We begin this study outline by quoting Scripture: "But speaking the
truth...by love", "Keep on making sure what is acceptable to the Lord."
(Eph. 4:15 and 5:10). "Let him who has ears...listen." (Mk. 4:9).
On Page 1656 of the New World Translation (NWT) of the Holy Scriptures,
presents topical commentary, notes and Scripture references used by
the Watchtower. Number 34 correctly and truly proclaims:
"C. Changing one’s religion (is) essential if proved wrong" If someone
finds that the church they believed in has false teachings, that person
is morally bound to find and follow the ‘‘A. Only one true religion".
Page 1658 of the NWT one can read under 42 A. ‘‘God is not three
persons.", ‘‘Son created, God alone before’’ along with Biblical references
which are cited. Let us briefly examine this topic of the "Trinity."
In Isaiah 46:9 NWT we read:
‘‘Remember the first things of a long time ago, that I am the Divine
One, and there is no other God, nor anyone like me." Or Isaiah 45:21
‘‘Is it not I, Jehovah, besides whom there is no other God, a righteous
God and a Savior, there being none excepting me?" and Isaiah 44:24
‘‘This is what Jehovah has said, your Repurchaser and the Former of
you from the belly: ‘‘I, Jehovah, am doing everything, stretching
out the heavens by myself, laying out the earth. Who was with me?"
These verses, along with many others, establish that there is but
one true God who created the heavens and the earth, mankind and all
other things and creatures.
Turning to page 1327 NWT, John 1:1-3: ‘‘In [the] beginning the Word
was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. This one
was in [the] beginning with God. All things came into being through
him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence."
Who is this ‘‘Word" who created all things? John 1:14 explains that: ‘‘So the Word became
flesh and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory
such as belongs to an only begotten son from a father, and he was
full of undeserved kindness and truth.’’
Jesus is: the Son of the Father, is the Word. The disciple John, inspired
by God, tells us that Jesus the Word made all things.
What we are reading in these NWT passages seems to contradict each
other, yet NWT page 1648 correctly says under 4A ‘‘Entire Bible inspired
and beneficial". How can Isaiah state that Jehovah is the only God,
there is no other, and that Jehovah created all things, and yet John
states that Jesus, the Word and Son of the Father created all things?
The answer can only be found in the Trinity, that God is One but
has three Divine Persons! Evidence of the Trinity is found in Gen.
1:26 (NWT):
‘‘And God went on to say: ‘‘Let us make man in our image, according
to our likeness..."
How can the Watch Tower Society claim ‘there is no Trinity’, when
from the beginning God calls Himself ‘us’ and ‘our’; words that show
a plurality of people? (see Gen. 11:7. In Gen. 18:1-5, Jehovah is
described as THREE persons!)
In fact, the NWT proves the existence of the Trinity in many places,
but most clearly in the Baptismal formula of Matthew 28:19-20 ‘‘Go
therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit,
teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded YOU." Father,
Son and Holy Spirit - three persons, the ‘‘us’’ and ‘‘our’’ of Genesis.
See Jn. 14:26, 15:26; Acts 1:6-8 and 2 Cor. 13:14.
NWT page 1656, under 36 A reads ‘‘Only disciples saw ascensions; return
similar". The Watchtower claims that Jesus secretly returned to the
earth during the time of World War I. Yet Matthew 24:23-24, 27 contradicts
that false teaching:
‘‘Then if anyone says to you. ‘Look! Here is the Christ’, or ‘‘There!’
do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise
and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible,
even the chosen ones...For just as the lightening comes out of the
eastern parts and shines over to the western parts, so the presence
of the Son of man will be."
In other words, Matthew reveals that when God’s Son, Jesus, True God
and True Man, comes again it will be a Coming known by all, and won’t
be seen by only a few disciples, as the Witnesses incorrectly teach.
These are some of the Scriptural errors taught at Kingdom Hall, by
a Society which has often wrongly predicted the date of ‘the End.’
To even consider predicting the date of 'The End' violates Matthew
24:36.
Galatians 1:9, "If anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the
one you have received, let that one be accursed!" Scripture scholars
state Paul wrote this letter around 55 A.D. The Jehovah's Witnesses'
religion was started circa 1870 A.D.! It's another "gospel", "received"
1800+ years after the original True Gospel!
