Galatians
1:6-7, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you
into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but
there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”
I witnessed to a woman recently who professed that she's a Jehovah's Witness
(JW's). One of the hardest groups of people to win to the Lord are
JW's, simply because of the way they are indoctrinated by the demonic cult.
JW's aren't taught truth; but rather, how to defend their doctrines of
devils. JW's are taught, “If someone says this, you say that” and “If they
say that, you say this.” That's what they do each week when they meet. JW's
are very defensive and militantly protective of their false religion.
That prompted me to visit their official
Watchtower.org website and expose
them further. Although JW's are only 1/200th the size of Roman Catholicism,
they are aggressive and far more
visible in communities worldwide than other demonic cults. What startled me
was what I found on their page titled, “HAVE YOU BEEN SAVED?” I thought I
was reading Ray Comfort's “The Evidence Bible” or listening to one of Paul
Washer's sermonettes or reading John MacArthur's “The MacArthur Study
Bible.” In fact, Jehovah's Witnesses teach Lordship Salvation, and those who
teach Lordship Salvation are espousing the same damnable beliefs of Jehovah's
Witnesses.
Lordship Salvation is the
false teaching that faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is insufficient to
save a person; but that the person must also depart from sinful bad habits,
forsake the world, surrender all and make a commitment to Christ. Their
heresy is based upon a wrong interpretation of what it means to “repent” in
the Bible. Whereas the word “repent” simply means “a change of mind” in the
Bible; Lordship Salvationists have redefined it to mean “a change of
lifestyle.”
Here is what the Jehovah's
Witnesses have to say about faith and salvation. Notice that it is the
same attitude and philosophy as those who teach Lordship Salvation...
Have You Been SAVED?
JOHNNY was ten years old when a man stopped
him at a fair and asked: "Young man, do you accept Jesus Christ as your
Lord and Savior?" That sounded like a rather strange question to Johnny,
since he had always believed in Jesus. So he answered, "Of course I do."
"Praise the Lord!" the man shouted for all to hear. "Another soul saved
for Christ!"
Is salvation
really that simple? Was Johnny "saved" from the moment he said those
words, regardless of what he would do for the rest of his life? Many
sincere people would answer yes. Some religious tracts say to write down
the date you were "saved" so that you can remember it.
A clergyman
wrote that at "the moment of simple faith in Christ . . . one's destiny
is permanently settled." He claimed that the Bible says that salvation
depends on a single, one-time "act of faith, not on the continuity of faith." Another religion writer wrote: "This is a
finished work. It has already been accomplished for you . . . Your
'warfare has ended.' Your 'iniquity has been removed.'" But even people
who are firmly convinced that this is true may see a problem here. It is
obvious that many people who have been told that they are "saved" do not
live the way the Bible says they should. A common explanation is that
perhaps they had not really "accepted" Christ.
So, what does
"accepting" Jesus really mean? Is it a one-time act of faith, or is it a
continuing way of life? Must our belief be strong enough to motivate us
to action? Can we really accept the benefits of Jesus' sacrifice without
the responsibility of following him?
Many people want the
blessings but not the responsibility of following and obeying Jesus. In
fact, the word "obey" often disturbs them. Yet Jesus said: "Come be my
follower." (Luke 18:18-23) And the Bible states: "Those who do not obey
the good news about our Lord Jesus . . . will undergo the judicial
punishment of everlasting destruction."—2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9; Matthew
10:38; 16:24.
SOURCE:
http://www.watchtower.org/e/19960201/article_01.htm
PLEASE NOTE: The old Jehovah's
Witness' website at Watchtower.org has been discontinued since I originally
wrote this article, but the links below are still very important,
documenting that these statement DID in fact come from the official
Jehovah's Witness website. Their Satanic doctrinal beliefs haven't changed! Here
is the JW's new website, and their “What Is Salvation?” webpage, which
will verify that they are a bunch of unsaved reprobates! JW's clearly
require WORKS for salvation, which is a Satanic lie!
