Jehovah's Witnesses Measured In The Light Of The Scriptures
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:13 pm
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES MEASURED IN THE LIGHT OF THE SCRIPTURES
(The following information is an excerpt taken from the book called The "Report" Volume I, pages 41-63.)
FACT: IN THE YEAR OF 1931, JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES (FORMERLY INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS) BEGAN THE DIVINE NAME MOVEMENT. In that year, the Jehovah's Witnesses as a nation and people, became the only organized people INTERNATIONALLY SPEAKING, on the face of the earth who actually carried God's Name (Jehovah) upon themselves in the world. (See link below for detailed discussion on Jehovah's Witnesses and use of the Divine Name.) In fact, the teachings listed on the accompanying chart (page 64 of The "REPORT" Volume I.) are indeed official teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses themselves, for many years now.
(See article entitled: 70 Years "Declaring" The Sacred Name Completed -- October 1931 thru October 2001 for more details.)
However, please keep in mind that these basic teachings mentioned above, merely represent fundamental, basic truths only -- basic truths that have actually been known throughout the centuries. Which thus means, these fundamental truths, as Bible understanding and knowledge goes, are not the exclusive property of the Jehovah's Witnesses. No, not at all! Therefore, at this point, we must ask the all-important question, namely: Does possessing these fundamental truths, by themselves, really prove that the Jehovah's Witnesses as an organization today are the True Religion of our time, in a complete sense?
(See Link: 40 Fundamental Truths Taught By Jehovah's Witnesses)
Actually, the answer to that question, is a surprising "No!" And this is so, because the facts prove, what the Jehovah's Witnesses presently possess as a nation in the form of Bible knowledge and understanding, under the tutelage and direction of the Watchtower Society, does not measure up to the lofty Biblical description of true religion, in it's complete sense. No, but instead, they best resemble the Jewish nation under the tutelage of the Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus' day. Think about it.
IDENTIFYING MODERN-DAY JERUSALEM AND ISRAEL
As mentioned above, actually, the Bible's fundamental or basic truths, have really been known throughout the ages. And how have these basic teachings survived? Well, we find upon examination of the historical facts, that these fundamental truths have been maintained by small Christian groups down through the years. These small Christian groups, acting as "custodians of truth," formed little clusters, and were known by various names, down through the centuries. These little groups kept certain characteristics, certain similarities, that made them appear very much like ancient Israel, as well as the first century congregation, in their form of worship and have maintained a "thread of truth" right down till our day.
Take for example, the Ten Commandments. The first and second commandments in particular, were often visible within the ranks of small Christian groups, down through the centuries. (Exodus 20:3,4; Deut. 6:4) These same characteristics can actually serve, in our day and time, to identify: Modern-day Israel, or Jerusalem of our times, Jehovah's Witnesses. The table or diagram below highlights these characteristics.
See if you, the reader, can pick out the similarities between "Israel" of old, and modern-day "Israel" spoken of in Bible prophecy — Jehovah's Witnesses. Remember, it is the "framework of Truth" that differentiates them from all other religions upon the face of the earth today. (Romans 2:20) The following characteristics distinguish them as modern-day Israel. They are:
Ancient Israel:
1) Called by God's Personal Name
2) Mono-theistic (one God concept)
3) Iconoclastic (no images in worship)
Jehovah's Witnesses as "Israel":
1) Called by God's Personal Name
2) Mono-theistic (non-trinitarian)
3) Iconoclastic (against images)
We also cannot help but notice, that the Jehovah's Witnesses have become known, the world over, for their relentless attacks upon the doctrine of the great main-line religions of our time. And this is much to their credit, make no mistake about that. Based upon the foregoing, we notice that the Jehovah's Witnesses have scripturally demonstrated the church's failure in:
(a) bringing honor to God's Personal Name, Jehovah
(b) propounding the error and blasphemy of the trinity doctrine
(c) propounding the error and blasphemy of eternal torment in Hellfire
(d) the ungodly promotion of images in worship such as the cross.
Nevertheless, these beliefs mentioned above, which are presently held by Jehovah's Witnesses, are actually for the most part, consistent with the beliefs of a group of 12th century Christians called the "Albigensians." The following is a brief description taken from the publication, The Story of Civilization Volume 4, The Age of Faith (pg. 771, 772), about the "Albigensiens" and their beliefs:
"...Opponents describe the Albigenses as rejecting the sacraments, the Mass, the veneration of images, the Trinity ... They made the Sermon on the Mount the essence of their ethics. They were taught to love their enemies, to care for the sick and the poor, never to swear, always to keep the peace, force was never moral, even against infidels, ... one should quietly trust that in the end God would triumph over evil, without using evil means."
The historical source also tells us of other valuable points such as among the "Albigensiens,"
"There was no hell or purgatory in their theology."
Further, the same source states that this particular group of Christians:
" ... denied that the [Catholic] Church was the Church of Christ; St. Peter had never come to Rome, had never founded the papacy; the popes were successors to the emperors, not the apostles. Christ had no place to lay His head, but the pope lived in a palace...these lordly archbishops and bishops (of the Catholic church), these worldly priests, these fat monks, were the Pharisees of old returned to life! The Roman Church, they were sure, was the `Whore of Babylon,' the clergy were a Synagogue of Satan, the pope was Antichrist."
And this same source tells us that the group disdained the Roman Catholic Church's:
"... confession, holy water, the cross; they called the churches `dens of thieves,' and Catholic priests seemed to them `traitors, liars, and hypocrites.'"
Again, the facts according to the source: "The Story of Civilization," the "Albigensiens,"
1. disbelieved the trinity
2. were against giving veneration to images
3. did not believe in hellfire nor purgatory
4. were taught to love their enemies, keep the peace at all cost
5. taught that the Catholic Church was the "Whore of Babylon."
6. taught the Clergy was the Synagogue of Satan.
7. disdained "holy water" and "confession"
8. were totally against the "cross"
9. called the church a "den of thieves," and
10. called the Catholic priests "traitors," "liars," and "hypocrites."
Now, we ask:
Among religions today, which one does this sound most like?
You know the answer, is that not so? If you have spent anytime studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses or if you are yourself one of Jehovah's Witnesses, you indeed, know the answer. There can be no question but that there is a distinct and clear similarity in the religious convictions with this particular group, and the beliefs and convictions of Jehovah's Witnesses today. No, we are not trying to say that these early groups had the exact same beliefs on every single doctrine. We realize that during the years following the demise of the 1st century congregation, under the direction of the apostles, many superstitions and false beliefs surfaced among professed Christians. No doubt, it was a great struggle for these small groups to maintain any standard of faith in the face of the overwhelming odds against them. But the point we are making is that their beliefs are quite similar, if one would take the time to analyze the evidence.
Therefore, the evidence proves that many fundamental teachings that Jehovah's Witnesses presently believe, did not actually originate with Charles Taze Russell as some believe, but were beliefs previously held by Christian groups such as the Arians, Waldenses, Lollards, Albigensiens, Annabaptists, early Unitarians and numerous other groups of Christians for centuries. Yes, there is a common thread of truth that has been maintained down throughout the years since Jesus. But remember, these truths only represent the "framework of Truth." However, the great "sacred secrets" or "mysteries" [Greek: mysterions] of the Bible would continue to be held in secret until the "time of the end." (Daniel 12:4,9) To be sure, as Jesus said at John 16:13, the day would come when the following would be true:
"However, when that one arrives, the spirit of the truth, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak of his own impulse, but what things he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things coming."
Yes, God's people could one day look forward to the time when the "spirit of truth" would "guide them" into "all" of the "truth" — beyond simply the "framework of truth," but "all" of the "truth."
End of Part 1.
(The following information is an excerpt taken from the book called The "Report" Volume I, pages 41-63.)
FACT: IN THE YEAR OF 1931, JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES (FORMERLY INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS) BEGAN THE DIVINE NAME MOVEMENT. In that year, the Jehovah's Witnesses as a nation and people, became the only organized people INTERNATIONALLY SPEAKING, on the face of the earth who actually carried God's Name (Jehovah) upon themselves in the world. (See link below for detailed discussion on Jehovah's Witnesses and use of the Divine Name.) In fact, the teachings listed on the accompanying chart (page 64 of The "REPORT" Volume I.) are indeed official teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses themselves, for many years now.
(See article entitled: 70 Years "Declaring" The Sacred Name Completed -- October 1931 thru October 2001 for more details.)
However, please keep in mind that these basic teachings mentioned above, merely represent fundamental, basic truths only -- basic truths that have actually been known throughout the centuries. Which thus means, these fundamental truths, as Bible understanding and knowledge goes, are not the exclusive property of the Jehovah's Witnesses. No, not at all! Therefore, at this point, we must ask the all-important question, namely: Does possessing these fundamental truths, by themselves, really prove that the Jehovah's Witnesses as an organization today are the True Religion of our time, in a complete sense?
(See Link: 40 Fundamental Truths Taught By Jehovah's Witnesses)
Actually, the answer to that question, is a surprising "No!" And this is so, because the facts prove, what the Jehovah's Witnesses presently possess as a nation in the form of Bible knowledge and understanding, under the tutelage and direction of the Watchtower Society, does not measure up to the lofty Biblical description of true religion, in it's complete sense. No, but instead, they best resemble the Jewish nation under the tutelage of the Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus' day. Think about it.
IDENTIFYING MODERN-DAY JERUSALEM AND ISRAEL
As mentioned above, actually, the Bible's fundamental or basic truths, have really been known throughout the ages. And how have these basic teachings survived? Well, we find upon examination of the historical facts, that these fundamental truths have been maintained by small Christian groups down through the years. These small Christian groups, acting as "custodians of truth," formed little clusters, and were known by various names, down through the centuries. These little groups kept certain characteristics, certain similarities, that made them appear very much like ancient Israel, as well as the first century congregation, in their form of worship and have maintained a "thread of truth" right down till our day.
Take for example, the Ten Commandments. The first and second commandments in particular, were often visible within the ranks of small Christian groups, down through the centuries. (Exodus 20:3,4; Deut. 6:4) These same characteristics can actually serve, in our day and time, to identify: Modern-day Israel, or Jerusalem of our times, Jehovah's Witnesses. The table or diagram below highlights these characteristics.
See if you, the reader, can pick out the similarities between "Israel" of old, and modern-day "Israel" spoken of in Bible prophecy — Jehovah's Witnesses. Remember, it is the "framework of Truth" that differentiates them from all other religions upon the face of the earth today. (Romans 2:20) The following characteristics distinguish them as modern-day Israel. They are:
Ancient Israel:
1) Called by God's Personal Name
2) Mono-theistic (one God concept)
3) Iconoclastic (no images in worship)
Jehovah's Witnesses as "Israel":
1) Called by God's Personal Name
2) Mono-theistic (non-trinitarian)
3) Iconoclastic (against images)
We also cannot help but notice, that the Jehovah's Witnesses have become known, the world over, for their relentless attacks upon the doctrine of the great main-line religions of our time. And this is much to their credit, make no mistake about that. Based upon the foregoing, we notice that the Jehovah's Witnesses have scripturally demonstrated the church's failure in:
(a) bringing honor to God's Personal Name, Jehovah
(b) propounding the error and blasphemy of the trinity doctrine
(c) propounding the error and blasphemy of eternal torment in Hellfire
(d) the ungodly promotion of images in worship such as the cross.
Nevertheless, these beliefs mentioned above, which are presently held by Jehovah's Witnesses, are actually for the most part, consistent with the beliefs of a group of 12th century Christians called the "Albigensians." The following is a brief description taken from the publication, The Story of Civilization Volume 4, The Age of Faith (pg. 771, 772), about the "Albigensiens" and their beliefs:
"...Opponents describe the Albigenses as rejecting the sacraments, the Mass, the veneration of images, the Trinity ... They made the Sermon on the Mount the essence of their ethics. They were taught to love their enemies, to care for the sick and the poor, never to swear, always to keep the peace, force was never moral, even against infidels, ... one should quietly trust that in the end God would triumph over evil, without using evil means."
The historical source also tells us of other valuable points such as among the "Albigensiens,"
"There was no hell or purgatory in their theology."
Further, the same source states that this particular group of Christians:
" ... denied that the [Catholic] Church was the Church of Christ; St. Peter had never come to Rome, had never founded the papacy; the popes were successors to the emperors, not the apostles. Christ had no place to lay His head, but the pope lived in a palace...these lordly archbishops and bishops (of the Catholic church), these worldly priests, these fat monks, were the Pharisees of old returned to life! The Roman Church, they were sure, was the `Whore of Babylon,' the clergy were a Synagogue of Satan, the pope was Antichrist."
And this same source tells us that the group disdained the Roman Catholic Church's:
"... confession, holy water, the cross; they called the churches `dens of thieves,' and Catholic priests seemed to them `traitors, liars, and hypocrites.'"
Again, the facts according to the source: "The Story of Civilization," the "Albigensiens,"
1. disbelieved the trinity
2. were against giving veneration to images
3. did not believe in hellfire nor purgatory
4. were taught to love their enemies, keep the peace at all cost
5. taught that the Catholic Church was the "Whore of Babylon."
6. taught the Clergy was the Synagogue of Satan.
7. disdained "holy water" and "confession"
8. were totally against the "cross"
9. called the church a "den of thieves," and
10. called the Catholic priests "traitors," "liars," and "hypocrites."
Now, we ask:
Among religions today, which one does this sound most like?
You know the answer, is that not so? If you have spent anytime studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses or if you are yourself one of Jehovah's Witnesses, you indeed, know the answer. There can be no question but that there is a distinct and clear similarity in the religious convictions with this particular group, and the beliefs and convictions of Jehovah's Witnesses today. No, we are not trying to say that these early groups had the exact same beliefs on every single doctrine. We realize that during the years following the demise of the 1st century congregation, under the direction of the apostles, many superstitions and false beliefs surfaced among professed Christians. No doubt, it was a great struggle for these small groups to maintain any standard of faith in the face of the overwhelming odds against them. But the point we are making is that their beliefs are quite similar, if one would take the time to analyze the evidence.
Therefore, the evidence proves that many fundamental teachings that Jehovah's Witnesses presently believe, did not actually originate with Charles Taze Russell as some believe, but were beliefs previously held by Christian groups such as the Arians, Waldenses, Lollards, Albigensiens, Annabaptists, early Unitarians and numerous other groups of Christians for centuries. Yes, there is a common thread of truth that has been maintained down throughout the years since Jesus. But remember, these truths only represent the "framework of Truth." However, the great "sacred secrets" or "mysteries" [Greek: mysterions] of the Bible would continue to be held in secret until the "time of the end." (Daniel 12:4,9) To be sure, as Jesus said at John 16:13, the day would come when the following would be true:
"However, when that one arrives, the spirit of the truth, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak of his own impulse, but what things he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things coming."
Yes, God's people could one day look forward to the time when the "spirit of truth" would "guide them" into "all" of the "truth" — beyond simply the "framework of truth," but "all" of the "truth."
End of Part 1.