AboutDerrick Holland Expertise I was raised in the religion known as Jehovah`s Witnesses for 13 years. Since becoming a born-again Christian, I have researched extensively this religion, especially their doctrines and their history. I can answer questions about their doctrines from the perspective of Biblical Christianity.
Experience 23 years of Biblical research into the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, and how they differ from the teachings of the Watchtower.
Question "We must pray that JWs will see this truth before it is too late."
You can't imagine how much that is the prayer of my heart.
I did ask Brenton Hepburn that question too, to see the difference in the answer. I think all need to see the truth of the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thw WT has robbed the average JW from the New Birth, and their Mediator, and set themselves in place of Him.
"Put FAITH in a Victorious Organization" they say while Jesus says "Come to ME all who are heavy laden and weary, and I will give you rest."
My question to you as follow up, is how does your relationship with God differ now since being born of God? To have Jesus Christ dwelling in your heart through faith in His shed blood for your personal sins?[Ephesians 3:17-19]
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Followup To
Question -
Derrick, I wonder if you could answer this question...is Jesus Christ the mediator for the average JW? This quote from one of their books suggests that Jesus is not truly their mediator...
*** Worldwide Security Under the "Prince of Peace" (1986) pp.10-11 ch.1 The Desire for Peace and Security Worldwide ***
16 Just as the ancient nation of Israel was in a covenant relationship with Jehovah God through the mediator Moses, so the nation of spiritual Israel, "the Israel of God," has a covenant relationship through a mediator. (Galatians 6:16) It is as the apostle Paul wrote to his Christian fellow worker: "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5) Was Moses the mediator between Jehovah God and mankind in general? No, he was the mediator between the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the nation of their fleshly descendants. Likewise, the Greater Moses, Jesus Christ, is not the Mediator between Jehovah God and all mankind. He is the Mediator between his heavenly Father, Jehovah God, and the nation of spiritual Israel, which is limited to only 144,000 members. This spiritual nation is like a little flock of Jehovah's sheeplike ones.—Romans 9:6; Revelation 7:4.
What do you say Derrick? To me this is denying the Scripture that says Jesus is the one and only mediator between God and men...all men [not just 144,000]
Answer -
Laurie,
First, let me apologize for the delay in getting back to you on your questions. I have had a somewhat hectic work schedule, and I am just now able to sit down and answer your questions.
Actually, I was reading some of the posted "Previously Answered" questions and answers on Allexperts yesterday, and I saw where someone signed "Confused in Canada" had asked this same identical question to a JW "expert". I am assuming this person was you, but if not, the answer they gave was still very enlightening.
First, anytime you ask a JW a question, you can count on a "copy and paste" article from a Watchtower publication. I read with great interest the article that this JW sent on the subject of Jesus being Mediator.
Sorting through all the mumbo-jumbo in the article, you can simplify it by concluding...
No, Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is the Mediator for anyone except for the 144,000, because these are the only ones who are in the New Covenant. Then they say that Jesus' death does benefit mankind, however, and that Christ can be called "mediator" in prayer for those outside the 144,000. There are MAJOR problems with this!
First, you cannot separate Jesus' death from His role as mediator, as this article tried to do. The book of Hebrews, especially chapters 7-10, clearly shows that Christ is Mediator, BECAUSE OF HIS DEATH and shed blood on the cross for our sins.
Laurie, here is a quote from the "expert" Brenton Hepburn, (again, I am assuming this was a response to you) where he clearly tries to separate Christ's role as Mediator, from His death for all mankind...I quote...
"Verse 5 is telling us that jesus is a Mediator. Verse 6 is saying that Jesus died for us, but, his death was not part of his 'job' as mediator. It just tells us that the “mediator” died as a ransom. It is like saying ... “Sam the doctor, who plays golf for Austalia” Sam is not the doctor for all Australians but he does represent Austalia on the golf circuit, but he is a doctor for a small group of people."
Compare Brenton's statement that..."Jesus died for us, but His death was not part of His job as mediator", with the following Scripture found in Hebrews 9:15...
"And for this cause He is the MEDIATOR of the new testament, that BY MEANS OF DEATH, FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THE TRANSGRESSIONS that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance."
After reading this Scripture, I don't see how anyone can try to say that Jesus' death is separate from His role as Mediator.
The JW reply to this Scripture would be that the "called" would be the 144,000 who are promised heavenly life. But if we read on in this chapter, we find that this is false.
Verse 12 speaks of "eternal redemption" FOR US (not limited to 144,000).
Verses 13-14 show the superiority of Christ's blood, to the Old Testament sacrifices.
Verse 16 says the New Covenant came into effect at His death. If we exclude ourselves from the New Covenant, as JWs do, then Christ's death will not profit them.
Verse 24 states that Christ, after shedding His blood, appears in the presence of God FOR US. (not just 144,000).
