven, namely, serving as priests and kings with Christ over mankind for a thousand years.—Revelation 20:6. (Italics mine)

Jehovah’s Witnesses say that they believe that Salvation is by faith, but they deny it in practice. They are taught, as the quote above shows, that there are qualifications that need to be met to enter heaven.

The Watchtower claims that there are 3 requirements:
a) A person needs to be baptised in water and with the Holy Spirit.
b) A person needs to conform to God’s moral standards.
c)A person must remain loyal to God and Christ till death.

Let us consider these.
a) A person needs to be baptised in water and with the Holy Spirit.
The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is by faith alone.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Romans 5:1
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast Ephesians 2:8,9Salvation is NOT by faith and works or faith and ceremony (see Romans 4:1-11)
We are saved by faith when we believe, not when we are baptised. If baptism is necessary for salvation then what hope is there for those who repent on their deathbed (or for a person who is nailed to a cross next to Jesus?).

b) A person needs to conform to God’s moral standards.
Though it is right to say that those who would claim to be a disciple of Jesus should seek to live a holy life, the implication from The Watchtower is that heaven is only attainable for those who work at being ‘good’. No surprise that this contradicts the Bible.

As it is written:
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.” Romans 3:10-12

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:21-26

As the Apostle Paul clearly demonstrates we are made righteous by faith in Jesus. A person can never be justified before God by striving to keep moral standards.

The Watchtower has little concept of Grace and so the ‘evildoer’ alongside Jesus, having been crucified as a criminal, could not possibly reach heaven. Here is the issue for Jehovah’s Witnesses, they need to strive to please Jehovah, they have to work for their salvation, they have to remain loyal to ‘God’s Organisation’ – they cannot accept that through Jesus, salvation is freely available to all who put the faith in Him. Hence, Jesus can say to the ‘evildoer’ ‘today you will be with me in paradise’

c) A person must remain loyal to God and Christ till death.
Notice the separation of God and Christ. Yes, we are called to remain faithful to Jesus, but what the Jehovah’s Witness understands by this is that remaining loyal to God and Christ means remaining loyal to His ‘spirit-directed organization’:

Jehovah is guiding us today by means of his visible organization under Christ. Our attitude toward this arrangement demonstrates how we feel about the issue of sovereignty. (Hebrews 13:17) Satan contends that our chief concern is self. But if we serve in any way needed and avoid things that draw undue attention to self, we prove the Devil a liar. If we love and respect those who take the lead among us but refuse to ‘admire personalities for our own benefit,’ we bring joy to Jehovah. (Jude 16; Hebrews 13:7) By being loyal to Jehovah’s organization, we show that Jehovah is our God and that we are united in worship of him.—1 Corinthians 15:58. (Italics mine) (Worship the Only True God p.135)

The article continues:
In contrast, the evildoer alongside Jesus lived as a criminal and died as a criminal. (Luke 23:32, 39-41) True, he showed a respectful attitude when he said to Jesus: “Remember me when you get into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42) Nonetheless, he had not become a baptized, spirit-begotten disciple of Jesus, nor had he built a record of upright conduct and faithful endurance. Does it seem reasonable that Jesus would promise him heavenly kingship alongside his faithful followers who had proved their integrity?—Romans 2:6, 7.

To illustrate: If a man asked your forgiveness for stealing your money, you might decide not to press charges. But would you trust him to run your business or to take care of your family? You would reserve such responsibilities only for those in whom you had the utmost confidence. Likewise, those who are given the hope of life in heaven must provide a solid basis for confidence that they will uphold God’s righteous standards when they rule over mankind. (Revelation 2:10) The evildoer, though apparently sincere in his last-minute plea, provided no such basis. (Italics mine)

‘Does it seem reasonable…?’ No it doesn’t to human minds, but God’s ways are not our ways. That is what is so amazing about GRACE! God forgives and makes righteous ‘evildoers’ who put their faith in Jesus. Salvation is by faith not by works. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

The Watchtower article concludes by arguing that the ‘paradise’ Jesus spoke about was a future ‘paradise earth’ where the evildoer will be resurrected and given the opportunity to prove himself faithful to Jehovah. This is the hope of every door-knocking Jehovah’s Witness you will meet, and it is ‘another gospel’ (Galatians 1:8). How they need to hear and accept the Gospel of Grace.

