Witnessing to the Witnesses, Eighth and Final Part

We will conclude our series with Part Eight today.  This series about what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe has been based on months of my own study of their doctrine, their New World Translation Bible, and how it compares to God’s Word–the Bible I have read completely and studied for 30 years.  This study, and the resulting research, was the result of a challenge I took on from a relative who has been a Jehovah’s Witness for decades and wanted to share her religion with me, a born again Christian.  I gladly did so, but under the guidance and discernment of the Holy Spirit living in me.

As we seek to share the truth with those deceived Witnesses, Part Eight will cover many of the basic doctrines of Christianity. 

Click here to read Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, and Part Seven.

In order to share the Truth with our misled friends, we need to understand clearly what the Bible says and how our Christian doctrine differs from their JW doctrine.  This list is borrowed from CARM:  Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry, a very informative site that I’ve come across while writing these blogs.  They list very simply (although that is not to say Christian doctrine is all simple) 40 doctrinal statements of Christianity, with references from the Bible which support those doctrines.  This list is not exhaustive, nor are these the only biblical references to support these doctrines:

1. There is only one God - Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8; John 17:3; 1 Cor. 8:5-6; Gal. 4:8-9
2. God is a Trinity - 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2
3. There are no Gods before or after God - Isaiah 43:10
4. God knows all things - 1 John 3:20
5. God is all powerful - Psalm 115:3
6. God is everywhere - Jer. 23:23,24
7. God is sovereign - Zech. 9:14; 1 Tim. 6:15-16
8. God is spirit - John 4:24
9. God created all that exists - Gen. 1:1; Isaiah 44:24
10. Spirit does not have a body of flesh and bones - Luke 24:39
11. God has always been God - Psalm 90:2
12. Jesus is God - John 1:1,14; 10:30-33; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 1:8
13. Jesus became a man - Phil. 2:5-8
14. Jesus has two natures: divine and human - Col. 2:9; 1 Tim. 2:5
15. Jesus was sinless - 1 Pet. 2:22
16. Jesus is the only way to God the Father - John 14:6; Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:22
17. The Holy Spirit is God - Acts 5:3-4
18. The Holy Spirit is not a force. He is alive - Acts 13:2
19. The Bible is inspired by God - 2 Tim. 3:16
20. All people have sinned - Rom. 3:23, 5:12
21. Man did not evolve, he was created - Gen. 1:26
22. Adam and Eve were real people - Gen. 3:20; 5:1; 1 Tim. 2:13
23. Death entered the world because of Adam’s sin - Rom. 5:12-15
24. Sin separates us from God - Isaiah 59:2
25. Jesus died for all our sins - 1 John 2:2; 2 Cor. 5:14; 1 Pet. 2:24
26. Jesus’ sacrifice was a substitution, for us - 1 Pet. 2:24
27. Jesus rose from the dead in His physical body - John 2:19-21
28. Those who reject Jesus will go to Hell - Rev. 20:11-15
29. Hell is a place of fiery punishment - Matt. 25:41; Rev. 19:20
30. Hell is eternal - Matt. 25:46
31. The unsaved go to hell forever - Rev. 21:8
32. Salvation is a free gift of God - Rom. 4:5; 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9
33. The Bible is the Word of God - 2 Tim. 3:16
34. Jesus will return visibly to earth - Acts 1:11
35. Christians will be raised from the dead when Jesus returns - 1 Thess. 4:14-17
36. There will be a rapture (being caught up into the clouds with Jesus) - 1 Thess. 4:14-17
37. There will be a final judgment - 2 Pet. 3:7
38. The damned will be thrown into a lake of fire - Rev. 20:15
39. Satan will be cast into the lake of fire - Rev. 20:10
40. There will be a new heavens and a new earth - 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1

http://carm.org/basic-christian-doctrine

This same ministry, CARM, has another resource on their webpage in which they go deeper into many of these doctrines.  I have read enough to feel comfortable passing them along as a good resource, but obviously could not read everything, so, as always, use your biblical grid in discerning His Truth as you study. 

http://carm.org/christian-doctrine

So at this point, in addition to challenging them on some of the issues raised in this eight part series or in this list of Christian doctrines, what do we do in order to help rescue our friends from the deception of the Watchtower?  In my experience, I have found that not only the most powerful tool, but also the one I feel most comfortable overusing, is Scripture.  Click and study the verses above.  Find others (there are plenty).  Get as much of God’s Word to them as you can, for there is power in His Word.  Expose them to His Words on each of the doctrines we’ve discussed, for it may be their only exposure to the Truth.

Also, in every interaction you have with your friend, whether it be on the phone, in person, or by mail, speak the truth in love and show them that love at every opportunity.  That love is the love of Jesus Christ, the Son of God whom they have limited and put in a box while the Watchtower assumes final authority.  Let Jesus out in a humble, loving way, and then they will see the Jesus whom the Watchtower has kept hidden. 

Finally, let prayer precede every step you take in their direction.  Seek His guidance in everything you say to them, asking God for His wisdom, His words, and His motivation first and foremost.  Then respond with patience.  We have a tendency to want them to “hurry up” and realize the truth–I know I did.  Our human nature wants to almost shake them, scold them, or scream the truth to them and let them know how blind they seem.  That response will not only get you nowhere, but it will hurt the very cause of Christ.  Remember, Satan has “blinded the minds of those who don’t believe” (2 Cor. 4:4), but God is more powerful.  Allow Him to work through you in His timing and with His perfect love.  There is no secret or misleading doctrine that the Lord’s light cannot penetrate and illuminate, in His time and His perfect will.

