How Do JWs Understand Salvation & What Is Needed to Obtain It?

by LauraLynn 33 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  LauraLynn

  From my experience within the JW organization, I understood that salvation meant a person accepted the teachings of the WBTS without question as the "faithful and discrete slave," thereby placing their trust in them, not Jesus Christ. Salvation consisted of being found "righteous" by Jehovah and resurrected to everlasting life in an earthly paradise. To obtain this salvation, one needed to obey the organization's teachings, remain a faithful JW, and lead a moral life. If these things were done consistently enough, God would "remember" their faithfulness and reward them with everlasting life. If their service was questionable, so was their salvation. If someone left the organization, they would lose their salvation.
  

  This was back in the 1980s. Has this changed at all?
  
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  BoogerMan

  Nope - still exactly the same!

  JW.Borg/G.B. is still the "golden calf" to be worshipped.
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  TonusOH

  Hi LauraLynn, as far as I can tell that is exactly what they believe today. I started my fade in the late 90s and was out by the mid-2000s. Nothing I've seen since then has made me think that they changed anything. Obeying the governing body remains the most important facet of JW worship.
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  Sea Breeze

  Salvation consisted of being found "righteous" by Jehovah.

  @ LauraLyn

  This has not been Watchtower doctrine for nearly 100 years. The Watchtower taught an end-times (future) message of God's Kingdom rather than the message given to the apostles (and us) - reconciliation with God.

  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. - - 2 Cor. 5: 18-19

  Wt has never preached a message of reconciliation with God. Many new converts to Russel's movement were unfamiliar with Christianity & were never discipled and educated according to NT theology that requires Justification. As a result, many in their number had no idea what Justification (being declared righteous) even was. The WT then started saying that these unsaved people were pictured in scripture by an Old Testament figure - Jonadab, a friend of God's anointed. The idea was that even though a growing number of JW's in the movement were not Justified, they could still be saved by being friends with those that were Justified.

  Here is the reference in writing where they come right out and say that new JW's are not Justified:

  (See Wt. 1938 PG. 104-105 - "The other sheep are not even justified“)

  Watchtower has never changed this doctrine and has elaborated on another way they say a person can get saved - friendship with God. The idea they present is that in order to be friends with God, a person must do everything Watchtower says. In this way, they have become a false Christ, an alternate method of "salvation".

  Jesus warned us that many would come later and claim to be a Savior, like Watchtower claims:

  "Come to Jehovah's organization for salvation" Watchtower 1981 Nov 15 p.212

  God plainly states that without being Justified (declared righteous) a person cannot be friends with God....PERIOD.

  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ... Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. - Roams 5: 1&9

  So, God hasn't changed, the Watchtower did. If a person wants to have a relationship with God, the method is still the blood of Christ, AKA the New Covenant, a blood covenant (agreement) "for the forgiveness of sins" offered in Mt. 26: 27-28

  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.

  Of course JW's are taught NOT to accept the agreement Jesus offered and this has resulted in more than 20 million gullible people gathering together each year to reject the new covenant "for the forgiveness of sins".

  The bible is clear that the offer of Justification is available to "whosoever" and not a limited number. The WT doctrine of limited Justification is unsupported in scripture:

  Mat_10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

  Mat_16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

  Luk_12:8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

  Joh_3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

  Act_2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

  1Jn_2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

  2Jn_1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

  Rev_22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
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  no-zombie

  If this question is asked in all seriousness, my answer would be that the specifics of salvation (for either the heavenly or earthly hope) from successive generations of Governing Bodies, is rather vague. Whether is is a deliberate attempt of maintaining a dependency on the Organization or not, I don't know. However the official position lies somewhere between being a faith based justification and a works based one.

  Like many things in our faith, much is short on details ... I guessing because ultimately its easier for them, being not pinned down.
  
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  Vanderhoven7

  Just about everyone, excluding the very wicked, is coming back for a millennial tryout for eternal life. This might even include many who died in the flood and in Sodom.

  The idea is that those who died have paid for their sins and because of Jesus ransom sacrifice, they have a right to be resurrected without punishment.

  Those who will not be resurrected for a crack at life will include those who rejected the life-saving message of Jehovah’s Witnesses advertised since 1919.

  Translation...better to have died without ever hearing from the Watchtower organization. Once the tribulation starts, you might still be able to repent and believe the message. So if they had not preached their message, more would be resurrected. Interestingly, those who died before the GT did not have to repent. Those who are alive after the GT starts will have to repent or be eternally destroyed.

  All very logical
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  road to nowhere

  A function of work (not works) for .org.
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  no-zombie

  Unfortunately, this statement ... Those who will not be resurrected for a crack at life will include those who rejected the life-saving message of Jehovah’s Witnesses advertised since 1919 ... is not correct. As, all who died before Armageddon will have a resurrection. And the expression often quoted as to a resurrection of life or a resurrection of judgement, refers to the outcome of a resurrected person because of their post-Armageddon's conduct only.

  
  
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  Vanderhoven7

  Actually not everyone gets a resurrection according to Jehovah’s Witnesses. Those who have sinned against holy spirit are not in their memorial tombs. This includes Adam and Eve.

  In addition, those unrepentant who are destroyed at Armageddon are toast as well. Among these would be those disfellowshipped (removed) for apostasy.

  
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  Duran

  WTS/GB have shown there is no need to be a WTS/JW now.

  For those that have already died, according to them my JW grandma will be resurrected but also my catholic grandma will be too. And for those living now that are not JWs, they can join up with current JWs when the GT breaks out.

  14 At times, we hear someone say, “It would almost be better if my relative dies before the great tribulation begins so that there is hope for his resurrection.

  9 The Bible speaks of two groups of people who will be resurrected with the prospect of living forever on earth, “the righteous” and “the unrighteous.” (Read Acts 24:15.) “The righteous” are those who faithfully served Jehovah while they were alive. On the other hand, “the unrighteous” did not serve Jehovah faithfully. Because both groups are resurrected, can we say that their names are written in the book of life?
  10 “The righteous” Before dying, they had their names written in the book of life. Were their names taken out of that book when they died? No, because they are still “living” in Jehovah’s memory. Jehovah “is a God, not of the dead, but of the living, for they are all living to him.” (Luke 20:38
  38) This means that when the righteous are restored to life on earth, their names will be found written in the book of life, although “in pencil” at first.
  “the unrighteous.” Perhaps because they were ignorant of Jehovah’s requirements, they did not live righteous lives before they died. So their names were not written in the book of life. But by resurrecting them, God gives them an opportunity to have their names eventually written in that book.

  Notice that the so-called 'righteous' one only gets their name written in pencil at first. This is because they have to prove faithful during the 1,000 years to then be written in the book of life in pen ink. Yet the so-called unrighteous one not only got resurrected but they also are living during the 1,000 years to get their name written in pen.

  So, it should make all JWs wonder what the point is of being a JW now. The outcome is the same for both groups.

  The unrighteous actually fare better in that they didn't have to waste their time being a JW during their life. While the JW did spend their time being such and yet still it did not earn them being written in pen upon their resurrection. They are on the same prove themselves during the 1,000 years just like the unrighteous.

  __________________

  3 In the past, we said that once the great tribulation begins, no unbelievers will be able to take their stand for Jehovah and survive Armageddon.

  But now:

  After the great tribulation starts, . . . might some who see these events have a change of heart?
  13 Such an outcome would be similar to what occurred in Egypt in Moses’ day. Recall that “a vast mixed company” joined Israel in the Exodus.
  If a similar development should occur following the destruction of Babylon the Great, would we be disappointed that people were able to join us shortly before the end comes? Of course not!