What is the WatchTower Society's view on the possibility of losing salvation?

by LovingAnihilationist 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  LovingAnihilationist

  I am not a Jehovah's Witness, but I am a non-trinitarian anihilationist, so I am extremely sympathetic to their cause.

  Due to my similarities of belief on those two key issues, I am curious to learn more about what the WatchTower Society believes on other issues, particularly if one can be unsaved after being saved. I am currently convinced (and probably will not be unconvinced) from Romans and 1 John that once one is saved, he cannot be unsaved, and I am inerested to see where I would differ if at all from Jehovah's Witness belief.
• 

  OUTLAW

  In Watchtower World..

  Your not a Jehovah`s Witness so,Your not Saved..

  Unless you become a Jehovah`s Witness and dedicate your life,to Free Labour for the WBT$..

  You will never be Saved..

  Anyone who Quits or doesn`t do enough for the WBT$,will Lose their "Save"..

  ...................... ...OUTLAW
• 

  designs

  LA-

  Witnesses are taught that a person can lose their salvation. For those that believe they have the 'heavenly calling' they can lose this by lose of faith, some sin and then a 'replacement' is chosen. This is one of the reasons they believe the Last Days are continuing- filling the ranks of the 144,000 with replacements.

  For the majority of Witnesses who view their eternity here on earth they believe that their salvation is conditional until after the last battle and last test in the post Millennium period.
• 

  Think About It

  I am not a Jehovah's Witness, but I am a non-trinitarian anihilationist,

  I am curious to learn more about what the WatchTower Society believes on other issues, particularly if one can be unsaved after being saved.

  Not that I try to practice religion, but I guess going by what I think the bible teaches......I would fall into your non-trinitatian anihilationist category.

  Salvation for a JW is more of a complicated set of exact beliefs & actions, rather than a mere declaration of Jesus as Savior. In JW world, something as little as not turning in a field service report for 6 months can unsave your ass.

  Think About It

  First time that's happened. Not even going to try to repost it.
• 

  Cold Steel

  Salvation can, in my view, be lost. We have baptism, which provides the door; and we have the sacrament of the bread and wine, which renews that ordinance. The scriptures admonish us to endure to the end to gain salvation. To the Jehovah's Witnesses, salvation during life on Earth is meaningless. It's the decision one makes during Armageddon that makes the difference.

  The JW faith is all centered around Armageddon (an ever-future event), and control, which keeps everyone managable until that point. Whether the leaders purposely deceive the people or it's just worked out that way is difficult to apprise. But it's turned into a workable system. Since any JW has access to the scriptures, there's really no excuse to be ignorant about Armageddon and its relationship to Jerusalem, and not Jehovah's Witnesses, falling asteroids, World War III or any other Christian sect except Judaism.

  By making Armageddon a JW-related event, the church exerts tremendous pressure over its people. By shunning and discouraging friendships outside of the church, the leadership exerts what in self defense circles is called control. The more control you exert over your adversary, the more you limit the damage he can inflict. By controlling 1) information and 2) social intercourse, you can control the organization. And, as the Catholic church discovered, controlling one 's eternal destiny is almost mind boggling.

  In traditional Christianity, people work out their own salvation through fear and trembling by enduring to the end. Yes, man can get off the beaten path and revert to the ways of the world and thereby lose his salvation. And few people I think would believe that someone could commit adultery and murder and expect to keep their salvation.
• 

  Perry

  For Jehovah's Witnesses there is no biblical salvation...period. They teach that Jesus died for Adam, not for them personally; they have no personal savior. In their teaching, this only opens the possibility of eternal life..... but no guarantee. They reject the offer of being born again, so they teach that their eternal salvation is dependent upon their own personal performance and righteousness. This is very foolish since "there is no one righteous, no not one".

  As a 4th generation former JW, I have scores of JW relatives who display great manafestations of self denial, and will-power in trying to be righteous according to the Watchtower concept of it so that they can live forever on a paradise earth. For them, their will becomes their idol alongside of the Watchtower:

  Colossians 2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
• 

  bobld

  WBTS will discredit anyone who says once saved always saved.I say if God choose you to be saved then your are saved.Look at David, God choose him come hell or high water what ever David done he was saved.

  B
• 

  bob1999

  Romans 8:38-39

  " 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, [k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

  Romans 8:28-30

  " 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who [i] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."

  We don't choose God, God chooses us.

  Romans 9:11-24

  " 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” [ d ] 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” [ e ]

  14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,

  “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
  and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” [ f ]

  16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” [ g ] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

  19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” [ h ] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

  22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?"

  I think this says it all.

  Peace
• 

  cameo-d

  Loving A: "I am curious to learn more about what the WatchTower Society believes on other issues, particularly if one can be unsaved after being saved."

  Can you please tell me what you are being saved from?

  Hellfire? Armageddon? The bogeyman? I don't get it.