What Do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe?



If I wanted to know more about you, I could do this in basically two ways. I could ask others about you, or I could get to know you. If I were to ask others, it may be that the people that I would ask might not like you. If this were the case, I would hardly get an honest impression of who you are.

The same is true of getting to know Jehovah's Witnesses. Since there are many people who speak against us, it would be a mistake to expect to learn the truth about us in that manner. So I am pleased that you decided to be more like the community leaders in first-century Rome. "We want to hear what you believe, for the only thing we know about these Christians is that they are denounced everywhere." (Acts 28:22 The Living Bible) And sad to say, this holds true on the Internet in our day. I am pleased to be able to tell you some of the principal beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Jesus Christ, God and the Bible

Since 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that "all Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial", we believe what the Bible says. There are those who claim that we are not really Christians, and this is not true. In fact, just as the apostle Peter said, There is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved." Acts 4:12

But, we keep in mind that Jesus himself said that he is "God's Son" and that his "Father sent him forth." (John 10:36; 6:57) Therefore, Jehovah's Witnesses believe that God in indeed greater than Jesus. Was it not Jesus himself who said, "The Father is greater than I am." (John 14:28; 8:28) We do not believe that Jesus is equal to his Father, or part of a Trinity. Rather, we believe that he was created by God and is under His authority. (Collossians 1:15; 1 Corinthians 11:3)

Just as you and I have names, God's name, in English, is Jehovah. At Psalms 83:18 the Bible says, "Thou whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high aver all the earth." (King James Version) Jesus even taught his followers to pray: "Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified." And he even prayed to God: " I have made your name known to the men you gave me." (Matthew 6:9; John 17:6)

Just like Jesus, we believe in making God's name and purposes known. Therefore we have taken the name Jehovah's Witnesses, in imitation of "the Faithful Witness," Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:5; 3:14) As it says in Isaiah 43:10 of God's people, " 'You are my witnesses,' is the utterance of Jehovah, 'even my servant whom I have chosen.' "

God's Kingdom

"Let your kingdom come," was what Jesus taught his disciples to pray for, and this was the main theme of his teaching while here on earth. (Matthew 6:10; Luke 4:43) We believe this kingdom to be a real government from heaven, one that will rule over the earth with Jesus as it's invisible King. "The government shall be upon his shoulder. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end." - Isaiah 9:6,7 (KJ)

Jesus Christ will rule along with many co-rulers with him in heaven. "If we go on enduring, we shall rule together as kings," said the apostle Paul. (2 Timothy 2:12) The Bible does limit the number of those humans who are to be ressurected to "one hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth/" - Revelation 14:1,3

AS with any government, there must be subjects, an we believe that billions more will be living here on the earth under the rulership of this government. The earth will be made into a paradise, and filled with worthy subjects of God's Kingdom, all submitting themselves to the reign of Jesus and his co-rulers. Therefore, Jehovah's Witnesses are convinced that the earth will never be destroyed. The Bible's promise will be fulfilled. "The righteous themselves will poses the earth, and they will reside forever upon it." - Psalms 37:26; 104:5

But how will all this come about. Will it be by people adopting a philosophy of peace? No. The Bible shows quite realisticly that the coming of this Kingdom will need God's direct intervention in earths affairs: "The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself...will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to time indefinite." -Daniel 2:44

When will this happen? According to Bible propfesies, we believe that time to come in the very near future. Here are some prophecies we would like for you to consider. Please look them up in your own copy of the Bible. Matthew 24:3-14; Luke 21:7-13, 25-31 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5.