Posted in UK Partnerships for Christ, Watchtower Magazine | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

What Is God’s Purpose for the Earth? Chapter 3 Review

Posted on February 25, 2013 by

bible teach

Once again in this chapter, the writers of this publication are painting an amazing picture of paradise on earth and putting you in the middle of it, and telling you how you can find it by reading the “bible”.

I say it like that because in so many places in this chapter, they completely miss the context of the scripture that they quote in the paragraph, and do not show you what the bible really teaches with regards to God’s purpose for the Earth or the promise of life in paradise on it.

For the benefit of anyone who does not know the Watchtower teaching, they believe that only 144,000 special people will go to heaven, the average Jehovah’s Witness will be resurrected on this earth. Their goal therefore is not to tell you of the promises of heaven, but to convince you that if you follow their religion MAYBE Jehovah will see fit to resurrect you on the Earth. Does the bible teach this?

I quote the New World Translation – Revelation. 7:9-10: “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”….Notice it says that the great crowd (which are Jehovah’s Witnesses according the Watchtower) are standing before the THRONE, which is heaven – not on the Earth. If you are studying with a Jehovah’s Witness, you may want to share this scripture with them.

Paragraph 11-12 talk about Satan ruling this world, and then talk about the temptations of Jesus in the wildness. The Watchtower really mis the point here, yes Satan rules the world, but he does not rule the hearts of men. However because our hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9) we need saving from our own sin. No matter how good a Jehovah’s Witness seems to be, or tells you how good you need to be – we are saved through Jesus and him alone (John 14:6).

Paragraph 14 is one of my favourites in this book, because it really does expose the false doctrine of the Watchtower, I cut and paste directly from the bible teach book.

God selected Jesus Christ to be Ruler of His heavenly Kingdom, or government. Long ago, the Bible foretold: “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called….…Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.” (Isaiah 9:6, 7, King James Version).

Always beware of the dots (……) when the Watchtower when it puts them in. It is usually because they deliberately miss something. The reason why in this instance is because Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus God, I quote the full verse from the Kings James Version. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

You see how by quoting the full verse it will contradict their teaching that Jesus is not God, that’s why they don’t quote the whole verse.

Paragraph 15 says:-

Sometimes when the Bible speaks of “the earth,” it means the people who live on the earth. (Genesis 11:1) So the righteous “new earth” is a society of people who receive God’s approval.

Again always beware when the Watchtower says “although the bible says this…it means this”. When the bible says it’s a new earth, I believe the bible actually means a new earth (not complicated!!).  The bible does not teach that Gods people (Jehovah’s Witnesses) will spend 1000 years cleaning up the earth.

Paragraph 16 says “Jesus promised that in the coming new world, those approved by God would receive the gift of “everlasting life.” In the remaining paragraphs it then lists all the wonderful things God promises to those who he approves of namely :-

Wickedness, warfare, crime, and violence will be gone
Jehovah’s worshipers will live in security
Food shortages will not exist
The whole earth will become a paradise
There will be peace between humans and animals.
Sickness will vanish.
Dead loved ones will be restored to life with the prospect of never dying. 

…So nothing about meeting our Lord, it’s all about your reward, what it God will do for you. How are you going to be approved by God to gain this reward?

The last sentence in the chapter tells us. It is vital that we learn more about Jesus Christ, through whom all these blessings will be made possible. Amen. The problem is as you will see from the next chapter they teach a different Jesus to that of the bible. What they mean is “read this book of what the watchtower teaches and maybe you will meet Gods approval and gain this reward.

Posted in What Does The Bible Really Teach Manual Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

UK EX Jehovahs Witness for Jesus Day

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

Dear Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ,

I hope that you all are well, and had a great 2012.

I personally had an amazing year and I have been blessed with being connected to various people this past year.

I have met many people like myself who want to reach out to Jehovah’s Witnesses. I know that you also have the same heart as me, and we want to show Jehovah’s Witnesses that Jesus is our lord and he is the truth (John 14:6).

I have met people, with various ministries across the UK that specifically reach out to Jehovah’s Witnesses in various ways.

