ARE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES CHRISTIAN?

As I said last week, the youth at Fellowship Bible Church in Fort Smith are learning what makes a cult a cult. Last night we talked about the difference between Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses. Many evangelicals have a difficult time answering this question because, like Mormons, JW's often use biblical language to explain their belief system. Below I have properly defined these terms.

WHAT JW'S BELIEVE ABOUT...

GOD

• They believe God is one solitary being.
• The trinity is a "false, unbiblical" doctrine that was originated by Satan.
• Believe Jesus is not equal with God.

JESUS

• Jesus was the first created being.
• He was originally Michael, the archangel.
• He died on a stake and was resurrected spiritually (but not physically).
• He is the Son of God, but not God.

HOLY SPIRIT

• The "holy spirit" is not God.
• The "holy spirit" is an impersonal force.

SALVATION

• Baptism is the essential first step and then one must become actively associated with the Watchtower Society.
• Salvation is not achieved apart from the society.
• There are two classes of saved people:

1. The 144,000 who will rule with Christ in heaven.
2. The other sheep who will live forever in a new earth (paradise).

DEATH AND THE HEREAFTER

• There is no hell; all not resurrected are annihilated.
• Only JW's will live in the hereafter.

WHAT CHRISTIANS BELIEVE ABOUT...

GOD

• Beliefs are monotheistic.
• Believe that God is one in essence and three in person.

JESUS

• Jesus is God.
• He has always and will always exist (John 1:1; 14).
• Because Jesus is fully God, one of His attributes is immutability, which means He is unchanging (Mal. 3:6).
• He died on a cross, was buried and was physically resurrected (John 20:24-29).
• He is infinitely greater than all spiritual and earthly beings because He has created all things that exist (Col. 1:16-17).

HOLY SPIRIT

• The Holy Spirit is God (Matthew 28:19 classifies the Holy Spirit on an equal level with both the Father and the Son.
• The Holy Spirit is a person (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13-14 apply the masculine pronoun he (Gk. ekeinos) to the Holy Spirit.

SALVATION

• Salvation is by God-given grace through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).
• Nothing is to be added or taken away from this Gospel.

DEATH AND THE HEREAFTER

• The Bible teaches that Hell is a real place of eternal conscious punishment for the wicked (Matt. 25:30, 41, 46; Mark 9:43, 48; Revelation 14:9-11).
• Those who have not repented of their sins and are not trusting in Christ for salvation will go there (John 3:16; Romans 6:23, 8:1).

"Quote" of the Week

"It is clear that the Jehovah's Witnesses set forth a different god, a different Jesus, and a different gospel. The challenge for evangelicals is to communicate what Scripture states about the true God, the true Jesus, and the true gospel." -Ron Rhodes

SERMON NOTES FROM JANUARY 18, 2009…

Many are familiar with and even live by the saying, “If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.” Many of us know this to be true in certain circumstances, however, is this true in all cases?

Although they may not say it, many believe that salvation by grace through faith in Christ is too good to be true. They prove they believe this by either adding or take away certain elements of the Gospel to make it more believable. Some, for example, take away the sin and guilt element while others teach that although there is an element of faith, this faith must be accompanied with works for one to be saved.

According to Romans 3, all are guilty of sin and no one deserves to be exempt from condemnation. However, Paul ends the chapter by explaining that although no one is righteous, the righteousness of God is made available by grace through faith in Christ and apart from any obedience to the law.

In Sunday’s sermon, I explained that although the Gospel seems too good to be true, it is in fact true. Below is my outline which demonstrates why the Gospel seems too good to be true.

1) IT IS A WORK OF GOD, THEREFORE IT CANNOT BE EARNED. (vv. 21a)

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law,

• Although sin is universal and all are without excuse, God has provided a way to himself that is apart from human works.
• A believer is made right with God by God’s grace and apart from obedience to any law. When a person is declared righteous by God, this has nothing to do with who that person is or what he or she has done. It is unmerited and undeserved favor.

