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Jesus served as a ransom sacrifice to pay for the sins of all humankind. Since 1976, all doctrinal decisions have been made by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, a group of elders at the denomination's headquarters. [84], Witnesses teach that God must be distinguished by his personal nameJehovah. They reject the concept of universal salvation[141] and the concept of predestination. This article is part of our Denomination Series listing historical facts and theological information about different factions within and from the Christian religion. Jehovah's Witnesses use a Bible translation called the New World Translation. He began ruling in 1914.Revelation 11:15. [95], They believe that after his death, Jesus appeared to his disciples, convinced them of his resurrection, and then ascended into heaven to sit at Jehovah's right hand until he would become the promised king of God's heavenly kingdom. Jehovah's Witnesses are strictly non-violent and refuse participation in warfare. If you are a Jehovahs Witness, you can come to know Christ today and experience His saving grace by placing faith in Him. [103] According to the Watch Tower society, some Jehovah's Witnesses have been persecuted or killed for not venerating a cross. The Watch Tower Society publishes millions of books, tracts, recordings, and periodicals in more than 700 languages. Jehovah's Witnesses refer to the fact that the Bible never explicitly mentions the term "trinity." The instead believe the Holy Spirit is a force applied by God. (Matthew 10:8; 23:8) We do not practice tithing, and no collections are ever taken at our meetings. Rather, unbelievers spend eternity separated from God in hell and later in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). The Jehovah's Witnesses believe and teach, that the body of Jesus was buried in a tomb, where it was not raised to life again after three days and three nights, as according to scripture, but rather totally destroyed by God forever. 10 Things Everyone Should Know about Jehovah's Witnesses and Their Beliefs. The Lord also demonstrated Himself to be physically raised from the dead because His disciples touched Him, and Thomas placed his hands and fingers into Jesus wounds (Matthew 28:9; John 20:27-29). Similar to the Church of the Latter-Day Saints, previously known as the Mormon Church, the Jehovahs Witnesses are a cult. These include literacy classes, Pioneer Service School, School for Kingdom Evangelizers and Gilead School. The Bible teaches the truth of the Trinity in multiple passages. In his life. The BBC reports that Witnesses believe the end times began in 1914. Would you like to read this article in %%? Salvation is only by placing faith in Christ, not by following rules. Each Witness makes decisions in harmony with his or her own Bible-trained conscience.Romans 14:1-4; Hebrews 5:14. The beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses are based on the Bible teachings of Charles Taze Russellfounder of the Bible Student movementand successive presidents of the Watch Tower Society, Joseph Franklin Rutherford, and Nathan Homer Knorr. [157] Jehovah's Witnesses believe that being "anointed" involves a personal revelation by God's spirit which "gives positive assurance of adoption" to the individual alone. [119][120] Watch Tower Society publications attempt to refute the theory of evolution, in favor of divine creation. This article summarizes our basic beliefs. [183] After Armageddon, Satan will be cast into an abyss and unable to influence humanity, then God will extend his heavenly kingdom to include earth,[184][185] which will be transformed into a paradise similar to the Garden of Eden. Satan persuaded Adam and Eve to obey him rather than God, raising the issueoften referred to as a "controversy"of whether people, having been granted free will, would obey God under both temptation and persecution. [181] Satan will subsequently attack Jehovah's Witnesses, an action that will prompt God to begin the war of Armageddon, during which all forms of government and all people not counted as Christ's "sheep", or true followers, will be destroyed. [67] Based on their interpretation of Revelation 18:2-24, Jehovah's Witnesses believe all other religions are part of "Babylon the Great", a "world empire of false religion" under the control of Satan. [105][106] They believe that demons were originally angels who rebelled against God and took Satan's side in the controversy. [6] The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.5 million adherents involved in evangelism and an annual Memorial attendance of over 19.7 million. The Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus is a lesser "god," but not the God of the universe. Answer (1 of 6): Three questions here. Jehovah's Witnesses are a people of faith that many of us likely don't know that much about. United Methodist Church: History & Beliefs Jehovahs Witnesses believe in a myriad of unbiblical ideas. Witnesses participate in the annual commemoration of Christs death, celebrated on 14 Nisan of the Jewish calendar (March or April of the Gregorian calendar); Witnesses pass around bread and wine, symbols of the body and blood of Christ. Main Differences Between Jehovah's Witnesses and Christianity. [139][140], Jehovah's Witnesses' believe that faith in Jesus' ransom sacrifice is essential for salvation. [97][98][99] Even as king of God's kingdom, Jesus remains subordinate to God. According to their website, "Jehovah is the personal name of God, as found in the Bible. This date is said to also mark when the Last Days began. Article based on the Christian Today article titled "Who are the Jehovah's Witnesses? Although they allegedly started dating site, professionally done dating then called a data-gathering. What is the condition of the dead? Henschel. We do not venerate the cross or any other images. (2021, February 8). Jehovah's Witnesses believe that it is the Christian's duty to remain "neutral" during warfare. [132] They believe that 144,000 people will be resurrected to life as spirit creatures in heaven to be priestly rulers under Christ, but the vast majority, to physical life on earth. [79][107] Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Satan is God's chief adversary[107] and the invisible ruler of the world. Witnesses hold a number of traditional Christian views but also many that are unique to them. