They say it takes one to know one. So, as I was a member of a pseudo-Christian cult for many years, I might be in quite a good position to point out to others some of the danger signs to look for in groups claiming to be Christian.
There are thousands of denominations around. Many of them can rightly claim to be Christian. We may not entirely agree with all of their views or practices, but the amazing variety of the many constituent parts of the body should serve to help us realise that the various parts of the Body of Christ will also be diverse. If only as much energy was spent checking out the false claimants as we do the genuine ones, we would cause far less injury to the Body of Christ. So let's establish some basic identifying marks of usurpers to membership of the Body of Christ.
[1] They will claim to be obedient to God and Christ but, upon examination, their obedience will ultimately be directed to someone else.
[2] They will claim to be truly free in Christ, but will actually be in bondage.
[3] They will have an adverse effect on those who are free in Christ, enslaving such ones.
[4] They will attack the genuine Body of Christ, claiming they are real members whilst genuine members are not.
That is not a complete list, but it is quite enough for us to be getting on with for now. You will notice I have not listed various doctrines as the touchstone of orthodoxy, but have homed in on something much more elusive - bondage versus freedom. In a sense, I am working backwards; I am asking you to look at the end result of being in a cult and to compare that with what being a Christian means. To be a Christian is to be set free in Christ; free from bondage to sin and death, and free from satanic deception.
Doctrine does play a vital role in this, as can be seen from the amazing reversal of The Worldwide Church of God in recent years. This cult [based on Armstrong's The Plain Truth magazine] held to various false doctrine, including rejection of the Trinity. When the leadership changed and began to see its errors with doctrine, a miracle happened; the group became orthodox and was so humble in admitting its errors that most of its membership went along with the changes. Now they have dropped their Seventh Day Adventist traits, and now they accept the Trinity doctrine. Isn't it thrilling to know that thousands of people who were once in bondage to error have now been set free in Christ? It can happen even on a huge scale, as with this group.
But can you imagine what would have happened if the leadership refused to let their control of their members go? The group would have been split right down the middle, with dreadful implications for families and friends. But the leadership had the humility to realise that letting God be true was paramount, even if that meant them being exposed as supporting a lie. God has blessed their humility. Oh, if only all cult leaders would learn from that lesson.
Sadly, most cult leaders are power-mad. Obvious examples were seen in Jim Jones and how he persuaded hundreds of his followers to commit suicide in Guyana. Also with the Wacko tragedy. When individuals set up their own following, that is a clear sign of someone wanting to control others. In time such leaders equate obedience to God with obedience to themselves.
Their bondage is betrayed by their refusal to even listen to any criticism of their leaders or their beliefs. This shows they are enslaved to an organisation or a set of ideas. The very idea of leaving the group fills them with fear.
Their proselytising zeal will result in drawing new converts into the group, and once in, they will be "encouraged" to drop former contacts and devote their lives to the group or cause. Isolationism will replace true fellowship.
They can either show a vitriolic hatred for the Church, or treat it with total indifference. Some might give the appearance of being happy that you are in a different denomination, but before too long you will be expected to leave it and join them. Ultimately, you will have to throw your lot in with them alone, for you will be told that salvation cannot be found outside their group.
Their zeal is legendary, and their conversions legion. Jehovah's Witnesses have been around for over 100 years - they have not gone away. They are growing steadily (375,923 people baptised last year) and all Christians ought to be concerned as to how they should deal with such sincere but deceived people who keep knocking at our doors.
This article is designed to encourage Christians to realise that zealous and even exasperating JWs can be reached with the gospel and saved. I was one such good JW, but now, by the grace of God, I have been converted to saving faith in Christ alone. I trust my story will help you understand something of what is involved in reaching out to JWs.
I was brought up by parents who had converted to the JWs long before I was born. They did a good job of instilling into me the JW way of life with over 5 hours of weekly meetings, week- ends taken round the doors, 3 annual assemblies and being trained from the age of 8 to give public talks. I volunteered to pioneer in my mid teens. Pioneers (in the 1960s) put in 100 hours per month door knocking, were expected to "place" 100 magazines with the public and conduct 10 weekly home "Bible" studies with contacts. We also had to support ourselves financially so I worked part-time. Then I was invited to join the "special" pioneers, which entailed moving to Saltcoats, putting in 150 hours per month, but getting a small monthly allowance (less than the then pension.) Later I met another JW who had given up a good job in England to pioneer in Falkirk, and we married. Within a year we both stopped pioneering as I became pregnant, and reverted back to being good "publishers", putting in 10 hours a month, reading masses of Society literature, going to all meetings and taking our babies, despite lack of any facilities for young children - not even crèche.
But it was then that my problems started; I began to suffer post-natal depression. Many times I was in a black pit of despair, which threatened to overwhelm and destroy our family and me. I tried what I thought would be the remedy; going to all meetings and the door to door work. It didn't help. My condition worsened
One night, exhausted yet unable to sleep, I crouched on my knees by the dying embers of the fire. "Oh, Jehovah, help me... help me." The last flame flickered out, silence closed in, but unknown to me, that cry had been beard.
