Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Worldview

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Analysis of the Opposing Worldview
Critique of the Opposing Worldview
Defense of Christianity
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

The Adventist group was established in the 1830s after the revelation of William Miller, who prophesied that Jesus Christ would return to earth, but when his prophecy failed to materialize, the movement split into factions. One of these splinter groups was organized by Charles Russell, who started disputing some of the traditional perspectives within Christianity and established himself as a controversial and independent Adventist teacher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His followers originally called themselves Bible Students, who devoted themselves to intense study of the group’s literature. Russell continued to minister, convert, and publish magazines, which were distributed from door-to-door and on streets and made the group’s membership grow into neighboring states, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) were born. Although JWs share similarities with Christian denominations, the followers do not believe that Christ is divine; instead, they consider him a lesser god. While Christians believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are forms of God’s presence, the Jehovah’s Witnesses think that Jehovah is the true God and the other two are separate entities.

Analysis of the Opposing Worldview

The JW adherents believe in various orthodox Christian views and several perspectives that are unique to the group. However, the major point of contention between Witnesses and various Christian denominations is their worldview of the Holy Trinity. The main diversion between these two factions is that JW followers do not believe in the unity of Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost as a single being. The Witnesses affirm that Father, also referred to as Jehovah, is the only the most high God. On the other hand, they view Jesus Christ as the Archangel Michael or the firstborn created by Jehovah before everything and the physical world existed. In this context, Jesus is not equal to the Father, in eternity or power, though he is a mighty god. Therefore, the Witnesses concluded that Jesus was inferior to God since he was created. The Witnesses’ non-Trinitarian teachings also liken the Holy Spirit to powerful, impersonal, and unseen force under the control of the supreme God.

JWs use the New World Translation (NWT) of the Holy Scripture to defend their view. For instance, regarding the Trinity, the group relies on various verses to disprove Trinitarian perspectives. For example, the Bible asserts that Jesus was created in the image of the invisible Father, and he is the firstborn over everything that was created. From this verse, Witnesses believe that Jesus has a beginning and, therefore, he cannot be eternal.

JWs view the Holy Ghost as God’s active force, while Christians consider the entity as also God himself. Another verse that supports the Witnesses’ perspective is derived from the words of the angel of Laodicea, which indicate that Jesus is the origin of God’s creation. Therefore, Jesus was a perfect human form while he was on earth, and he was not a god in the flesh. Witnesses take Christ at his word (he never thought of himself as equal to God), particularly when he said, “the Father is superior than I am.” The group’s objection to Jesus’ deity is perhaps the most cardinal since they do not worship him as a divine supernatural being.

JWs do not support the triune God because the scripture never clearly mentions the word “trinity.” Research shows that during the first few centuries, traditional Christians never viewed Jesus as equal and eternal like God, rather as a subordinate. This is because Christ had a beginning, and he was created by God. The historical data links the Trinity doctrine from creeds and pagan origins that developed gradually over many centuries. For instance, in 325 AD, the council of Nicea declared that Jesus is Lord. Similarly, in 381 AD and 451 AD, the assembly in Constantinople and Chalcedon proclaimed that the Holy Ghost is God and Jesus is both God and man, respectively. Therefore, perhaps the society’s respect for the creed given by the councils made believers accept the Trinitarian teachings, even though it is not mentioned in the scripture. The sovereignty of Jehovah is supported by several verses in the Bible that affirm the Witnesses’ belief in one God. Thus, this is the evidence JW adherents use to support the view that Christ is Jehovah’s (God) son and totally separate from his Father.

The concept of the Trinitarian view is inconsistent with the scripture. This is because it contradicts what Christ himself, the apostles, prophets, and the early Christians taught and believed. The group also finds it challenging to comprehend the notion of one God made of three separate persons or entities persons. Therefore, they easily reject the triune of God because it is confusing and contrary to normal human reasoning. When a particular phenomenon is perceived as beyond human understanding, they also believe that even the scripture cannot possibly teach it.

Critique of the Opposing Worldview

JW’s beliefs on the nonexistence of the Holy Trinity contradict the teachings in the Bible. Witnesses’ consider Jesus as an angel who was created by God. They also perceive him to be a lesser God because he was created. However, several accounts from the scriptures portray Jesus as an eternal God who is equal to God the Father. Christ is depicted as an eternal God who shares the same divinity and power as God. In the New Testament, Jesus clarifies to his disciples that he and God the Father are one; therefore, those who have seen Christ have seen God. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead back to life. This can only prove that Jesus shares in the divinity of God. The Old Testament describes Archangel Michael as a protector of the Israelites. In contrast, Jesus is described as the mighty God who is the Lord of Lords. Therefore, the view of Jesus being a lesser God may be inaccurate.

JW’s perception of the Holy Spirit as an impersonal being may be untrue. The Bible indicates that even before creation, the Spirit of God was present. Additionally, when Jesus ascended into heaven, he promised to send his followers a helper to assist them in preaching God’s teachings. This shows that the Holy Ghost is a person and not a mere force. The scripture also refers to the Holy Spirit as a “He” because he has several personal attributes. The Holy Spirit has a will, emotions, and a mind. This may explain why the scripture states that the Holy Spirit may be grieved. Similarly, the scripture demonstrates the personal roles performed by the Holy Spirit. In this case, he teaches, testifies for Christ, and intercedes on behalf of Christians. All these accounts stress the personality of the Holy Spirit. Although the Holy Ghost is a distinct entity, He is part of the Holy Trinity. Acts 5:3-4 likens lying to the Holy Ghost to being untruthful to God. Thus, the view of the Holy Spirit as a mere force may be misguided.