It’s been on my heart that it is time we had a “UK EX Jehovahs Witnesses for Jesus” conference where we can actually discuss how as a body we can unite in reaching out to Jehovahs Witnesses. It will also be a time to hear testimonies and general fellowship.

This is not just for EX Jehovah’s Witnesses, but is also for anyone who has a heart to see Jehovahs Witnesses saved. Although a full agenda has not been finalised yet, we will be looking at a number of different things, such as:-

·        How to reach Jehovahs Witnesses in your area.
·        How to reach them online.
·        How to educate the church.
·        How to reach out at their district conventions.
·        Other ways of reaching them.

Paul Jennings (Pastor of Stockport Evangelical church) has been kind enough to open up the church for us to use for the day. He has also said that all in attendance will be well fed! (I can assure from previous experience it is worth going just for this!)

The address is: Stockport Evangelical Church, St Andrew’s Church Hall, Hall Street, Offerton, Stockport, SK1 4DA

The date will be Saturday 18th May 2013 and we will start at 10:00 AM, finishing no later than 4:00 PM.

I hope that together this year we once again can see people come out of this false religion and to the true freedom in Christ.

I would also be grateful of you passing this round to anyone you may know who is interested in coming along.

If you have any questions, or would like to know more or even objections please contact me.

Please let me know asap if you are able to attend, so we can work out numbers.

Blessings in Yeshua,

Fellow brother in Christ
Jason Thickpenny
01733 719590

findingthetruth@hotmail.co.uk

http://watchtowerinvestigated.co.uk/

Posted in Ministry Events, UK Partnerships for Christ | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH? Review of Chapter 2 of this Watchtower Publication

Posted on February 8, 2013 by

CHAPTER 2 is entitled: The Bible—A Book From God
The following 3 questions are addressed in this chapter.
In what ways is the Bible different from any other book?
How can the Bible help you cope with personal problems?
Why can you trust the prophecies recorded in the Bible?

On the face of it, there is little that Christians would disagree with in this chapter. The chapter emphasises the uniqueness and centrality of the Bible. On page 18 it says:

The Bible is a gift from God, one for which we can
be truly grateful. This unique book reveals things that
we could never find out otherwise. For example, it tells
us about the creation of the starry heavens, the earth,
and the first man and woman. The Bible contains reliable
principles to help us cope with life’s problems and
anxieties. It explains how God will fulfill his purpose and
bring about better conditions on the earth. What an exciting
gift the Bible is!

Though we can find ourselves saying ‘Amen’ to much of what this chapter says, the keen eye’d amongst us will spot the subtle way that Watchtower theology is being introduced to the reader. Notice the sentence:

‘It explains how God will fulfill his purpose and bring about better conditions on the earth’

And this ‘throw away’ line on p20:

The first book of the Bible tells us how mankind’s
problems began. The last book shows that the whole
earth will become a paradise, or garden.

These, easy to miss, comments prepare the reader for what is to follow in Chapter 3; the WT belief in a ‘paradise earth’.

In Chapter 1, the prospective JW is introduced to the Watchtower god and told that he has a name ‘Jehovah’ This name of course, has to be used. In Chapter 2, and everywhere thereafter, the name Jehovah is used repeatedly to convince (indoctrinate) the reader that this truly is God’s name.
Pages 18, 19 says this:

The Bible is also a heartwarming gift, for it reveals
something about the Giver, Jehovah God. The fact that
he has provided such a book is proof that he wants us to
get to know him well. Indeed, the Bible can help you to
draw close to Jehovah.

The liberal use of the name Jehovah, not only in this book, but in all Watchtower literature, reinforces in the readers mind, the importance of using this name. Not only that, but it reinforces an attitude of superiority within amongst the group – after all – they alone are JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES.

The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (their Bible version), adds the name Jehovah throughout. Though they may feel justified in adding it into the Old Testament, there is not a single ancient New Testament manuscript that has been found containing the Tetragrammaton (YHWH). Therefore, the inclusion of the word Jehovah in the New Testament of the NWT is one of the most deceptive errors in Watchtower theology.