Recommended Resources

Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz

Jehovah’s Witnesses: Answered Verse by Verse by David Reed

The Watchman Fellowship http://www.watchman.org/ (this organization has volumes of the Watchtower’s own material that show their inconsistencies and deceptions)

Reasoning from the Scriptures with Jehovah’s Witnesses by Ron Rhodes

The Ten Most Important Things You Can Say to a Jehovah’s Witness by Ron Rhodes

The Deceivers by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart

Witnessing to the Witnesses, Part Seven

This is Part Seven in a series about what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe.  These findings are based on months of my own study of their doctrine, their New World Translation Bible, and how it compares to God’s Word–the Bible I have read completely and studied for 30 years.  This study, and the resulting research, was the result of a challenge I took on from a relative who has been a Jehovah’s Witness for decades and wanted to share her religion with me, a born again Christian.  I gladly did so, but under the guidance and discernment of the Holy Spirit living in me.

Part Seven will cover one of the most disturbing issues I find with the Jehovah’s Witness theology, and likewise, one of the most important issues you can raise with any JWs you are trying to speak to about the truth.  Today we will cover the authority of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society (WTBTS), the headquarters of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in New York.

Click here to read Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, or Part Six.

Assumed Authority

As born-again Christians, we believe that the Word of God is inspired by Him, and completely inerrant.  We believe that God made no errors in creating His Holy Scriptures and if there were anything more that was necessary, He would have included it in His Word.  Given that, does God’s Word (or God, for that matter) need help?  The Watchtower believes that the Bible alone is not enough, and in fact, God does need help.

“The Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah’s visible organization in mind.” ¹

“From time to time, there have arisen from among the ranks of Jehovah’s people those who, like the original Satan, have adopted an independent, faultfinding attitude . . .They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible exclusively. . .” ²

Charles Taze Russell (former WTBTS president), claimed that people would “go into darkness” by studying the Bible alone, without the aid of his studies.³

“Furthermore, not only do we find that people cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the Scripture Studies (Studies in the Scriptures) aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the Scripture Studies with their references, and had not read a page of the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures” ⁴

“False religious propaganda from any source should be avoided like poison! Really, since our Lord has used ‘the faithful and discreet slave’ to convey to us ’sayings of everlasting life,’ why should we ever want to look anywhere else?” ⁵

Before there were commentaries, or even before there was the WTBTS, the Bible was studied and revered by many thousands of people.  Considering that those people did not have the “faithful and discreet slave” to interpret God’s Word, did they waste their time?  Will the Holy Spirit guide believers to the Truth independent of any extra-biblical material by any group or organization?  He absolutely will!

Why does the Watchtower insist on the need for other authorities, such as the WTBTS and all of their essential pamphlets?  Are these required reading for the Jehovah’s Witness?  In biblical Christianity, although we have many books written about God and the Bible, there is not a single one that has been made mandatory or as an essential supplement to the Bible.  Helpful, yes, but never mandatory. 

Here is what the King James Version of the Bible says:

“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

^“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). 

“But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9).

The JW’s are forbidden to study the Bible alone, that is, without the help of the WTBTS.  This, to me, says that the Bible is not the ultimate authority.  They are expressly commanded to “avoid independent thinking . . .” ⁶  Show your friend the words of the organization on this issue, and then challenge him or her on this point.  Do not let the JW deceive you.  After all, they may be very sadly deceived themselves and not know any differently.  They adamantly insist that the Word of God is their final and utmost authority, yet their literature strongly contradicts that position.  The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society has placed themselves as the ultimate authority, and their own literature proves it.

End Notes:

1. The Watchtower, October 1, 1967, pg. 587.

2. The Watchtower, August 15, 1981.

3. The Watchtower, September 15, 1910, pg. 298.

4. The Watchtower, September 15, 1910, pg. 298.

5. The Watchtower, March 15, 1986, pg. 19-20.

6. The Watchtower, January 15, 1983, p. 22.

Witnessing to the Witnesses, Part Six

This is Part Six in a series about what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe.  These findings are based on months of my own study of their doctrine, their New World Translation Bible, and how it compares to God’s Word-the Bible I have read completely and studied for 30 years.  This study, and the resulting research, was the result of a challenge I took on from a relative who has been a Jehovah’s Witness for decades and wanted to share her religion with me, a born again Christian.  I gladly did so, but under the guidance and discernment of the Holy Spirit living in me.

Part Six will cover many of the failed prophecies set forth by the Jehovah’s Witness religion and their leadership.  I will then lead into a collection of rather disturbing quotes directly from Watchtower literature and leadership. This is important because Jehovah’s Witnesses are discouraged from reading religious material other than their own material, but yet they can read these quotes with no fear of excommunication.  I pray they read them with eyes wide open.

Click here to read Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, or Part Five.