As you see, Jehovah's Witnesses
share the same false beliefs with Lordship Salvationists that faith in
Christ Jesus is insufficient to save a person. They BOTH teach that a person
must continue in obedience in order to be saved. Here is a frightening
comparison chart showing that Ray Comfort, Paul Washer and John MacArthur
share the same beliefs as JW's concerning salvation...
“Thus, 'accepting Christ'
involves far more than just accepting the blessings that Jesus'
superlative sacrifice offers. Obedience is required.”
SOURCE:
http://www.watchtower.org/e/19960201/article_02.htm
In sharp contrast to the false
plan of salvation put forth by Lordship Salvationists and JW's, the Bible
places all the burden of our sins upon Jesus Christ. He bore our sins
upon the cross, so we wouldn't have to go to Hell and pay for our own sins
in the Lake of Fire forever. Eternal life is a free gift that need only be
received without obligation.
JW's pervert 2nd Thessalonians
1:8-9 as they do other Scriptures. When they Bible admonishes us to “OBEY”
the Gospel, it means to believe the Gospel, period. JW's try to wrest
(twist) the Bible to mean obeying all the Commandments of God to be saved.
Jesus clarified that the ONLY work required to be saved is to believe on
Him. John 6:29, “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of
God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” This is NOT a
self-righteous work. Believe the Gospel and the work is done!
It is very interesting that JW's
admit that salvation is the free gift of God; yet they add human effort and
works to the plan of salvation, totally contradicting themselves...
We do not earn salvation by
doing these things, for no human could ever do enough to merit such an
astounding blessing. We are not worthy of this magnificent gift, though,
if we fail to demonstrate our love and obedience by doing the things
that the Bible says God and Christ want us to do. Without works to
demonstrate our faith, our claim to follow Jesus would fall far short,
for the Bible clearly states: "Faith, if it does not have works, is dead
in itself." —James 2:17.
SOURCE:
http://www.watchtower.org/e/19960201/article_02.htm
Like Roman Catholics,
EvangelisticOutreach.com, proponents of Lordship Salvation, Seventh-day
Adventists, Mormons and and other false religions and websites, JW's corrupt the meaning of James 2:17. The Apostle Paul speaks of the ROOT of
the believer's faith in Romans 4:3-5; but James speaks of the FRUIT of the
believer's faith in James 2:17-22. A changed life is the result (FRUIT) of
genuine repentance, and not a part of the ROOT of the believer's faith. We are saved apart from all works.
As mentioned, Jehovah's Witnesses claim to believe that
eternal life is a free gift; but they simultaneously teach that works are necessary for
salvation. They are lying. It can't be both ways. The Bible plainly
addresses this fact in Romans 11:6, “And if by grace, then is it no more
of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is
it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Salvation is either
by works or by grace, but it CANNOT be by both. Of course, the Bible
condemns the teaching of self-righteous works for salvation (Ephesians
2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Romans 4:5-6; Romans 3:20). Self-righteousness angers God
and He does NOT accept it (Ezekiel 18:24). Even our best is filth in God's
holy eyes (Isaiah 64:6).
Paul teaches that we are justified
in THE EYES OF GOD by faith; but James teaches that in THE YES OF MEN we are
justified by works. Abraham was saved in Genesis 15:6 (before Isaac was even
born), but he was justified in the eyes of men many years later in Genesis
22:10-12 by offering up Isaac for sacrifice unto the Lord. Notice carefully
whom James is showing his faith to in James 2:18, “Yea, a man may say,
Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me
thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee
my faith by my works.” God is not the one in focus here; but rather, the
attention of the eyes of men. We are justified in God's eyes by faith alone;
but since men cannot see our heart's faith, then we can only be justified by
works in the eyes of men. This is a proper interpretation, and rightly
dividing the Word of truth, of James 2:18.
The Most Aggressive
Demonic Cult in the World
Like a scorpion, Jehovah's Witnesses are one of the
most dangerous demonic cults in the world, having over 5,000,000 members in
2012. Since the cult appeals to the intellect of the unsaved person, they
often succeed at recruiting unbelievers who desire to find a religion that
they can understand. JW's criticize the Biblical doctrine of the Godhead,
which appeals to the unsaved (natural) man.