Challenge an elder in the Kingdom Hall to PROVE their religion dates back even as far as
55 A.D.! Ask them, where is the OLDEST Kingdom Hall? Have them provide
independent DOCUMENTED evidence the JW's/Watchtower Society is the
original True Church! Will you be surprised if they can't prove it??
Those still with the Witnesses should accept one key part of the NWT's advice: now that
their religion is proven wrong, seek the one True Church established
by Jesus in Matthew 16:18. Disappointed Witnesses should seek the
Saving Truth, just as many other former Witnesses have done.
Don't feel badly, recall how Saul (Paul) persecuted the True Church too!
(Gal. 1:13). God showed him he was spiritually blinded to the truth
(Acts 9:1-9) when the painful truth was revealed to him. Similarly,
like Paul, you can use your former dedication to witnessing, once
you are in the True Church Jesus established. WITNESS FOR THE TRUTH!
Don’t let peer pressure, embarrassment or other human emotions keep
you from doing what is spiritually and Biblically correct!
Former Witnesses have discovered the ways they were misled. Scripture
scholars point out, for example, that ONLY the Watchtower's NWT renders
John 1:1, ‘‘In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was a god. No other translation inserts "a" into
this verse, since it isn't in the original Greek! Consider Revelations
22:18:
"I warn everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: if anyone
adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book!"
The anonymously authored NWT changes other words to fit the Kingdom Halls'
claims. Bible experts assert the NWT is a modification of the King
James Version. Scholars say the KJV has some 30,000 errors in translation!
The New Revised Standard Version's introduction states:
"Yet the King James Version has serious defects. By the middle of
the nineteenth century, the development of biblical studies and the
discovery of many biblical manuscripts more ancient than those on
which the King James Version was based made it apparent that these
defects were so many as to call for revision."
Ironically, the so-called 'NWT' failed to follow that lead for revision,
and according to scholars, was allegedly based on minor changes in the
KJV needed to suit the Watchtower's teachings.
Some allege the Watchtower Society produces and sells through ‘witnesses’
a billion plus dollars annually in literature promoting their beliefs.
They've changed words of Scripture in their poor translation of God’s
Word, why? In the hopes of convincing and keeping their ‘witnesses’
in a false religion? They could be seen as one of the false prophets
of the End Times (See Mt. 24:10-14).
As you've just seen, it is Biblically condemned for
people to pervert portions of God’s Word, for the sake of money,
to influence others or any other man-made reason! Why do 'elders' routinely tell Witnesses not
to associate with ‘nonbelievers’ who aren’t converting? Why are some
questions discouraged? Why are Witnesses often told not to read material from other churches?
Are they afraid of losing their sales staff?
John 8:31-32 teaches that Jesus’ disciples will know the Truth and
that Truth will set them free. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus
taught that we must ask for, seek and knock to find that Truth. Jesus
was fully human, but He was also PROVEN to be God many times in Scripture:
for example: "When they saw Him they worshipped Him, but some doubted."
(Mt. 28:17). Jesus, who said He was one with the Father (Jn. 10:30),
DOESN'T rebuke the disciples, as did the angels who stopped John from
worshipping them in Rev. 19:10 and 22:9. Jesus doesn't stop Thomas
from proclaiming: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28).
Where should a disenchanted Witnesses' search begin? Start by looking
for a Church that teaches the Trinity, which some have explained as
being symbolized by the three leaf clover: One God (one clover) yet
mysteriously having Three Divine Persons (three leaves). Remember,
"With God, all things are possible!" (Mk. 10:17).
Seek a Church that
teaches Jesus as Lord and Savior. When you find a Church that teaches
these and other Biblical truths, the Church that dates back to Jesus
and the Apostles, you will have found the One True Church.
If you've been caught up at the Kingdom Hall by the Watchtower Society,
don't feel badly - many others have been too. Now, the time has come
for you to follow their advice one last time: "C. Changing one’s religion
(is) essential if proved wrong" If someone finds that the church they
believed in has false teachings, that person is morally bound to find
and follow the ‘‘A. Only one true religion".