I.  Phony Prophecies

“Before the end of A.D. 1914, the last member of the ‘Body of Christ’ will be glorified with the head.” ¹

“In view of this strong Bible evidence concerning the Times of the Gentiles, we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the Kingdom of God, will be accomplished by the end of A.D. 1914.” ²

“All present governments will be overthrown and dissolved in 1914.” ³

“The chief thing to be restored is the human race to life; and since other Scriptures definitely fix the fact that there will be a resurrection of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful ones of old, and that these will have the first favour, we may expect 1925 to witness the return of these faithful men of Israel from the condition of death, being resurrected and fully restored to perfect humanity and made the visible, legal representatives of the new order of things on earth.” ⁴

“The year 1926 would therefore begin about October first, 1925…. We should, therefore, expect shortly after 1925 to see the awakening of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Melchisedec, Job, Moses, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, John the Baptist, and others mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews.” ⁵

“If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things.   …..all evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years.  ….as a young person you will never fulfill any career that this system offers.  If you are in high school and thinking about a college education,  it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!”⁶

These are just a few of the many phony prophecies that the Watchtower presidents and the WTBTS have claimed as their own.  In scripture, we are warned to beware of false prophets, and it is well worth being reminded of that here.  In Deuteronomy 18:21-22, the Lord said, “You may say to yourselves, ‘How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?’  If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken.”

The Watchtower is the author of many prophesies that have never come about–prophecies about Christ’s return, about who the “faithful and discreet slave” is, and the end of the world.  Their stories are not consistent for very long, and therefore their doctrines cannot be considered sound.  Likewise, their prophecies do not come true, and therefore their prophets cannot be of God.  Ask the JW why they are comfortable pledging their allegiance, financial support, and gambling their eternal salvation on an organization that proclaims the teachings of multiple false prophets and prophecies.

End Notes:

1.  The Time is At Hand, 1906 ed., pg. 77.

2.  The Time is at Hand, p. 99.

3.  The Time is At Hand, 1889, pg. 98-99.

4.   Millions Now Living Will Never Die, p.88.

5.  The Way to Paradise, p.224.

6.  Awake, 5/22/1969, pg 15.

II.  Authorizing Abhorrence of People

Here are some quotes that not only completely baffle me, but also hurt given that I have family in this religion.  These quotes seem contradictory with Jesus command to love (Matthew 22:36-39; 1 John 2:6; John 15:12,13).  Do these quotes below (commands from the Watchtower) reflect that love?

“Children are to leave their disfellowshipped parents, even if it means financial hardship.“¹

“Disfellowshipped children, legally of age will be kicked out of the home.“²

“Don’t associate with outsiders (non-Jehovah’s Witnesses). You are too busy for that!“³

“Haters of God and his people are to be hated, but this does not mean that we will take any opportunity of bringing physical hurt to them in a spirit of malice or spite, for both malice and spite belong to the Devil, whereas pure hatred does not.  We must hate in the truest sense, which is to regard with extreme and active aversion, to consider as loathsome, odious, filthy, to detest.  Surely any haters of God are not fit to live on his beautiful earth. The earth will be rid of the wicked and we shall not need to lift a finger to cause physical harm to come to them, for God will attend to that, but we must have a proper perspective of these enemies.”⁴

“. . .in order to hate what is bad a Christian must hate the person”⁵

Why the hate?  Why the fear of those who have been disfellowshipped (asked to leave the Jehovah’s Witnesses)?  Am I completely misunderstanding Matthew 5:44 which says, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you”?

There is a deception taking place that possibly only those of us that are not Jehovah’s Witnesses can see clearly.  The Enemy (Satan) has “blinded the minds of them which believe not” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and prayer and the Truth of God’s Word need to be two of the weapons we use the most of in this war for our loved ones.

End Notes:

1.  Watchtower, 15/11/52 p. 703.

2.  Watchtower, 11/15/52, p. 703.

3.  Watchtower, 2/1/74, p.93.

4.  Watchtower, 10/1/52, p. 599.

5.  Watchtower, 7/15/1961, p. 420.

Witnessing to the Witnesses, Part Five

This is Part Five in a series about what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe.  These findings are based on months of my own study of their doctrine, their New World Translation Bible, and how it compares to God’s Word–the Bible I have read completely and studied for 30 years.  This study, and the resulting research, was the result of a challenge I took on from a relative who has been a Jehovah’s Witness for decades and wanted to share her religion with me, a born again Christian.  I gladly did so, but under the guidance and discernment of the Holy Spirit living in me. 

Part Five will continue the series of JW “Doctrinal Discrepancies,” discussing today their New World Translation.  Click here to read Part One, Part Two, Part Three, or Part Four.

Doctrinal Discrepancies:  Transformed Translation

During my study sessions, I discovered that the New World Translation (NWT) used by the JWs is not the same translation as those translations I use (KJV, NASB, NIV).  But you might ask, “So what?  There are many different translations to choose from.”  Yes, but the changes made in the NWT change the context drastically.  A simple insertion of the word “a” into John 1:1 for example changes the Bible’s teaching so much, that Christians and JWs have been debating that verse for decades. 

Or what about John 8:58, which in the KJV says, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

But that same verse in the NWT says, “Before Abraham came into existence, I have been.”

Those are drastically different, as we know, because Christians know Jesus by one of His names, I AM, which speaks to his deity. 

I found it interesting in my research that the JWs used the KJV and NASB up until about 50 years ago, when they decided that it was not accurate enough.  Then, in 1961, they translated their own New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.  But I question why these critical changes were made?  They claim that the Christian Bible has been too tampered with and is no longer accurate.  Are they right?   Please note that we are not talking here about paraphrase Bibles such as The Message.  I have my own problems with The Message Bible and am speaking here of the time-tested versions such as the KJV and NASB (and a few others).  Why did the JWs feel those needed to change?  Was it to support their doctrine?

