Contrasts

by Joy Westervelt

(Originally printed in the July/August 1995 MCOI Journal. This piece contrasts the teaching of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society with the Bible)

The 5/15/95 Watchtower states thee following on page 10: “In our appreciation for the Scriptures instead of tradition, we Witnesses of Jehovah resemble the early Christians.” Is this a true picture of the Watchtower Society?

Does the Watchtower Society really teach Bible truths, or are they following the teachings of men? Do they really have true appreciation of the Scriptures?

Let’s examine some words of the Bible and CONTRAST those words with how the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) might read if it were REWRITTEN according to the teaching of the *Watchtower Bible & Tract Society:

*I will be using the designation WTBTS for the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.

THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION

BIBLE: 1 John 5:1a

“EVERYONE who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.”

WTBTS amplified: 1 John 5:1 a

ONLY THOSE who commit to the standards of Jehovah’s Organization and are born after John the Baptist and before 1935 are born of God. Exceptions are made as undeserving ones fall away from Jehovah’s Organization. Only then is there an opening for someone younger to be born of God. God’s holy spirit will let that one know if they are the one.

BIBLE: Romans 10:9

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘JESUS IS LORD,’ and believe in your heart that God RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, you will BE SAVED.”

WTBTS amplified: Romans 10:9

That if you confess with your mouth ‘JESUS IS A CREATED GOD’ and believe in your heart that God RECREATED JESUS AS A SPIR IT CREATURE, you will HAVE A CHANCE TO BE SAVFD if you remain faithful during the Final test at the end of the millennium.

BIBLE: Romans 10:10

“For it is with your HEART that you believe and are justified, and it is with your MOUTH that you confess and ARE SAVED.”

WTBTS amplified: Romans 10:10

For it is BY YOUR EFFORT that you exercise faith and by your WORKS that you are justified, AND THAT OF YOUR OWN MERIT, It is with your mouth that you spread the kingdom message to tell the world that they, like you, can HAVE A CHANCE to find salvation.

BIBLE: Romans 10:13 b

“For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”

WTBTS amplified: Romans 1O:13 b (with WT amplification)

For only those who pronounce Jehovah’s name correctly and align themselves with the Faithful and Discreet slave, have a chance to find salvation.

REGARDING CREATION

BIBLE: Isaiah 44:24b

“I am the LORD, who has made all things, who ALONE stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth BY MYSELF.”

WTBTS amplified: Isaiah 44:24b

I Jehovah, am doing everything, stretching out the heavens WITH ONLY THE HELP OF MY JUNIOR PARTNER, laying out the earth. ONLY A LITTLE GOD WAS WITH ME.

BIBLE: John 1:3

“Through Him (Jesus) ALL things were made: WITHOUT HIM NOTHING WAS MADE THAT HAS BEEN MADE.”

WTBTS amplified: John 1:3

Through him (Jesus) ALMOST EVERYTHING was made; himself excluded.

ONLY ONE GOD

BIBLE: Isaiah 45:5a

“I am the LORD , and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.”

WTBTS amplified: Isaiah 45:5a

I am Jehovah, and there is only one other; apart from me, there is only one other god.

THE CHRIST

BIBLE: Luke 2:11

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you HE IS CHRIST THE LORD.”

WTBTS amplified: Luke 2:11

Because there was born to you today in David’s city a Savior, who WILL BECOME THE CHRIST AT HIS BAPTISM,

THE HOLY SPIRIT

BIBLE: Acts 5:3 & 4

“Then Peter said. ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have LIED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT and have kept for yourself some of the money… What made you think you could do such a thing? You have not lied to men but TO GOD.'”

WTBTS amplified: Acts 5:3 & 4

But Peter said: “Ananias, why has Satan emboldened you to play false TO THE HOLY SPIRIT and to hold back secretly some of the price…You have played false, not to men, but to GOD’S ACTIVE FORCE.’ hmmm…Peter had a perfect opportunity to proclaim to the world that the Holy Spirit was only a force. Why didn’t he call him that? Why did he call him “God”? Can a “force” be lied to?

THE HEAVENLY CITY

BIBLE: Hebrews 11:10& 16

“For he [Abraham| was looking forward to a city with foundations, whose architect and BUILDER IS GOD…Instead, they (Abel. Enoch. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Sarah] were longing for a better country – a HEAVENLY ONE. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

WTBTS amplified: Hebrews 11:10 & 16

For Abraham was looking forward to a city that the GREAT CROWD WOULD BUILD, the new earth. The other saints will be xeroxed one by one to live on THE EARTH with the great crowd. What a wonderful day that will he.

