Do we have to earn our salvation by our works?
Given that the Watchtower teaches that works are a prerequisite to salvation, I would expect its answer to that question to be “Yes.”
Quite surprisingly, though, it says just the opposite! Continue reading
Because James 2:26 says, “Faith without works is dead,” the Watchtower teaches that works are a prerequisite to salvation.
In contrast, the Bible teaches that good works are an important part of genuine Christianity but that they are the products of salvation, not the prerequisites to salvation. Continue reading
In the Watchtower Bible translation, Ephesians 2:8 says, “By this undeserved kindness you have been saved through faith, and this is not of your own doing; rather, it is God’s gift.” (emphasis added)
Despite that, Jehovah’s Witnesses would never say that they have been saved. Continue reading
The Watchtower teaches that salvation is a reward for faithfulness: “Jehovah rewards his faithful servants with life, but life of what kind?” (What Does the Bible Really Teach?, p. 192)
Likewise an online article states, “Jesus saved faithful humans when he gave his life as a ransom sacrifice. (Matthew 20:28).” (emphasis added)
Faithful humans?
If faithfulness is a prerequisite to salvation, we are all in serious trouble because our faithfulness to God is spotty at best. Continue reading
In last week’s post, I asked the question, “How exactly can a sinner who has never been indwelt by the Holy Spirit through the new birth possibly live the righteous kind of life modeled by Jesus?”
That’s a rhetorical question—it’s impossible.
But the Watchtower’s answer seems to be that by striving non-stop, you can do it—that is, by striving diligently, you can change your personality to make yourself into the righteous person God wants you to be.
We can see the difference by looking at how Christians and Jehovah’s Witnesses deal with two key passages of scripture— Colossians 3:9-10 and Ephesians 2:22-24. Continue reading
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