WATCHTOWER - APRIL 15, 1996

 

Page 6: Bible prophecy and Biblical chronology identify this "end period," which began in 1914.

Correction: The seventy weeks prophecy of Daniel pertains to Israel.

Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Daniel 9:24.

 

Page 12: True Christians are temporary residents in Satan's world, which truly reflects his corrupt personality as a murderer, a liar, and a slanderer.

Clarification: Jesus Christ will soon be taking true Christians to heaven.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20.

 

Page 12: Thus the question is, Do you support and condone false worship, or do you actively participate in true worship?

Clarification: True worship comes from the heart not outward appearance.

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. John 4:23.

 

Page 12: Could we imagine Jesus and Peter being involved in such diplomatic exchanges?

Correction: Paul used his Roman citizenship to spread the gospel.

But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out." And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. Acts 16:37-38.

 

Page 13: The Christian Coalition is deeply involved in U.S. politics.

Correction: We need to get involved in all aspects of life around us so that our good works brings glory to God.

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. Matthew 5:13.

 

Page 15: Unquestionably, Christendom's rotten fruitage makes it fit only for destruction by God.

Correction: Anyone practicing evil will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21.

 

Page 15: The questions that now confront us are: Which religion, if any, produces godly fruitage?

Correction: No religion produces godly fruit, only people as individuals do.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23.

 

Page 16: First and foremost, true Christians must uphold the sovereignty for which Jesus died-his Father's sovereignty.

Correction: Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world.

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:3.

 

Page 16: He knew from the Hebrew Scriptures that Jehovah is the true Sovereign over all the earth.

Clarification: So is Jesus!

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth. Philippians 2:10.

 

Page 16 & 17: The Almighty revealed his name, Jehovah (rendered Yahweh in some Bible versions), to his people Israel, and it is used thousands of times in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Correction: The word Jehovah came from superimposing the vowel signs of the word adonai upon the four consonants of the tetragrammation.

In 1518 A.D. in his "De arcani catholicae veritatis," a monumental work of Christian mysticism, the Italian theologian and Franciscan friar Galatinus, not realizing that the Masoretes had placed the vowel signs of another word with the consonants YHWH, fused the vowels of adonai with the consonants of the divine name and thus gave the Church "Jehovah," a word which has no meaning in Hebrew. Centre for the Study of Biblical Research, PO Box 2050, Redlands, CA.

 

Page 17: James testified: "Symeon has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name. Acts 15:14-17.

Clarification: Then why did Barnabas and Paul risk their lives for the name of Jesus?

It seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 15:25-26.

 

Page 18: A third requirement for true worship is that it should exalt God's Kingdom as the only legitimate and viable solution to mankind's problems of rulership.

Correction: True worship comes from the heart not exalting the Kingdom.

Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:7-9.

 

Page 19: Therefore, Jehovah's Witnesses take the Bible as their guide, their manual for daily living, and their fountain of hope for the future.

Correction: Jehovah's Witnesses need to change their name to Jesus' Witnesses.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8.

 

Page 19: A sixth requisite for worship acceptable to God is that of neutrality regarding the political affairs of this world.

Correction: True worship comes from the heart not avoiding politics.

He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' " Mark 7:6-7.

 

Page 20: Christian unity is the eighth requirement of true worship. However, Christendom's divisive religions have not helped to this end. However, Christendom's divisive religions have not helped to this end.

Correction: We are to be in unity on Jesus Christ not where we choose to fellowship.

Till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13.

 

Page 20: What is a ninth requirement for religion approved by God? A Bible principle is expressed at Leviticus 11:45: "You must prove yourselves holy, because I am holy." The apostle Peter repeated this requirement when he wrote: "In accord with the Holy One who called you, do you also become holy yourselves in all your conduct."-1 Peter 1:15.

Correction: We are made holy by our sincere trust in Jesus Christ.

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11.

 

Page 21: There is a tenth requirement that Jehovah has for those who worship him spirit and in truth-pure teaching. (John 4:23, 24) Jesus said to his followers: "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)

Correction: True worship comes from the heart not teaching.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: "Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion". Psalm 95:6-8.

Clarification: The truth is Jesus Christ.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6.

 

Page 21: The truth of the Bible frees us from God-dishonoring doctrines, such as the immortal soul, hellfire, and purgatory.

Correction: The souls of people who have rejected Jesus Christ will be destroyed in hellfire without end.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28.

Then He will also say to those on the left hand, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41.

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. Then he cried and said, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." Luke 16:22-24.

And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10.

 

Page 21: It frees us from the Babylonish mystery of Christendom's "Most Holy Trinity."

Correction: The main characteristic of God is His plurality.

That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 14:26.

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. John 15:26.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14.

 

Page 21: Jehovah's people are honored to bear his name and to be his Witnesses, even as Jesus Christ was a faithful witness to his Father.

Clarification: The Father also bore witness of the Son.

I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.

John 8:18.

 

Page 26: In December 1973, Nathan Knorr, then president of the Watch Tower Society, wrote both the Bethel Office and the Towers management, saying that the Society planned to 'move out of the Towers Hotel by October 1, 1974.' Brother Couch said that he was shocked because there was nowhere to house the Bethelites living in the Towers. The Towers management was also shocked, since they were relying on the Society's rent money to keep them going. The upshot was that the Towers management urged Jehovah's Witnesses to buy the hotel.

Note: Sounds like Nathan Knorr was a shrewd businessman.

 

Page 28: Fifty days from his resurrection, on the day of Pentecost, Jesus poured out holy spirit. What did that accomplish? For one thing, those who received the spirit were born again as spiritual sons of God with the hope of being corulers with Christ in heaven.

Correction: Boldness was given to the disciples to witnesses for Jesus Christ.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8.

 

Page 31: Have we not adopted the Hebrew word Jehovah? Is not the Kvolog, or Lord, of the Septuagint, a Greek substitute in countless instances for the Hebrew, Jehovah? Why not, then, restore the original word; and in the Old Testament religiously render Jehovah, by Jehovah; and every text in the New Testament, referring to the Old, by the Hebrew word in the text referred to?

Correction: The name Jehovah is not a Hebrew word.

Jehovah, name of the God of the Hebrew people as erroneously transliterated from the Masoretic Hebrew text. The word consists of the consonants JHVH or JHWH, with the vowels of a separate word, Adonai (Lord). Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia, Volume 15, page 24.

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