Under the heading: ‘A BOOK OF PRACTICAL WISDOM’ we read this:

Because the Bible is inspired of God, it is “beneficial
for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight.”
(2 Timothy 3:16) Yes, the Bible is a practical book. It
reflects a keen understanding of human nature. No wonder,
for its Author, Jehovah God, is the Creator! He
understands our thinking and emotions better than we
do. Furthermore, Jehovah knows what we need in order
to be happy. He also knows what pathways we should
avoid. p21

The final comment here:

Furthermore, Jehovah knows what we need in order
to be happy. He also knows what pathways we should avoid.

is typical Watchtower language. The readers, believing they are learning about the Bible are slowly being introduced to the idea that they need to trust in, and follow, the Watchtower god ‘Jehovah’. Only ‘Jehovah’ knows what we need to be happy. Only ‘Jehovah’ knows what is right and the pathways we should avoid. But where can this ‘Jehovah’ be found? Where can I find out how to be happy and what I should avoid?
There is only one place… Jehovah’s organisation.

“[A mature christian] does not advocate or insist on personal opinions or harbour private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding. Rather, he has complete confidence in the truth as it is revealed by Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and “the faithful and discreet slave.” Watchtower 2001 Aug 1 p.14

The poor unsuspecting would be converts believe they are learning what the Bible really teaches, but are actually being fed what the Watchtower organisation really teaches; and the Watchtower teaches that there is NO SALVATION outside of Jehovah’s organisation:

“Only Jehovah’s Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the “great crowd,” as a united organization under the protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil.” Watchtower 1989 Sep 1 p.19

A quote from page 23 reveals the transition from Bible to Jehovah (and his organisation):

The wisdom found in the Bible is summarized
by God’s words through the prophet Isaiah: “I, Jehovah,
am your God, the One teaching you to benefit yourself.” Isaiah 48:17

Biblical wisdom is known and understood by acknowledging that Jehovah is your God and he is the one whose teaching will benefit you. This then puts a firm thought in the mind of the enquirer, Bible = Jehovah = Jehovah’s Organisation which in turn leads to a dependence on the organisation rather than the Bible.

In closing, the following quote seems fairly innocuous:

Reading God’s “word,” or message, in the Bible can
change our life. It can help us to examine ourselves as
never before. We may claim to love God, but how we
react to what his inspired Word, the Bible, teaches will
reveal our true thoughts, even the very intentions of the
heart. The Bible truly is a book from God. It is a book
that is to be read, studied, and loved. Show your gratitude
for this divine gift by continuing to peer into its
contents. As you do so, you will gain a deep appreciation
of God’s purpose for mankind. p26

Amen, Amen. Amen… but wait a minute. Those of us who have been there know that the Bible is never read or studied without the ‘aid’ of Watchtower literature. The moment anyone shows any interest in the Bible – the Jehovah’s Witnesses give them a book – NOT THE BIBLE! Oh that the Jehovah’s Witnesses would just read the Bible only. If they did it would surely not take them long to see that they have been deceived. It would not take them long to have a conviction that JESUS is LORD!

Let’s keep praying and sharing what the Bible really teaches with those who have been led away by ‘a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all’. (Galatians 1:6,7)

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Watchtower February 2013 Review

Posted on February 2, 2013 by

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First of all I would like to compliment the Watchtower on their article regarding Moses and how we can learn from him. For the most part this is a good article and has been well written.

The Watchtower in this edition has written an experience (page 6) about a Mormon who became a Jehovahs Witness. I thought especially given the ministry we do here at UK Partnerships for Christ it might be of interest. Below is the full article and my comments will follow:

_________________________________________________________

THE WATCHTOWER FEBRUARY 2013

THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES

“They Wanted Me to Prove the Truth to Myself”
As told by Luis Alifonso

  • YEAR BORN: 1982
  • COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
  • HISTORY: RAISED AS A MORMON
MY PAST:I was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the last of four children. My parents were well-educated and wanted to raise their children in a positive social environment. Four years before I was born, my parents met Mormon missionaries. Impressed by how clean-cut and well-mannered the young men were, my parents soon decided that our family would become one of the first families on the island to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Mormon Church.As I grew up, I enjoyed the social activities at church and respected the Mormon focus on family life and moral values. I was proud to be a Mormon and made it my goal to become a missionary.

When I was 18 years old, my family relocated to the United States with the intention of furthering my college education. About a year later, my aunt and uncle, who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, came to visit us in Florida. They invited us to attend a Bible convention with them. I was impressed that everyone around me was looking up the scriptures and taking notes. So I asked for a pen and paper and started to do the same.

