Jehovahs Witnesses vs.

Christian Doctrine
Jehovahs Witnesses God the Father - The original god - The Creator of Jesus and all else - Must be known as Jehovah - A created being - Prior to coming; the Archangel Michael - Created human by spirit; not god incarnate - Returned to Archangel Michael - Rules the Kingdom - An impersonal force - Described as being like electricity or fire - Created by Jehovah thru Jesus agency - Made of dust; breathed in life not an immortal soul - Death equals annihilation - Satan deceived the man and woman - Adam failed to obey all of the commands - Deeded the earth to Satan Christian - Eternally God, there is no other - Created the universe ex nihlo (out of nothing) - There is none greater - Virgin born through the power of the Holy Spirit - God in the flesh, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father - Eternally perfect - The agent of creation and salvation - Co-equal with God the Father and God the Son - Each person has a definite beginning, not preexistent - sons and daughters of God through faith in Jesus Christ - Sinful by nature - Satan lied to Adam and Eve - Man is not like God - The fall was not necessary - Disobedience at heart of sin resulting in spiritual death - Salvation is through the act of Christs death on the cross, burial and resurrection - Salvation could not be attained without the cross - Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone - Only two destinations - Heaven: only those who humbled themselves through faith - Hell: Reserved for Satan, his angelic followers and those who refuse to believe and reject God and His revelation

God the Son

Holy Spirit

Man

Fall

Atonement

- Jesus paid the ransom for the earth to Jehovah - It was merely a human life sacrificed to replace the life of Adam

Heaven and Hell

- 144,000 the anointed ones, will reign in heaven with Jesus spiritually JW: Resurrected if dead, remain on earth, if obedient will continue to live on earth Non believers: Resurrected, live during the millennium, at end if obedient will continue Non believers who reject Jehovah annihilation No Hell or Eternal Punishment - An invention of the pagan and apostate Church - Cant be discerned by reason; thus cant be real - The New World Translation - The Kingdom Interlinear of the Greek Scriptures - Watchtower Magazine - Awake! Magazine

Trinity Scripture

Doctrine

- Determined from on high by the Board of Directors of Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society - Basically follows Charles T. Russells teachings in Studies in the Scriptures - But will deny following Charles T. Russell

- Biblical in origin - Describes Gods nature - Completely reliable, the standard for all doctrine, over 5000 manuscripts available - Fully inspired by God - Only source for doctrine - Written in recognizable languages and translated by many - Established through careful reading of the Bible - Has come down through the teachings of the apostles and right reason and affirmed in the traditions of the Church - Prophetic word has ceased (Scripture is

Denominations

- All organized religion is pagan and apostate - JWs are the only true church and only true kingdom - The kingdom of God is now and here so they must live in the theocracy of God - Earned only by faithful obedience to the teachings of the Jehovahs Witnesses - Never sure if they have done enough - Disfellowshipped for slightest infraction of thinking, practice or failure to attend - President and Board of Directors in Brooklyn run the organization - Kingdom Halls run by Presiding Elder - Circuit 20 Kingdom Halls Overseer - District total of 22 in US Overseer - Branches and Zones - Baptism: By immersion upon joining the Jehovahs Witnesses - Witnessing: 1200 hours per year minimum - Must get donations or purchase literature - Attendance: 5 times a week; disfellowshipped for repeated failure to attend - No reading of dissenting material - No practicing or participating in holidays to include birthdays - No allegiances or saluting of nations or participation in government activities - No taking of blood transfusions

closed) - Salvation is opened to all who believe (not predicated on ethnicity, language, marital status, etc) - Unchanging in base doctrines - Formed over disagreements in worship practices (infant baptism, Lords Supper) - Practices consistent with the New Testament

Grace

- Grace given freely - Works are a result of grace given - Perfection cant be obtained in this life which is why grace is necessary

Priesthood

Practices

- Christ is great and only high priest who mediates the covenant between man and God - Priesthood of Believers based on doctrine of access to high priest - Believers are ambassadors that introduce people to Christ - No secrets required - Baptism: required for obedience, but not for salvation; it is individual and cannot be done for another - Communion: bread and wine/juice symbolizes Christs body and blood Church: open to anyone who will come in - Marriage: recognized either in or outside of the Church (civil marriage) and does not confer salvation or godhood - Dietary Laws: were OT regulations for the Jews which were superseded by Christs death, burial and resurrection; may be followed for health, but not for salvation purposes