Can we earn our salvation by our works?

The Watchtower’s answer to that question is, “No.”

Based on that, an unsuspecting Christian might well think, “Oh, I guess the Watchtower accords with Paul.”

Not so!

You can get to the heart of the matter by asking this question:

  • Do we have to prove worthy by our works in order to obtain salvation?

If they are honest, they should answer that question, “Yes.”

Consider this statement from a 1998 Watchtower: “Since Pentecost 33 C.E., spiritual Israelites have endeavored to prove worthy of God’s undeserved kindness so that the ‘acceptable time’ would be ‘a day of salvation’ for them.”[1]

Draw the Witnesses out with your stone-in-the-shoe questions.

Despite the Watchtower’s heavy emphasis on works, it study book, What Does the Bible Really Teach? (pp. 192-193) denies that we can earn our salvation: “But did Paul mean that we earn ‘the real life’ by performing good works? No, for such marvelous prospects really depend on our receiving ‘undeserved kindness’ from God.”

What we need to understand is that the Watchtower teaches that good works are necessary for salvation—necessary, but not sufficient.

We also need God’s “undeserved kindness.”

In a way—even though it wouldn’t use these words—the Watchtower would agree with 2 Nephi 25:23 from the Book of Mormon, “…that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”

If the Witnesses tell you that we can’t earn our salvation, ask:

  • Are you trying to prove worthy of your salvation by your door-to-door ministry?
  • Do you believe you will be denied everlasting life if you don’t do enough witnessing?

The “Bible Teach” book doesn’t go into further detail, but the issue is so important that I recommend you discuss with the Witnesses the article entitled, “Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Trying to Earn Salvation by Their Door-to-Door Ministry?” which appears on the Watchtower’s website.

In answering that question in the negative, the Watchtower gives the following illustration:

Think of this comparison: Imagine that a benevolent man promised an expensive gift to everyone who showed up at a certain location on a given date. If you really believed the man’s promise, would you follow his instructions? No doubt! Likely, you would also tell your friends and family about the opportunity, so that they too could benefit from it. Even so, you wouldn’t earn the gift by following the man’s instructions. The gift is still a gift.

Here is a stone-in-the-shoe response I would recommend (the exact language isn’t important):

  • Let’s analyze the Watchtower’s argument by using a specific example. Suppose a car dealer promises to make a gift to you of the latest, top-of-the-line automobile in his showroom. But there’s a stipulation. In order to obtain the gift, you have to come to his office at noon tomorrow and prove to him that you have a valid driver’s license. I’m sure we would agree that this transaction would be a gift. Why? Because the requirements are inconsequential. No one would say that by meeting those simple conditions you had somehow earned the car.
  • But now let’s vary the scenario. Suppose that when you arrive at the dealership, the owner tells you that in order to receive the car you need to “prove worthy” of it.
  • Specifically, you will have to abide by all of his dealership’s rules and policies. You will have to attend training sessions each week so you will be knowledgeable about all the car’s features and the history of the dealership. You will be required to invest many hours for the rest of your life going door-to-door in your community telling people about his offer and trying to persuade them to do likewise. At the end of that time, if you have proved yourself worthy, then you will receive the car you were promised.

 Ask:

  • Don’t those additional requirements change the nature of the offer completely?
  • No matter what terminology he uses, in this situation is the dealer really giving you a gift?
  • Isn’t he really offering you a lifelong job with the car being your wages?
  • If you meet all of those requirements, then won’t you have earned that car?

If they persist in telling you that the offer was an undeserved kindness, you can say:

  • Think of it this way. Your boss wasn’t required to offer you a job, so in that sense his or her offer to hire you was an “undeserved kindness,” wasn’t it?
  • However, so long as you faithfully perform your duties, your wages aren’t a gift from the boss. You have earned them, haven’t you?

Summary

Ask the Witnesses:

  • Would you please spell out for me the kind of works you believe are necessary in order to prove worthy of everlasting life? I’m not going to argue with you. I would just like to hear your list.

Expect their list to include most of the following:

  • Continually take in knowledge of God and Christ
  • Exercise faith in Jesus’ ransom sacrifice
  • Obey each of God’s laws
  • Participate in the Watchtower Society’s meetings and other activities
  • Proclaim the good news of the kingdom door-to-door
  • Show love for others
  • Treat the name of Jehovah as holy and make it known to others

Ask:

  • How long do you have to do this?

For the rest of your life and throughout the coming 1000-year reign of Christ on earth, enduring faithfully until the end!

You can reply:

  • I’m not against any of those things, but I can’t help thinking that this sounds to me more like earning everlasting life than receiving it as a gift.
  • I’m reminded Romans 4:4-5: “Now to the man who works, his pay is not counted as an undeserved kindness but as something owed to him. On the other hand, to the man who does not work but puts faith in the One who declares the ungodly one righteous, his faith is counted as righteousness.”

Pray that God will use your questions and comments as stones in their shoes to lead them to come to Jesus by faith for salvation based on his sacrifice alone, and to realize that this step is the opposite of depending—even partially—on good works or affiliation with an organization.

 

[1] The Watchtower, “This Is the Day of Salvation!”, 12/15/1998, p. 19

 

 

 

 

 

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