The Belief’s of Jehovah Witnesses

Jehovah’s Witnesses give importance to reason rather than to the teaching of the Bible. They reject and deny all major teachings of Biblical Christianity.

They claim that the Bible is the final authority for their doctrine. But at the same time they consider their own official system of interpretation superior to the Word of God. They interpret the Scriptures in the light of their literatures and doctrine. They impose their doctrines into the Scripture. Here are the list of major doctrines of the biblical Christianity denied by Jehovah’s Witnesses. 

• They deny the Trinity: The Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the doctrine of Trinity by saying that in Trinity there are ‘three gods in one’ and ‘Satan is the originator of the doctrine’. They ridicule the doctrine by saying, “Sincere persons who want to know the true God and serve Him, find it a bit difficult to love and worship a complicated, freakish looking, three-headed God” (Let God be True, Brooklyn, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1940 ed; p.100)

They oppose Trinity, but they are actually polytheists. They have two separate Gods namely Jehovah, the Almighty God, and Jesus Christ, the mighty God, through Him all things were made. The word Trinity is not found in the Bible. But the Old Testament and New Testament deal with Trinity, which we will deal in one of the issues of True Discipleship later this year.

• They deny the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit: They consider the Holy Spirit as a mere impersonal force similar to electricity. “…The Holy Spirit is the invisible active force of Almighty God that moves his servants to do his will” (Ibid, p.108). They also deny the personality of the Holy Spirit. “The scripture themselves unite to show that God’s holy spirit is not a person but is God’s active force by which he accomplishes his purposes and executes his will”. (Aid to Bible understanding, Brooklyn, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1969, 1971, p.1543).

Their New World Translation of the Bible changes the Greek pronouns referring to the Holy Spirit as ‘it’, ‘which’ and ‘that’. They teach that the Holy Spirit is not coequal with God and consider Him as a radar beam or a controlled force. The Scriptural teachings on the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit will be dealt with in one of the issues of our magazine later.

• They deny the Deity of Jesus Christ: This is one of important doctrines of the Church and the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the deity of Jesus Christ.“… the true scriptures speak of God’s Son, the Word as ‘a God’. He is a ‘mighty God’ but not the Almighty God, who is Jehovah” (The truth shall make you free, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1943, p.47). They say that Jesus is not God and equal with God. “…Jesus was ‘The son of God’, ‘Not the God himself!’”. (The word who is He? p.20). “The very fact that he was sent proves he was not equal with God but was less than God his Father” (Ibid; p.41)

The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ is indeed God manifested in the flesh in the flesh in many places. The deity of Jesus Christ will be dealt with in the next issue of the magazine.

• They deny the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ: The Jehovah’s Witnesses distort the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, by saying that Christ simply changed His nature from a spirit creature to a human form during His birth. “…Jesus birth on earth was not an incarnation… He emptied himself of all things heavenly and spiritual, and God’s Almighty spirit transferred his son’s life down to the womb of the Jewish virgin of David’s descent. By this miracle he was born a man… He was not a spirit-human hybrid, a man and at the same time a spirit person… He was flesh”. (What has religion done for mankind? p.231).

Using their translation of the Bible, they distort the meaning of terms like ‘Only begotten’, ‘Greater than I’, ‘First born’ and ‘Son of God’ and say that Jesus is not God. Thus they deny the very important doctrine of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, that God became man and died for our sins on the cross. 

• They deny the Creation of the World by Jesus Christ: They deny that Jesus Christ created everything in the world. They say that Jesus Christ was the first creation of Jehovah. They teach that before His incarnation, Jesus was the captain of Jehovah’s hosts by the name Michael. But the Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus Christ created all things (Jn 1:3; Col 1:16-17) and He is God manifested in the flesh (John 8:58, John 20:28, Heb 1:8, Matt 1:23, Col 2:9).

• They deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ: The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, and they say that “He was raised from the grave, not as a human creature, but a spirit” (Let God be true, p.276). They teach that after the death on the cross, the body of Jesus Christ was discovered into gases and preserved in heaven as a memorial. They say that in resurrection the spirit of Jesus came again into His body to prove His resurrection to His followers.

The Bible clearly teaches the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself stated it in John 2:19-21, and Thomas touched His body Jn 20:20-29. When the disciples were afraid, considering Him as a spirit, Jesus said, “a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have” Lk 24:39.

Since the Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in resurrection, it is a pity that they are left without hope for the future. “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” I Cor 15:17.

