JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
in the light of the scriptures
by Harold j. berry [from good news broadcaster]
Charles T. Russell began a Bible class near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1872. The group met regularly to study the Scriptures about Jehovah’s Kingdom and the second coming of Christ. Within a few years there were other groups of students throughout the United States who were making a similar study of the Scriptures. In 1884 the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society was incorporated as a servant body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses under the law of Pennsylvania. The group officially adopted the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” in 1931. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, being followers of Russell, have also been called “Russellites.” They do not spend lavish amounts of money on buildings for their meeting places as it is their philosophy that the unreached will be only reached by house to house visitation.
One of their foremost books, Let God Be True, sets forth the various teachings of their group. In this book the leaders of the Jehovah’s Witnesses are compared to Jesus Christ. On page 213 we find the statement: “In recent times men such as C. T. Russell and J. F. Rutherford participated prominently in this worldwide work as Jehovah’s witnesses, even as in ancient days Christ Jesus, Paul, Peter, John the Baptist, Moses, Abraham, Noah, Abel and many others participated prominently in the work as Jehovah’s witnesses.”
Deity of Christ
This book sets forth many doctrines that are contrary to the Word of God. One of the greatest areas of error is concerning the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Concerning the many witnesses that Jehovah has, this book declares that: “His Chief Witness is the One whom He makes His Messiah over the Anointed king in his Theocratic Government” (p. 32). By such a statement Christ is relegated to be nothing more than a creature of God who has a high standing before His creator. The Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the preexistence of Christ in such statements as: “He is ranked with God’s creatures, being first among them and also most beloved and most favored among them. He is not the author of the creation of God; but, after God had created him as His firstborn Son, then God used him as his working Partner in the creating of all the rest of creation” (Ibid., page 35). The Jehovah’s Witnesses clearly deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and they distinguish entirely between Him and Jehovah. However, the Scriptures, reveal that Christ is Jehovah-God and that He appeared as God in human form. Speaking of Christ, Isaiah 9:6 states: “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.” The attributes ascribed to Christ in this verse are certainly the attributes of God.
Concerning Christ the Scriptures also testify that He is unchanging—another attribute of God--”Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” (Heb. 13:8). Christ is also to be worshipped: “And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him” (Heb. 1:6). Only God is to be worshipped (Ex. 20:3) and if Christ is not God then He should not be worshipped.
In composing their own translation of the Scriptures known as The New World Translation, the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to have translated it literally and yet they have become enmeshed in their own rules. Where the Greek words kurios (Lord) and theos (God) appear, they take much care to translate these as “Jehovah.” It is significant, however, to notice in Philippians 2:9-11 that they do not translate kurios as “Jehovah” because then it would read “and every tongue shall openly confess that Jesus is Jehovah.” A similar point is seen in I Corinthians 12:3 where the original is Christos Kurion. Kurion is the word for Lord and they should have translated it “Jehovah” according to their rules but had they done so it would have read “and that no man can say Jesus is Jehovah, but by the Holy Ghost.” Thus, we see that the Jehovah’s Witnesses translate the Scriptures to fit their system of thinking, rather than forming their doctrines on the basis of what the Scriptures teach.
Resurrection of Christ
The Jehovah’s Witnesses also deny the bodily resurrection of Christ. They emphasize a “spiritual” resurrection. This means that although Christ did not rise from the grave physically, He did rise as a spirit. They say, “God did not purpose that Jesus should be humiliated thus forever by being a fleshly man forever; but, after he had sacrificed his perfect manhood, Almighty God raised him to deathless heavenly life as a glorious spirit creature” (Let God Be True, p. 44). The Jehovah’s Witnesses also teach: “Our Lord’s human body was, hoever, supernaturally removed from the tomb; because had it remained there it would have been an insurmountable obstacle to the faith of the disciples . . . We know nothing of what became of it, except that it did not decay or corrupt . . . Whether it was dissolved into gases, or whether it is still preserved somewhere as the grand memorial of God’s love, of Christ’ obedience, and of our redemption, no one knows;--nor is such knowledge necessary” (Studies in the Scriptures, Volume II, page 129.)
This teaching seem very unusual in the light of God’s Word. After the resurrection of Christ the Scriptures record that Mary mistook Him for the gardener and that she was about to touch Christ when He sais “Touch me not” (John 20:11-18). Christ also invited Thomas to feel the wounds in His side and hands—which again proves that Christ possessed a resurrected body (John 20:27). These two incidents cannot be explained if Christ was a spirit without a physical body.
Deity of the Holy Spirit
Along with the denial of Christ’s deity, the Jehovah’s Witnesses also deny the deity of the Holy Spirit and as a result they deny the existence of the Trinity. In fact, to persuade their followers the Witnesses use the equation 1 + 1 + 1 = 3. They then ask how you could possibly declare each person to be God and still only have one God. This only proves that more weight should be placed upon what the Scriptures teach than upon what an illustration may indicate. Why did they not use the equation 1 X 1 X 1? Because the answer would not have fit their system of interpretation.