After the convention my aunt and uncle said that since I was interested in becoming a missionary, they could help me to learn something about the Bible. I thought it was a good idea because at the time, I had been exposed much more to the Book of Mormon than to the Bible.

 HOW THE BIBLE CHANGED MY LIFE:

During our Bible discussions over the phone, my aunt and uncle always encouraged me to compare my beliefs with Bible teachings. They wanted me to prove the truth to myself.

There were many things about the Mormon faith that I had accepted, but I wasn’t really sure how the Scriptures compared with those ideas. My aunt sent me the November 8, 1995, issue of the Awake! magazine, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses, which included some articles on the Mormon faith. I was surprised that I wasn’t familiar with many of the Mormon teachings. That moved me to search through the official Mormon Web site to confirm that what was stated in Awake! was factual. It was, and those facts were further confirmed when I visited Mormon museums in Utah.

I had always believed that the Book of Mormon and the Bible complemented each other. But when I began to read the Bible in earnest, I noticed contradictions between Mormon teachings and statements in the Bible. For example, at Ezekiel 18:4, the Bible says that the soul dies. However, the Book of Mormon, at Alma 42:9, states: “The soul could never die.”

In addition to doctrinal discrepancies, I was troubled by the nationalistic ideas taught by the Mormons. For example, Mormons are taught that the garden of Eden was in Jackson County, Missouri, U.S.A. And church prophets say that when “the Kingdom of God will bear rule, the flag of the United States will proudly flutter unsullied on the flag staff of liberty and equal rights.”

I wondered how the country of my birth—or any other country—would fit into this picture. I brought this topic up in conversation one evening when I received a phone call from a young Mormon who was being trained to become a missionary. I asked him plainly whether he would be willing to fight against fellow Mormons if his country was at war with theirs. I was surprised when he said yes! I dug deeper into the teachings of my faith and also consulted with responsible Mormon Church leaders. I was told that the answers to my questions involved mysteries that one day would be solved as the light became brighter.

Disappointed by their explanation, I looked more closely at myself and my reason for wanting to become a Mormon missionary. I realized that I was attracted to the idea of becoming a missionary just as I would be to any other humanitarian cause. The social status that would naturally come with being a missionary also appealed to me. But as far as God was concerned, I didn’t really know that much about him. Although I had looked through the Bible many times in the past, I had not truly valued it. I had no idea of God’s purpose for the earth or for mankind.

HOW I HAVE BENEFITED:

Through my study of the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, I learned, among other things, what God’s name is, what happens at death, and what Jesus’ role is in fulfilling God’s purpose. At last I was becoming familiar with this wonderful book, and I enjoyed sharing with others the truths I was learning. I always knew that God existed, but now I could speak to him in prayer as my best Friend. I was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses on July 12, 2004, and six months later began working full-time in the Christian ministry.

For five years, I worked at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Brooklyn, New York. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to help in the production of Bibles and Bible-based literature that benefit millions around the earth, and I continue to enjoy helping others learn about God.

My comments:-

There are 2 types of people in this world, people who have Jesus and people who need him. I actually was really saddened to read this article. I grew up as a Jehovahs Witness and once it sunk in what Jesus really did for me, I wanted to follow him and him alone not become a slave to another religion. If ever someone really needed to feel the grace of Jesus it’s this man (Luis Alifonso).

The first thing I notice is that Luis has said that his Auntie & Uncle helped him learn “the bible”. 23 years of study as a Jehovahs Witness, I knew nothing about the bible – I knew plenty of the publications that Jehovahs Witnesses taught on the Watchtower’s interpretation of the bible, but I never studied the bible without their aid.

He then mentions that they gave him a Watchtower article from 1995 that by all accounts, exposes the Mormon religion. One of those things being exposed is that all decisions of the church are made by 12 people in Salt Lake City. I thought this was ironic considering that all decisions in the Watchtower are made from about 8 people who live in Brooklyn!