Dr. Philip Comfort, author of the book The Complete Guide to Bible Versions, says about the Christian Bible that “although there are certainly differences in many New Testament manuscripts, not one fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith rests on a disputed passage” ¹.  The NWT, however, has had passage disputes and doctrinal changes for many years.  Just consider their positions on blood transfusions, vaccinations, and excommunication.  Josh McDowell and Don Stewart in their assessment of the NWT, provide these five proofs of the invalidity of the JW translation:

“The use of paraphrasing in contradiction to the stated purpose; the unwarranted insertion of words not found in the Greek (such as John 1:1; Colossians 1:16,17; and Hebrews 9:27); erroneous rendering of Greek words; deception and misleading footnotes and appendix; arbitrary use and non-use of capitals when dealing with the divine name (such as John 1:1,18; Matthew 28:19; and John 15:26).²

Watchman Fellowship points out this proof in addition:

“The most widespread change in the Watchtower Bible is the insertion of the name JEHOVAH 237 times in the New Testament. Of course, it is appropriate for a translator to choose to use the divine name JEHOVAH or YAHWEH in the Old Testament where the Tetragrammator YHWH actually appears in the Hebrew text. However, the Watchtower has gone beyond this by inserting the name JEHOVAH in the New Testament, where it does not appear in Greek manuscripts. One need only look at the word-by-word English that appears under the Greek text in the Society’s own Kingdom Interlinear Translation to see that the name JEHOVAH is not there in the Greek.”

David Reed, an insider having been a Witness and now a Christian, says, “their New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures continues to be rewritten every few years, with additional changes made to bring God’s Word into closer agreement with what the organization teaches”³.

Apparently, the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society has their own team of translators of the NWT but they refuse to disclose the names of those translators⁴. 

Again, Reed points out,

“an unbiased observer will quickly note that such anonymity also shields the translators from any blame for errors or distortions in their renderings. And it prevents scholars from checking their credentials.  In fact, defectors who have quit Watchtower headquarters in recent years have identified the alleged members of the committee, revealing that none of them was expert in Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic - the original languages from which the Bible was translated”⁵. 

This is corroborated again by Raymond Franz in his book, Crisis of Conscience, who is a former member of the JW governing body.

Daniel B. Wallace in an article from Bible.org entitled, “Why So Many Versions,” says this about how to choose the best Bible translation and the accuracy of the New World Translation: 

“One of the best safeguards you can follow is to stay away from the sectarian translations or those done by an individual. The New World Translation, by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, is the best known sectarian translation. . . . a word should be said about the New World Translation by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Due to the sectarian bias of the group, as well as to the lack of genuine biblical scholarship, I believe that the New World Translation is by far the worst translation in English dress. It purports to be word-for-word, and in most cases is slavishly literal to the point of being terrible English. But, ironically, whenever a sacred cow is demolished by the biblical writers themselves, the Jehovah’s Witnesses twist the text and resort to an interpretive type of translation. In short, it combines the cons of both worlds, with none of the pros.”

So who is Daniel B. Wallace and what are his credentials?  Fair question.  Take a look here.  It seems he is more qualified to speak on the accuracy of Bible translations than the translators on the Watchtower committee.  And as I research, I am finding many other independent scholars (those without any loyalty to one earthy organization) that have similar feelings about the NWT.

Ask the JW you seek to share the truth with who translated their NWT from the Hebrew and Greek and if they have ever studied the translations on their own.  Ask them to send you sound and independent (of the WTBTS literature) evidence of their beliefs as written in the original Greek translations.  In my correspondence with my family, I often reminded them that a loving God would lead us into His Truth and show us any error that we might be falling into, as it promises in John 16:13.  When I study my Bible, I am constantly dependent upon the illumination of the Holy Spirit for true meaning and understanding.  He is my Guide (John 14:26 NASB “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”  John 16:13 says, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.”  See also John 14:16-17).  Apart from the influence of the WTBTS, that is what the JW will have to depend on during this study as well.  And isn’t it of vital importance that the Bible we read every day and use to formulate our worldview be exactly what the Lord inspired those writers to pen all those years ago?

 End Notes:

 1.   The Complete Guide to Bible Versions, Dr. Philip Comfort

2.   The Deceivers, Josh McDowell and Don Stewart, pp. 104-106.

3.  Jehovah’s Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse, David Reed, pp. 17-18.

4.  Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, pp. 174-176.

5.  Jehovah’s Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse, David Reed, pp. 17-18.

Witnessing to the Witnesses, Part Four

This is Part Four in a series about what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe.  These findings are based on months of my own study of their doctrine, their New World Translation Bible, and how it compares to God’s Word–the Bible I have read completely and studied for 30 years.  This study, and the resulting research, was the result of a challenge I took on from a relative who has been a Jehovah’s Witness for decades and wanted to share her religion with me, a born again Christian.  I gladly did so, but under the guidance and discernment of the Holy Spirit living in me. 

Part Four will continue the series of JW “Doctrinal Discrepancies,” discussing today the doctrine of salvation.  Click here to read Part One, Part Two, or Part Three.