Verse 25-26 says that Christ's sacrifice was needed only ONCE, to put away sin.
Verse 27-28 says that we will die, and stand before God at the judgment, but for those who are saved by His sacrifice, He will appear "without sin unto salvation".
I cannot see how anyone can read this, and think that it applies only to 144,000 individuals. This is an extremely dangerous teaching, because Christ's death is the only hope for mankind, and by excluding most of mankind from the New Covenant that Christ's death brought, JWs will cause many people to be lost.
Another side note here...The article from Brenton said that "Christendom teaches that all good people go to heaven, which unscriptural position has colored the general view, so that Jesus is considered a go-between for all such people"
Laurie, do you know of ANY true Bible-preaching church that teaches that "all good people go to heaven"? Is this not a blatant misrepresentation of what Christians actually teach?
They make a false statement about Christian belief, and then use that statement to blame Christianity for causing an unscriptural view that Jesus is the Mediator for all people.
These people apparently do not realize the ridiculous contradiction that statement implies. If we really believed that "all good people go to heaven", then there WOULD BE NO NEED FOR A MEDIATOR in the first place! The reason we need Jesus as mediator, is because we are sinners in need of a perfect Savior, and we are NOT good in ourselves. If "being good" is all that was necessary, then Jesus wouldn't even have had to die and be our Mediator.
One final point I wish to make regarding the New Covenant...JWs teach that this covenant only applies to the 144,000, and thus, Christ is only the Mediator for this group.
Do they not realize that, by excluding themselves from the New Covenant, they have also excluded themselves from having THEIR SINS FORGIVEN? Please consider this statement of Jesus Himself, in Matthew 26:28...
"For this is my blood of THE NEW TESTAMENT (Covenant), which is shed for many FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS."
Clearly, the whole purpose for the New Covenant is to provide for the REMISSION OF SINS. If they exclude themselves from this provision made by Christ Himself, how can they ever have a single sin forgiven?
I asked a JW that question once, and gave him that Scripture. He wrote me back and assured me that they can be forgiven of sins, without being in the New Covenant, but he didn't tell me how, from the Bible, this was possible. So I wrote him again, and asked him to show me one verse in the Bible that showed HOW he could be forgiven, outside the New Covenant. Well, I never heard from him again.
Laurie, I will close with this. In your other question, you asked me about being born again. This all ties in together. We are sinners, in need of a Savior. Jesus died for our sins, and because of this, is our "Go-between", or "Mediator". When we accept His role as Mediator by faith, we are born into God's family, or born again.
We must pray that JWs will see this truth before it is too late.
Again, I am assuming that you are the same person who wrote Brenton with this question. If so, I would be interested in his response to these comments, especially the Scripture in Hebrews 9:15, which I believe, clearly contradicts his statements to you. If you decide to send it to him, let me know what he says. If you don't want to, that is o.k. too.
Either way, I hope my answer has been helpful.
Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. I will do my best to give you an answer from the Word of God, and not an opinion.
Take care, and God bless you.
Derrick
Answer Hello Laurie,
You know, the saddest part of all this, is the fact that you can show them what God's Word actually says about it, and they will still go with what the Watchtower tells them anyway. It shows how much their thinking has been controlled by this Organization. And yet, they still call themselves Bible-believers, and claim IT is their final authority.
You ask....”how does your relationship with God differ now since being born of God? To have Jesus Christ dwelling in your heart through faith in His shed blood for your personal sins?[Ephesians 3:17-19]”
My answer to that would be this....I didn't have a relationship with God when I was being brought up in the JW religion. I knew ABOUT God, but I didn't know Him personally. It took the divorce of my parents, and my father obtaining legal custody of me, for me to even have the opportunity to ever go to a Bible-preaching church. (My mom is a JW, my dad is not). That is another story altogether, though.
This is the tragedy of it all.....JWs are taught that they cannot have a relationship with God outside of the Watchtower Organization. Simply putting faith in Jesus Christ isn't enough, they believe. In addition, they must be faithful to the Organization's rules and requirements, and REMAIN faithful. And even then, there are NO GUARANTEES of salvation. The best that any JW can say, is that they are “confident”. They cannot say for sure that they are saved.
And that is the way it is with a “works-oriented” religion. There is no assurance, because you never know if you have done the right works, or enough of them. Good works are wonderful, but they are not what saves us.
I like what you said about having “Jesus Christ dwelling in your heart through faith in His shed blood for your personal sins?[Ephesians 3:17-19]”. THAT is what it is all about. As Christians, we don't have to rely on, or worry about whether we have done enough works, or been faithful enough to some church organization. It is all through the blood of Jesus Christ, that we can have our sins forgiven.
To sum up my answer, the difference is like night-and-day. I've had tough times as a Christian, but Jesus has always been there to lead and guide. JWs know God from a distance, but not personally.
Thank you for the question, and I will be back with you on your question regarding what Brenda told you in a day or two.