Islamic Muslims also attack the
Godhead, accusing Christians of being polytheists. Muslims group Catholics
with genuine Christians and are thus confused in the matter. We as
Christians do NOT believe in multiple gods; but rather ONE GOD as
Deuteronomy 6:4 teaches. But that one God exists in three distinct, unique
and individual Persons known as the Godhead (Acts 17:29, Romans 1:20 and
Colossians 2:9 - King James Bible). Note: All modern corrupt Bibles
completely remove the word “godhead” because it offends many religious
groups who are not true Christians.
In Colossians 2:2 the Bible
admittedly calls the Godhead a “mystery” to believers. Thankfully, we need
only believe and not understand to be saved. The Godhead wasn't meant to be
understood. Unsaved people reject the doctrine of the Trinity because they
can't understand it, just as the heretic Martin Luther (1483-1546) rejected
the book of Revelation because he couldn't understand it. My friend, we are
told to “study” the Word of truth, not chuck it out the window.
JW's deny Jesus Christ's deity, the Godhead, Christ's bodily
resurrection and numerous other fundamental Bible doctrines. JW's are false
prophets, which teach falsely in their own name. JW's do not follow the Word
of God; but rather, the false teachings of their heretical founder Charles
Taze Russell. JW's teach that Michael is Jesus, and that Lucifer is Jesus'
brother. The Bible does NOT teach these lies. Jesus is Almighty God
according to Revelation 1:8.
My friend, those religious
teachers and ministers today who teach that trusting the Lord for salvation
is insufficient to save are LIARS! Acts 16:30-31, “Sirs, what must I do
to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved, and thy house.” BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THOU
SHALT BE SAVED! That's simple enough to do. God said what He meant, and
meant what He said.
If you believe on Jesus, the
Christ Who died, was buried and rose from the dead for YOUR SINS (1st
Corinthians 15:1-4), then you are saved instantly, completely and eternally.
Romans 1:16-17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is
the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God
revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by
faith.”
BEWARE of Paul Washer, John
MacArthur, Kirk Cameron, Ray Comfort, Moody Bible Institute, the New
International Version (NIV) Bible crowd, Nelson Bible Publishers and the
Southern Baptist Convention (publishers of the
Holman Christian
Standard Bible), who've embraced the damnable heresies shared by the
Jehovah's Witnesses, that is, that faith (trust) alone in Jesus Christ is
insufficient to save a person. They misunderstand repentance and teach that
people must change their lifestyle to be saved. This is putting the cart
before the horse. They're trying to do the job of the Holy Spirit, policing
sinners, forcing people to change as a prerequisite to obtaining salvation.
It is a false gospel and those who follow such teachings are adopting false
religion instead of believing the Biblical Gospel that saves.
Repentance From Dead
Works
Carefully notice in Hebrews 6:1
what we are supposed to repent (change our mind about) to be saved... DEAD
WORKS! ... and of FAITH TOWARD GOD. You repent only of your UNBELIEF my
friend, and turn toward the Lord by faith in the Gospel to be saved...
Hebrews 6:1,
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us
go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance
from dead works, and of faith toward God.”
The very DEAD WORKS which JW's and
Lordship Salvationists teach that you must have to be saved, are the very
self-righteous works which must be repented of to be saved. We are saved by
believing the Gospel, by resting in the finished redemptive work of Christ
(Hebrews 4:1-2). Hebrews 4:10, “For he that is entered into his
[Christ's] rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from
his.” The Sabbath was a picture of Jesus Christ, in Whom we rest,
ceasing from our own self-righteous labors (pictured by the 6-day work
week). Jesus is our Sabbath!
Are you resting in the precious
blood of Jesus Christ my friend, that washes away our sins? (1st John 1:7;
1st Peter 1:18-19). Are you resting in Calvary and the cross of Christ?
Jesus paid it all! Eternal life is a free gift that is received, not
achieved. Salvation is receiving, not giving. It is a gift, not a reward. No
one merits salvation. We are saved by receiving Christ's payment for our
sins. We are saved by Christ's merit and righteousness, and not our own
(because we have none to offer). The Bible couldn't be any plainer, BELIEVE
ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED!