• They deny the Visible Return of Jesus Christ: Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the invisible second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ has already taken place. They say that Jesus came to the ‘upper air’ in 1874. They believe that the times of the gentiles ended in 1914, and He started His reign on the earth. Now they do not wait for His second coming, but they wait for the battle of Armageddon.

The Bible does not teach that the second coming of Jesus Christ will be invisible. The Bible says that only false prophets will teach such doctrine in Matt 24:23-27. Our hope is the “glorious appearing of our great God” Tit 2:13. The Bible says that when He comes “every eye shall see Him” Rev 1:7.

• They deny the Redemptive Work of Christ on the cross: They teach that Jesus Christ offered only a partial atonement for the sins of the people. They believe that Christ did not provide a true ransom for over sins, and his death removed only the effects of Adam’s sin. Man has to merit his salvation now by good works. But the Bible teaches that Jesus is the ‘Propitiation for our sins’ I John 2:2 and we are saved by grace and faith, and not by works Eph 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5; Gal 2:16.

• They deny Immortality: They teach that the human soul is only a life force or principle which lives in the body. So after death the soul ceases to exist. They teach that there is no difference between the death of a man and a beast. But the Bible teaches that man has a soul Rev 6:9-11; Luke 20:37-38 and he will be with the Lord after his death Phil 1:21-24; 2Cor 5:6-8.

• They deny Hell and limit Heaven: They consider hell as a common grave of all people and it is not a place of punishment for sinners. But the Bible teaches that it is a real place of suffering Matt 8:11-12; 13:42; 25:46; Rev 14:9-11; 20:15 which was prepared originally for the devil and his angels (Matt 25:41).

They teach that only 144,000 believers of Jehovah’s Witnesses will go to heaven by misinterpreting Rev 7:4. But the Bible teaches that all those who trust in Jesus Christ will have a place in heaven John 14:2-4, I Thess. 4:13-18; Lk 23:39-43; 2Cor 5:8.

Thus they deny or distort almost all important biblical truth by violating all sound principles of hermeneutics (Biblical interpretation). They have introduced their false doctrines into the Scriptures. So do not receive them into your house. For the Bible says “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” 2 John 10:11.

Peculiar views of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Saluting the national flag: Jehovah’s witnesses believe that saluting the national flag is idolatry and must be avoided as per I John 5:21. So they do not salute the national flag of any nation. They teach that it is forbidden in the second of the Ten Commandments given Ex 20:1-17. Blood transfusion: The Bible says in Lev 7:27, “It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat not blood”. This verse also refers only eating the blood, and not the blood transfusion. Taking this verse and Gen 9:3, 4 and Lev 3:17 literally and out of context, the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the blood transfusion is forbidden in the Bible.

THE BELIEFS OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

Jehovah’s Witnesses give importance to reason rather than to the teaching of the Bible. They reject and deny all major teachings of Biblical Christianity. They claim that the Bible is the final authority for their doctrine. But at the same time theyconsider their own official system of interpretation superior to the Word of God. They interpret the Scriptures in the light of their literatures and doctrine. They impose their doctrines into the Scripture. Here are the list of major doctrines of the biblical Christianity denied by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

1. They deny the Trinity: The Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the doctrine of Trinity by saying that in Trinity there are ‘three gods in one’ and ‘Satan is the originator of the doctrine’. They ridicule the doctrine by saying, “Sincere persons who want to know the true God and serve Him, find it a bit difficult to love and worship a complicated, freakish looking, three-headed God” (Let God be True, Brooklyn, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1940 ed; p.100) They oppose Trinity, but they are actually polytheists. They have two separate Gods namely Jehovah, the Almighty God, and Jesus Christ, the mighty God, through Him all things were made. The word Trinity is not found in the Bible. But the Old Testament and New Testament deal with Trinity, which we will deal in one of the issues of True Discipleship later this year.

2. They deny the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit: They consider the Holy Spirit as a mere impersonal force similar to electricity. “…The Holy Spirit is the invisible active force of Almighty God that moves his servants to do his will” (Ibid, p.108). They also deny the personality of the Holy Spirit. “The scripture themselves unite to show that God’s holy spirit is not a person but is God’s active force by which he accomplishes his purposes and executes his will”. (Aid to Bible understanding, Brooklyn, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1969, 1971, p.1543). Their New World Translation of the Bible changes the Greek pronouns referring to the Holy Spirit as ‘it’, ‘which’ and ‘that’. They teach that the Holy Spirit is not coequal with God and consider Him as a radar beam or a controlled force. The Scriptural teachings on the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit will be dealt with in one of the issues of our magazine later.