Doctrinal Discrepancies:  Salvation

In order to save time, I’ve pulled most of the basic beliefs regarding salvation according to the Jehovah’s Witnesses from CARM: Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry.  The author of this article, Matt Slick, has provided the sources for each.  Notice how they are in direct contradiction to what born-again Christians believe as well as to the Bible.

Jesus was born again, The Watchtower, Nov. 15, 1954, p. 682.

Jesus’ ransom sacrifice did not include Adam, Let God be True, p.  119.

Only their church members will be saved, The Watchtower, Feb, 15, 1979, p. 30.

Good works are necessary for salvation, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1, p. 150, 152.

The soul ceases to exist after death, Let God be True, p. 59, 60, 67.

There is no hell of fire where the wicked are punished, Let God be True, p. 79, 80.

Only 144,000 Jehovah’s Witness go to heaven, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 166-167, 361; Let God be True, p. 121.

Only the 144,000 Jehovah’s Witness are born again. Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p. 76.; Watchtower 11/15/54, p. 681.

Salvation is by faith and what you do, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1, p. 150,152.

It is possible to lose your salvation, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p. 358-359.

So let’s expound on these a bit and view the biblical response.  How are Jehovah’s Witnesses taught regarding salvation?  How might they obtain it?  The bottom line is this:  WORKS.  Born-again believers know that the reason that they are saved from eternal damnation is because of God’s grace and His grace alone, by way of Jesus’ shed blood on the cross as payment for our sin.  The Bible clearly states that God’s grace absorbs His wrath for those who believe and receive Him, not our works (see later in this article for a very partial list of scriptures that support a grace-based, not works-based salvation).

However, the Watchtower says, “Do you want to live forever on earth under God’s government? Any person in his right mind would answer, Yes?… But to receive them you cannot simply raise your hand and say: ‘I want to be a subject of God’s government.’ Much more is needed“¹

So how does the Watchtower define “works” for the Jehovah’s Witnesses?  This list includes, but is probably not limited to, the following:

1.  LOYALTY TO THE ORGANIZATION

One of the ways they demonstrate their good works is by loyalty to the Watchtower, also known as, they believe, the “faithful and discreet slave” from Matthew 24:45.  The Watchtower has said, “Unless we are in touch with this channel of communication (faithful and discreet slave) that God is using, we will not progress along the road to life, no matter how much Bible reading we do.” ² 

The “faithful and discreet slave” used to be Charles Taze Russell (former WTBTS president), but that doctrine was one of many that changed over time (more about that in later posts). So this very clearly states that the Bible alone will not teach us enough or mature us enough.  We need the Watchtower’s help.  I wonder what the Lord would say about people teaching that His inspired Word is not enough?  In addition, this clearly states that loyalty to the Watchtower is necessary for salvation. 

They also say this regarding our salvation:  “To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must identify that organization and serve God as part of it.”³   Again, loyalty is required to receive everlasting life.

2.  LITERATURE DISTRIBUTION

Watchman Fellowship has this to say about this requirement:

The most pronounced manifestation of loyalty to the Society is proselytism. “God requires that prospective subjects of his Kingdom support his government by loyally advocating his Kingdom rule to others” (Watchtower, February 15, 1983, pp. 12-13; emphasis theirs), with all Jehovah’s Witnesses serving as “loyal spokesmen or proclaimers of God’s kingdom” (You Can Live Forever., p. 133; emphasis theirs). Serving as loyal spokesmen for the Society is “a sacred duty, a requirement on which our life depends” (Keep Watch Over Yourselves., p. 35). 

This proselyting work primarily involves distributing Watchtower literature. The status of the individual member in a Kingdom Hall is measured according to activity in distributing literature, with individuals referred to as “publishers” (e.g., see Keep Watch Over Yourselves., pp. 98-99). Publishers must “be determined to exert ourselves physically, using our energies and strength in the evangelizing work.  [God's] service would be whole-souled. Those whose strength and circumstances permit them to do more need not discontinue their activity just because others cannot stay out longer” (Ibid., p. 51). Literature distribution is tracked by the Society through a detailed monthly time report submitted by each Witness. These reports are so important to the Society that even notices of expiring magazine subscriptions are submitted to the leaders of local congregations for immediate action (Ibid., p. 61).

Watchman Fellowship also says, “the Watchtower Society has made door-to-door magazine and book distribution (in exchange for donations to the Society) a requirement for salvation for over three and a half million people.”

I would like to ask a Jehovah’s Witness if their literature and publications are available at local bookstores or if the Watchtower is the only distributor of their material.  This is not a situation where we, as Christians, purchase Bibles from various publishers and bookstores across the nation to give away as we attempt to reach the unsaved world.  My curiosity only grows when I see Wikipedia report that, “In 2001 the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York was listed among the top forty revenue-generating companies in New York City, reporting an annual revenue of about 951 million US dollars.” ⁴

Keep in mind that, in all this talk of salvation and the afterlife, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in an eternal hell or punishment, but rather hell is simply a term for the grave and being “thrown into the lake of fire,” as Revelation 20:15 says, is simply an end of existence for those who meet this fate.⁵

So how do we respond biblically to these beliefs?

