Jehovah's Witnesses: Why do you boast?

Question

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I continually see JWs write things like:

"We are the ONLY ones that go door to door."

"We have done _____ amount of preaching."

I even see JWs boasting the title of the persecuted Christians!

Lemming - he proved my point, didn't he? :)

Answer 1

Hi there.

A pseudo-Christian works-salvation mentality is often accompanied by the rotten fruit of proud "self-righteousness". Such behaviour is not exclusive to "Jehovah's Witnesses" but is also found in other "Christian" sects and false religion in general.

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else: "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'
But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored." Luke 18:9 - 14.

In this parable of the Lord we see a clear contrast between self-righteous religiosity which has no power to save an individual and the grace of God towards undeserving sinners. Please note that only one person went home justified before God. It wasn't the one who attended numerous meetings at Kingdom Hall, who tirelessly went door-to-door proclaiming the Watchtower message and who spent many hours "taking in knowledge of Jehovah" through Watchtower Bible studies. The one that was / is justified in the sight of God is the one who comes before Him in true repentance, acknowledging his complete inability to please God by his own efforts and in faith (through Christ) trusting in the Lord for mercy. This is a sign of TRUE humility.

Works play an important part in the life of the true Christian. However, works are the EVIDENCE of true conversion (James 2:17, 26), and not the MEANS of salvation (Ephesians 2:8 & 9).

Any professing Christian should also be careful to examine their "good works" in the light of what the Bible teaches, lest by preaching a false gospel of works-salvation he should find himself under God's curse (Galatians 1:6 - 9, also consider 3:1 - 14).

Paul preached the true gospel of salvation (that is, forgiveness of sins, justification from God & eternal life as a free gift) through faith in Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23 & 15:3). Is that the "gospel" which JW's are preaching door to door today ? I recall once reading a four-sided Watchtower tract which made absolutely NO MENTION of Christ's death & resurrection. One can preach about eternal life in paradise on earth, but what good is it to anyone if it is not accompanied by true information on how to get there ?!?!?

What counts as the primary "work" in the sight of God ?

The Lord Jesus said -

"This is the work of God, that you believe into Him whom he has sent." John 6:29.

"But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested, witness being borne to it by the Law and the Prophets; even the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ TO ALL WHO BELIEVE, for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified FREELY BY HIS GRACE through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus" Romans 3:21 - 24 (caps for emphasis).

May God graciously guide JW's into HIS truth.

PS In regard to persecuted Christians, please feel free to check out the following -

http://www.barnabasfund.org

Answer 2

Good, sweet, sincere people find their way to this denomination, even as they find their way to others.

Many are humble and self-deprecating. In that humility, they are vulnerable to manipulation from their leaders. Even among their leaders, there are humble men who believe they are participating in the sufferings of the Christ.

But the juggernaut that is this religion forces them into the position of boasting. They believe they are saving lives by bringing people to God through the tiers of their "organization."

Most of them, on all levels, are prisoners of an entity that has a life of its own. Almost like the sci-fi robot who gains a soul.

And they believe the company line.

It's true JWs have been persecuted. They deserve the recognition for that, just the same as other religions do. That's a great story and it helps their society play up their religious status.

As long as they think, as Moises3702 seems to, that they are the ONLY ones who are persecuted as Christians, that's just another hold that the cult has on them in its morphed logic that identifies them as "The True Religion."

They boast because they have no context for comparison.

They boast because they are told to and because they are isolated from the evidence.

The best thing to do is to forgive them and give them the evidence of other religious groups and individuals who are also persecuted in the name of God, Christ or whomever.

Answer 3

Mosies...You claim persecution by Hitler...Did you know that the early Jehovah's Witnesses supported the extermination of the Jews along with Hitler....They felt that the elimination of the Jews was Gods will....Know you past before you boast about it.

Answer 4

Jehovah's Witnesses aren't saved nor do they believe in the inspired Word of God. They don't have salvation to boast about nor would quoting from the Bible influence them.

Answer 5

You are right, the JWs believe they are saved (and therefore merit Heaven) through their "works" of door-to-door "ministry." And they do boast. And they do not see it. And you are casting your pearls before swine. Shake the dust from your feet, do not entertain them, especially in your own home. They are not there to receive the truth anyway, they are only there to deceive you into believing theirs.

