BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Of all the doctrines taught by Jehovah's Witnesses, none is more intriguing than the subject of, Who are the born-again ones! Could it be that only one in every three hundred Witnesses believes that salvation is necessary and professes to be born-again of the Holy Spirit? Is it possible that the rest are perishing with their own Bibles in their hands because they do not understand what their own Bibles teach?
What about the heavenly class of Jehovah's Witnesses, who are they? The Watchtower Society teaches that there will only be two classes who gain eternal life: (1.) those who will be saved and in heaven made up of 144,000, and (2.) those who choose to obey Jehovah and not Satan at the end of the 1,000 years and inherit the earth. All the wicked will perish! So according to them the heavenly group are the 144,000 who are literal spiritual Israelites [Jehovah's Witnesses, however], are the only born-again Christians there are, and these are selected since the time of Christ because they "belong to Christ." (See You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, page 172.) Of this number who have died, they are believed to have gone to heaven as spirits in 1918 in the First Resurrection. Since 1918, when the rest of the 144,000 heavenly class die, it is believed that they are changed "in the twinkling of an eye" to be spirits and go to heaven, where they will rule and remain for all eternity.
[The Bible presents a problem about this teaching when it clearly teaches in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, that at the First Resurrection, the "dead in Christ" are resurrected and go to heaven "together with" those who are "living in Christ." This means that in 1918, all the heavenly class who were living at that time should have been "caught up in the air" with those who had been resurrected. The Watchtower Society has NO answer for this problem!]
In 1991, of the 4,071,954 who claimed to be Witnesses, ONLY 8,850 claimed to be of the 144,000/heavenly class. Most of these are elderly Americans! Their number is much smaller now ten years later!
And what of the earthly class, who are they? This class is made up of people down through the history of mankind. They are neither born-again, nor do they "belong to Christ" as the heavenly class. Their hope is to survive Armageddon, or be raised to life sometime afterwards during the 1,000 years. This should be accomplished if they remain as faithful Jehovah's Witnesses, obeying God's Laws as interpreted by the Watchtower Society, and putting in their hours of witnessing each month.
And even if they aren't good Jehovah's Witnesses, they will still be raised to life during the 1,000 years and given another probationary time. In other words, after Armageddon, they expect to live on the earth and stand a final test at the end of the 1,000 years when Satan is loosed. If they prove faithful they will be given everlasting life then, for eternity.
Their salvation is largely accomplished by "their own works." Little real emphasis is placed on Christ's atoning death; it is mentioned but in effect is not stressed or of vital importance. In 1991, 4,063,104 of the 4,071,954 Witnesses world-wide, professed to be of the earthly class.
Now that we have examined what the Watchtower teaches regarding salvation, do we not see why most of them are perishing with Bibles in their hands? What does their own Bible teach on this subject? By the way, in the next study we are going to explore more of the Bible teaching on the 144,000. But first let us answer some questions!
1. There are only two classes in the whole world, and the Bible talks about these--what are they?
Please read Romans 8:1-17 (NWT).
Answer:
verse 5 "For those who are in accord with the ____________set their minds on the things of the ______________, but those in accord with the _____________ on the things of the ___________."
verse 6 "For the minding of the _____________ means _______________, but the minding of the _______________ means ______________ and ________________."
verse 7 "because the minding of the _____________ means enmity with God, for it is not under subjection to the ____________ of God, nor, in fact, can it be."
verse 8 "So those who are in harmony with the ____________ cannot please God."
verse 9 "However, you are in harmony, not with the ___________, but with the ______________, if God's spirit truly dwells in you. But if anyone does not have _____________ _________________, this one does not belong to him."
So Romans 8 is very clear that there are only two classes, those who are led by the Spirit, and those who are not. In the NWT, these classes are described as "those in accord with the spirit" or "the minding of the spirit," and the others are "those in accord with the flesh" or the "minding of the flesh." For one there is "life and peace," and for the other, there is "death." There is no intermediate group of an "earthly class" composed of those who are neither born-again, nor spirit-led people yet believe themselves to be saved as long as they do not obey Satan! The truth is that if these earthly people are not led by the Spirit as the heavenly profess to be then according to the Bible they are definitely lost! Read Romans 8:1-17 and there is no other conclusion that one can come to.