Everlasting life is a free gift from God if we choose to accept it.  I see no place where Scripture says that we can earn our way to heaven.  None of us could ever gain enough merit to deserve heaven.  We are sinful, and God’s standard is perfection.  Isn’t it rather arrogant to assume we could meet God’s standard on our own, and in contrast, aren’t we commanded to pattern ourselves after the humility of Jesus, denying arrogance and self-sufficiency?  Jesus said, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).  He added, “You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (v. 48).  Who then can go to heaven and who can be saved by his or her own efforts? 

The New Testament is overflowing with verses that declare salvation is by faith alone, without mention of works.  These scriptures will help the JW to see that: 

Ephesians 2:8,9 says, “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.”

2 Tim. 1:9,10 says, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

John 5:24 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

Romans 3:20 says, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Romans 3:24-26 says, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

See also Titus 2:11; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 5:13; Matthew 5:20; John 3:15; John 11:25; John 12:46; John 14:6; John 3:3, 16-20; Acts 4:12; and 1 John 1:7-10 (Note: Almost 200 times in the NT alone, it says that salvation is by faith alone, with no works in sight.)

 The Bible is also clear that everyone will exist eternally, either in a place known as heaven or in a place of eternal torment.

John 14:1-3 says, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Revelation 6:9 says, “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:”

Matthew 23:33 says, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”

Matthew 25:41 says, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”

Let’s pray for clarity for our Jehovah’s Witness friends–that they might have “ears to hear and eyes that see” (Proverbs 20:12) as we share this truth of salvation by faith alone with them.

End Notes:

1.  You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, p.27.

2.  The Watchtower, December 1, 1981 p. 27.

3.  The Watchtower, February 15, 1983, p. 12.

4.  http://www.watchtowernews.org/Top40NYCcorps.htm

5.  http://www.watchman.org/jw/jwafterl.htm

Witnessing to the Witnesses, Part Three

This is Part Three in a series about what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe.  These findings are based on months of my own study of their doctrine, their New World Translation Bible, and how it compares to God’s Word–the Bible I have read completely and studied for 30 years.  This study, and the resulting research, was the result of a challenge I took on from a relative who has been a Jehovah’s Witness for decades and wanted to share her religion with me, a born again Christian.  I gladly did so, but under the guidance and discernment of the Holy Spirit living in me. 

Part Three will continue the series of JW “Doctrinal Discrepancies,” discussing today the doctrine of the Trinity.  Click here to read Part One or Part Two.

Doctrinal Discrepancies:  Trinity

As seen in previous blogs, Watchman Fellowship is a ministry I respect very much.  They have this to say about Jehovah’s Witnesses rejection of the Trinity:

Joseph Rutherford made it quite clear that the Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in the biblical doctrine of the Trinity. He stated, “The origin of the Trinity doctrine is traced back to the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians and other ancient mythologists. It will not be disputed by Jews and Christians that these ancient peoples worshiped demon gods and that God’s typical nation of Israel was warned not to mingle with them because of this. It follows, then, that God was not the author of this doctrine. The obvious conclusion is, therefore, that Satan is the originator of the Trinity doctrine.”

Nevertheless, 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. The clergy who inject such ideas will contradict themselves in the very next breath by stating that God made man in his own image; for certainly no one has ever seen a three-headed human creature.” ¹

As we’ve mentioned earlier, JW’s use the Trinity as one of their prime examples of an unreasonable doctrine.  One of the WTBTS pamphlet entitled, “Should You Believe in the Trinity?” states, “contending that since the Trinity is such a confusing mystery, it must have come from divine revelation creates another major problem.  Why?  Because divine revelation itself does not allow for such a view of God: ‘God is not a God of confusion.’ (1 Corinthians 14:33 RSV)” ²   Not only have they taken this verse out of context (read the whole of chapter 14), they have completely dismissed the fact that God and His ways are unfathomable to us, in many ways, because of our finite minds.  Isaiah 55:8,9 in the KJV says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Ask the JW, “Do you fully understand omnipotence, omniscience, or omnipresence?” or “Do you understand how God wrote the Bible through 40 different authors over a 1500-year period?”  We may not understand any of these things, so we take them by faith.  We are not given the luxury of dismissing a doctrine simply because it is unreasonable to us in our limited understanding.

Dr. Walter Martin says,

No man can fully explain the Trinity, though in every age scholars have propounded theories and advanced hypotheses to explore this mysterious Biblical teaching. But despite the worthy efforts of these scholars, the Trinity is still largely incomprehensible to the mind of man.

Perhaps the chief reason for this is that the Trinity is a-logical, or beyond logic. It, therefore, cannot be made subject to human reason or logic. Because of this, opponents of the doctrine argue that the idea of the Trinity must be rejected as untenable. Such thinking, however, makes man’s corrupted human reason the sole criterion for determining the truth of divine revelation.³

In addition, the JW will also claim that the word “Trinity” is not in the Bible, and they are correct on this point.  While the word “Trinity” is not in the Bible, the concept and doctrine of the Trinity is, most definitely, a biblical one (found throughout the Bible).  For that matter, the words “theocracy”, the name “Jehovah” itself, the word “Bible”, and many other examples, are not in the Bible.   Does that rule out the possibility that they are biblical concepts?  Absolutely not!   

