transcript
- Slide 1
- Examining Jehovah Witness Doctrines Galatians 1:6-9 I marvel
that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace
of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be
some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other
gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be
accursed.
- Slide 2
- Contradictions with Christianity - That Jesus is a created
being a creature. - That Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel
-That Jesus was not resurrected bodily, -but as a spirit being -
That Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 - That Jesus was only a man
on earth - The Holy Spirit is a force and not a person of God
- Slide 3
- That hell is simply the grave That heavens doors are open to
only 144,000 people That the majority of Witnesses must remain on
Earth That salvation is found only through the Organization That
salvation can be maintained only by energetic works for the
Organization until the end, when one may then merit eternal life on
a paradise earth. That Satan is the author of the doctrine of the
trinity That Jesus cannot be given worship, but only honor as
Jehovahs first creation
- Slide 4
- - The trinity - The deity of Christ - The Bodily resurrection
of Christ - The person of God the Holy Spirit - The Lords supper
for all believers (Not just the 144,00) - The promise of heaven to
all believers - The visible return of Christ - The necessity of the
new birth for all believers - The eternal security for the
believers - The conscious eternal punishment of the lost Denial of
essential doctrines
- Slide 5
- The Doctrine of Heaven and Hell for JW Jehovah Witnesses were
told by Rutherford that only 144,000 go to heaven, which caused
people early on to join the Watchtower quickly Who and how many are
able to enter it [The kingdom]. The Revelation limits to 144,000
the number that become a part of the Kingdom and stand on heavenly
Mount Zion (Let God Be True, 136). Who is the anointed saved who
are going to heaven? What does the Bible say about the 144,000
number in Revelation
- Slide 6
- God stopped calling people into the anointed in 1935 And I
heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed
an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the
children of Israel.(Revelation 7:4) (NWT = Same) Of the tribe of
Juda were sealed twelve thousand (v.5) Of the tribe of Aser were
sealed twelve thousand. (v.6) So on and so forth with the
tribes
- Slide 7
- Only 144,000 go to Heaven What happens to everyone else in the
Watch Tower? Revelation 21:1: And I saw a new heaven and a new
earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;
Everyone who does not go to Heaven (millions and millions of
people) will go to the new earth where they will resume normal
earthly responsibilities
- Slide 8
- What about those who dont go to either place? Who goes to hell?
No one does Jehovah Witnesses are Annihilationist which is the
belief that when you die (if not saved) you simply cease to exist,
there is no eternal punishment for the wicked Many Christians today
also hold to this view despite what the Bible says about hell
- Slide 9
- Revelation 20:10: And the devil that deceived them was cast
into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false
prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and
ever. Jude 1:7: Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about
them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and
going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering
the vengeance of eternal fire. Matthew 25:41: 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:
- Slide 10
- Is Jesus Christ God? Jehovah Witnesses like the book of
revelations, so we will use it in our first example: Revelations
1:8 (NWT): I am the Alpha and the Omega, says Jehovah God, the One
who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty. Revelation 21:6
(NWT): And he said to me: They have come to pass! I am the Alpha
and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To anyone thirsting I
will give from the spring of the water of life free.
- Slide 11
- Revelation 22:13 (NWT): I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first
and the last, the beginning and the end. Revelation 1:17:18 (NWT):
When I saw him, I fell as dead at his feet. And he laid his right
hand on me and said: Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
and the living one, and I became dead, but look! I am living
forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of the Grave.
When did the First and the Last (Jehovah God) become dead?
- Slide 12
- Philippians 2:5-11: Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery
to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took
upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of
men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore
God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is
above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
- Slide 13
- What did the early church believe about Jesus? Ignatius
(Epistle to the Romans) (107-108) For our God Jesus Christ, being
in the Father, is the more plainly visible. Polycarp said: Now may
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the eternal High
Priest himself, the Son of God Jesus Christ, build you up in faith
and truth and in all gentleness and in all freedom from anger and
forbearance and steadfastness and patient endurance and purity, and
may he give to you a share and a place among his saints, and to us
with you, and to all those under heaven who will yet believe in our
Lord and God Jesus Christ and in his Father who raised him from the
dead.
- Slide 14
- Acts 9:5-6: And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said,
I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick
against the goads. So he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord,
what do You want me to do? Then the Lord said to him, Arise and go
into the city, and you will be told what you must do. A few obvious
areas that says hes God John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said
unto him, My LORD and my God. The word Lord () (Greek YHWH in
Septuagint)
- Slide 15
- Jesus was and should be worshipped Matthew 14:33 Then they that
were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou
art the Son of God. Revelation 5:13 I heard every creature in
heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in
them say: Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to the One
seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
- Slide 16
- Revelation 22:9 Then he said to me, See that you do not do
that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the
prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship
God. Angels are not to be worshipped Different words for worship?