Contrary to the JW’s beliefs, there is Biblical evidence about the triune of God. Many JW followers oppose the view of the Trinity because it is not exclusively mentioned in the Bible. Instead, they base their views on Catholic Encyclopedia and revisionist history to prove their arguments that the Trinitarian teaching is entirely pagan. Nevertheless, several passages in the scripture suggest the existence of the Trinity. For instance, the Bible affirms the existence of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost in heaven, who are united as one. Hence, these accounts signify the triune of God. Understanding the Holy Trinity may be challenging for the human mind. The nature of God is very complex; for instance, it is difficult to fathom how the universe was created in six days. It is also hard to explain how God became a human being through Christ. In the same way, Christians may be unable to comprehend the triune of God, but that does not rule out its existence.

Defense of Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion founded on the belief in one true God who is the maker of the universe. However, Christians trust in the oneness of God, who exists in three distinct entities as the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. Various evidence from the Bible supports the triune of God. For example, in Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness…” This proves that God existed as a triune even before the world was created. Also, during the creation stories, the Bible states that God created man in his own image. These creations stories depict God as a triune and emphasize His oneness. Likewise, after the resurrection of Jesus and before he ascended into heaven, he urged his disciples to preach the gospel to different countries. The disciples were also to baptize Christians in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thus, there is a lot of evidence in the Bible supporting Christians’ belief in the Holy Trinity.

The Bible portrays Jesus and the Father as different persons. Throughout the New Testament, there are instances where the scriptures show the relationship between Christ and God. Jesus describes the overwhelming love of God, who sent his only Son to save the world. The belief that Jesus was crucified and died to redeem Christians portrays him as a separate entity from God the Father. This is because God, who is perceived to be in heaven, sent Jesus to earth to redeem humanity. Also, in Jesus’ teachings, he asserts that all things have been given to him by his Father. He also stresses that no one has the knowledge of the son apart from the Father, and nobody knows the Father except the Son. ²⁴Similarly, Jesus explains the unity of the Father and the Son by stating that the Son only follows what the Father does. The verse proves that God and Jesus Christ are distinct forms, yet they are united as one. Therefore, many accounts in the New Testament depict the existence of God in two distinct forms (Father and Son).

Christians perceive the Holy Spirit as a separate entity from the Father and Son. According to the Bible, the Spirit of God existed even before the universe was created. The scripture gives an account of how the earth was empty and covered in darkness while the Spirit of God drifted over the water. Additionally, during Jesus’ ascension into heaven, he promises to pray to God to send another helper who will dwell with the disciples and help them spread the gospel. The helper is perceived as God’s Spirit whose purpose is to guide Christians to abide by God’s teachings. The Bible also describes Christians as God’s temples within which God’s Spirit lives. Another account in the Bible asserts that God sent the Holy Spirit who dwells amongst the Christians. These verses depict the Holy Ghost as a distinct entity from the Father and the Son. This is because while God and Christ are professed to be in heaven, the Holy Spirit lives among the Christians.

The Bible portrays each entity of God as having a distinct divine function. Throughout the scripture, Christians can understand the role of God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost. The Genesis accounts of creation depict God the Father as the creator of the world. He created birds, fish, trees, the sky, and human beings, amongst other creatures. The role of Jesus described in the Bible was to save humanity from sin and restore a good relationship between Christians and God. This is portrayed through the New Testament, where Jesus teaches about the kingdom of God and how to communicate with God through prayer. On the other hand, the divine function of the Holy Spirit is to guide and comfort Christians as well as to intercede for them to God. The Holy Spirit also fills Christians with love, joy, peace, and happiness. Hence, Christians believe in the concept of the Trinity because each entity of God performs its own distinct functions.

Despite the existence of God in three forms, the scriptures emphasize the oneness of God. The trinity assists Christians in comprehending the complex nature of God. Even though God exists in separate entities, the Bible portrays him as one. In his teachings, Jesus emphasizes that he is one with the Father. Jesus also teaches his disciples that whoever has seen him has seen God because he (Jesus) is in the Father, and God is in him. Regarding the oneness of the Holy Spirit and God, the scriptures liken lying to the Holy Ghost as equivalent to deceiving God. Additionally, the Bible shows that God is the Spirit who brings freedom to Christians. Therefore, Christians believe in the Trinity because different accounts from the Bible support this view. However, although God is portrayed to exist in different entities, the scriptures emphasize the oneness of God.

Conclusion

The worldview of JW developed and was formalized in the 19^th century. This was the period when the ideas of premillennialism were common in the United States. It was also when most believers expected the return of Christ and the imminent Armageddon. However, when the second coming of Jesus did come to pass, as earlier prophesied by William Miller, the Adventist movement disintegrated into different factions. JW adherents started meeting in private homes to discuss scripture and developed a unique interpretation of the Bible that differed them from the rest of mainstream Christian denominations. One of the major differences between JWs’ and Christians’ beliefs is the trinity doctrine. While JW adherents think that Jehovah is the true God and that the Son and Holy Ghost as distinct beings, Christians believe in the oneness of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Bibliography

Bible, New International Version (NIV)

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Deigloriam. A.M. God’s Messengers. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2021.

Elliott M. Paul. “What Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Teach About the Trinity?” Teaching the Word Ministries. Web.

Hull, Timothy. Faith and Modern Thought: The Modern Philosophers for Understanding Modern Theology. Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books, 2020.

Jehovah’s Witnesses. “Should You Believe in the Trinity?” Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. Web.

Knox, Zoe. Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Secular World: From the 1870s to the Present. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.

Lucci, Diego. “From Unitarianism to Deism: Matthew Tindal, John Toland, and the Trinitarian Controversy.” Open Edition Journals, no. 35 (2019): 1-31.

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