Shortly after, I met two people on the door to door work whom the Lord used. One was a Church of Scotland minister who provoked me with a combination of courtesy and a warning; "JWs are a dangerous sect." Needled, I looked in the theology section of the local library to find any clues as to why such decent, law-abiding people could he considered dangerous. I found a book written by a young man who had been brought up by JW parents. But he had researched the Society, revealing a catalogue of false prophecies, absurd ideas and cover-ups. Then I met a lady from the Apostolic Church who was also courteous, politely disagreeing that the Trinity was false. She simply said, "My Bible says 'the Word was God', and I'm sticking to what my Bible says." She also did not argue but kindly resisted my attempts to persuade. Unknown to me, this lady began praying for me.
Two years later, my research into the Society's history and reading a non-JW Bible combined to convince me that the Watch Tower Society was a false prophet, and that Jesus is God. Once I could see the Society had deceived me, I was then ready to understand the writings of various Christians who upheld the deity of Christ. This was the turning point for me. I saw that the Society had deliberately warped its translation of the Bible to deny Christ's deity. I knew I had to turn to Christ alone. So, one day, in the quiet of my home, I got down on my knees to confess Christ as my Saviour and my Lord in worship.
At that time I suddenly thought of that lady, desiring to contact her. When I phoned, she remembered me, asking if I could visit, as she was ready to emigrate to Australia. We had a lovely reunion. Then I learned she had been praying for me. And just before I phoned, she had been asking God for confirmation that her prayers were being answered! I was amazed! For the first time in my life, I began to realise the power of prayer.
More supportive prayer was needed by friends in a local Baptist church to help me through the nasty experience of being put out of the JWs. Shunning followed, but even after 18 years of it, I know the peace of the Lord. I have also had the joy of seeing several family members become Christians, after many years.
Now I am involved in reach out ministry to the JWs, but because they treat me like a leper, I have to coach others who can make contact. I speaks at various churches offering encouragement and suggestions as to how to reach out to the JWs in love with the true gospel. It isn't an easy task, for the JWs are convinced their gospel of earth becoming a paradise, and JWs living forever in human perfection, is the true gospel, and only they are telling others about it. But if ever you feel the effort is not worth it, just remember my story, ask God for grace, and share your testimony of what it means to know God through Christ, for JWs only know about God; they don't know him personally.
No Entry! Cul-De-Sac! Crossroads! One Way Only!
Rule No. 1 - Don't even try.
Rule No. 2 - Keep your cool.
Rule No. 3 - Keep pointing to and following the signposts to Jesus.
When JWs arrive on your doorstep, it is with one purpose in mind. They want you to agree to a free home "Bible" study that is designed to make you become a JW. The previous two articles have prepared you to now tackle the JW with a view to making him see his need to turn to Christ, for it has been made clear that most JWs have never yet done this. If you want to clarify this important point at the outset just ask the JW if he takes the bread and wine at their Memorial celebration. The chances are 99,999: 100,000 that he won't. So that means he knows he is not in the New Covenant Jesus inaugurated with his disciples, the Covenant for a Kingdom.
A recent Watchtower magazine dealt with who may rightly cat the bread and drink the wine at the Lord's supper. It said, "Christians given a heavenly hope are anointed with holy spirit... Only spirit-begotten Christians should partake because only they are in the new covenant and the Kingdom covenant and have the undeniable testimony of God's holy spirit that theirs is a heavenly hope." (pp 21,22 15 Feb 1998) At last year's annual meeting to remember Jesus' death, only 8,795 JWs partook while over 14,313,000 others did not.
That magazine went on to stress that only 144,000 people from the time of Christ till today will ever be anointed with the Holy Spirit and can know they are going to heaven. This belief about the 144,000 is a huge stumbling block to JWs understanding the gospel. While it is true that only Spirit-anointed Christians with the heavenly calling are in the New Covenant, it is wrong to limit that calling to 144,000 people.
All Christians are in the New Covenant. The JWs problem is that he's been deceived into thinking he can still be a Christian without having the heavenly calling or the Holy Spirit's anointing.
To keep your task simple, just concentrate on this one point.
If you allow the JW to lead you down his path, you will end up in spiritual cul-de-sacs, or you will loose him at the crossroads, or you will find yourself down a one-way-system that you cannot get out of. This is why you must disregard his spiritual map and show him that his map errs while the Bible map will lead him safely home. His map leads to never-never land; a fairy tale which will turn out to be an eternal nightmare. If you have any love in your heart for the lost the least you can do is warn such ones that they are following a blind guide.
