WATCHTOWER - FEBRUARY 1, 1997

 

Page 5: So the truth that can set us free revolves around Jesus Christ. Those who become his footstep followers have the hope of being liberated from sin and death when God's Kingdom takes full control of earth's affairs.

Correction: Today we can be spiritually liberated from sin and eternal death.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

 

Page 5: The Bible, however, reveals the truth about the condition of the dead. It clearly states that your soul is you, not some mysterious part of you that lives on after death.

Note: The Watchtower must take verses out of context to establish its doctrine.

Correction: The Holy Bible does state the life exists after death but before the resurrection.

Luke 16:22-23 "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."

 

Page 5: Furthermore, the dead are not being tormented in a fiery hell, nor are they part of a spirit realm that can affect the living.

Correction: Jesus Christ disagrees with the Watchtower!

Matthew 5:22 "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire."

 

Page 5: "As for the dead," says the Bible, "they are conscious of nothing at all. There is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol (the grave), the place to which you are going." - Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10.

Note: The book of Ecclesiates is talking about this material world.

Conclusion: Dead bodies are not conscious of anything but immaterial souls are!

 

Page 5: Thus, the dead are now simply resting, as if in a sound sleep. - Compare John 11: 11-14.

Note: John 11:11-14 is talking about the body of Lazarus.

Correction: Souls are alive after the body is dead!

Revelation 6:9-10 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

 

Page 6: In their work of preaching the good news of God's Kingdom, Jehovah Witnesses today strive to imitate the zeal of the first-century Christians.

Note: They may be imitating the zeal but not the message of first-century Christians.

Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

 

Page 8: THE apostle Paul was a zealous proclaimer of God's Kingdom. He did not allow opposition to interfere with his commission to preach "the good news." (1 Corinthians 9:16; Acts 13:50-52) Paul urged others to follow his example. - 1 Corinthians 11:1.

Correction: Paul preached Jesus Christ not paradise earth.

1 Corinthians 9:12 If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the good news of Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:18 What is my reward then? That when I preach the good news, I may present the good news of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the good news.

 

Page 8: Even in lands where they experienced opposition, honesthearted ones are being reached with the all-important message about God's Kingdom, as the following experiences illustrate.

Watchtower Contradiction: Jesus Christ is not paradise earth!

Page 8: In more than 25 countries, Jehovah's Witnesses suffer as a result of bans or various forms of opposition or persecution. Like the apostles, however, they continue "without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus." - Acts 5:42.

 

Page 10: Having provided Eden as a pattern, the heavenly Father of this first human pair set before them the satisfying assignment of extending Paradise to cover the globe. The entire earth was to be populated with their offspring. - Genesis 1:28.

Correction: The entire earth was a Paradise with a small portion of it being called Eden.

Genesis 1:11-12 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

 

Page 11: God's active force, his holy spirit, safeguarded the development of the child in its mother's womb, and it was born a perfect human. (Luke 1:35; 1 Peter 2:22)

Correction: Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are not its.

John 14:16-17 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you."

 

Page 11-12: To which of his myriads of heavenly sons did Jehovah give his assignment? To the one described in the Scriptures as his "only-begotten Son." (1 John 4:9) This expression is used to describe, not what he became when born as a human, but what he was prior to that in the heavens.

Correction: The apostle Paul disagrees with the Watchtower about the word "begotten."

Acts 13:33-34 "God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.' And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: 'I will give you the sure mercies of David.' "

Note: Paul was again preaching about Jesus Christ!

 

Page 12: He is the only one whom Jehovah created directly without the cooperation of anyone else. He is the Firstborn of all creation.

Correction: Firstborn in the Holy Bible means the preeminent one.

Psalm 89:27 Also I will make him (David) My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth.

Page 12: He is the one who was used by God to bring into existence all other creatures.

Correction: Outside of God, no one was used during creation.

Isaiah 44:24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;

 

Page 12: Proverbs 8:30, 31 expresses how his Father feels about this Son and how the Son feels about humankind: "I came to be the one he (Jehovah) was specially fond of day by day, I being glad before him all the time,...and the things I (Jesus, Jehovah's Master Worker, the personification of wisdom) was fond of were with the sons of men."

Correction: This is a wonderful prophecy about when Jesus was upon the earth.

Proverbs 8:30-31 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; and I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in His inhabited world, and my delight was with the sons of men.

Matthew 28:9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, " Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshipped Him.

 

Page 12-13: Jehovah has extended to a limited number of these, a little flock, the undeserved favor of being associated with his Son in the heavenly Kingdom, with a view to carrying out God's original purpose for the earth. (Luke 12:32)

Note: The "little flock" in Luke 12:32 refers to the few laborers. (Compare Luke 10:2)

Correction: True Christians all have an heavenly hope!

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

 

Page 13: These have been taken "out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation...to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth." (Revelation 5:9,10)

Correction: The "little flock" is not the great multitude in heaven.

Revelation 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

 

Page 13: In being adopted by God as his sons, they are granted the cherished relationship that Adam lost; but to these sons will be granted the added privileges of heavenly service - something that Adam never had.

Correction: All true Christians will be in heaven.

Philippians 3:20-21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

 

Page 13: To others too - all who exercise faith in God's generous provision for life through Jesus Christ - Jehovah opens the opportunity to gain the precious relationship that Adam lost.

Correction: The relationship is free!

Romans 3:24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Page 13: They will have perfection of mind and body, Paradise as their home, and eternal life in which to enjoy their perfection and express their appreciation to Jehovah, the only true God.

Note: According to the Watchtower, Jesus Christ is a false god.

NWT: In (the) beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.

 

Page 15: Paul's explanation that by resurrecting Jesus from the dead, Jehovah confirmed that this one was indeed the Son of God. And would not your heart have been warmed as you learned that the forgiveness of sins made possible by faith in Jesus could lead to everlasting life?

(Acts 13:16-41, 46, 47; Romans 1:4)

Note: So much about the preaching of paradise earth.

 

Page 19: Since his Father, whom Jesus loved, prohibited the making of images and then treating these as objects of devotion, we surely would not bring honor to Jesus by wearing such an image on a chain around our neck or by carrying one through the streets. (Exodus 20:4, 5; John 4:24)

Note: We should not give more devotion to cartoon magazines than the Holy Bible.

Psalm 119:9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.

Psalm 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!

Psalm 119:17 Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word.

Psalm 119:25 My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.

Psalm 119:28 My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.

Psalm 119:38 Establish Your word to Your servant, Who is devoted to fearing You.

Psalm 119:42 So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word.

Psalm 119:49 Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope.

Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life.

Psalm 119:65 You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.

Psalm 119:81 My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.

Psalm 119:89 Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.

Psalm 119:101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Psalm 119:107 I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.

Psalm 119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.

Psalm 119:133 Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.

Psalm 119:140 Your word is very pure; Therefore Your servant loves it.

Psalm 119:147 I rise before the dawning of the morning, And cry for help; I hope in Your word.

Psalm 119:154 Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me according to Your word.

Psalm 119:161 Princes persecute me without a cause, But my heart stands in awe of Your word.

Psalm 119:162 I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure.

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

Page 26: In 1938 singing at congregation meetings was largely dispensed with. However, the wisdom of following apostolic example and direction soon prevailed. At the 1944 district convention, F. W. Franz delivered the discourse "Song of Kingdom Service."

Note: For six years the Watchtower was in error in regards to singing praises to God!

 

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