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/jehovahs-witnesses-beliefs-700792. Jehovah's Witnesses are a people of faith that many of us likely don't know that much about. (2Corinthians 9:7) All our activities are supported by anonymous donations. They believe that all intelligent creatures are endowed with free will, and that salvation is dependent on God's "undeserved kindness", but also requires faith in God and in the "ransom sacrifice" of Jesus Christ,[142] demonstrated by "zealous" preaching activity. [63] Watch Tower publications claim both the Great Apostasy and Russell's subsequent "restoration" of original Christianity[64] were a fulfilment of Jesus' parable of the wheat and the weeds at Matthew 13:24-30,36-43. These practices have brought them under the scrutiny of government authorities. In their booklet entitled Jehovah's Witnesses in the Twentieth Century, for example, may be found a chart titled "What Jehovah's Witnesses Believe . Recently, Russia banned Jehovah's Witnesses and this issue was one of the reasons stated for their doing so. Historically, . A select few (144,000) of Christ's most faithful followers will be chosen to rule alongside him. Jehovah's Witnesses, on the other hand, explicitly deny the deity of Christ. [204], Apostates are said to have become part of the antichrist and are regarded as more reprehensible than non-Witnesses. 726 Followers. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. [9][10] All members of the denomination are expected to take an active part in preaching. 2. [101], The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society used the Cross and Crown symbol on tombstones, and on its publications until 1931. They also don't celebrate other national holidays or birthdays in an attempt to remain separate from the world. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics | Pew Research Center Explore the geographic distribution and demographics of America's major religious groups. Jehovah's Witnesses are wrong because Jesus is God. We do not lobby, vote for political parties or candidates, run for government office, or participate in any action to change governments. No mere man could live a sinless life, die for the sins of the world, and rise up from the grave. The issue is said to be whether God can rightfully claim to be sovereign of the universe. Jehovahs Witnesses deny the existence of hell; therefore, they believe God simply annihilates anyone who never becomes a Jehovahs Witness during their life. Jesus. [148][149] Watch Tower Society publications state that salvation at Armageddon is also contingent on baptism, accurate knowledge of Bible truth, adherence to God's standards of conduct and morality, use of the divine name "Jehovah" in worship,[150] membership of God's "organization",[151] and active support of anointed Christians. [158] Only those claiming to be anointed partake of the unleavened bread and wine at the yearly commemoration of Christ's death, or Memorial. Death. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. As believers, we need to help them know the truth of Jesus and the gospel. [216] Watch Tower Society publications advise parents to recommend alternatives to university education for their children, suggesting associate degrees from community or technical colleges or short courses in subjects. The Bible teaches in the Old Testament and the New Testament that . Jehovah's Witnesses believe that rejecting the teachings or instructions of the leaders means to reject God himself. The Holy Spirit is the name of God's active force in the world. [38][42][43], Jehovah's Witnesses believe that God uses an organization both in heaven and on earth, and that Jehovah's Witnesses, under the direction of their Governing Body, are the only visible channel by which God communicates with humanity. The Bible is clear that salvation is only by grace through faith as Paul tells us, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). Only God in the flesh could do all these things. Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses also differ in their beliefs about the Bible. [78][79] They view God as the Father, an invisible spirit "person" separate from the Son, Jesus Christ. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that when Jesus was born on earth, he was a mere human and not God in human flesh. This, of course, is a major diversion from orthodox Christianity. [189] At the end of the thousand years, Christ will hand all authority back to God. They also identify him with the "rider of the white horse" at Revelation 6 and 19. [173] Witnesses believe their doctrine is confirmed by world events since 1914, including wars, famine, earthquakes and increasing lawlessness, which they see as fulfillment of the "sign" of Christ's presence. The Meaning of Angel Numbers: Are They Biblical or Demonic? ", "The Pessimistic Sect's Influence on the Mental Health of Its Members", "War of Words Breaks Out Among Jehovah's Witnesses", "The Educational Identity Formation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Religion & Education", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jehovah%27s_Witnesses_beliefs&oldid=1141650652, Beliefs and practices of Jehovah's Witnesses, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 03:23. There are concerns that those who seek high education will become distracted from their preaching work by material advancement and success. [24][25][26] The view is based on their interpretation of Proverbs 4:18, which they believe refers to a continuous progressive advancement in doctrinal knowledge and scriptural understanding for "righteous ones",[27][28] with the holy spirit helping "responsible representatives of 'the faithful and discreet slave' at world headquarters to discern deep truths that were not previously understood". | Jehovahs Witnesses do not believe Jesus was physically resurrected. They deny that are about things in 2003, all of recreation or easter. They only see Jehovah as the true mighty God, not Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Jehovah's Witnesses & Their Beliefs It Is So Painful to Care: How Do I Conquer Apathy? He is the author "Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges.". They believe that Jesus, as St. Michael the archangel, was God's first . Heaven. The Jehovah's Witness must do God's will the rest of his life to be saved. [105][106] Instead of destroying Satan, God decided to test the loyalty of the rest of humankind and to prove to the rest of creation that Satan was a liar. "Some treatments conflict with Bible principles, though, and we reject these. In Germany prior to World War II, the Nazis sent Witnesses to concentration camps, and Witnesses were also persecuted in Britain, Canada, and the United States. The Witnesses teachings stress strict separation from secular government. Jehovah God, Jesus Christ, and the faithful angels reside in the spirit realm. Definition of a Jehovah's Witness. [161][162] Those destroyed at Armageddon and other specific judgments by God are not resurrected. During his ministry, Russell quarreled with many tenets of mainstream Christianity, including immortality of the soul, hellfire, predestination, the fleshly return of Jesus Christ, the Trinity, and the burning up of the world. Pioneers hold part-time secular jobs and devote a greater amount of time to religious service.