2. What passage of Scripture is an elaboration of the Romans 8:1-17 that Jesus taught to Nicodemus:
John 3:3-8 (Again, read the whole passage in the NWT.)
Answer:
verse 3 "In answer Jesus said to him: "Most truly I say to you, Unless anyone is __________ _____________, he cannot see the ____________________ of God."
verse 7 "Do not marvel because I told you, __________ ___________ must be ____________ _____________."
The "you people" of John 3:7 is not addressed merely to Nicodemus, the disciples or even the 144,000 class. It is addressed to ALL who want to be saved. However the Watchtower Society tragically applies this just to the 144,000 class of whom there was only 8,850 in 1991, in all the world. These then are all among those professing to be Jehovah's Witnesses, who could be saved!
There are scores of mistakes made in the past by the Watchtower Society, but none as serious as this!
3. Who is to be the center of our faith if we are to be saved?
2 Corinthians 5:18, 19; John 14:6 (Use NWT for both)
Answer:
"But all things are from God, who reconciled us to _____________ through _____________ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was by means of _____________ reconciling a world to _________________, not reckoning to them their trespasses...." 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19
"Jesus said to him: 'I am the _________ and the truth and the life. No one comes to the _________________ except through _________." John 14:6
Jehovah's witnesses have been taught that Christendom has made Christ everything to the detriment of the Father. To make right what they believe is an imbalance, they have placed the emphasis on Jehovah God the Father, to the exclusion of Jesus Christ.
When one understands the Trinity teaching, he understands that there is no tension between Father and Son, but a beautiful relationship and perfect harmony. "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself." Jesus said that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that no one could come to the Father except by Him."
4. In whose name alone is there salvation?
Acts 4:12 (NWT)
Answer:
"Furthermore, there is no salvation ______ __________________ ______________, for there is __________
_________________ name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get _____________." Acts 4:12
5. When are we to receive salvation and how?
1 John 5:11-13 (NWT)
Answer:
"And this is the witness given, that God ___________ us _________________________ ___________, and this life is in _________ ______________. He that has the Son _________ this life: he that does not have the Son of God does not have this life. I write you these things that you many know that you _____________ life ___________________, you who put your _______________ in the name of the _____________ _______ ___________." 1 John 5:11-13
All who put faith in Jesus as their Saviour has life everlasting. This promise is for all who will trust Jesus, and as long as we have our trust in Him and His word, we will right now have the promise of eternal life!
6. What are the errors regarding salvation that have been taught by the Watchtower Society?
a. The failure to make Christ the center of all doctrine. Paul's message was "Jesus Christ and Him Crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:1-2.
b. The failure to teach that all must be born again. John 3:3-5 and Romans 8:4-17. Those who are not born again are eternally lost.
c. The failure to teach that every believer has a heavenly hope! Believers are baptized into the one body of Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:13. There is only fold and one hope. Ephesians 4:4,5; John 10:14-16. Those outside of this fold are lost.
d. The failure to teach that there is one resurrection for Believers. "The dead in Christ" means all who have exercised faith in Him. Those in Old Testament times did as they slew the lamb which pointed forward to Christ, 'The Lamb of God." Since His death believers have been able to have faith in the reality of this event. ALL these will be resurrected at "the last day." John 1:29, 11:24.
e. The failure to teach that there is no second chance! Today is the accepted time. 1 Corinthians 6:2. The Bible says that after death is the Judgment, not probation. Hebrews 9:27. There can be no second chance during the 1,000 years.
There is a joy in working for the salvation of souls, especially of those who are Jehovah's Witnesses. One of the thrilling things in working for Witnesses, is to see them leave off the Watchtower teachings and saturate themselves with the pure "word of God." This both "sanctifies" them (John 17:17, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.") and they become born again. (1 Peter 1:23, "Being born again,...by the word of God.) As they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, they find assurance of salvation, and the peace that passes understanding!