3. They deny the Deity of Jesus Christ: This is one of important doctrines of the Church and the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the deity of Jesus Christ.“… the true scriptures speak of God’s Son, the Word as ‘a God’. He is a ‘mighty God’ but not the Almighty God, who is Jehovah” (The truth shall make you free, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1943, p.47). They say that Jesus is not God and equal with God. “…Jesus was ‘The son of God’, ‘Not the God himself!’”. (The word who is He? p.20). “The very fact that he was sent proves he was not equal with God but was less than God his Father” (Ibid; p.41) The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ is indeed God manifested in the flesh in the flesh in many places. The deity of Jesus Christ will be dealt with in the next issue of the magazine.

4. They deny the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ: The Jehovah’s Witnesses distort the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, by saying that Christ simply changed His nature from a spirit creature to a human form during His birth. “…Jesus birth on earth was not an incarnation… He emptied himself of all things heavenly and spiritual, and God’s Almighty spirit transferred his son’s life down to the womb of the Jewish virgin of David’s descent. By this miracle he was born a man… He was not a spirit-human hybrid, a man and at the same time a spirit person… He was flesh”. (What has religion done for mankind? p.231). Using their translation of the Bible, they distort the meaning of terms like ‘Only begotten’, ‘Greater than I’, ‘First born’ and ‘Son of God’ and say that Jesus is not God. Thus they deny the very important doctrine of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, that God became man and died for our sins on the cross.

5. They deny the Creation of the World by Jesus Christ: They deny that Jesus Christ created everything in the world. They say that Jesus Christ was the first creation of Jehovah. They teach that before His incarnation, Jesus was the captain of Jehovah’s hosts by the name Michael. But the Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus Christ created all things (Jn 1:3; Col 1:16-17) and He is God manifested in the flesh (John8:58, John 20:28, Heb 1:8, Matt 1:23, Col 2:9).

6. They deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ: The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, and they say that “He was raised from the grave, not as a human creature, but a spirit” (Let God be true, p.276). They teach that after the death on the cross, the body of Jesus Christ was discovered into gases and preserved in heaven as a memorial. They say that in resurrection the spirit of Jesus came again into His body to prove His resurrection to His followers. The Bible clearly teaches the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself stated it in John 2:19-21, and Thomas touched His body Jn 20:20-29. When the disciples were afraid, considering Him as a spirit, Jesus said, “a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have” Lk 24:39. Since the Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in resurrection, it is a pity that they are left without hope for the future. “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” I Cor 15:17.

7. They deny the Visible Return of Jesus Christ: Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that theinvisible second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ has already taken place. They saythat Jesus came to the ‘upper air’ in 1874. They believe that the times of the gentiles ended in 1914, and He started His reign on the earth. Now they do not wait for His second coming, but they wait for the battle of Armageddon. The Bible does not teach that the second coming of Jesus Christ will be invisible. The Bible says that only false prophets will teach such doctrine in Matt 24:23-27. Our hope is the “glorious appearing of our great God” Tit 2:13. The Bible says that when He comes “every eye shall see Him” Rev 1:7.

8. They deny the Redemptive Work of Christ on the cross: They teach that Jesus Christ offered only a partial atonement for the sins of the people. They believe that Christ did not provide a true ransom for over sins, and his death removed only the effects of Adam’s sin. Man has to merit his salvation now by good works. But the Bible teaches that Jesus is the ‘Propitiation for our sins’ I John 2:2 and we are saved by grace and faith, and not by works Eph 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5; Gal 2:16.

9. They deny Immortality: They teach that the human soul is only a life force or principle which lives in the body. So after death the soul ceases to exist. They teach that there is no difference between the death of a man and a beast. But the Bible teaches that man has a soul Rev 6:9-11; Luke 20:37-38 and he will be with the Lord after his death Phil 1:21-24; 2Cor 5:6-8.

10. They deny Hell and limit Heaven: They consider hell as a common grave of all people and it is not a place of punishment for sinners. But the Bible teaches that it is a real place of suffering Matt 8:11-12; 13:42; 25:46; Rev 14:9-11; 20:15 which was prepared originally for the devil and his angels (Matt 25:41). They teach that only 144,000 believers of Jehovah’s Witnesses will go to heaven by misinterpreting Rev 7:4. But the Bible teaches that all those who trust in Jesus Christ will have a place in heaven John 14:2-4, I Thess. 4:13-18; Lk 23:39-43; 2Cor 5:8.Thus they deny or distort almost all important biblical truth by violating all sound principles of hermeneutics (Biblical interpretation). They have introduced their false doctrines into theScriptures. So do not receive them into your house. For the Bible says “If anyone comes toyou and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” 2 John  10:11.