“We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also
what is taught by any religious organization with which we may be associated. Are
its teachings in full harmony with God’s Word, or are they based on the
traditions of men? If we are lovers of the truth, there is nothing to fear from
such an examination. It should be the sincere desire of every one of us to
learn what God’s will is for us, and then do it” (The Truth that leads to Eternal Life, Watch Tower Bible & Tract
Society 1968, p. 13).
Please give honest and satisfactory answers
to these questions . . .
1. Do you
agree with the statement above? Regardless of what you may have done in the
past, are you now willing to question
your current beliefs? If your answer
is “no,” how can you unhypocritically expect others to do so?
2. Why do
Jehovah’s Witnesses use instrumental music in their worship to Jehovah? Do
you agree that “the Law covenant was terminated at Pentecost, 33 C.E.” and that
the “‘law of the Christ’ covers the whole course and scope of the Christian’s
life and work”? (Aid to Bible
Understanding, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society 1971, p. 1037). If you agree, why do Jehovah’s Witnesses
follow the old Jewish practice and the innovation of Roman Catholics and
Protestant Denominations of worshiping with musical instruments when such is
not authorized in the New Testament? “Regardless of whom a group profess to worship, if they hold to
doctrines of men instead of the inspired Word of God, their worship is in vain”
(Reasoning from the Scriptures,
Watchtower Bible & Tract Society 1985, p. 323).
3. Do you
support the following statement? “Beyond all doubt, the evidence points to
1914 as the year when the kingdom of God went into operation . . .” (The Truth that leads to Eternal Life,
Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society 1968, p. 93). If this is true, why did Jesus make the following statements while he
was still on earth? “The appointed time has been fulfilled, and the kingdom
of God has drawn near” (Mark 1:15, New
World Translation). “Truly I say to you, There are some of those standing
here that will not taste death at all until first they see the kingdom of God already come in power” (Mark 9:1, NWT). Telling
the apostles things about the kingdom of
God: “Do not withdraw from Jerusalem, but keep waiting for what the Father
has promised, about which you heard from me . . . but you will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon
you . . .” (Acts 1:1-8, NWT). Why does the kingdom appear to have been
established shortly thereafter, in accordance with these scriptures? “He
delivered us from the authority of the darkness and transplanted us into the kingdom of the Son of his
love” (Colossians 1:13, NWT), i.e.
“the kingdom of the Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5). “I John, your brother and
a sharer with you in the tribulation and
kingdom and endurance in company with Jesus . . .” (Revelation 1:9, NWT).
4. Wouldn’t
it be contrary to Watchtower theology for you to refer to Jesus as “My Lord and
my God”? (cf. Should You Believe in
the Trinity?, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society 1989, p. 16). Why was it acceptable for Thomas to
address Jesus as “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28-29, NWT)? If this was not a
legitimate affirmation, why wasn’t Thomas charged with blasphemy or with using
the name of the Lord God in vain (Exodus 20:7)? Note: The designations “Lord” and “God” are translated from the
Greek words kurios and theos, and whenever these words are used
together in the NT, they are equivalent to the Hebrew names YHWH [“Jehovah”] and Elohim [“God”] (Mark 12:29-30; Luke
1:68; 10:27; Acts 3:22) and always
refer to the Supreme Deity (Acts 2:39; 4:24; 7:37).
5. Do
you agree with the following statement?
“So the evidence points to the conclusion that the title ‘Alpha and Omega’
applies to Almighty God, the Father, not to the Son” (Reasoning from the Scriptures, Watch Tower Bible & Tract
Society 1985, p. 413). If so, how do you
harmonize that conclusion with the following clear scriptural statements? “‘Look!
I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as
his work is. I am the Alpha and the
Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end . . . I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness
to you people of these things for the congregations” (Revelation 22:12-13, 16, NWT; cf. 1:8, 17-18; Isaiah 44:6).
6. Do you
agree with the following statements? “Who is this prophet? . . . This
‘prophet’ was not one man, but a body of men and women. It was the small group
of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International
Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses” (The Watchtower, 1 April 1972, p. 197).
“However, the prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not
commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet
must die. And in case you should say in your heart: ‘How shall we know the word
that Jehovah has not spoken?’ when the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah
and the word does not occur or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not
speak. With presumptuousness the prophet spoke it . . .” (Deuteronomy 18:20-22,
NWT).
Now consider these Jehovah’s Witness prophecies: “there will be a
resurrection of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful ones of old, and that
these will have the first favor, we may expect 1925 to witness the return of
these faithful men of Israel from the condition of death, being resurrected and
fully restored to perfect humanity and made to visible, legal representatives of
the new order of things on earth” (Millions
Now Living Will Never Die 1920, p. 88); “The date 1925 is even more
distinctly indicated by the Scriptures than 1914” (The Watchtower, 1 Sept. 1922, p. 262); “According to this
trustworthy Bible chronology six thousand years from man’s creation will end in
1975, and the seventh period of a thousand years of human history will begin in
the fall of 1975 C.E.” (Life Everlasting
in Freedom of the Sons of God 1966, p. 29).
Do you honestly believe that Proverbs 4:18 gives justification for
making false prophecies? “Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired
expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate
with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world” (1 John
4:1, NWT).
7. Would you like to learn more about the Bible and God's will for your life?
7. Would you like to learn more about the Bible and God's will for your life?
--Kevin L. Moore
Image credit: http://www.digitaljournal.com/img/5/3/9/8/2/8/i/5/4/3/o/100_1515_(2).jpg
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