It is well worth pointing out that in the “Should You Believe in the Trinity?” pamphlet mentioned above, not only is the language very confusing in and of itself (intentional or not, I will not judge), but their sources supporting their theories are not only inaccurate, but not credible.  The “evidence” they provide is from secular sources and Catholic literature.  Without stepping on toes, much of the Catholic doctrine does not adhere to the Scriptures, and in addition, we should be understandably leery of secular sources that speak on biblical issues.  Simply from the way the Trinity is misrepresented over and over again in this pamphlet, I am not surprised at the confusion over this doctrine.

Ask the JW to put away extraneous sources and simply listen to what the Bible has to say about the doctrine of the Trinity–no WTBTS sources, no secular sources, no pamphlets that distort, just the KJV of the Bible. 

Here are some scriptures to share with them:

Isaiah 44:6-8 says, “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.”

 Isaiah 45:5-6 says, “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.”

Ok so this tells us that there is only ONE God . . . let’s continue.

2 Corinthians 1:2 says, “Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 2:11 says, “And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Ok, so we see that the Father is God.

John 8:58 says, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” 

John 1:14 says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” 

Titus 2:13-14 says, ”Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

Hebrews 1:8 says, “But unto the Son he saith, ‘Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.’”

Ok, so we see that the Son is God as well.   I think I see where this is going.

Acts 5:3-4 says, “But Peter said, Ananias, ‘why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?  Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”

Alright, so the Holy Ghost is God as well?  Seems rather clear–God in three persons of the Trinity, clearly in the Bible.

End Notes:

1.  Let God Be True, 2nd ed., pp. 101-102

2.  Should You Believe in the Trinity?, Brooklyn, New York:  WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC., 1989.

3.  Walter Martin, Essential Christianity, Vision House, Santa Anna, 1975, p. 21

 

Witnessing to the Witnesses, Part Two

This is Part Two in a series about what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe.  These findings are based on months of my own study of their doctrine, their New World Translation Bible, and how it compares to God’s Word–the Bible I have read completely and studied for 30 years.  This study, and the resulting research, was the result of a challenge I took on from a relative who has been a Jehovah’s Witness for decades and wanted to share her religion with me, a born again Christian.  I gladly did so, but under the guidance and discernment of the Holy Spirit living in me. 

Part Two will start a series of JW “Doctrinal Discrepancies,” beginning today with the debate about Christ’s deity.  Click here to read Part One.

Doctrinal Discrepancies:  Christ’s Deity

Watchman Fellowship: A Christian Research and Apologetics Ministry says this about JW doctrine as it relates to Christ’s deity:

“The Watchtower has consistently denied the deity of Christ. Under Knorr’s leadership the Watchtower proclaimed, “Thus, for example, the Bible shows that there is only one God, the Most High, the Almighty. And that the Son, as the First-born, the Only-begotten and ‘the creation by God,’ had a beginning ¹.

They further stated, ‘It proves that Michael the archangel is no other than the only-begotten Son of God, now Jesus Christ. The very name Michael means ‘Who is like God?’ and indicates that Jehovah God is without like or equal and that Michael his archangel is his great Champion and Vindicator’” ². 

The JWs claim that when God created the world in Genesis, Jesus Christ was God’s first creation; that He didn’t always exist as God has.  They deny His omnipresence as well as His deity.  They say that Jesus was actually the archangel Michael before descending to Earth and becoming the virgin born Son of God.  Then upon His death, His body died and His spirit alone returned to heaven. 

Jehovah Himself says in Isaiah 44:24, “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;”   You may want to ask the JW how they reconcile this with the Watchtower teaching that Jehovah first created Christ and then Christ created everything else?  We agree that Jesus is the Creator, but how do they reconcile that belief with this verse referring to Him as LORD?

Answers in Genesis points out a big question with regards to JW theology:

“Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus Christ is not the Creator God but a lesser created angel (Michael) who was termed ‘a god’ by John in the New World Translation (the Jehovah’s Witnesses translation of the Bible). The NWT says:

In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. This one was in [the] beginning with God. All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence (John 1:1-3, NWT).

According to the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ theology, Jesus is a being that came into existence. But even their own translation says that apart from Jesus not even one thing came into existence. So then, did Jesus create himself? Of course that is a ridiculous proposition, but you see how Watchtower theology contradicts the Bible, even their New World Translation.”

Or what about Exodus 3:14, which says,  “And God said unto Moses, ‘I AM THAT I AM’; and He said, ‘Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, ‘I AM hath sent me unto you.’”  Many of us may be familiar with one of the names of God being “I Am.”  Then we see over in John 8:58, Jesus claims His name be “I Am” as well.  “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”  How can Jesus claim God’s name without also being God?

(Remember, “scripture ping-pong”, as it is often called, is often difficult with a JW, for their New World Translation of the Bible is full of subtle changes, but changes that make all the difference doctrinally.  However, I would suggest that every chance you get, share the true God’s Word with them, preferably the King James Version, reading them the exact scriptures, as this may be the only exposure to the real truth that they get, and we know God’s Word is powerful.)

Let’s examine a few more Scriptures about Christ’s deity (and, unless otherwise noted, all verses are from the KJV):

John 1:14 says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  God became flesh.  This seems rather clear.

John 21:17 says, ”He saith unto him the third time, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?’ Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, ‘Lovest thou me?’ And he said unto him, ‘Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.’”  How could Jesus know all things without being omniscient, and how could He be omniscient without being God?

John 1:2-3 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

Titus 2:13-14 says, ”Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

Other scriptures to explore and share with JW’s regarding Christ’s deity are Isaiah 43:3; Isaiah 48:17; Isaiah 59:20; Hebrews 1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17.

