Jehovah's Witnesses and salvation
Part of a series on |
Jehovah's Witnesses |
---|
Basis
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that salvation is possible only through Christ's ransom sacrifice[1] and that individuals cannot be saved until they repent of their sins and call on the name of Jehovah.[2] Salvation is described as a free gift from God, but is said to be unattainable without good works that are prompted by faith. The works prove faith is genuine.[3] Preaching is said to be one of the works necessary for salvation, both of themselves and those to whom they preach.[4]
They believe that baptism as a member of Jehovah's Witnesses is "a vital step toward gaining salvation",[5] and that people can be "saved" by identifying God's organization. They believe that conforming to the moral requirements set out in the Bible is essential for salvation.[6]
The Witnesses reject the doctrine of
Regarding whether non-Witnesses will be "saved", they believe that Jesus has the responsibility of judging such ones, and that no human can judge for themselves who will be saved. Based on their interpretation of Acts 24:15, they believe there will be a resurrection of righteous and unrighteous people. They believe that non-Witnesses alive now may attain salvation if they "begin to serve God".[10]
The anointed
Based on their understanding of scriptures such as Revelation 14:1-4, Jehovah's Witnesses believe that exactly
They teach that the New Testament, which they refer to as the Christian Greek Scriptures, is primarily directed to the 144,000, and by extension, to those associated with them.[13] They believe that the terms "Israel of God" (Galatians 6:16), "little flock" (Luke 12:32), "New Jerusalem," and "the bride, the Lamb's wife" (Revelation 21:2,9) in the New Testament also refer to the same group of "anointed" Christians.[14]
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.[15] Members who claim to be anointed are not given special treatment by other congregation members.[16] Only those in the anointed class partake of the unleavened bread and wine at the yearly commemoration of Christ's death, or Memorial.
The "other sheep" and the "great crowd"
Individuals unfavorably judged by God are not resurrected, and are said to be in Gehenna, which they consider to be a metaphor for eternal destruction.[20] Those of the "other sheep" who are alive today, some of whom survive through Armageddon without needing a resurrection, are referred to as the "great crowd".[21]
See also
References
- ^ The Watchtower 6/1/00 p. 11 par. 6 Keep Your “Hope of Salvation” Bright!
- ^ The Watchtower, March 15, 1989, p. 31 Call on Jehovah’s Name and Get Away Safe! “The Way of Salvation”
- ^ "Meetings to Help Us Make Disciples", Our Kingdom Ministry, January 1979, p. 2.
- ^ The Watchtower, May 15, 2006 pp. 28-29 par. 12
- ^ "Young Ones—Are You Ready to Get Baptized". The Watchtower: 4. March 2016.
It is a great privilege to get baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Moreover, baptism is a requirement for Christians, and it is a vital step toward gaining salvation.
- ^ The Watchtower, May 15, 2006 pp. 28-29 par. 12
- ^ The Watchtower 4/15/60 p. 229 Does the Bible Teach What You Believe?
- ^ Awake! 5/07 p. 13 Is Your Life Predestined?
- ^ You Can Endure to the End The Watchtower October 1, 1999, p. 17.
- ^ "Do You Feel That You Are the Only People Who Will Be Saved?".
- ^ Revelation—Its Grand Climax at Hand!. Watch Tower Society. p. 200.
- ^ "Look to Jehovah for Comfort". The Watchtower: 10. November 1, 1996.
- ^ Worldwide Security Under the "Prince of Peace". Watch Tower Society. p. 110.
- ^ Chryssides 2008, pp. 3, 122.
- ^ United In Worship Of The Only True God. Watch Tower Society. pp. 112–113.
- ^ "Questions From Readers". The Watchtower: 31. May 1, 2007.
They do not believe that they necessarily have more holy spirit than their companions of the other sheep have; nor do they expect special treatment or claim that their partaking of the emblems places them above the appointed elders in the congregation
- ^ "Awake" 1/8/95 p. 27 Who Go to Heaven?
- ^ The Watchtower 2/15/95 p. 11 par. 12 'There Will Be a Resurrection of the Righteous: “Men and women of old who exercised strong faith in Jehovah and his promises and remained faithful to the death were declared righteous by Jehovah on the basis of their faith, and they will without doubt share in the ‘resurrection of the righteous.’
- ^ ‘You Can Believe in a Paradise Earth’ The Watchtower November 15, 2003, p. 4.
- ^ The Watchtower 3/15/06 p. 6 The Only Remedy!: “Some committed sins for which there is no forgiveness. They are not in Hades (mankind’s common grave) but in Gehenna, a symbolic place of eternal destruction. (Matthew 23:33)
- ISBN 978-0-73691081-1.
Bibliography
- Chryssides, George D. (2008). Historical Dictionary of Jehovah's Witnesses. Lanham, Maryland: ISBN 9780810860742.
See "Salvation"
- Penton, M. James. (1997). "Chapter 7, "Major Doctrines"". Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses (2nd ed.). Toronto: ISBN 9780802079732.
External links
- What is Salvation?—Jehovah's Witnesses official website