The Watchtower claims that in order to be saved, members of the earthly class must prove worthy by their works many times. First, they must prove worthy to be resurrected or to survive Armageddon in order to enter Christ’s coming millennial kingdom on earth. If they make it that far, they will have to overcome their sinful nature during those 1000 years, attain perfection, and then prove worthy again by passing a final test by Satan. If they pass that final test, they will obtain everlasting life and be back to where Adam was before he sinned. They will still be capable of sinning, though, just as Adam was, so in order to escape annihilation they must continue to prove worthy throughout all of eternity.
Not all Witnesses are aware of these requirements. If they are aware of them, they may not have put them all together and seen that they are impossible to attain. In previous articles, I have cited Watchtower literature you can show them in order to establish all this. However, that method is pretty confrontational.
If you prefer a less confrontational approach that doesn’t require a lot of documentation, you might begin simply by asking this question: “Exactly what do I need to do to become acceptable to God?” Continue reading
How are the Great Crowd supposed to achieve moral perfection?
The Great Crowd must attain perfection during the millennial kingdom
In Romans 10:1-3, Paul reveals something regarding his fellow Israelites which I believe applies equally to Jehovah’s Witnesses. “Brothers,” Paul says, “my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.”
Because of the Watchtower teaching that only the anointed 144,000 are in the new covenant, at their annual Memorial service (their version of communion) only those who profess to be in this special class are allowed to partake of the bread and wine. Others are encouraged to attend, but they are required to pass the bread and wine by. This includes all Jehovah’s Witnesses who are in the great crowd, because the Watchtower says that the new covenant in Christ’s blood is not for them.