He then mentions that when he asked some responsible Mormons about some of these “odd beliefs” they answered with “the light gets brighter”…..Wow!! This is a classic Watchtower statement when they make false prophecies. For example, when I asked an Elder “Why did we predict 1975 would be the end of the world”…The light got brighter….”Why did we make the changes in the Revelation book?”… The light got brighter….”Why has the doctrine regarding the Generation changed?”…The light got brighter.

Although Luis claims that he now knows the bible, I would certainly question whether he knows the bible or whether he knows the Watchtower.

If somehow Luis Alifonso reads this, please get in touch – Luke 16:13 says that we cannot slave for 2 masters, are you slaving for the Watchtower…or are you slaving for Christ?

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What Does The Bible Really Teach? Chapter 1 Review

Posted on January 26, 2013 by

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Chapter 1 – What is the truth about God?

What the first 3 pages of this book show, is what life will be like in the paradise, the next thing the Jehovah’s Witnesses will show you in this book is whether or not this is possible for you. Of course without a God it would be impossible, so they will show you that YOU can be in paradise, but first they need you to believe in God. It is not un-common for the Watchtower to do this, if you read all their “bible study” aids (Live Forever book or knowledge book) they all start with a picture of paradise. This is actually a technic to get you interested in what you are about to read.

A lot of this chapter I would not have a huge issue with, as I agree with Jehovah’s Witnesses, there is a God. The first thing I take note of in paragraph 7 it reads “Worse yet, religious teachers sometimes lead people to think that God is hardhearted. How so? When tragedy strikes they say that it is God’s will. In effect such teachers blame God for bad things that happen.”   Other than the word of faith movement I have never heard of religious leaders that teach that God is “hardhearted”. While it is biblical that sometimes God allows bad things to happen to Christians like he did with Job, to say that some religious leaders teach God is “hardhearted” I would certainly question as to where the Watchtower got this information from.  This is just to try and elevate their own religion over others.

I also note something of interest in paragraph 12. It reads “For example, does it not bother you to see innocent people suffer? If you care about such injustices, be assured that God feels even more strongly about them.”    You would expect that Jehovah’s Witnesses would also feel the same then? Well no…if you read The Watchtower of June 1st 2003 under the sub heading “Giving that pleases God” note that on the grounds that Jesus said in Mark 14 “there will always be poor people” that they do not encourage their members to give to charity other than to the Watchtower. You will also see that during disasters they will always look after other Jehovah’s Witnesses, they will not help anyone else even though Jesus says “love your neighbour” and “love your enemy”.  I know this is just a side issue, but I just think it is ironic that they ask whether you care about innocent people suffering, when actually they teach not to help such people unless they are Jehovah’s Witnesses.

In paragraph 14 they quote “we call God by his actual name and don’t just call him GOD” . They then criticise other groups that don’t call him by this name. From here they will then do one of 2 things… 1) Get you to turn to your Psalms 83:18 in your Kings James Bible where it is says “Jehovah” or 2) Criticise the fact that your translation does not use the name Jehovah.

Jehovah is NOT Gods actual name. The name Jehovah is a made up word. It first came about in the 15th century by a guy called Peter Galatinus who was a catholic. The divine YHWH had no vowels so he thought it a good idea to add some vowels to make the name easier to say. So he took the name YHWH and added the vowels from andonai (Hebrew name for Lord) when you add them together you get YaHoWaH so when translated it says Jehovah.

While it is not a sin to call God Jehovah, it is not correct to claim that Jehovah is Gods divine name.  Paragraph 14 says that the name Jehovah “appears in thousands of ancient manuscripts” However, the New Testament manuscripts DO NOT contain the name YHWH or Jehovah.  This has been added to their New World Translation. I believe this is to try to disprove the true deity of Jesus Christ.

They use the name Jehovah throughout the whole of this book, and in paragraph 16 & 17 they will show you how Jehovah is unique and how he created all things (Revelation 4:11).

So, why does the bible say that Jesus created all things?

You could at this point open up your Kings James and show them Colossians 1:14-16 “ 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:   15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:  16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him”

Although there translation will be different you could ask them :-

How is Jehovah unique when Jesus is the image of him, surely that makes Jesus and Jehovah the same? When I look in the mirror and see the image of me, it is merely a reflection of me, not someone different.

They will however cover the subject of Jesus in chapter 4 of this book.