2) IT IS GOD’S EXCLUSIVE PLAN, THEREFORE IT IS NOT AN ALTERNATIVE. (vv. 21b)

although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—

• This point is primarily directed at the Jewish people. Their whole religious system centered on the teachings of the law and the prophets, which, by the way, is a reference to the Old Testament. Although the Jewish people held the Scriptures in high regard, they believed that within them was a formula for achieving salvation. Paul indicates, however, that the Scriptures point to a Savior. Jesus also criticized this mentality saying,

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me. John 5:39

• Many see Christianity as an offshoot of Judaism and treat Jesus as one among many. One of the reasons this happens is because when new beliefs systems are formed they often do away with many previous teachings.
• The Christian teachings are not new ideas that were conjured up in the first century and Jesus is not one among many. He has always been the only way to God. The first covenant is known as the Covenant of Redemption, which was made between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This agreement that was made involved the Son becoming a man, being our representative, obeying the demands of God on our behalf and paying the penalty for sin, which we deserved.

3) IT IS AVAILABLE ONLY THROUGH FAITH, THEREFORE NO OTHER MEANS ARE NECESSARY. (vv. 22- 24)

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift,

• Paul wants his readers to understand that to be made right with God, one must place his/her faith in Jesus Christ. The righteousness of God mentioned several times in this passage is referring to being absolute and perfect the way God is absolute and perfect. This is something that we cannot be. Why? Look again at v. 23.
• The good news is that Christ has been that for us and offers us his righteousness. Even though we did not play a part, through faith in Christ we are justified by God’s grace as a gift. This means that we are treated as if we were righteous as if we kept the law.

4) IT IS THE SUFFICIENT WORK OF CHRIST, THEREFORE NOTHING SHOULD BE ADDED. (v. 25)

25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

• Because all have sinned against God, the only way we could settle matters with Him is by spending eternity in Hell. Paul, however, shows that it is God who is the only one who can settle matters between Himself and us in a way that keeps us from being condemned.
• One of the main reasons why Jesus’ work is sufficient is because he is both fully God and fully man. As a man he was our representative who fully met God’s requirements and was put to death as our substitute and perfect sacrifice. As God eternal, he paid for our sins eternally at the cross. The key phrase in this verse is, “God put forward” and the key word is “propitiation,” demonstrating that Jesus was put on display to show the world that His death satisfied God’s wrath against all who place their trust in Him.
  

"Quote" of the Week

"The grace of God is love freely shown toward guilty sinners, contrary to their merit and indeed in defiance of their demerit. It is God showing goodness to persons who deserve only severity and had no reason to expect anything but severity. We have seen why the thought of grace means so little to some church people-namely, because they do not share the beliefs about God and man which it presupposes. Now we have to ask, why should this thought mean so much to others? The answer is not far to seek; indeed, it is evident from what has already been said. It is surely clear that, once a person is convinced that his state and need are as described, the New Testament gospel of grace cannot but sweep him off his feet with wonder and joy. For it tells how our Judge has become our Savior." -J.I. Packer

ARE MORMONS CHRISTIAN?

The youth at Fellowship Bible Church in Fort Smith are learning what makes a cult a cult. Last night we talked about the difference between Christianity and Mormonism. Many evangelicals have a difficult time answering this question. One of the main reasons why is because at one time they have encountered a Mormon who used biblical language to explain his/her belief system.

Many find these encounters confusing making it difficult to differentiate between Mormonism and Christianity. The best way to do so is to properly define these terms and compare/contrast the two.

WHAT MORMONS BELIEVE ABOUT...

GOD

• His name is Elohim and he was a man from another planet who by his good life won the right to be god on this planet.
• Do not believe in the Trinity.
• Basic beliefs are polytheistic.

JESUS

• Jesus was a man fathered by Elohim through Mary.
• He was a spirit brother to Lucifer.

SALVATION

• Salvation comes through obeying the Mormon Gospel.
• Including full obedience.
• Baptism for the dead.

MAN

• Man was a spirit being conceived by Elohim.
• Man will one day reach godhood.

"As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become" (Prophet Lorenzo Snow).

WHAT CHRISTIANS BELIEVE ABOUT...

GOD

• Beliefs are monotheistic.
• God has always been God. There has never been a time when He has not existed nor will there ever be.
• Believe that God is one in essence and three in person.

JESUS

• Jesus was not created. He has always existed and will always.
• He is infinitely greater than all spiritual and earthly beings because he has created all things that exist.

SALVATION

• Salvation is by God-given grace through faith in Christ alone.
• Nothing is to be added or taken away from this Gospel.

MAN

• God is infinitely greater than man.
• Man has never been nor will ever be God.
• Man is born sinful and has a broken relationship with God.
• God has done all the work for the relationship to be restored, but it must be received by faith.

