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J.W’s do not believe in Christ’s bodily resurrection, but that He rose merely as a “mighty spirit creature”. They say, “He was put to death as a man but was raised from the dead a spirit being of the highest order of the divine nature...The man Jesus is dead, dead for ever.” (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 5, pages 153,154) “We know nothing of what became of Jesus Christ’s body, 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 Jehovah God’s love...no one knows.” (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 2, page 129) “God raised up Jesus out of death, not as a man, but as a spirit creature, divine and immortal, never again subject to death.” (Riches page 38) “The Scriptures do not reveal what became of that body.” (Harp of God page 172)
But how do we account for the bodily appearances of Jesus following the resurrection? The J.W’s have their answer! It’s not the same as the Bible’s answer, of course! “...the bodies in which Jesus appeared after his resurrection were not the body that was crucified nor his glorious spiritual body, but bodies created expressly for the purpose of appearing unto his disciples. Our Lord’s human body, the one crucified, was removed from the tomb by the power of God. Has it remained there it would have been an obstacle in the way of the faith of his disciples, who were not yet instructed in spiritual things. They were not thus instructed until the giving of the holy spirit at Pentecost. The Scriptures do not reveal what became of that body, except that it did not decay or corrupt. (Acts 2:27,31) We can only surmise that the Lord may have preserved it somewhere to exhibit to the people in the Millennial age.” (Harp of God pages 169,170)
GOD’S WORD: Jesus answered them [the Jews], “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body (John 2:19-21). Jesus said, The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No-one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father” (John 10:17,18). Jesus said to the disciples following His resurrection, “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Luke 24:39).
There are countless passages in the Bible refuting the J.W’s erroneous teaching on this subject, but two more specific passages are recommended for you to read for yourself!
John 20:24-28; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
[c] The Doctrine of The Trinity
J.W’s state that the Holy Spirit is God’s invisible, active, energising force; that the Holy Spirit is not a divine Person, is not One who regenerates and sanctifies. “When a man has God’s spirit upon him it means he has been authorised by God to do a certain work, whatever that work may be. So the holy spirit is the invisible active force of Almighty God which moves his servants to do his will.” (Let God Be True page 108)
GOD’S WORD: Jesus said, “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor [Holy Spirit] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).
J.W’s, because of their beliefs concerning Christ and the Holy Spirit deny the doctrine of the Trinity. “The trinity doctrine was not conceived by Jesus or the early Christians. Nowhere in the Scriptures is even any mention made of a trinity. Therefore, if, as claimed, it is the ‘central doctrine of the Christian religion’, it is passing strange that this complicated, confusing doctrine received no mention by Christ Jesus, by way of explanation or teaching...The plain truth is that this is another of Satan’s attempts to keep God-fearing persons from learning the truth of Jehovah, and his Son, Christ Jesus. No, there is no trinity!” (Let God Be True page 111)
GOD’S WORD: Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Sprit…(Matthew 28:19—emphasis added). May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14—emphasis added).
J.W’s state: “There is no authority in the word of God for the doctrine of the trinity of the Godhead...Nimrod married his mother, Semiramis, so that in a sense he was his own father, and his own son. Here was the origin of the trinity doctrine.” (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 5, pages 54, 60 and vol. 7, page 414) “There are some clergymen, no doubt, who are really sincere in thinking that Jesus was his own father, and that the Almighty is the son of himself, and that each of these two is a third person, who is the same as the other two, and yet different from them.” (Things the Clergy Never Tells—J. W. pamphlet)
GOD’S WORD: As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased (Matthew 3:16,17). Here we have the presence of the Triune God all at the same time. Refer again to Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 above.
[d] The Person of the Holy Spirit
J.W’s state: “The holy spirit is not a person in the godhead...There is no personal holy spirit.” (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 5, pages 166, 210) “The spirit of God is any power or influence which God may be pleased to exercise.” (Deliverance page 150) “The holy spirit is not a person, and is therefore not one of the gods of the trinity.” (Reconciliation page 115)
GOD’S WORD: Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:16-18—emphasis added). Jesus said, “When the Counsellor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me” (John 15:27).
Read the following words of Jesus for an even fuller explanation concerning the Holy Spirit.
