Jehovah's Witnesses: A Cult

The Cult of the Jehovah's Witnesses

Although the JW's roots only go back to the early 1870s to its founder Charles Taze Russel, they will often respond that theirs is the most ancient religious group, older than Catholic and Protestant churches. In fact, they assert that "Jehovah's witnesses have a history almost 6,000 years long, beginning while the first man, Adam, was still alive," that Adam's son Abel was "the first of an unbroken line of Witnesses," and that "Jesus' disciples were all Jehovah's witnesses [sic] too." (Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, pp. 8-9).

An outsider listening to such claims can quickly realize, of course, that the sect has simply appropriated for itself all the characters named in the Bible as faithful witnesses of God. By such extrapolation, the denomination is able to stretch its history back to the beginnings of the human family, at least in the eyes of adherents who are willing to accept such arguments. But outside observers generally dismiss this sort of rhetoric and instead reckon the Witnesses as dating back, as I've already stated, only to Charles Taze Russell, who was born on February 16, 1852, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It grew out of the Second Adventist movement, from which the sect of the Seventh Day Adventists was also born.

Their Beliefs:

·       1. They believe that Jesus did not rise from the dead. Russell says His body either dissolved into gases or is still preserved somewhere.

 This is shown as heresy through scriptures like Luke 24:39, John 20:9, Acts 1:22, Acts 17:3, Acts 26:23, Rom 6:4-5, 1 Cor 15:12-20

·         2. They believe that God is not triune (i.e., Father, Son, and Holy Ghost).

·         3. They believe the Holy Ghost is not a person of the Godhead, just a "life force" of God.

·         4. They believe Jesus is just an agent of God, nothing more.

·         5. They believe Jesus is the archangel Michael - Jesus is a created being.

JW's believe that the Trinity is unbiblical because the word does not appear in Scripture, and that the Bible emphasizes that there is only one God. While this is true, and all Trinitarians believe in the one God as we see in the OT (Isa 44:6, 45:18, 46:9) and in the NT (John 5:44, 1 Cor 8:4 and James 2:19), we also see that three persons are called God in Scripture; The Father (1 Pet 1:2), Jesus (John 1:1-3 and verse 14, John 20:28, Heb 1:8), and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4).

            

Each of these three possesses the attributes of deity - including omnipresence; (Ps 139:7, Jer 23:23-24, Matt 28:20), omniscience; (Ps 147:5, John 16:30, 1 Cor 2:10-11), omnipotence (Jer 32:17, John 2:1-11, Rom 15:19), and eternality (Ps 90:2, Heb 9:14, Rev 22:13). Still further, each of the three is involved in doing the works of deity, such as creating the universe; the Father (Gen 1:1, Ps 102:25), the Son (John 1:3, Col 1:16, Heb 1:1) and the Holy Spirit (Gen 1:2, Job 33:4, Ps 104:30).

The Bible indicates that there is three-in-oneness in the godhead (Matt 28:19, 2 Cor 13:14), thus doctrinal support for the Trinity is overwhelming.

·        6.  They believe that Jesus’ birth was no incarnation. They believe that when He was born on earth, He was a mere human being and not God in the flesh.

This violates the Biblical teaching that in the incarnate Jesus “the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Col 2:9, Phil 2:6-7) The Greek word for ‘fullness’ (Gk. plērōma) carries the idea of the sum total. ‘Deity’ (Gk. theotēs) refers to the nature, being, and attributes of God. Therefore, the incarnate Jesus was the sum total of the nature, being, and attributes of God in bodily form. Indeed, Jesus was Immanuel, or “God with us” (Matt 1:23; Isa 7:14; 9:6, John 1:1,14,18; 10:30; 14:9-10)

·        7.  They believe that Christ did not die on the cross, but that He died at a stake.

They teach that the cross is a pagan symbol of sex worship and that all buildings or persons displaying the cross are likewise pagan.

