Know What You Believe
What does the Bible teach about God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit? What does the Bible tell us about salvation? The Bible is the book of the Christian faith. Within its pages we discover the eternal truth about who God is and how we can come to know Him. The teachings in God's word also aid us in defending our faith.
There are other religions/beliefs that teach doctrines that differ greatly from what God has said in His word. Below are brief summaries of two belief systems and information on how they differ from Christianity.
What Do Christians Believe?
Monotheism - There is only one God (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6)
Deity of Jesus - Jesus is the eternal Son of God (John 1:1)
Deity of the Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4)
Salvation - Only through Jesus Christ alone and cannot be earned (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Resurrection of Christ - Jesus died, was buried and rose on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
Trinity - One God, Three Persons (Matthew 3:16-17)
The Bible - God's Word (2 Peter 1:21)
Jehovah's Witnesses
Scaling the Language Barrier
A Jehovah’s Witness can say he/she believes in Jesus, salvation and heaven, but what does he/she really mean?
Words are the tools of evangelism. Definitions are the tools that you need to sharpen. It is vitally important to know the meanings of the words the Jehovah’s Witnesses use.
Christianity and other religions us the same terms, but what is important to realize is the meanings behind those terms.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe:
The Bible – The Jehovah’s Witnesses have their own translation. The New World Translation, of which the Watchtower Society has changed to support their doctrine.
Salvation – Earned by good works in cooperation with Jesus’ sacrifice.
The Holy Spirit – Is an active force. Not God, but a force like electricity or radar.
Eternal Life – Life on paradise earth for Jehovah’s Witnesses only.
Jesus – Jesus is Michael the Archangel, who became a man and then stopped being a man and became an angel again. Jesus is a junior god and is God’s first created being.
Atonement – Makes it possible for us to earn our salvation.
Heaven – The place where God dwells. Only 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses will go to heaven.
Resurrection - Jesus rose spiritually.
The Cross - A demonic symbol. Jesus died on a upright torture stake, not a cross.
The Trinity - A confusing doctrine and therefore a doctrine of the devil.
Hell - Does not exist.
Jesus Is the first and the last
You should remember that Jehovah's Witnesses believe that only God the Father is Jehovah God, the Almighty. Jesus is a lesser mighty God, not Almighty God and not Jehovah.
The The First and The Last
1. There are numerous Scriptures where God refers to Himself as the the First and the Last; The Jehovah's Witness will claim that these verses only refer to God the Father.
- Isaiah 44:6
- Isaiah 48:12
- Isaiah 41:4
It is clear, that Jehovah God is referring to Himself as The First in the Last.
2. In the book of Revelation, Jesus also refers to Himself as the First and the Last;
- Revelation 1:17-18; please note the the First and the Last said that he was dead and was alive forevermore. This is a clear reference to the resurrection. Who was resurrected? Jesus.
- Revelation 2:8 - This verse also makes reference to the First and the Last who was dead, but is alive again.
Revelation 22:12-13 - In this verse Jesus calls Himself the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. The Jehovah's Witness will offer a rebuttal to these verses by claiming it is not Jesus speaking in verse 12, but the person speaking in verse 12 is Jehovah God. Please see the attached scanned image from The Watchtower Magazine from October 1978, where the Jehovah's Witnesses claim that the person speaking in verse 12 is Jesus. And if Jesus is speaking in verse 12, He is also speaking in verse 13.
The Jesus is Jehovah (Yahweh) document may be very helpful to you. Please download it here.
You may want to ask the Jehovah's Witness about this information.
Jesus is Jehovah
Another effective way of discussing the deity of Jesus with a Jehovah's Witness is to prove to them (using their own New World Translation bible) that Jesus is Jehovah.
1. First have the Jehovah's Witness turn to Psalm 102:25-27 and read it out load. Confirm with them that these verses are referring to Jehovah and that Jehovah is immutable (God does not change). You both will be in agreement on these two points.
2. Next, ask them to read Hebrews 1:10-12 out loud. Please notice the correspondence between the two sections of Scripture. Hebrews 1:10-12 is a direct citation of Psalm 102:25-27 (a Psalm the Jehovah's Witness already agreed to as speaking about Jehovah God.)
3. Ask, "Could you explain to me why Jesus Christ is being referred to as Jehovah in your own translation?"
4. Notice the cross-reference for Psalm 102:25-27 is Hebrews 1:10-12 and the cross reference for Hebrews 1:10-12 is Psalm 102:25-27.
5. In these Scriptures Jesus is being referred to as none other than Jehovah God. Please view and download the New World Translation verses below.
Mormonism
Scaling the Language Barrier
A Mormon can say he/she believes in Jesus, salvation and heaven, but what does he/she really mean?
Words are the tools of evangelism. Definitions are the tools that you need to sharpen. It is vitally important to know the meanings of the words Mormons use.
Scripture/Writings – The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, The Pearl of Great Price and The Bible.
Salvation – Man has to earn his own salvation.
The Holy Spirit – God's presence via an essence.
Jesus – A created being, brother of Lucifer.
God the Father - God of this world. Was once a man.
The Trinity – Three separate Gods.
Heaven – Divided into three levels (kingdoms), Celestial, Terrestrial and Telestial. Only worthy Mormons go to the Celestial Kingdom where God dwells.