Try using John 1: 12,13, which says, that all who receive Jesus and believe in his name have the right to be born again. If a JW claims to believe in Jesus and to have received Jesus, then ask him why he is not exercising his right to he born again (demonstrated by taking the bread and wine). The only answer is that he does not believe he has any right to be born again because he's been told by those who claim to have the Holy Spirit that it's not for him. It's only for them - spiritual apartheid! He knows for sure that he doesn't have the Holy Spirit's anointing (because he has no desire to go to heaven or to be with Christ; he's only interested in earthly prospects) so he gladly accepts the JW explanation that only 144,000 are born again. He thinks there are two kinds of Christians; anointed and not anointed. He needs to be asked why John did not say, "And to the 144,000 who believed in his name..." etc. After all, JWs believe this was the same John who wrote the Revelation where the 144,000 are mentioned.
The real reason why the JW is not interested in being born again is that he has not received Jesus and believed in his name the way the Bible says he should. He is still fleshly, carnal, unregenerate. Of most JWs it can be said, "You search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they, which testify of me. But you are not willing to come to me that you may have life" (Jn 5:38-40). Sadly, the JW sincerely believes he has come to Christ when, in fact, he has come to an organisation which has presented a false Christ to him. Only when he sees the real Jesus will he realise his need to come to him. It is therefore not enough to disprove the 144,000 doctrine, but it will be good to shake him out of his complacent assurance that he doesn't need to be born again.
You will have to use Revelation chapters 7 & 14 to do this. In 7:1-8 the 144,000 are first mentioned, and they are on the earth. Then the scene switches in vs 9 to heaven where the great crowd stand before God's throne.
Symbolic vs Literal - Or, how not to try Interpreting the Book of Revelation.
Last month we began to look at how best to help JWs. We homed in on John 1: 12,13 which can be used to question their claim to be Christian. As their claim depends on an interpretation of who the 144,000 are, we now have to check this peculiar JW view out by turning to the only two places in the Bible where this number is mentioned, Revelation chapters 7 & 14.
In chapter 7 the 144,000 are a group of people from the 12 tribes of Israel who have to be "sealed" by God's angel before harm is loosed on the earth (vss 1-4). The JWs say those people are the servants of God who will go to heaven. But they add that the number is literal while their being of the tribes of Israel is symbolic; i.e. they are spiritual Jews, not literal Jews. However, in Rev. 14:4 although it says the 144,000 are men and virgins, they do not take the qualifications literally. Men and women comprise the literal number of 144,000 say the JWs, and many of them have been married. Furthermore, they are all JWs. (which means nobody will get to heaven unless they are part of the tiny percentage of JWs who eat the bread and wine at the Lord's supper!) Finally, this tiny number only began to be gathered from the time of the apostles onwards, the number being completed around the 1930s.
Now let us consider what the JWs say about "the great crowd". In Revelation chapter 7 the great crowd are described as being a multitude standing before the throne of God in heaven, which no man can number, ascribing their salvation to the Lamb. The JWs say they are literally unnumbered humanly speaking, but they are only symbolically in heaven worshipping God. They never go to heaven, they insist, but stay on the literal earth forever.
It should be clear to all but JWs how ridiculous this interpretation is. (It cannot be ridiculous to JWs because their Governing Body has told them this is the truth which God has uniquely revealed to them.) However, there is a way of getting JWs to think twice on this.
First, point out that they say 7:9 is symbolic while the same scene in 14:1-3 is literal. Tell them they cannot have it both ways. Then point out that another interpretation re. the 144,000 is that it applies to the nation of Israel and is to be understood symbolically - including the number. This at least has the merit of being consistent interpretation. If you then say nobody's salvation depends upon grasping the finer points of Revelation's symbolisms, you might get a reaction that because the JW interpretation is unique, this is proof that God is blessing them. Try telling them Scientologist and Mormon interpretation is far more unique than theirs, and they have millions more members than JWs, so does that prove they have God's truth and blessing? The subject should quickly change at that point.
This is where you need to take control of the discussion for they will try to get you back down their one-way-system. Remember we said last month it is vital to keep pointing them to Jesus and following him? Debate about Revelation must be brought around to the person of Christ as soon as possible. Try using chapter 5 to show Jesus receives the same worship as God the Father, and that Jesus shares the same throne in heaven. Or get back to John chapter 3 or 1 using the great crowd's worship of God and the Lamb as the link-up.
Continually you will need to keep bringing JWs back from their blinkered views about the future and on to where they personally stand before God. Ask them if they have any assurance about their salvation (they don't) or if they know what it is to have had their sin forgiven. Remember, they are presenting a false Christ and a false gospel (through no fault of their own) so if you keep presenting the real Christ and the real gospel, you will be on course. God may well usher in a "new earth" but the true gospel has nothing to do with what God might, or might not do in the future. It is all about what he has already done in Christ for our salvation. It is a finished work, completed, and has to be accepted as a free gift. Keep bringing them back to the vital issue. Even if they do not want to talk about that, you may have the chance to state your own testimony as to how God brought you to spiritual life. They do not have such a testimony.