1Co 1:18  For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Php 3:18  For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Heb 12:2  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

·        8.  They believe that there is no such thing as a hell of everlasting torment. Hell is just the grave. The wicked are simply annihilated.

Mat 5:22  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.

Mat 23:33  You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?

2Pe 2:4  For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;

Rev 19:20  And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

Rev 20:10  and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Rev 20:14  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Rev 20:15  And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Jud 1:7  just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

·         9. They believe that man has no immaterial soul/spirit.

Gen 35:18  And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.

1Th 5:23  Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

·         10. They exercise mind control over members.

·         11. They believe that man must work to be part of "God's system of things".

·         12. They believe that only the 144,000 mentioned in the book of Revelation will live in heaven with God. 

       Therefore no one goes to heaven but 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses, and they are the only people who must be born again. They also teach that Christ is the mediator for only the 144,000, not the average Jehovah's Witness or anybody else, as only those who belong to the JW church can ever be saved.

·        13.  They believe all dead people will have a second chance for eternal life at the millennium. If you do not prove worthiness at this time, you'll be destroyed.

Heb 9:27  And just as it is appointed for man to die ONCE, and after that comes judgment,

·      14.  They believe the blood of Christ does not forgive sins, it gives us a "chance" to live again. They have NO assurance of salvation as Jehovah's Witnesses who supposedly know the truth.

1John 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

·       15. They believe that Jesus' second coming occurred invisibly in 1874. Russell's successor, Rutherford, says this was confirmed by the creation of the first labour organization in 1874.

·         They believed Russell when he said that in 1914 the millennium would occur and righteousness would be restored to the earth.

As 1914 approached, he, and his successor, changed the date to 1915, 1916, 1924, 1928, and on and on to the present day! When you ask a Jehovah's Witness about this, they'll give you the party line, "Well, the Watchtower is reaching different levels of enlightenment."

Some more interesting facts about the JW’s:

• Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob etc. were to be back on earth as perfect humans in 1925. The Society built a palatial home called "Beth Sarim" for them BUT when the patriarchs failed to show up, the President of the Society moved in.
   
• Their light gets "brighter and brighter," allowing for many changes and "about faces" on their doctrines. Yesterday's error is today's "truth." Often the "light" bounces back and forth from old to new views and back again! (Might we call this discarded truth… "black Light?")
   
• Blood transfusions are rejected and if a Witness receives one willingly, it results in his eternal death. However, their society allows Hemophiliacs to consume blood for medical purposes to save their life.
   
• To salute the flag is an act of idolatry.
   
• Participation in any civil holidays, mother’s day, birthdays brings condemnation from God.
   
• Only persons who use the true name of God, Jehovah, will have their prayers heard by God. No salvation is possible without using the name "Jehovah."

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Jehovah's Witnesses believe the Watchtower organization is God's "spirit-led" spokesman:

Regardless of what Bible verses you show them that contradicts their beliefs, they place their confidence in their magazines and books.

The idea that the "organization" is a prophet is hidden from prospects and new converts. But if you ask the right questions you can get them to admit it, unless they feel you are not "mature enough" to accept it yet. 

Getting them to admit this is a good place to start when studying with them:

• Do you believe the Watchtower organization was prophesied in Matthew 24:45?
   
• If so, doesn't that mean that they are directly guided by God what to publish?
   
• If the Watchtower is a "Spirit-led prophet" of God doesn't that make it equally authoritative and infallible as the Bible?
   
• Can you think of any examples of a prophet who was not inspired?

Another point to start with is their translation of John 1. It reads:

1.In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. 2.This one was in the beginning with God. 3.All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.

Now, they do agree that all things came into existence through Jesus. Yet they say that He himself is a created being? This is where their logic trips them up.

                                                                            GOD

So this circle represents EVERYTHING ever created as per verse 3, with GOD outside the circle, because He is not created, right? Now the question: 

Where do they put Jesus in light of verse 3?