The Scriptures teach that God eternally subsists in three equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in every divine attribute, and executing distinct though harmonious offices in the work of redemption. In Deuteronomy 6:4, the word for “one” in the statement “The Lord our God is one Lord” is the word which speaks of a compound unity rather than an absolute unity. The Jehovah’s Witnesses define the Holy Spirit as “the invisible active force of Almight God that moves his servants to do his will” (Let God Be True, p. 89). According to the Scriptures the Holy Spirit is not a “force.” He is a person and He does things that only a person can do. He reproves the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8), He teaches (John 14:26), He regenerates (John 3:6), He baptizes (I Cor. 12:13) and He can be grieved (Eph. 4:30).
The New World Translation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses unwittingly admit the deity of the Holy Spirit when it states: “Peter said, ‘Ananias, to what end has Satan imboldened you to play false to the Holy Spirit . . . you have played false, not to men, but to God’” (Acts 5:3, 4).
According to the teaching of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, salvation is obtained by works. Showing their teaching about salvation and about the “144,000 who will inherit heaven,” they declare: “All who by reason of faith in Jehovah God and in Christ Jesus consecrate themselves to do God’s will, and then faithfully carry out their consecration, will be rewarded with everlasting life (Rom. 6:23). However, that life will not be the same for all. The Bible clearly shows that some of these, 144,000 will share heavenly glory with Christ Jesus (Rev. 14:1, 3), while others will enjoy the blessings of life right here on the earth (Micah 4:1-5)” (Let God Be True, p. 297).
Salvation
The Jehovah’s Witnesses have a great zeal for spreading their teaching from house to house; however, we see that much of this zeal is a result of their endeavor to earn their salvation and this is one of the main ways they have of earning it. While it is possible for the believer in Christ to earn rewards by means of his good works after salvation, it is not possible for him to earn his salvation by works. The Word of God is very explicit in teaching that salvation can only be obtained through faith in Chrit and that it is purely a gift. Gifts are received—not worked for. If they are worked for and earned, then it is obvious they are not gifts. Ephesians 2:8, 9 shows that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” If salvation can be earned, then those who have earned it can boast about their attainment, but when it is a gift of God we can only praise God for what He has provided.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that a person in this life is constantly working for his salvation; therefore, it is impossible for him to know until he dies whether he has eternal life or not. Such teaching is contrary to the Scriptures which assure every believer of eternal life and deliverance from condemnation when He accepts Christ as Saviour (John 3:16-18; 5:24). Christ has completely satisfied the Heavenly Father for our sins so that when we receive Christ as the One who died in our place, we are delivered from all condemnation (I John 2:2; John 5:24). It is wonderful to have peace of heart in knowing that if we should pass from this life at this very moment we would spend eternity in heaven. The Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot offer such peace because they do not offer salvation as a gift of God.
Soul-sleep
The Jehovah’s Witnesses, like the Seventh-day Adventists, teach that when a Christian dies, he remains in unconscious existence in the grave until Christ returns. They do not teach that the believer goes immediately to be with the Lord at death. We would refer the reader to last month’s article on Seventh-day Adventism for a further treatment of this subject. Suffice it to say here that we believe such Scriptures as Luke 16:19-31; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23 clearly teach that there is a conscious existence after death. The believer goes directly to be with Christ and the unbeliever experiences torment in a temporary state know as hades and is later cast into hell itself.
Annihilation of the Wicked
Another similar belief which the Jehovah’s Witnesses have with the Seventh-day Adventists is the teaching that the wicked will not be punished everlastingly, but will cease to exist. The Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the doctrine of a burning hell on the basis of four reasons: “(1) Because it is wholly unscriptural; (2) because it is unreasonable; (3) because it is contrary to God’s love; and (4) because it is repugnant to justice” (Let God Be True, p. 80).
The doctrine of a burning hell is not unscriptural or unreasonable unless one comes to the Bible with his conclusions already drawn as to what is “reasonable.” An eternal hell is not contrary to God’s love, its existence helps to explain why God exercised His love by sending His Son to die on the cross that we might receive Him as Saviour and escape the burning, literal hell. If God is so loving that He would not permit anyone to spend eternity in hell, then why did He permit His Son to suffer agony and death on the cross for our sins? Man was living in a state of condemnation because of his fall into sin, and all would experience punishment in hell if it were not for God’s love in sending His Son to pay the penalty for our sins.
The doctrine of a burning hell is not repugnant to justice when a person realizes that God has given man his choice either to accept Christ by faith and have his sins paid for or to refuse Christ and spend eternity in hell. We would remind the reader of our discussion of the subject of hell in last month’s article on Seventh-day Adventism, and would encourage the reader to watch for next month’s article in the Good News Broadcaster entitled “What You Should Know About Hell.” Matthew 25:46 clearly shows there is everlasting punishment for the unrighteous and everlasting life for the righteous: “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” The comparison of Revelation 19:10 and 20:10 with the realization that 1000 years intervene between the events described in these two verses will help a person to see that the two men known as the Beast and False Prophet will have spent 1000 years in the Lake of Fire by the time Satan is cast into it. They did not cease to exist when they were cast into hell.
Because the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the deity of Christ and His bodily resurrection, they cannot be considered “Christians” in the scriptural sense of the word. Many of their doctrines are contrary to the Word of God and their zeal and sincerity are not acceptable before God as substitutes for doing His will and teaching His truth. “They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2).
Let us who know the Lord as our God and Saviour be as zealous in taking the gospel to a lost and dying world as the Jehovah’s Witnesses are in propagating their errors from door to door.
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