Jehovah 's Witnesses believe that Jesus is not equal with God. [204], Apostates are said to have become part of the antichrist and are regarded as more reprehensible than non-Witnesses. A select few (144,000) of Christ's most faithful followers will be chosen to rule alongside him. They affirm that GodJehovahis the most high. This article will begin with a brief description of the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses and will then recommend spec Salvation. How Is Harry Potter a Literary Christ Figure? Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus was Jehovah's first creation, that Jehovah then created everything else by means of Jesus, and that the initial unassisted act of creation uniquely identifies Jesus as God's 'only-begotten Son'. Meeting together to pray, study the Bible, sing, express our faith, and encourage fellow Witnesses and others.Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 10:23-25. [167][168] They believe that when Jesus became king, Satan was ousted from heaven to the earth, bringing a period of "woe" to mankind. One as becoming inactive, one as becoming disassociated, and one as becoming disfellowshipped. Each congregation has an assigned territory and each Witness a particular neighbourhood to canvass. "Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs." Audio download options Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. 1. Jehovah's Witnesses are a people of faith that many of us likely don't know that much about. Jehovah's Witnesses believe salvation is obtained by a combination of faith, good works, and obedience. Jehovah's Witnesses try to remain politically neutral. Witnesses participate in the annual commemoration of Christs death, celebrated on 14 Nisan of the Jewish calendar (March or April of the Gregorian calendar); Witnesses pass around bread and wine, symbols of the body and blood of Christ. [136] They reason that complete destruction does not allow for literal "torture" of the wicked, as the deceased person is not conscious. [103] According to the Watch Tower society, some Jehovah's Witnesses have been persecuted or killed for not venerating a cross. [78][79] They view God as the Father, an invisible spirit "person" separate from the Son, Jesus Christ. Jehovahs Witnesses are a very dangerous culture that nobody needs to be involved in. Main Differences Between Jehovah's Witnesses and Christianity. [1][2][3] Since 1976, all doctrinal decisions have been made by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses,[4] a group of elders at the denomination's headquarters. Jehovah God, Jesus Christ, and the faithful angels reside in the spirit realm. [190] Then Satan is released for a final opportunity to mislead perfect mankind;[191] Satan, his demons, and any who fail the test will be destroyed, leaving a fully tested, perfect human race who will live forever. Looking for love in all the wrong places? (John 14:28) So we do not worship Jesus, as we do not believe that he is Almighty God." Baptist Church: History & Beliefs
It is one of the more major ways in which Jehovah's Witnesses differ from various Christian denominations. Jesus died on an upright stake and not the cross Those with an earthly hope are said to be beneficiaries of that covenant. Does the Bible Mention What to Give Up for Lent? In 1876, Russell encountered Nelson H. Barbour; later that year, they together produced the book Three Worlds, which combined restitution views with end-time prophecy. Satan persuaded Adam and Eve to obey him rather than God, raising the issueoften referred to as a "controversy"of whether people, having been granted free will, would obey God under both temptation and persecution. [74] They believe that the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) contain prophecy that was fulfilled in Jesus Christ,[75] and that the books of the Christian Greek Scriptures (New Testament) are primarily directed to the 144,000 chosen by God for life in heaven. This contradicts Scripture, which declares salvation to be received by grace through faith ( John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5 ). Check the facts with this eight-question self-test. Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs. The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are God. [77] The Holy Spirit is described as God's "active force", rather than the third part of the Trinity. [160] Those who die without faithfully serving God will receive the "resurrection of the unrighteous" ("unjust" KJV). Beliefs and Practices . According to The Watchtower, "the Governing Body does not keep a list of all partakers, for it does not maintain a global network of anointed ones. This means they are not true Christians, and they do not truly know the truth of Jesus. God (the Father): God is a single being whose personal name is Jehovah they also accept the name Yahweh and other. [211] Higher education is discouraged,[212][213] based on their belief that it is futile to plan for secular advancement in a world that faces imminent destruction, as well as fears about succumbing to greed, corruption, and materialism. The Bible teaches the truth of the Trinity in multiple passages. All rights reserved. We strive to show unselfish love in all our actions. [138], Witnesses teach that wicked angels (demons) sometimes pretend to be spirits of the dead, and that their deception is the basis for many beliefs about ghosts. Jehovahs Witnesses deny the existence of hell; therefore, they believe God simply annihilates anyone who never becomes a Jehovahs Witness during their life. [173] Witnesses believe their doctrine is confirmed by world events since 1914, including wars, famine, earthquakes and increasing lawlessness, which they see as fulfillment of the "sign" of Christ's presence. and Why does God allow suffering? [148][149] Watch Tower Society publications state that salvation at Armageddon is also contingent on baptism, accurate knowledge of Bible truth, adherence to God's standards of conduct and morality, use of the divine name "Jehovah" in worship,[150] membership of God's "organization",[151] and active support of anointed Christians. [143][144][145] According to Watch Tower Society theology, salvation requires Christ's mediation as part of God's purpose to grant humans everlasting life, either in heaven (for 144,000 "anointed" Christians, or the "little flock") or on earth (for the "other sheep", the remainder of faithful humanity). If you are a Jehovahs Witness, you can come to know Christ today and experience His saving grace by placing faith in Him. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. What Do Jehovahs Witnesses Believe? In his life. These teachings are disseminated through The Watchtower magazine and other publications of Jehovah's Witnesses, and at conventions and congregation meetings. Zavada, Jack. [29], Watch Tower literature has suggested such enlightenment results from the application of reason and study,[30] the guidance of holy spirit, and direction from Jesus Christ and angels. Jehovah's Witnesses are a Christian religious sect rooted in the Adventist movement of the late 1800s in the United States. Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. The U.S. government sent Rutherford and other Watchtower leaders to prison for sedition during World War I. The Witnesses distrust of contemporary institutions extends to other religious denominations, from which they remain separate. [32][33][34] Robert Crompton, author of a book on Watch Tower eschatology, has noted that it is difficult to trace the development of doctrines, because explicit changes are often not identified in Jehovah's Witness literature, leaving readers to assume which details have been superseded. Jehovahs Witnesses are wrong because Jesus is God. [77][85] The use of his personal name is regarded as vital for true worship,[86] and Witnesses usually preface the term God with the name Jehovah. Preaching the good news of the Kingdom.Matthew 24:14. Jehovah's Witnesses hold services on Sunday and twice during the week, in a Kingdom Hall, an unadorned building. Seventh-Day Adventists & Their Beliefs
They use the terms Hebrew and Christian Greek Scriptures rather than Old and New Testament to avoid implication that the Old Testament is outdated or inferior. It Is So Painful to Care: How Do I Conquer Apathy? [197] Individuals who choose to publicly repudiate their association to the organization and renounce their place in the congregation are considered disassociated. [86][89], Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is God's "only-begotten Son", and that his life began in heaven. They believe and teach that Jesus was then recreated by the Father in spirit form, and before going to heaven . (Exodus 6:3; Psalm 83:18) A witness is a person who proclaims views or truths of which he is convinced.". They believe they have the only true religion and that all other religions are under Satan. Development of Jehovah's Witnesses doctrine, Organizational structure of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1980 purge of high-level members at the group's Brooklyn headquarters, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, "Bioethics of the Refusal of Blood by Jehovah's Witnesses, Part 1", "Sect-State Relations: Accounting for the Differing Trajectories of Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses", "Eternal Torment Why a Disturbing Doctrine? Jehovah's Witness - Beliefs | Britannica Beliefs Witnesses hold a number of traditional Christian views but also many that are unique to them. Evil and suffering. This date is said to also mark when the Last Days began. The impulse to sin is in the blood. [105][106] They believe that demons were originally angels who rebelled against God and took Satan's side in the controversy. In this statement, the Lord is telling His disciples to baptize others in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, thus equating each of the three Members of the Trinity. They don't believe in serving in politics or in the military, mainly as another way for them to distance themselves from the culture. [104], Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Satan was originally a perfect angel who developed feelings of self-importance and craved worship that belonged to God. See the next couple points for more details on this. Because Jehovah's Witnesses is the only true religion, anyone not part of this society is just another cog in Satan's scheme. Instead, Jehovahs Witnesses believe Jesus has opened the way to salvation and that by following the rules of Kingdom Hall, anyone can also become a Jehovahs Witness. Jehovah's Witnesses - Religion in America: U.S. They believe Jesus died on a stake, rather than a cross. Jehovah's Witnesses are primarily known to physicians for their refusal of blood transfusions. [146], For anointed Witnesses, salvation is said to be achieved through their death and subsequent resurrection to heavenly life to share with Christ as a co-ruler of God's kingdom;[147] for others, it is gained by preservation through the Great Tribulation and the battle of Armageddon. Many people are curious about who Jehovahs Witnesses are. Article based on the Christian Today article titled "Who are the Jehovah's Witnesses? Photo courtesy: Thinkstock/NexTser, There are reportedly 8.3 million Jehovah's Witnesses around the world and nearly 120,000 congregations. (Matthew 28:19, 20; John 3:16; Acts 3:19, 20) A persons works prove that his faith is alive. Meditating on what we learn from the Bible.Psalm 77:12. What Do Jehovahs Witnesses Believe? The Bible tells us that Jesus was resurrected with a true flesh and bone body (Luke 24:39; John 2:19-21). Influenced by Restorationism in the 19th century, Charles Taze Russell and his associates formed a Bible study group in the 1870s in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, developing teachings that they considered to be a revival of "the great truths taught by Jesus and the Apostles". The Bible tells us the Holy Spirit has a personality and the Bible describes the Holy Spirit with personal pronouns (Acts 13:2). Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. We do not venerate the cross or any other images. Since they do not place faith in Jesus, they are not saved. They affirm that GodJehovahis the most high. Instead, they emphasize citizenship in God's heavenly kingdom. Jehovahs Witnesses believe in a myriad of unbiblical ideas. [202] They are described as "anti-God" and doomed to destruction. The basis for this belief originates from several sources: primarily, they believe the celebration of birthdays stems from pagan rituals. Jehovah's Witnesses started in 1870 when a man named Charles Taze Russell led Bible studies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jehovahs Witnesses believe that if someone dies who is not a Jehovahs Witness that they will be annihilated. Instead of seeing Him as God, Jehovahs Witnesses view the Holy Spirit as an impersonal force of God. They think the Holy Spirit is an "impersonal force" and not actually God and Lord Himself. [166] As such, the Second Coming is considered an invisible presence, lasting for an extended period of time, and ending with Jesus' "coming" to separate the Sheep and the Goats. The Lord declared Himself to be God through His seven I AM statements (John 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15). They affirm the deity of God the Father, and specifically deny the deity of Jesus Christ. This is an erroneous belief because Jesus was physically resurrected from the grave. They do not salute the flag of any nation, believing it an act of false worship; they refuse to perform military service; and they do not participate in public elections. [153] They believe that most of those are already in heaven, and that the "remnant" at Revelation 12:17 (KJV) refers to those remaining alive on earth who will be immediately resurrected to heaven when they die or during the Great Tribulation. Help them understand the truth of the Bible and how the Jehovahs Witnesses' beliefs do not align with the truth of Gods Word.