1. What do the Jehovah's Witnesses believe about keeping the Ten Commandments?
Answer:
Down through the years, Watchtower publications have been full of statements which give the impression that they believe and uphold the keeping of the Ten Commandments:
a. From The Watchtower, January 1, 1963, page 14 is this statement:
"Anyone today who is familiar with the Bible and the life of Christ can clearly see the profound difference between what Jesus and the early apostles did and what the clergy of Christendom are doing. Nineteen hundred years ago Christians were strong in faith. Where is that faith today in Christendom? God's book, the Holy Bible, is considered by many as a fine piece of literary work but the Ten Commandments are just to be read, not something to live by." (Emphasis supplied.)
b. From the 1975 Yearbook, page 169:
"....[while] Jehovah's Witnesses respect the flag, their Biblical obligations and relationship to God strictly forbid them to salute any image. To Jehovah's servants this would be an act of worship contrary to the principles set forth in the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6)..."
c. From the Awake!, September 22, 1978:
"In all parts of the world, Jehovah's Witnesses do not take part in such ceremonies as the saluting of the flag and the singing of national anthems. Why not? Because to them this would constitute an act of worship in direct violation of the first and second of the Ten Comandments. Ex. 20:3-5.
d. There are many more references...."God forbid making any image before which people bow in worship." [quotes Exodus 20:4, 5], Make Sure of All Things: Hold Fast to What Is Fine, page 247.
See also the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, page 25 where the same text is quoted again.
2. Are followers of Jehovah's Son, Jesus Christ, to keep the commandments of God?
John 14:15; John 15:10
Answer:
" If you love me, you will ________________ ________ ____________________________." John 14:15
"If you ___________________ ______ __________________________________, you will remain in my love, just as I have observed the commandments of the Father and remain in his love." John 15:10
It is to be firmly pointed out here that either a person keeps "the commandments of God" or he does not! There is no middle road of quoting them when it suits (i.e., to show Catholics they should not worship images, or the government why they do not salute flags, etc...) and then discard them at will when confronted with the commandment of God to keep the seventh-day Sabbath!
3. What commandments came to an end when Jesus the Messiah died for us?
Daniel 9:26, 27; Hebrews 7:12 Read also: Hebrews 9:11-14.
"And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah will be cut off, with nothing for himself....And he must keep [the] covenant in force for the many for one week; and at the half of the week he will cause ____________________ and __________ ________________________ to cease..." Daniel 9:27
"For since the ______________________ is being _____________________, there comes to be of necessity a change also of the ______________..." Hebrews 7:12
The Levitical law of sin offerings and the need for an earthly priesthood or mediator, were fulfilled in the death of Christ and now He mediates as our High Priest in heaven, and the ceremonial laws are no longer necessary to be practiced. In fact to offer lambs, or animal sacrifices now would show that we do not believe that God's Son became the sacrifice for our sins, nor that He mediates in heaven for us.
But the Ten Commandment Law remains, separate from the ceremonial law that ended. Reading Leviticus 23:2-4 shows that God has always counted the seventh-day Sabbath distinct from the festal sabbaths and other holy days. Though offerings and sacrifices were also appointed on the seventh-day of the week which is the Sabbath of the Lord, this only shows that we must confess our sins at all times when we know that we have committed an error, even if on the holy Day of the Sabbath. The holy Day of the Sabbath was instituted in Eden before sin entered (Genesis 2:1-3) and is shown to be permanently included in the Law of Jehovah our God : Exodus 20:8-11.
4. What further evidence shows that Jehovah had Two Laws?
Exodus 40:20; Deuteronomy 31:24-26
Answer:
"After that he took the __________________ ( the covenant of Ten Commandments) and put it____________ the Ark (of the Covenant) and placed the poles on the Ark and put the cover above upon the Ark." Exodus 40:20
It is God who wrote the Ten Commandments on tables of stone, not Moses. See: Deuteronomy 10:1-5.
"And it came about that as soon as Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book until their completion...[He said] Taking this book of the law, you must place it at the _____________ of the Ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and it must serve as a witness there against you." Deuteronomy 31:24-26.
This "handwritten" book of the Law, placed in a pocket on the side of the Ark, was primarily the book of Deuteronomy, and yet may have included all the first five books of Moses. Therefore, when we read about the Law of Moses (Daniel 9:11) it is referring to all those things that Moses wrote in a book, including not only the principles of civil laws and health laws that still apply today, but also the ceremonial laws that were the only laws that ended, as he was commanded by God to write. But when we read "the Commandments of God" this is referring to the Law of Ten Commandments that were specifically written by Jehovah's own finger, and placed in the Ark, under the cover of the Ark. These commandments did not come to an end at Messiah's death. God's Law must be kept in faith by all who love Jesus.
5. How do we know that the Commandments of God are to be kept by Christians?
Revelation 14:12; Revelation 12:17; 1 John 5:2, 3; 1 Corinthians 7:19
Answer:
a. "Here is where it means endurance for the holy ones, those who observe the _____________________________ _______ _____________ and the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12
b. "And the dragon grew wrathful at the woman, and went off to wage war with the remaining ones of her seed, who observe the ____________________________ _________ ______________ and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus." Revelation 12:17
c. "By this we gain the knowledge that we are loving the children of God, when we are loving God and ______________ _________ ___________________________. For this is what the love of God means, that we observe ___________ __________________________; and yet his ______________________________ are not burdensome." 1 John 5:2, 3
d. "Circumcision does not mean a thing, and uncircumcision means not a thing, but ______________________ of __________ _______________________________ [does]." 1 Corinthians 7:19
6. What other passage proves that the New Testament writers believed that the Ten Commandments were still to be obeyed?
Ephesians 6:1, 2
Answer: "Children, be ______________ to your _______________ in union with [the] Lord, for this is righteous: '________________ your father and [your] mother;' which is the first ________________________ with a promise..." Ephesians 6:1, 2
In the minds of the early Christians, who had largely come out of Judaism, there was no question that the expression, commandments of God, were all of the ten!
7. What New Testament passage proves that we must keep all the Ten Commandments?
James 2:10-12
Answer: "For whoever observes _________ the _________ but makes a false step in one point, he has become an offender against them _________. For he who said: 'You must not commit adultery,' said also, 'You must not murder.' If, now, you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of ____________."
God shows that we must keep all ten of the commandments when we love God and keep His commandments.
8. When we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation from sin and death, and love Him who died for us, we will want to do what He commands us. What will those do who want a place in the Kingdom of God?
Matthew 5:17-20 [Read all of this in the NWT, please.]
Answer: "....Whoever, therefore, __________ one of these least commandments and __________ mankind to that effect, he will be called 'least' in relation to the kingdom of the heavens. As for anyone who ________ ___________ and _______________ them, this one will be called 'great' in relation to the kingdom of the heavens. For I say to you that if your righteousness does not abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens."
The scribes and Pharisees who did not believe in Jesus as the Son of God, could not experience true obedience based on love. They said they were righteous and obeyed the Law, when inside they hated Jesus, God's Son.
When we love the Son that shows that we love also the Father. See: 1 John 5:1; John 8:42.
The next study is about the least of the Ten Commandments that may be the most important: The Sabbath.