These verses refer to God the Father and Jesus the Son in the same ways, giving them the same names, and therefore equal authority.  We can ask the JW if these parallels cause them to question whether the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (WTBTS) teachings are sound?  After all, who is this Jesus if He has the exact same attributes of God in all ways?  The distortion of the WTBTS teaching here is quite dangerous.  Watchman Fellowship says, “Salvation depends on who Christ is, and His divine nature. An infinite atonement cannot be made by any other than an infinite Being.”  We will address the JW doctrine of salvation in a Part Four.

Remember to visit http://www.watchman.org/jw/index.htm (Watchman Fellowship) for an astounding amount of material written on the JW doctine and the biblical response.

End Notes:

1.  From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, p. 164.

2.  New Heavens and a New Earth, pp. 30-31.

Witnessing to the Witnesses, Part One

There is a God-given need in all of us to belong, to be accepted.  In that quest, unfortunately, some are lured astray by the Enemy to find a false fulfillment meant to mislead and then destroy us.  The Bible tells us to beware of false prophets and snares of deception, for “your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV).  One of the many places that Satan hides is behind the mask of an attractive, but false, religion. 

Many years ago, I was invited by a family member to understand a bit more about the faith of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW).  I accepted her invitation, knowing that it would not only give me the opportunity to strengthen my defense of the gospel, which we are commanded to do as Christians (1 Peter 3:15), but it would also open a door of communication to share the Truth with her–a door that may never have been opened in the last two decades.  I also knew that I would have the Holy Spirit to protect me and to guide me through my research.

Over the next year and a half, this family member and I corresponded every few months by letter, and I spent months studying some of the beliefs of the Jehovah Witnesses (a religion led by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society–WTBTS–headquartered in New York), and likewise, what the Word of God had to say about those beliefs.  As I was making these comparisons, I became disturbed that there are so many contradictions between the JW theology and what I read in the Bible.  Although I have been a strong born-again believer for the better part of my life, and I had an idea that the doctrines of the Jehovah Witnesses were far from scriptural, I never scratched beneath the surface to discover just what those doctrines were.  Let’s take a look at some of their beliefs in detail and, together, build a ready defense of our faith.

This will probably turn out to be an 8-part series of blogs.  I have quite a bit of information on this subject and could go on well past 8 blogs, but I’ll determine that as we go.  And let us remember in our discussions that follow, that we are speaking the truth in love (both are equally necessary).  We are all children of the Lord Almighty and we ought to conduct ourselves with love, no matter how passionate the debate.  I say this just as much as a reminder to myself as to anyone.  Part One will be about the role that reason plays in JW theology.

Relying on Reason

One of the fundamental and foundational defenses of the JW is the issue of logic and reason.  Their barometer for truth is established by what is reasonable to the human mind.  The Watchtower magazine, one of the primary WTBTS publications, has this to say:  “Jehovah God by His Word furnishes us with ample reasons and logical bases for all regarding which he expects us to exercise faith . . .We can make sure of what is right only by a process of reasoning on God’s Word.” ¹  They are instructed to filter concepts through their finite human minds and if it appears reasonable, and only then, can it be declared truth.  Well, no wonder they declare such things as the Trinity and Jesus’ resurrection to be apostate teachings!

What about these quotes, also from the Watchtower.  Charles Taze Russell, former president of the Watchtower Organization and the one Jehovah’s Witnesses claimed as their “faithful and sensible slave” ² from Matthew 24:45 said this:  “. . .let us examine the character of the writings claimed as inspired, to see whether their teachings correspond with the character we have reasonably imputed to God”  ³  Is it not rather contradictory to say that we can reason our way through the things for which God wants us to exercise faith?  Is it not presumptuous and maybe lacking in humility?  Josh McDowell and Don Stewart, authors of The Deceivers, say it best when they say, “Our thinking is not the test for God’s Word; His Word is the test for our thinking.” ⁴

Does this mean that JW’s understand all of God’s ways simply by reasoning through them?  While it is obviously necessary to study our Bibles and use good discernment, there also must be a point in which, because the things of God are so unfathomable, we accept some things by faith.  We, as human beings, cannot reason every aspect of an infinite God.  Some of it falls to faith–that’s what faith is, after all.  Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.“    

Romans 11:33 in the NASB says, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”  Also in 1 Corinthians 13:12 in the NASB says, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” 

Reason is simply not a valid explanation for dismissing biblical truths that have been tested and true for 2,000 years.  Our minds are finite and our emotions are fickle.  Neither can completely reason through concepts, commands, and certainties (such as God existing in the three persons of the Trinity) that the Lord asked us to accept in faith.

Other scriptures to explore and share with JW’s regarding reason are Isaiah 55:8; John 20:29; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Proverbs 3:5,6 and 2 Timothy 2:7.  All address the issue of reason as an unreliable basis for truth and our command to exercise faith, allowing the Lord, not an earthly organization such as the Watchtower, to guide us into truth.

End Notes

 1. The Watchtower, January 1, 1973, p.24.

2. The Watchtower, Dec. 1, 1919, p. 357

3.  Millennial Dawn, later aka Studies in the Scriptures, p. 41.

4.  The Deceivers, Josh McDowell and Don Stewart, p. 106.