Jehovah’s Witnesses— Quick Guide

 

WHAT THEY BELIEVE:

  • At Armageddon only Jehovah’s Witnesses will survive
  • The soul is not immortal
  • There is no everlasting hell
  • Hell is mankind’s “common grave,” not a place of torment.
  • All the condemned will be annihilated.
  • Jesus is the Son of God not deity
  • The 144,000 in Rev. are Jehovah Witnesses who rule in heaven, while the rest live on paradise earth
  • Jehovah’s Witnesses have found the narrow road spoken of in Matthew 7:14
  • Jesus is the key to salvation, but everlasting life is a reward for doing the will of God and carrying out
    one’s dedication — in other words, salvation is a reward for good works.
  • The Watchtower constantly refers to belonging to an organization as essential for a person’s salvation; the Watchtower Organization.
  • The Watchtower has claimed to be Jehovah’s Prophet.
  • JWs claim the Bible as their final authority, but Russell’s writings, especially Studies in the Scriptures, are considered “the light of the Scriptures.”
  • JWs have their own translation of the Scriptures (New World Translation, published in 1961), which reflects the binding interpretations of the group’s leaders.
  • The JWs’ New World Translation greatly perverts the Scriptures to avoid placing themselves under the judgment of God (cf. Jn. 1:1; 8:58; I Tim. 2:6; Ac. 10:36; Col. 1:16-17; 2:9-10; etc.). Hence, the leader’s interpretation of the Bible, not the Bible itself, is the final authority of JWs.
  • The Watchtower magazine is one of the JWs main sources of doctrine, and is considered authoritative by its members.
  • Jehovah’s Witnesses, also known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (with headquarters in Brooklyn, New York), was officially founded in 1884 [as the Zion’s Watch Tower and Tract Society (originally the Zion’s Watch Tower in 1879), officially adopting the name of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1931], by Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916).

 

WITNESSING TIPS: Things to share with JWs:

 

  • Reading and Knowing the Scriptures: Jesus warned us that there would be great deception in the last
    days. For protection, all People need to know what the Scriptures actually say vs. what people say they
    mean. When the “plain sense” of a passage makes sense it is dangerous to seek “another sense.” We
    mustn’t rely on other people’s voices, opinions, precepts and presumptions about the Scriptures. We’ve
    all been taught “certain things mean certain things.” We must seek to know the Word of God for ourselves,
    without the influence of “other voices.” God’s Holy Spirit is our teacher and leads us into all truth.
  • Attacking the errors that JWs believe will shut them down and make them non responsive.
  • Your goal is to love them and provoke them to jealousy. Talk about your personal relationship with Jehovah’s Holy Spirit, and demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).
  • Talk to them about how Jehovah has answered your personal prayers; brought healing; taught you the Bible; etc..
  • Pray for them to hear Yeshua/Jesus’ voice and meet Him personally
  • If you want to study the Scriptures with them, here are some passages to address:Rev. 7:4 (the 144,000 are Israel);
    John 16:5-15 (Holy Spirit leads us into truth);
    Prov. 30:5-6 (do not add to God’s Word);
    John 10:30 ; Isaiah 9:6 (Jesus and the Father are One);
    Rev. 14:9-11, Matt. 25:41-46 (Hell is torment forever);
    Rev. 20:11-15; Luke 21:33 (heaven and earth disappear);
    Matthew 7 (the narrow gate);
    2 Cor. 11:3-15 (the importance of following the Apostles teachings alone in simplicity of devotion to the Word and to Christ.)