John 16:7-14
[e] The Second Coming of Christ
J.W’s state that the return of the Lord Jesus is an invisible spiritual happening. “We have no hesitation in announcing the heart-cheering intelligence that the Master is again present, though his glorious person is graciously veiled from human sight.” (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 2, page 166) “The harvest of this age began with the presence of our Lord...in 1874, and ends with the overthrow of Gentile power in AD 1914...He came to earth in 1874 and the saints were raised in 1878.” (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 2, pages 234, 188, 189, 196) “In 1914 all the dead will be raised again.” (from Do You Know? A J.W. publication) “In many places in our Bible referring to the second coming of the Lord, the word translated into the English as ‘coming’ is properly translated ‘presence’...and refers to the invisible presence of the Lord.” (Harp of God page 221)
GOD’S WORD: Jesus said, “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory...No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:30,36). Jesus said, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour...When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory” (Matthew 25:13,31). Jesus said, “No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13:32). At Jesus’ Ascension, “He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9-11).
It would be helpful to also read the following passages for yourself!
Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:32-34; John 10:30; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
Luke 12:40-46; 1 Corinthians 15:51,52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 1:7
But how do we account for the bodily appearances of Jesus following the resurrection? The J.W’s have their answer! It’s not the same as the Bible’s answer, of course! “...the bodies in which Jesus appeared after his resurrection were not the body that was crucified nor his glorious spiritual body, but bodies created expressly for the purpose of appearing unto his disciples. Our Lord’s human body, the one crucified, was removed from the tomb by the power of God. Has it remained there it would have been an obstacle in the way of the faith of his disciples, who were not yet instructed in spiritual things. They were not thus instructed until the giving of the holy spirit at Pentecost. The Scriptures do not reveal what became of that body, except that it did not decay or corrupt. (Acts 2:27,31) We can only surmise that the Lord may have preserved it somewhere to exhibit to the people in the Millennial age.” (Harp of God pages 169,170)
GOD’S WORD: Jesus answered them [the Jews], “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body (John 2:19-21). Jesus said, The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No-one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father” (John 10:17,18). Jesus said to the disciples following His resurrection, “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Luke 24:39).
There are countless passages in the Bible refuting the J.W’s erroneous teaching on this subject, but two more specific passages are recommended for you to read for yourself!
John 20:24-28; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
[c] The Doctrine of The Trinity
J.W’s state that the Holy Spirit is God’s invisible, active, energising force; that the Holy Spirit is not a divine Person, is not One who regenerates and sanctifies. “When a man has God’s spirit upon him it means he has been authorised by God to do a certain work, whatever that work may be. So the holy spirit is the invisible active force of Almighty God which moves his servants to do his will.” (Let God Be True page 108)
GOD’S WORD: Jesus said, “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor [Holy Spirit] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).
J.W’s, because of their beliefs concerning Christ and the Holy Spirit deny the doctrine of the Trinity. “The trinity doctrine was not conceived by Jesus or the early Christians. Nowhere in the Scriptures is even any mention made of a trinity. Therefore, if, as claimed, it is the ‘central doctrine of the Christian religion’, it is passing strange that this complicated, confusing doctrine received no mention by Christ Jesus, by way of explanation or teaching...The plain truth is that this is another of Satan’s attempts to keep God-fearing persons from learning the truth of Jehovah, and his Son, Christ Jesus. No, there is no trinity!” (Let God Be True page 111)
GOD’S WORD: Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Sprit…(Matthew 28:19—emphasis added). May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14—emphasis added).
J.W’s state: “There is no authority in the word of God for the doctrine of the trinity of the Godhead...Nimrod married his mother, Semiramis, so that in a sense he was his own father, and his own son. Here was the origin of the trinity doctrine.” (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 5, pages 54, 60 and vol. 7, page 414) “There are some clergymen, no doubt, who are really sincere in thinking that Jesus was his own father, and that the Almighty is the son of himself, and that each of these two is a third person, who is the same as the other two, and yet different from them.” (Things the Clergy Never Tells—J. W. pamphlet)
GOD’S WORD: As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased (Matthew 3:16,17). Here we have the presence of the Triune God all at the same time. Refer again to Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 above.
[d] The Person of the Holy Spirit
J.W’s state: “The holy spirit is not a person in the godhead...There is no personal holy spirit.” (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 5, pages 166, 210) “The spirit of God is any power or influence which God may be pleased to exercise.” (Deliverance page 150) “The holy spirit is not a person, and is therefore not one of the gods of the trinity.” (Reconciliation page 115)
GOD’S WORD: Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:16-18—emphasis added). Jesus said, “When the Counsellor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me” (John 15:27).
Read the following words of Jesus for an even fuller explanation concerning the Holy Spirit.
John 16:7-14
[e] The Second Coming of Christ
J.W’s state that the return of the Lord Jesus is an invisible spiritual happening. “We have no hesitation in announcing the heart-cheering intelligence that the Master is again present, though his glorious person is graciously veiled from human sight.” (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 2, page 166) “The harvest of this age began with the presence of our Lord...in 1874, and ends with the overthrow of Gentile power in AD 1914...He came to earth in 1874 and the saints were raised in 1878.” (Studies in the Scriptures vol. 2, pages 234, 188, 189, 196) “In 1914 all the dead will be raised again.” (from Do You Know? A J.W. publication) “In many places in our Bible referring to the second coming of the Lord, the word translated into the English as ‘coming’ is properly translated ‘presence’...and refers to the invisible presence of the Lord.” (Harp of God page 221)
GOD’S WORD: Jesus said, “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory...No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:30,36). Jesus said, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour...When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory” (Matthew 25:13,31). Jesus said, “No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13:32). At Jesus’ Ascension, “He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9-11).
It would be helpful to also read the following passages for yourself!
Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:32-34; John 10:30; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
Luke 12:40-46; 1 Corinthians 15:51,52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 1:7
[Note: It is impossible to cover all the false teaching, the erroneous doctrines—which change from time to time, anyway!—promulgated by Jehovah’s Witnesses in this short study.]
CONCLUSION
There are four important questions we must always ask to check the main characteristics of a cult, the answers to which will reveal the falseness of such a system of doctrine. We will apply these four questions here to the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
There are four important questions we must always ask to check the main characteristics of a cult, the answers to which will reveal the falseness of such a system of doctrine. We will apply these four questions here to the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
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1.
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Who is their Jesus?
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Jesus is the first created being of Jehovah and therefore not God. He was known as Michael the Archangel both before He came to earth and later after He returned to heaven.
2. What do they mean by salvation?
Lip-service is paid to salvation by faith but strong emphasis is actually placed on “earning the gift of eternal life at some future stage.” The J. W. who does not endure to the end with the works of the Watchtower Society loses the hope of any future. Those who do not become J.W’s in their earthly life but were not against them will have a resurrection during the millennium and be given a second chance.
3. Do they believe in the authority of Scripture?
The “Bible” they use, The New World Translation, has been changed especially where the text deals with the deity of Christ. The rest of it is read only with the interpretations found in the Watchtower Society’s publications. Their final authority is what the Governing Body says about the Scriptures, not the Scriptures themselves. J.W’s literature takes precedence over the Bible.
4. Are they true or false prophets?
Again and again the end of the world has been prophesied—1874, 1914, 1915, 1918, 1925, 1941, 1975, etc. J.W’s have a 100% record of being a false prophet.
[Click on the link at the end of this article to go to a Jehovah’s Witnesses False Prophecy Fact Sheet for additional information concerning false prophecies.]
Additional Notes:
What is a cult? A cult is a perversion, a distortion of Biblical Christianity and/or a rejection of the historic teachings of the Christian Church. The Bible warned that there would be false Christ’s and a false gospel that would attempt to deceive the true church and the world.
Cults prosper because Christians have sometimes failed to be a vital influence in the world. Many people involved in the cults were raised in Christian churches but were untaught in basic Christian doctrine. To combat this, the believer must know what he or she believes and why he or she believes it and thus be able to expose the cult’s false teachings.
To be able to deal effectively with cults, and to combat their erroneous teaching, it is necessary for the Christian to learn something about the false doctrines of the cults; hence the value of this study of Jehovah’s Witnesses, one of the more active cults in this country.
One final point!
The majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses expect a future on a paradise earth, as only 144,000 have a heavenly hope (and they are all the hierarchy of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society—Jehovah’s Witnesses, for short!) They believe that every other church or denomination is of the devil. Jehovah’s Witnesses, they believe, alone hold the truth, everyone else is totally wrong. They need to be loved, not despised, when they come to the door.
† = correct at the time when this study was originally given in 1995
Based on a Bible Study given to a group of Bible students on 22nd November 1995.
Note: all Scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version [NIV], © International Bible Society 1973, 1978
© 2005 Denis A. Wheadon. All rights reserved. Website: http://www.Pen4God.co.uk. This document is the property of the Author and
must not be displayed on any other websites without permission. Copies may be downloaded and printed for personal use only. Any contact with
the writer or comments concerning an article, can be made by email addressed to: denis.wheadon@Pen4God.co.uk
must not be displayed on any other websites without permission. Copies may be downloaded and printed for personal use only. Any contact with
the writer or comments concerning an article, can be made by email addressed to: denis.wheadon@Pen4God.co.uk
Please Note:
Due to the extra length of this article it is divided into three sections, and for ease of navigation we have added extra links at the end of each section
1. The Article – Part One
2. The Article – Part Two
3. False Prophecy Fact Sheet
Watch Out for False Prophets! [Part Two]