I 100% agree with paragraphs 18-21 about being able to draw close to God. However I would urge all Jehovah’s Witnesses to think about what paragraph 22 says “as you learn from the bible, you may find that some well-meaning people will urge to stop such studies. They may worry that you will change your beliefs. But do not let anyone stop you from forming the best friendship (with God) you can ever have”.

Please ask a Jehovah’s Witness or even a friend who maybe considering the teachings of the Watchtower the following. The above paragraph says “as you study from the bible” are you studying “what the bible really teaches” or are you studying a book that is showing an opinion of the bible?

If you want to study the bible why don’t you read it on its own without a book? I can assure when you do will see things very differently. If you do read the bible on its only without the use of the watchtower people of your congregation will encourage you to stop. But don’t let anyone stop you from forming the best friendship you can ever have. That friend is the truth, for Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and life. No one comes to the Father expect through me”. We get to God through Jesus Christ, not the Watchtower.

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Is Jesus Michael the Archangel? Looking at “What does the Bible Really teach Chapters 4 and 10.

Posted on January 12, 2013 by

What does the bible really teach

 

I have noticed that a couple of comments from the post today are asking specifically about chapter 4 of the “What does the Bible really teach manual”. My friend Lesley Mitchell has sent me this article she put together a while ago looking at the Jehovah’s Witness belief that Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel. This looks at chapter 4 and the issue as a whole, we will still be reviewing this article sometime next month, I hope this helps in the meantime.

 

What Jehovah’s Witnesses believe about angels:

According to chapter 10 in the publication “What Does the Bible Really Teach?” Satan the Devil was a created angel, a spirit creature. On pages 28-29 we are told that since all of Jehovah’s creations are perfect, then this powerful angel, or invisible spirit creature, was not created bad. There was a time when he was good. But a wrong desire built up in heart and he turned against Jehovah – he became a slanderer and a deceiver.

Back to chapter 10, and on page 96 we are reminded that angels are called “sons of God”, and hundreds of millions of angels were created, and all of them are powerful. Pages 98 -100 explain how, in Noah’s days, other angels rebelled against Jehovah and put themselves on the side of the Devil, who became the ruler of the demons. Bottom line is that created angels, “sons of God,” have the ability to rebel and to sin. This Satan was the first to turn against Jehovah.

Now go to pages 41-42 in chapter 4 (Who Is Jesus?) and pages 218-219 in the appendix: Who is Michael the Archangel?

Question: Since Jehovah’s Witnesses claim Jesus is also a created angel (Michael the archangel), the “son of God,” and that Jesus the man, although born perfect, could have sinned, why did God entrust the divine plan of salvation to an angel who could have failed? Just because an angel, a “son of God,” starts out good, doesn’t mean to say it can’t turn bad.
I think we can all agree that angels are created. That is why they are referred to as “sons of God.” But who, or what, is the Son of God? Why, he is Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of Man! Was Jesus also a created angel, as the Witnesses believe? They claim that Jehovah created Jesus as Michael, the archangel. They take the expression “only begotten” in John 3:16 to mean that Jesus was created by Jehovah. But is that what the original Greek means?

The phrase “only begotten” translates the Greek word monogenes. This word is variously translated into English as “only,” “one and only,” and “only begotten.” False teachers have latched onto this phrase to try to prove their false teaching that Jesus Christ isn’t God; i.e., that Jesus isn’t equal in essence to God as the Second Person of the Trinity. They see the word “begotten” and say that Jesus is a created being because only someone who had a beginning in time can be “begotten.” What this fails to note is that “begotten” is an English translation of a Greek word. As such, we have to look at the original meaning of the Greek word, not transfer English meanings into the text.

So what does monogenes mean? According to the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BAGD, 3rd Edition), monogenes has two primary definitions. The first definition is “pertaining to being the only one of its kind within a specific relationship.” This is the meaning attached to its use in Hebrews 11:17 when the writer refers to Isaac as Abraham’s “only begotten son.” Abraham had more than one son, but Isaac was the only son he had by Sarah and the only son of the covenant.

The second definition is “pertaining to being the only one of its kind or class, unique in kind.” This is the meaning that is implied in John 3:16. In fact, John is the only New Testament writer who uses this word in reference to Jesus (see John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9). John was primarily concerned with demonstrating that Jesus was the Son of God (John 20:31), and he uses this word to highlight Jesus as uniquely God’s Son—sharing the same divine nature as God—as opposed to believers who are God’s sons and daughters through faith.