The angel uses the word they claim does not mean real worship in
this verse
- Slide 17
- Jesus is no less than God in human flesh Colossians 2:9 For in
him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Titus 2:13-14
While we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of
our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us over and
over that Jesus is God
- Slide 18
- Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament Isaiah 45:22-23:
Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God,
and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone
out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me
every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath. We read
these things applied to Jesus in the New Testament!
- Slide 19
- Philippians 2:8-13: He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to
the point of deatheven to death on a cross. For this reason God
highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of those who are
in heaven and on earth and under the earthand every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
In many places Jesus is identified as the God (Jehovah) of the
OT
- Slide 20
- God the Father Romans 1:7: To all that be in Rome, beloved of
God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our
Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:3: Grace to you
and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philemon
1:3: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. Everyone agrees on God the father being God in the
Bible
- Slide 21
- The Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 12:11: But one and the same
Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one
individually as He wills. The father and son send the spirit John
14:26: 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 things that I said to you.
- Slide 22
- Acts 5:3-4 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. The spirit is referred to as a person throughout the
Bible
- Slide 23
- But how can three refer to one? Genesis 2:24 This is why a man
leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they
become one flesh. Body soul and spirit among other examples
- Slide 24
- That Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 His eyes are like a flame
of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name
written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe
dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of
God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and
pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a
sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule
them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of
the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has
a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation
19:12-16
- Slide 25
- Matthew 16:27: For the Son of man shall come in the glory of
his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man
according to his works. Matthew 24:30: And then shall appear the
sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of
the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the
clouds of heaven with power and great glory. This doesnt sound very
much like a spiritual second coming
- Slide 26
- The New World Translation of the Bible doesnt support their
position Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and
all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief, and they
will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power
and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a great
trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from
the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other
extremity
- Slide 27
- That salvation can be maintained only by energetic works for
the Organization until the end, when one may then merit eternal
life on a paradise earth. Rom. 3:28-30, "For we maintain that a man
is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29 Or is God the
God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of
Gentiles also, 30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised
by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one."
- Slide 28
- John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but
have eternal life." Rom. 3:22, "even the righteousness of God
through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there
is no distinction." Rom. 3:24, "being justified as a gift by His
grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;"
- Slide 29
- Sola Scriptura or the Watchtower? "Let us face the fact that no
matter how much Bible reading we have done, we would never have
learned the truth on our own. We would not have discovered the
truth regarding Jehovah, his purposes and attributes, the meaning
and importance of his name, the Kingdom, Jesus' ransom, the
difference between God's organization and Satan's, nor why God has
permitted wickedness," (Watchtower, Dec. 1, 1990, p. 19)
- Slide 30
- "All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that
the "greatly diversified wisdom of God" can become known only
through Jehovah's channel of communication, the faithful and
discreet slave," (Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1994, p. 8). 2 Timothy
3:16-17: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,equipped for
every good work. What does the Bible say?
- Slide 31
- Their use of the scripture to support their position is
incorrect because this verse does not say that He was raised a
spirit creature. It says that He was "made alive in the spirit."
What does that mean? Quite simply, it means that Jesus was raised
in an imperishable body. 1: They use 1 Pet. 3:18 where it says that
Christ was "put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the
spirit" as an attempt to show that Jesus was not raised physically
but as a kind of spirit creature. Scriptural support of Jesus
spiritual resurrection (not bodily)
- Slide 32
- This is what 1 Cor. 15:35-45 says when it refers to the body as
being sown perishable, but raised imperishable; sown in dishonor
and raised in glory; sown a natural body and raised a spiritual
body, etc. 2. The Bible says that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:44-50. Therefore, Jesus' physical
body could not be raised lest it contradict this verse.
- Slide 33
- What the Jehovah's Witnesses miss is that after His
resurrection Jesus said, "Touch me and see, for a spirit does not
have flesh and bones as you see I have." (Luke 24:39). You must
note that Jesus did not say, "flesh and blood." He said, "flesh and
bones." This is because Jesus' blood was shed on the cross. The
life is in the blood, and it is the blood that cleanses from sin:
"For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to
you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the
blood that makes atonement for the soul." (Lev. 17:11).
- Slide 34
- 3. The Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jesus manifested
different physical forms in order to convince the disciples that He
had been raised. This is faulty for several reasons. First, it
would mean that Jesus was tricking His disciples into believing
that His body had been raised when it hadn't. Second, it disregards
the clear teaching of Jesus Himself who said His very body would be
raised.
- Slide 35
- John 2:19-21: Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this
temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews,
Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear
it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. The
Bible is clear that Jesus would raise bodily from the dead, not
just spiritually History also tells us that Jesus raised bodily
from the dead, and that the tomb was empty
- Slide 36
- Memory verse Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily.