Some time ago, a subscriber to my blog wrote and asked me to do some posts about the differences between the Jesus of the Watchtower and the Jesus of the Bible.

I thought that was a great idea, so today we begin a new blog series entitled “Answering Watchtower Misconceptions About Jesus.”

Now, to Jehovah’s Witnesses, all doctrinal issues are salvation issues, including blood transfusions, military service, holiday celebrations, and the like.

Because of that, we often need to address those issues with them. That’s especially true if some topic is a “defining issue” for the Witness with whom we are meeting.

As an example, one time my wife and I were meeting with a Jehovah’s Witness, and the only thing he would discuss with us was the issue of paid clergy. Christendom couldn’t have “the truth” because they have a “clergy class” and pay them money for their services. True servants of Jehovah should work for free.

We had to address that issue before he would go on to anything else.

That said, as Christians we know that at some point we need to focus their attention on Christology—that is, the person, nature, and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why? Because that really is critical to our salvation.

A person can be wrong about a lot of things and still be saved, but if we are wrong about who Jesus is or about what he came to do, we can be lost for all eternity.

  • John 5:39-40: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”
  • John 8:58: “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
  • John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
  • Acts 4:11-12: “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Accordingly, the posts in this series will center on Watchtower misconceptions about Jesus.

The posts will cover a number of areas:

  • Introduction to the series
  • Misconceptions about the nature of Jesus
  • Misconceptions about Jesus’ earthly ministry
  • Misconceptions about Jesus and salvation
  • Misconceptions about Jesus’ death and resurrection
  • Misconceptions about Jesus and Watchtower authority
  • Misconceptions about Jesus’ role in the end times

We’ll look at what the Watchtower teaches about Jesus, in what ways they are in error, and how we can get through to Jehovah’s Witnesses regarding what the Bible actually says about him.