THE SECOND COMING

BIBLE: Matthew 24:26 & 27

“So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert.’ DO NOT GO OUT: or ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightening that comes from the east is VISIBLE even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

WTBTS amplified: Matthew 24:26 & 27

So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ MAKE SURK YOU CHECK IT OUT; or ‘Here he is in the inner rooms,” HAVE FAITH, FOR ONLY THOSE WITH EYES OF UNDERSTANDING WILL REALIZE THIS, For as lightening that comes from the east shines even to the west, so the PRESENCE of The Son of man will NOT be. No one will actually see the Son when he comes. His PRESENCE will be INVISIBLE, seen only by those with eyes of understanding.

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS

BIBLE: Luke 24:37- 39

“They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. IT IS I MYSELF! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.'”

WTBTS amplified: Luke 24:37-39

…they were imagining they beheld a spirit. [They were quite correct in “imagining” that Jesus was only a spirit creature, for such he WAS, but Jesus knew that they were not really ready to understand this yet] So, in order to assure them that it really WAS THE SAME JESUS who had died and been buried, even though he knew that he was REALLY a DIFFERENT “SPIRIT” JESUS who had only materialized a similar body to the one he had been crucified in, he said, ‘why are you troubled, why do doubts arise in your mind?” He told them to behold the hands and feet of the phony materialized “Jesus body” standing before them so that they would be convinced that “Jesus” was alive {although in time they would understand that it’s OK if it is not the same Jesus, as long as Jehovah made this new one too.) hmmmm… we have no Biblical record to show when (or IF!!!} the disciples “got it” concerning the spirit body of Jesus, but we do know that CT Russell “got it” in 1874 when Jesus did not show up in physical form as he was then expected by the Bible Students. It became “clear” to Russell and his associates that Jesus MUST BE an invisible spirit creature, OR Russell’s date setting chronology concerning 1874 was in error…

BIBLE: 1 Corinthians 15: 3 & 4

“For what I received I passed on to you as of FIRST IMPORTANCE that Christ DIED FOR OUR SINS according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that HE WAS RAISED on the third day according to the Scriptures,”

WTBTS amplified: 1 Corinthians 15: 3 & 4

For what I received I passed on to you as of MINIMAL IMPOR TANCE, that Christ PASSED INTO NON-EXISTENCE. FOREVER DEAD, FOR THE ANOINTED, FOR THE SIN OF ADAM, and that another Jesus was RECREATED from the memory of Jehovah on the third day.

THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION

BIBLE: Psalm 49:6-9

“NO MAN can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him-the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-that he should live on forever and not see decay.”

WTBTS amplified: Psalm 49:6-9

Not one of them can by any means redeem even a brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. Not one. that is, EXCEPTTHE ONE THAT I CREATED. Of course,he must be merely man in order to redeem his brother. Remember the law of a corresponding ransom!

BIBLE: Romans 10:11-13

“As the Scripture says. ‘ANYONE WHO TRUSTS IN HIM will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between the Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses ALL WHO CALL ON HIM.”

WTBTS amplified: Romans 10:11-13

ONLY THOSE who come to Jehovah through his Organization and are sure to make it through that final test will never be put to shame. For there is no difference between the Jew and Gentile (don’t mistake this for meaning that there is no difference between the anointed class and the great crowd). There is the same Lord over all, who is rich toward ALL THOSE WHO FOLLOW the narrow way, not the way of Christendom. THE WAY OF THE. ORGANIZATION.

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

BIBLE: Luke 24:45-48

“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and RISE FROM THE DEAD on the third day. and REPHN-TANCE AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS ***WILL BE PREACHED IN HIS NAME TO ALL NATIONS,*** beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

WTBTS amplified: Luke 24:45-48

Then he opened their minds fully to grasp the meaning of the Scriptures, and he said to them: In this way it is written that the Christ would suffer and be RECREATED from the memory of Jehovah on the third clay. He will appear to be risen, but you will eventually understand the true meaning of his appearances.

ANOTHER GOSPEL?

If you, as a Jehovah’s Witness, can see that the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society has not been honest in their interpretation of Bible truths, and would like more information, please contact me.

Untangling this issue’s Spider’s Web in Joy Westervelt. Jov is a consultant/researcher for “Those Other Gospels”, a counter cult ministry, based in Harrison, NJ. She works directly with Jehovah’s Witnesses at Kingdom Halls in New Jersey, and is involved in ministry with them on America-on-Line. She in available for counseling services where needed. Joy’s husband, Jim is a pastor who travels from church to church. They have three children and three grandchildren. You can reach Joy at:

“Those Other Gospels”
Box 633
Totowa, NJ 07512