None of them has ever been able to answer me.

Jehovah's Witnesses are eventually taught the Watchtower was prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 24:45

1. Watchtower organization = "faithful & sensible slave whom God put in charge"
2. Jehovah's Witnesses = "of his household"
3. Watchtower magazine = "food at the proper time."
4.  Weekly Watchtower study: Every church worldwide studies the same thing, at the same time
5. Informed Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the Watchtower magazine claims inspiration by God in its teachings.

Now you understand why they are always asking you to buy their Watchtower magazine when they come door to door? It is the Jehovah's Witnesses creed book & primary Bible.

So, in conclusion of this brief summation of the chief heresies of this cult, I can say with conviction that the JW’s are NOT a Christian denomination, they do NOT worship the same Jesus we do, they preach a different gospel, and therefore, in the words of the apostle Paul, let them be anathema.

Grace to you

Come Out From Among Them

True Believers are Time Travellers

Did Jesus forbid remarriage?

In the Gospel of Mark, Pharisees come to Jesus and ask him: “Can a man divorce a woman?” (Mark 10:1-12) In summing up his answer, Jesus states: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” (Mark 10:12) This seems to be a statement that completely denies any legitimacy to divorce and remarriage altogether. But the Gospel of Matthew clarifies that this was not exactly the question asked.

Literally, no Israelite at the time of Jesus thought it possible that the Word of God given through Moses was completely wrong in permitting divorce at all (and they were right!). In fact, no one was debating if divorce was allowed, but rather how liberally (or not) it could be practiced. The Gospel of Mathew provides a fuller version of this question and therefore sets Jesus’ answer in its proper context. According to Mathew’s gospel, some Pharisees tested Jesus by asking him: “Can a man divorce a woman for any reason?” (Mathew 19:3-9)

The conservative Jewish approach understood “unfaithfulness”, “abuse”, or “abandonment” as the only valid grounds for divorce (Deut. 24:1-4; Exod. 21:10-11). This view was represented by the Pharisaic Rabbi Shammai, while various more progressive Jewish interpreters argued that a man had the right to divorce his wife for any reason at all (Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 90a). The later view was represented by another Pharisaic rabbi named Hillel.

In other words, there were many illegitimate divorces granted in the Jewish community in the time of Jesus that was not consistent with God’s instructions in the Torah. It is in this divorce-for-any-reason environment Jesus is quoted as saying, “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.” (Luke 16:18, Mark 10:12)

The Meaning of Numbers in the Bible: The Number 7

Used 735 times (54 times in the book of Revelation alone), the number 7 is the foundation of God's word. If we include with this count how many times 'sevenfold' (6) and 'seventh' (119) is used, our total jumps to 860 references.

Seven is the number of completeness and perfection (both physical and spiritual). It derives much of its meaning from being tied directly to God's creation of all things. According to some Jewish traditions, the creation of Adam occurred on September 26, 3760 B.C. (or the first day of Tishri, which is the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar). The word 'created' is used 7 times describing God's creative work (Genesis 1:1, 21, 27 three times; 2:3; 2:4). There are 7 days in a week and God's Sabbath is on the 7th day.

The Bible, as a whole, was originally divided into 7 major divisions. They are

1) the Law; 

2) the Prophets; 

3) the Writings, or Psalms; 

4) the Gospels and Acts; 

5) the General Epistles; 

6) the Epistles of Paul, and 

7) the book of Revelation. 

Appearances of the number seven

There are at least seven men in the Old Testament who are specifically mentioned as a man of God. They are Moses (Joshua 14:6), David(2Chronicles 8:14), Samuel (1Samuel 9:6, 14), Shemaiah (1Kings 12:22), Elijah (1Kings 17:18), Elisha (2Kings 5:8) and Igdaliah (Jeremiah 35:4).