How the NWT has added to the word of God to suggest Jesus was created by Jehovah: Colossians 1:15-17: KJV – “For by him [Christ Jesus] were all things created… all things were created by him.” NWT – “For by means of him all other things were created… All other things have been created through him.” The word “other” is inserted 4 times. It is not in the original Greek, nor is it implied. This is a section where Jesus is described as being the creator of all things. Because Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus is created, they have inserted the word “other” to show that Jesus was before all “other” things, implying that He is created. There are two Greek words for “other”: ‘heteros’, and ‘allos’. The first means another of a different kind, and the second means another of the same kind. Neither is used at all in this section of scripture. The Jehovah’s Witness have changed the Bible to make it fit their aberrant theology.
Can an Archangel forgive sins or share in God’s glory? Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus was created as Michael the Archangel, but the Bible tells us that only God has the power to forgive sins and God will not share his glory with another. Mark 2:7 – “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Isaiah 42:8 – “I will not give my glory to another.”
Watchtower article: http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/appendix_11.htm
NWT: Hebrews 1:5-6 “For example, to which one of the angels did he ever say: “You are my son; I, today, I have become your father”? And again: “I myself shall become his father, and he himself will become my son”? But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: “And let all God’s angels do obeisance to him.” John 10:30: “I and the Father are one.”
It is theologically impossible for Michael the Archangel to be Jesus because that would mean an angel died for mankind’s sins, which would be a futile gesture. Only God incarnate could, himself, pay the price that his perfect justice demanded. The Judge becomes the accused in order to redeem all who are accused, taking their punishment so that they need not be punished. Only divine love and mercy could combine so perfectly with divine justice to deal with our sin and open up heaven to us. No angel could become a perfect human sacrifice for sin because those angels who took on human form (pre-flood) forsook their God-given estate to do that. They incurred God’s judgment for taking on human form. They joined Satan’s ranks by so doing. Never, after that falling away, could any angel become flesh. John 1:14: “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.” Jesus is the Word, not Michael an archangel.
This is what the Bible tells us about Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Son of Man: Isaiah 9:6 says Jesus is Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Revelation 22:12-13 says Jesus is Alpha and Omega, First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 17:14 says Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings. Revelation 19:16 says Jesus is LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS. 2 Peter 1:1 says Jesus is God and Saviour. Titus 2:13 says Jesus is God and Saviour. Acts 3:14 says Jesus is The Holy and Righteous One. Revelation 2:23 says Jesus can search hearts and minds. Mark 2:10 says the Son of Man had authority on earth to forgive sins. John 5:21-22 says the Son gives life and judges everyone. Luke 24:46-47 says the Christ can grant repentance and forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 1:4 says that the Son is superior to the angels.
Revelation 5 describes ten thousand times ten thousand angels worshipping the Lamb, who was slain and is worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise. Michael the archangel will be there, worshipping Christ Jesus.

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Introduction to new series. Looking at the what does the Bible really teach manual.

Posted on January 12, 2013 by

What Does The Bible Really Teach?

Hello all this is just a quick introduction to a new series we are going to be spending the coming year on, on this blog.

As many of you will know when you get a knock on the door from Jehovah’s Witnesses they will be quick to ask, “Would you like to go through a Bible study with us?”.

What follows next is actually a study going through one of their manuals. There is referencing to the Bible in this study, however what you will find is that you are taught to trust that Watchtower materials are the authoritative way to interpret any passage of scripture. It is our view that this is a massively false approach to Bible study and that the Bible is more than capable of speaking for itself.

In our experience the most common manual by far they go through is “What does the Bible really teach.”. We are going to go through this book chapter by chapter on this blog commenting on the content, and teaching style that goes with it. We hope this will be of help to those meeting with the Witnesses in their home and if there are members of this organization reading this I hope you find these post interesting and please feel free to leave your thoughts.

As well as this as you may have already noticed we will be going through the Watchtower materials month by month as they are released on the doors too. Our hope on this blog is to engage with what the Jehovah’s Witnesses are currently handing out and going through with people, and equip Christians to be able to give a confident witness in response.

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