Answer 6

While they give lip service to God’s grace, their actions indicate differently don't they..Everyman, women,child, fall to sin..It happens in the snap of our fingers sometimes.

Keep on Praying.. Blessings to you.

Answer 7

simple, because it is true.

were your organization persecuted by Hitler, Somoza, Trujillo, Franco, Castro, in Soviet union, in Africa etc etc for preaching the message that Jesus command to spread?

Romans 2:6 " And he will render to each one according to his works"
Hebrew 10:24 "And let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works"

What is more easy to say I love you Jesus or to porve with your action that you love Jesus?

Jesus said that the one that love him obey his command and he commad to preach in every place an time, from town to town and house to house.

Answer 8

Are you aware of the origins of the Watchtower {J.W.) Bible: "The New World Translation of the bible" ?

Please read these 2 website:

http://www.geocities.com/greber99/

http://www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-Greber.htm

J.W. Church: that is the Watchtower organization = is a cult and a false religion based solely on good works, not Grace.

GOD {YHWH) makes it plainly clear that
our own personal good works are as filthy rags to HIM. *We must have the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us by Grace through faith, then GOD the Father sees us clean and pure, covered by the shed Blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross
2 Cor. 5:21 "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
The Gift of Salvation is by GRACE through Faith alone, not of works! {Eph. 2:8-9).

Born Again Christians are encouraged by GOD to put on the Full Armor of GOD on{Eph 6), especially intercessory prayer - as one laboring together with GOD, in order to pull down the demonic strongholds of deception, lies and pride which satan through the Watchtower organization has placed over their eyes. J.W.'s must be Born Again to enter the Kingdom of GOD, just like any other sinner must be.(see Jn. 3:3-5) *A J.W. does NOT use the term "Born Again", as Jesus wishes His followers to use! They use the term the Watchtower has placed upon them: Jehovah Witness.
The only way the Watchtower was finally able to supposedly prove their views that Jesus Christ is not GOD, is to use the New World Translation of the bible; however the organization did not use this version until Knorr became President of the Watchtower organization. It was their President Knorr who received written permission by
Johannes Greber - an ex-Catholic Priest to use his book{which came forth from his wife a medium) Communication with the Spirit World of God.

The Watchtower Society Used the Book
Communication with the Spirit World of God -by: Johannes Greber to translate their New World Translation of their bible. A demon spoke through Johannes Grebers wife {a medium) and Greber wrote down all the information which the demon spirit told him - end result was the Book
"Communication with the Spirit World of God" AND the President of the Watchtower received permission from Greber to use this Book as their bible --The New World Translation of the Bible.

*Born Again Followers of Jesus Christ are to daily Pray {w/the Full Armor of GOD on) for the Watchtower Witnesses-[they call themselves Jehovah Witnesses, but they are not truly witnesses for Yahwah/Jehovah
so I state it as Watchtower Witnesses).
Pray as Paul did for the Church of Eph. that the eyes of their understanding may be enlightened to the TRUTH of Who Jesus Christ (and Who the Holy Spirit really is).
We {Born Again believers in the Body of Christ) are Laborers together with GOD the Holy Spirit in prayer - to pull down the strongholds of the enemy, that he's placed over their spiritual and mental eyes - so they can clearly see Jesus Christ for Who HE really is ! *Who is HE ? When Jesus appeared again in the upper room in Acts, HE appeared this time to Thomas also.
When the Apostle Thomas saw Jesus' scars - his hands, feet and side what did he do and say in response: The Apostle Thomas knelt down Worshipping Jesus saying to HIM: "My LORD and my GOD." *This is our prayer for the Watchtower witnesses: that they would recognize Jesus for Who HE really is: LORD and GOD, recognizing that their Salvation only lies in HIM - HIS shed Blood "on the Cross" and HIS "Physical" Resurrection from the dead - to be Born Again {Jn. 3:3-5), making Jesus LORD of their lives-in order to see & enter the Kingdom of GOD{Yahwah/Jehovah) !

*"Jesus Christ 'is' LORD !"*

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