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.”
In the April 1, 2009 edition of the WATCHTOWER magazine published by
The Watchtower and Tract Society, the front cover asks the question:
“BORN AGAIN, What Does It Mean?” On page 9 the writer states that being born
again is “A Twofold Process” and goes on to explain:
“First, a person repents of his sins, turns away from a wrong course, dedicate his life to Jehovah to worship and serve him, and makes his dedication public by water baptism. Then, if God chooses him to serve as a ruler in His Kingdom, he is anointed with the holy spirit. The first part of this twofold process (baptism with water) is initiated by the individual; the second part (baptism with spirit) is initiated by God. When a person undergoes both baptisms, he has experienced the new birth.”
SOURCE: WATCHTOWER magazine, April 1, 2009
The Word of God does NOT agree with the
Jehovah's Witnesses. Not at all! They are teaching a false gospel, which
Galatians 1:6,7 calls “another gospel” or a “perverted gospel.”
Water Baptism is Not Necessary for Salvation
Water baptism has absolutely nothing to do with being born-again. When Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:5, “a man be born of water and of the Spirit,” to enter into the Kingdom of God, He was speaking about the physical birth. This fact is plainly stated in John 3:6, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Clearly, Jesus was contrasting the physical birth (the flesh) to the spiritual birth (the spirit). Jesus was simply telling Nicodemus that the physical birth isn't enough, a man must also be born of the Holy Spirit to enter into God's kingdom.
The writer of the WATCHTOWER article
presents a false plan of salvation. Water baptism is not required for
salvation. This is evident from the fact that the word “believe” is
mentioned 85 times throughout the Gospel of John, yet the word “baptize” or
“baptized” is not mentioned in connection with them. In most of the New
Testament Epistles, baptism is not mentioned at all. No one in the Old
Testament was water baptized. The Apostle John said he wrote his Epistle so
that “ye may KNOW” that you have eternal life (1st John 5:13). Yet,
John makes no mentioned whatsoever of being water baptized. If water baptism
were necessary for salvation, certainly John would have mentioned it. The
thief on the cross was never water baptized, and yet we know he went to be
with the Lord in paradise (which in Heaven, 2nd Corinthians 12:4, King James
Bible). Water baptism is not necessary for salvation!
The Godhead and the Holy Spirit
The writer also foolishly teaches that only those chosen by God to be rulers are anointed with the Holy Spirit. That is false! The Bible teaches that each and every Christian believer has the Holy Spirit, i.e., the third Person of the Godhead, dwelling within their body. Romans 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” The Holy Spirit is a Person and dwells within the body of every believer. 1st Corinthians 3:16, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” Jehovah's Witnesses do not recognize the Holy Spirit as an individual Person and they strongly deny the Biblical doctrine of the Godhead (Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9, King James Bible).
Jehovah's Witnesses attempt to confuse people
and mislead them by capitalizing on those elements of the Christian faith
which the Bible calls “a mystery.” In other words, there are just some
doctrines in the Bible which are not easily grasped, nor were meant to be,
such as the Godhead. Colossians 2:2,3 speaks of “the mystery of God, and
of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge.” 1st Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is
the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the
Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the
world, received up into glory.” Notice the words, “the mystery of God”
and “the mystery of godliness.” We find the word “mystery” 22 times in
the New Testament. Jehovah's Witnesses are unsaved, and as such cannot
understand the Scriptures. 1st Corinthians 2:14, “But the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto
him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
False religions are formed when people study the Bible without the presence
of the Author, i.e., God. Jehovah's Witnesses make an appeal to the secular,
unregenerate, human understanding; but they are void of the truth of God's
Word. Repeatedly, throughout the New Testament we read concerning the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (or Ghost). For example: Matthew
28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” The Godhead is
not something meant to be grasped and understood; but rather, a fundamental
Biblical doctrine to be believed by faith.
Forsaking Sins
The Jehovah's Witnesses also pervert the
meaning of being “born again,” by mandating that a person forsake their
sinful lifestyle and “dedicate his life to Jehovah to worship and serve
him.” That is works salvation! God doesn't require a lost sinner to clean up
his life or make a commitment to worship and serve God to be saved. No, no,
no! Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood to pay for our sins so He
could make everything right, because we cannot. Jehovah's Witnesses, as do
other heretics today, place a heavy burden upon the sinner to clean up their
own life and decide to serve God. Romans 4:5,6 settles the matter,
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the
ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also
describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness
without works.” We are saved solely by faith in Jesus Christ, apart from
all works of self-righteousness. We do not forsake our sins to get saved;
but rather, the Lord helps us forsake our sins because we ARE saved. A
changed life is the FRUIT of genuine repentance and not a part of
saving-faith.
The Deity of Jesus Christ
Furthermore, Jehovah's Witnesses falsely teach
that Jesus is merely an archangel, equal to Lucifer. In fact, they teach
that Jesus and Lucifer are as brothers. Of course, the Bible never teaches
such blasphemy! The Word of God plainly teaches that Jesus Christ is
ALMIGHTY GOD, and He even claims so in Revelation 1:8, “I am Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which
was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Here are some
additional Scriptures (all quoted from the King James Bible) showing that
Jesus is Almighty God: Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-3,14; John 8:24; John 10:33;
John 14:1-3; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 2:9 and 1st Timothy 3:16. Jehovah's
Witnesses prey upon people who are ignorant of the Scriptures with verses
such as John 14:28, “my Father is greater than I.” Yet they
completely ignore such passages as John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.”
Anyone who denies the deity of Christ, that is, that Jesus is Almighty
God Who came in the flesh, is not saved!
Conclusion
Beware of Jehovah's Witnesses, who come to us as wolves in sheep's clothing. Jehovah's Witnesses are a false cult, who teach damnable heresies, perverting the Scriptures. They worship another Jesus not taught in the Bible. They preach another gospel not found in God's Word. They have another spirit, a demonic spirit, which is not the Holy Spirit.
There are an estimated 7,000,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in the world today, and they are all hellbound for the Lake of Fire in their sins. Biblically, to be born-again means to be born of the Holy Spirit of God, i.e., God's Spirit literally comes to live within our body, making us spiritually alive in Christ, and testifying that we are now a child of God forevermore. To be born again, a person need only acknowledge their guilt of sin and come to the Father for forgiveness by way of the precious blood sacrifice of His dear Son, Jesus Christ. We are saved by the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and not by our own self-righteousness. Eternal life is a gift, freely offered and freely received by faith in Christ Jesus. Salvation is receiving, not giving. Our part is simply to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
