Would someone who was a Jehovah's Witness be willing to give me their testimony of how they were saved ?

Answer 1

I am no longer a Jehovah's Witness. The main reason I left is because I was stumbled. I was ill, in the hospital and nobody did anything for me. Someone else in the congregation got ill and everyone bent over backwards for her. It really pissed me off. It showed me that you have to be somebody in the congregation to earn any "brotherly love". They don't have unconditional love like they claim to. Many of the things they claim to have or be they do not. Even seeing some of their answers here on Y! answers makes me think they are two faced. They can be so pious and condescending. Because the small seeds of doubt got planted I decided to investigate further and found that they meet a lot of the characteristics of a cult. I have been disfellowshipped before and was reinstated. I haven't been attending for more than a year and never while I was disfellowshipped for 6 years. I am not disfellowshipped right now but I choose not to associate with the congregation here. Their doctrines were ingrained in me so deeply I felt like I still didn't have any freedom even while I was disfellowshipped. The more I learn about them and the hypocrisy, the better I feel about leaving. I have been reading "Crisis of Conscience" by Raymond Franz, a former member of the Watchtower, Bible and Tract Society Governing Body. That has also helped me break free from the chains of cultism. Seeing answers too from people like Wester and Lucky Fokker have helped me too. The internet is a great source of information.

Answer 2

Hi. I assume you are asking for Former Witnesses to tell you how they were "saved". Most former Witnesses I know of did not leave for thrological reasons persey. They left because they did not wish to follow the Bible. (to be read they wanted to be immoral, my brother left, he gave many reasons why, ultimately it was because he liked sex but did not want to hold to the Bible's rule of Sex only between Husband and Wife, not between guy and what ever girl he sees)

I am sorry for the stumbled person beneath me. It saddens me when someone takes the word of something they read on the net as true. I know that there were times when my family, when we were in much better health, were in the middle of the congregation and would be sick and not many would seem to notice. When we moved where I am my grandmother was dying, my Dad is currently dying, and I am on disability. We rarely make it to the meeting. We are constantly called and visited. It is less a matter of one person being more important than the other, and more a matter of Time and Unseen Occurance. In other words there are times when people slip through the cracks. It is sad but true.

Answer 3

The idea of "once saved, always saved" is simply unscriptural.

The Scriptures quite plainly explain that humans can disqualify themselves from receiving everlasting life; it is only the faithful COMPLETION of a life course that assures salvation.

(Zephaniah 2:3) Seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, who have practiced His own judicial decision. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. PROBABLY you may be concealed in the day of Jehovah's anger. [emphasis added]

(Amos 5:15) Hate what is bad, and love what is good, and give justice a place in the gate. It MAY be that Jehovah the God of armies will show favor [emphasis added]

(Matthew 7:13-14) Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; 14 whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it.

(Matthew 24:13) But he that has endured TO THE END is the one that will be saved. [emphasis added]

(Philippians 2:12) Keep WORKING OUT your own salvation with fear and trembling [emphasis added]

(Hebrews 10:26-27) For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, 27 but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment

(Hebrews 5:9) [Jesus] became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those OBEYING him [emphasis added]

(James 2:14,17) Of what benefit is it, my brothers, if a certain one says he has faith but he does not have works? That faith cannot save him, can it? ...17 Thus, too, faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/19960201/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm

Answer 4

Jehovah's Witnesses do not have a "testimony", that is generally Mormon terminology (maybe others).

Jehovah's Witnesses believe in what we are told in John 17:3 --- that knowledge of Jehovah and Jesus is what means everlasting life. Which is one reason why you do not just "join" Jehovah's Witnesses --- you become one.
What I mean by that is thru a study of the scriptures, you are moved from your heart to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses. But do not mistake that we mean you dedicate yourself to an individual or to the organization, you dedicate yourself to God. Jehovah's Witnesses are organized for instruction thru meetings and organized to preach the good news, but one dedicates their life to Jehovah, not to Jehovah's Witnesses.

Answer 5

Witness don't say "Look at me, I'm saved!" They demonstrate they are saved by their actions and desire to live in the whole light of Christ and not on the shadowy edges like most Christians, where they can say they are Christian, but have not given up the fun life of the world.

Their desire to teach and preach God's Word is the biggest sign that feel saved, because they want others to feel the same way.

Answer 6

Luke 18:10"Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11"The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

12'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'

13"But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'

This is the scripture I think about when people insist that they are 'saved'

Christians point to many scriptures and say "I am SAVED"

Jehovah's Witnesses allow Jesus to do the judging.

We ask Jesus to forgive us of our sins,

We ask Jesus to give us his Father's spirit so we can have the strength to fight the many temptations, Satan, this world, and our imperfect flesh put before us daily.

We ask Jesus to help us endure to the end, so that we can remain faithful as far as death or till Armageddon.

Matt 24:12 and because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off. 13 But he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.

