When I asked him what church he goes to, he said that he had been brought up as a Jehovah’s Witness. He knew his doctrines well and defended the failed JW prophesies with convincing tones. I came to the point in the conversation where I needed to leave him with a challenge. I asked him to look hard at the authority of the Watchtower. I said, “Remember, the Watchtower has always claimed to be speaking on behalf of God. So, if they prove to be ‘wrong and misleading,’ it necessitates that God must have been ‘wrong and misleading’ also. You are going to have a faith crisis. I am here to let you know that there are people who are here to help you.
”What you believe determines your eternal destination.Those beliefs rest in Jesus’ claim to have all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt.28:18). The Bible is the collection of writings by his prophets and apostles claiming to be the Word of God. Jesus said of his teachings: “the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day” (Jn.12:48). We dare not add to or take away from it. This caution is not only ignored but the added false teachings are defended by those who know better. You almost sense a yawn from some of my brethren when you suggest that denominational doctrines must be challenged. They may not teach them, but they are not going to lose friendships over them either.I know that there are some who will be thinking, ‘How did we go from the teachings of a cult-like the JWs to the beliefs of the other Christian churches who are slightly different to us? ’It is those ‘slight’ differences that are the problem. They started accumulating 2000 years ago and we have ended up with ‘churches’ full of the teachings of man.
The JW Watchtower, like the Pope and every creed book (including those doctrinal questionnaires sent out to preachers) all have this in common: They claim to be speaking on behalf of God. “So, if they prove to be ‘wrong and misleading,’ it necessitates that God must have been ‘wrong and misleading’ as well. You are going to have a faith crisis. ”You are responsible for testing your beliefs against the Bible. Otherwise, you will end up with your own personal ‘watchtower.’ Thus, the JW Watchtower is not the only one that must fall. It is best we DON’T learn this the hard way.
John Staiger
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