In the book of Hebrews, the writer uses seven titles to refer to Christ. The titles are 'Heir of all things' (Hebrews 1:2), 'Captain of our salvation' (2:10), 'Apostle' (3:1), 'Author of salvation' (5:9), 'Forerunner' (6:20), 'High Priest' (10:21) and the 'Author and finisher of our faith' (12:2).

In Matthew 13 Jesus is quoted as giving seven parables (Matthew 13:3 - 9, 24 - 30, 31 - 32, 33, 44, 45 - 46, 47). Seven Psalms are ascribed to David in the New Testament (Psalm 2, 16, 32, 41, 69, 95 and 109).

In the book of Revelation, there are seven churches, seven angels to the seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpet plagues, seven thunders, and the seven last plagues. The first resurrection of the dead takes place at the 7th trumpet, completing salvation for the Church.

How is number seven linked with God's annual Feast Days?

There are 7 annual Holy Days, beginning with Passover and ending with the Last Great Day (the day after the Feast of Tabernacles ends in the fall). The cycle of the holy days is completed in 3 festival seasons by the 7th month of the sacred calendar: Passover and Unleavened Bread, 1st month; Pentecost, 3rd month; and Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles and Last Great Day, 7th month.

Additional info on the Biblical Meaning of 7

Jesus performed seven miracles on God's holy Sabbath Day (which ran from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset), thus affirming its continued sacredness to God and necessity in the life of the believer.

1. Jesus healed the withered hand of a man attending synagogue services (Matthew 12:9)
2. At a Capernaum synagogue, he casts out an unclean spirit that possessed a man (Mark 1:21)
3. Right after the above miracle, Jesus heals Peter's wife's mother of a fever (Mark 1:29)
4. A woman attending synagogue, who was made sick by a demon for eighteen years, is released from her bondage (Luke 13:11)
5. At a Pharisee's house eating a meal with the host and several lawyers, Jesus heals a man with dropsy (Luke 14:2)
6. A man who is disabled and unable to walk is healed at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:8 - 9)
7. Jesus heals a man born blind at the pool of Siloam (John 9:14)

The meaning of Numbers in the Bible: The Number 5

The number 5 symbolizes God's grace, goodness and favor toward humans and is mentioned 318 times in Scripture. Five is the number of grace, and multiplied by itself, which is 25, is 'grace upon grace' (John 1:16). The Ten Commandments contains two sets of 5 commandments. The first five commandments are related to our treatment and relationship with God, and the last five concern our relationship with other humans.

Appearances of the number five:

There are 5 primary types of offerings God commanded Israel to bring to him. They are the Burnt Offering (Leviticus 1; 8:18 - 21; 16:24), Sin (Leviticus 4; 16:3 - 22), Trespass (Leviticus 5:14 - 19; 6:1 - 7; 7:1 - 6), Grain (Leviticus 2) and Peace Offering (Leviticus 3; 7:11- 34).

The Book of Psalms is divided into 5 major sections. 

Section 1: (Psalm 1 to 41) refers to the Passover, Israel's beginning, and the start of God's plan of salvation that centers around Christ. 

Section 2: (42 to 72) sings about a unified Israel in the land and pictures the creation of the New Testament Church.

Section 3: (73 to 89) bemoans the destruction of both God's Temple and Jerusalem. This section also hints at prophecies regarding the End Time Great Tribulation. 

Section 4: (90 to 106) rejoices over the 1,000 reign of Jesus and shows Israel gathered again. 

Section 5: (107 to 150) pictures a time when Judah (representing all Israel) shall again be delivered.

There are five books of God's Law (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) commonly referred to as the Pentateuch ('Penta' means five).

The 4 Gospels plus Acts equals five books which, as a set, can be designated as "the New Testament Pentateuch." They reveal Jesus' teachings concerning the Law and the Prophets. 

The apostle John wrote 5 books centered on the grace of God and eternal life (the gospel of John, 1John, 2John, 3John, and Revelation). Jesus multiplied five loaves of barely to feed 5,000 (Matthew 14:17).