Yesterday, I spoke with the kids of Fellowship Fort Smith about the significance of the Lord’s Supper. To truly understand its importance, one must first understand the significance of the Passover for the Jewish people. In the New Testament times, large numbers of people would come to Jerusalem for the Passover. The meal was to remind them of how God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt.

It was not by coincidence that Jesus was crucified in this city during one of the Passover celebrations. The supper he has with his disciples before his arrest demonstrated this. During this meal, Jesus established a sacrament that the church has been observing and will continue to observe until He returns. The purpose of this meal is threefold.

First, it is to commemorate Jesus’ death. This is the past aspect. R.C. Sproul affirms, “This service of worship in which Christians remember the suffering that Christ endured for them is a distinctive mark of the Christian religion all over the world.” Paul also reminds Christians at Corinth that Jesus instructed His followers to eat and drink in remembrance of Him (1 Corinthians 11:24-25).

Second, it is to celebrate a believer’s new covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This is the present element. According to F.F. Bruce, “Just as one step in the Jewish Passover meal was to proclaim the Hebrews’ deliverance from Egyptian bondage (Ex. 12:26-27), so in the supper Christians proclaim their deliverance from sin and misery through the death of ‘Christ, our Passover’” (1 Cor. 5:7).

Third, it anticipates Jesus’ return, which is the future facet. Paul asserts, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor. 14:26). According to Sproul, “(The Lord’s Supper) is a pledge of (Jesus’) return. It encourages the faithful in their daily walk and in their expectation.”

Bruce, F.F. Lord's Supper. New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1995. 772-774.

Sproul, R.C. The Lord's Supper. The Reformation Study Bible. Orlando: Ligonier Ministries. 2005. 1659.

"Quote" of the Week

"Like the blood of the lamb that saved the Hebrew people from destruction in Egypt, (Jesus') blood, as the ultimate Passover sacrifice, redeems us from the power of sin and death" (1 Cor. 5:7). -F.F. Bruce

For the most part, our society claims to be a tolerant one. We have basic human rights; one of those being that each individual has a right to choose from any number of belief systems.

Many in this society have raised the red flag of intolerance toward evangelicals because of their exclusivist teachings. According to author Ron Rhodes, “Certainly if tolerance means ‘be kind, considerate, and loving to people,’ then Christians can and should agree without hesitation” (17). In response, however, if tolerance means that we should compromise core biblical doctrine, then Christians should, in turn, disagree without reservation.

The irony is that those pointing the finger are truly the narrow-minded ones. Rhodes affirms, “Those making the accusations are the truly intolerant ones in our midst. They claim to be tolerant of the beliefs of all people but are unbendingly intolerant of Christians who love Jesus” (18).

I have recently been teaching the youth of Fellowship Bible Church about differing belief systems within our culture. Last night we spoke generally about cults. I shared with the youth that it is not intolerant to label cults as "anti-Christian" if their followers claim to be Christian, but teach a message that is counter to Scripture. For example, how would vegans feel if one from their group taught that it is acceptable for vegetarians to eat meat?

Below I have listed several general characteristics of cults that demonstrate how their beliefs and practices differ with the core doctrines of the Christian faith. This outline I used can be found in Dr. Stan May’s (Professor of Missions at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary) notes on The World Religions.

CULT CHARACTERISTICS

ADDITION
They add to the Word of God
- By their own publications
- By their “Bible,” and/or
- Progressive Revelation

Biblical Response:
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. Proverbs 30:5-6

SUBTRACTION
- They take away from deity of Jesus Christ.

Biblical Response:
In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God…And the word became flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:1, 14

- They take away major doctrines of the Bible (For example, most if not all teach man to be inherently good.)

Biblical Response:
As it is written: there is none righteous no not one. Romans 3:10
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

MULTIPLICATION
- They multiply the requirements of salvation (All cults add works to salvation).

Biblical Response:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

DIVISION
- They divide loyalty between the cult leader, the organization and God.

Biblical Response:
You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God. Exodus 20:3

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Matthew 6:24

Rhodes, Ron. The Challenge of the Cults. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 2001.

"Quote" of the Week

"Christians involved in cult apologetics must have a hardy measure of holy boldness in being willing to stand up to accusations of intolerance and, without flinching, tell the truth. That is Christ's mandate, and we are called to obey it (Matt. 28:19-20; Jude 3). Those who truly love their fellow human beings will voluntarily stand against the cold, harsh words of political correctness and be the truth-telling witness that Christ calls them to be." -Ron Rhodes