Jesus at Rev 3: 5'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

We must overcome, remain faithful to keep our names in the book of life.

I became a witness for Jehovah but searching His word, proving for myself what it really said.

I hope this answers your question.

Answer 7

What do you mean by saved? That is not a term that is used most often by the Witnesses.

Answer 8

I was brought up as a JW but became disillusioned when 1975 came and went without a sign of the 'Battle of Armageddon' which we were eagerly anticipating. I also realised that it was fear that kept me bound to them. What if they were right and everyone else was wrong? What if Armageddon really was imminent? I was also afraid of leaving because I had no friends outside the organisation and I knew I would be shunned by my family. For 20 years I had nothing to do with religion in general and JW's in particular.

Then, after moving house, I met up with a group of Christian women who offered me friendship and Bible teaching. Unlike the Witnesses, they did not claim that they, and only they, had the absolute truth and that everyone else was wrong. Also, they directed me to the Bible, not a man-made organisation. I was invited to attend a Baptist church - it was a baptismal service and those adults being baptised shared their stories of conversion. In that church, I heard the Word of God preached without excuse or apology and I could sense the power of God's Holy Spirit. From that moment on, my life was changed.

In spite of all my resistance, my doubts and prejudices, God met with me on that day and broke through my barriers. He opened my eyes to Himself, unstopped my ears to His voice and softened my heart to accept Him. From then on the Bible came alive to me and God began to speak to me as I read it. It was as if I had been blind and now I could see.

As a young woman, I was brought up to believe that it was wrong to worship Jesus as Lord and Saviour. I had thought salvation depended upon total obedience to the Watchtower Society. I never found peace with God there, despite my obedience and devotion. When I began to earnestly seek God and to pray that He would forgive my sins, God heard tht prayer and led me to Jesus as the Saviour who died on the cross for our sins and the risen Lord we should worship. I learned from the Bible that we are truly saved when we turn from our sins and call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. I gave myself to Jesus and in 1996 was baptised as a believer in Him and received the Holy Spirit. I am no longer bound by fear to a man-made organisation. The truth has set me free.

Answer 9

JWs qualify our answer for the question "Are you saved?" as , “Thus far, yes!” That is, if we remain faithful to God and exercise faith in Jesus and to the Father, doing God’s will we are saved and continue to be.

Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will get saved.” (Acts 16:31)
This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.’”—John 17:3.
We also have to do works that befit repentance.”—Matthew 3:8; Acts 3:19.
Faith without works is dead.”—James 1:22; 2:19, 26.

You can loose salvation if you don’t take care of that gift.
“I desire to remind you . . . that Jehovah, although he SAVED a people [the Israelites] out of the land of Egypt, afterwards DESTROYED those not showing faith.”—Jude 5.

Every branch in me not bearing fruit [God] takes away . . . If anyone does not remain in union with me, he is cast out as a branch and is dried up; and men gather those branches up and pitch them into the fire and they are burned.” (John 15:2, 6; Hebrews 6:4-6) Those losing faith in Jesus also lose everlasting life.

We must exercise faith in the Chief Agent of salvation, Jesus Christ, and do God’s will the rest of our lives. (John 3:16; Titus 2:14)

“he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.”—Matthew 24:13.

21 “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one DOING THE WILL OF MY FATHER who is in the heavens will “ mat 7:21

Salvation we owe to the Father and to the Son, Jesus

Rev 7:10 also states “: “Salvation [we owe] to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.””

John 14:1 Exercise faith in God, exercise faith ALSO in me.

John 3:16
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone EXERCISING FAITH in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.

Joel 2:32 - And it must occur that everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will get away safe..


Quotes from the Watchtower :

10 Salvation is a gift from God, but it does not come automatically. (Romans 6:23) There are certain basic conditions that each individual must meet to qualify for that gift. Jesus said: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” And the apostle John added: “He that exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; he that disobeys the Son will not see life.” (John 3:16, 36) Clearly, God requires faith and obedience from each individual who hopes to obtain everlasting salvation. Each one must make the decision to accept the ransom and to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. W00, 6/1


Salvation is a free gift from God. It cannot be earned . W96 2/1


How do we “render sacred service to the living God”? Among other things, the Bible tells us to combat the works of the flesh, to resist the world’s immorality, and to avoid its snares. It says: “Fight the fine fight of the faith,” put off “the sin that easily entangles us,” and “run with endurance the race that is set before us, as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus.” And the Bible urges us not to ‘get tired and give out in our souls.’—1 Timothy 6:12; Hebrews 12:1-3; Galatians 5:19-21.

We do not earn salvation by doing these things, for no human could ever do enough to merit such an astounding blessing. We are not worthy of this magnificent gift, though, if we fail to demonstrate our love and obedience by doing the things that the Bible says God and Christ want us to do. Without works to demonstrate our faith, our claim to follow Jesus would fall far short, for the Bible clearly states: “Faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.”—James 2:17.