The number 5 in God's tabernacle:

The 'tabernacle in the wilderness' profoundly reflects God's grace in its use of the number 5. This tabernacle, whose design was given directly by God, contained five curtains (Exodus 26:3), five bars (Exodus 26:26 - 27), five pillars and five sockets (Exodus 26:37) and an altar made of wood that was five cubits long and five cubits wide (Exodus 27:1). The height of the court within the tabernacle was five cubits (Exodus 27:18).

The Holy anointing oil (Exodus 30:23 - 25), the ingredients of which were given directly by God, was used to consecrate the furniture of the tabernacle. It was comprised of 5 parts, for it was a revelation of pure grace. The proportion of spices used in making the oil were a multiple of five, which then had a Hin of olive oil added to it.

• Pure Myrrh, 500 shekels
• Sweet cinnamon, 250 shekels
• Sweet calamus, 250 shekels
• Cassia, 500 shekels

Additional info on the Biblical Meaning of 5

There are five books in the Bible that contain only one chapter (2John, 3John, Philemon, Jude, and Obadiah). Moses wrote 5 books, the most of any Old Testament writer. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul wrote fourteen books.

Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar was given, by God, a dream where he saw a giant statue of a man. This statue, according to the interpretation given by the Eternal to Daniel, represented 5 periods of world-ruling empires.

• The statue's head of gold represented Babylon (Daniel 2:32, 38).
• The Chest and Arms of Silver symbolized the Persian Empire (Daniel 2:32, 39).
• The Belly and Thighs of Bronze (brass) represented the Macedonian Empire under Alexander the Great.
• The Two Legs of Iron symbolized Rome's Empire (Daniel 2:33, 40 - 43).
• Period 5 - the Ten Toes of Iron mixed with Clay that are the successors to the Roman Empire (Daniel 2:41 - 44).

THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT!

How often have you heard it? Or worse even, said it yourself? Trying to excuse your behaviour by blaming it on the devil. Or sometimes trying to excuse the behaviour of others by saying “Do not be so harsh on him/her. Remember, it wasn’t really him/her doing that/treating you bad, it was really the devil! He made him/her do it!”

Well, first off, the devil, Satan, call him what you will, is a created being! He is NOT all-powerful, omniscient nor omnipresent! Only God is! Thus, Satan has probably not been close to you himself. His minions are all around us, yes, but he can only be in one place at a time! That said, let’s look past your error about the being called Satan. You probably then meant, his influence through his demons, they are to blame for your sinful behaviour!

Wrong! Since the fall of Adam, we have inherited this refusal to take responsibility for our own deeds and blaming it on someone or something else. As Adam said: “"The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." And then Eve’s excuse: “The serpent deceived me, and I ate." But God (yes I know He punished the serpent as well for his sin) punished both Adam and Eve for their own sins. Their excuses did not help them. Just as our excuses will not be of any effect when we stand in front of the judgment throne. Should God ask you “Why did you do that?”, your answer “He/she made me do it” will not suffice. God would say to you: “I am not asking you about his/her conduct, I am asking you about your own!” You see, every wrong, every sin we commit, is a choice we make ourselves. “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink” Just the same, you can be tempted by a demon, another person, even Satan himself, but to act on the temptation is your own decision, no one else’s!

So, since then, we have never needed any goading by Satan or his minions (although they often do tempt us), we are doing just fine through our own sinful nature! By blaming Satan, we give him undeserved glory, we ascribe powers to him he does not possess, and we compound our sin even more. Sin begets sin, you understand? See what James says in his epistle, in the first chapter and verses 14-15: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

So brothers and sisters, stop shifting the blame, stop glorifying Satan. Take responsibility for your own deeds, and hold others accountable for theirs without excusing their behaviour as being Satan’s doing. Accept responsibility, confess, repent, and receive God’s forgiveness! It’s really that easy.

Gospel blessings

Your brother in Christ.