Are You a Good Person?

Lately, a few Jehovah's Witnesses have been stopping by the house.  I have been at a loss as to how to deal with this, because I can tell from the way they share their faith that the emphasis is not put on the fact that true salvation can only be found through Jesus Christ. 

I have had several visits and conversations with one woman, who, after she found out that I was a Christian, was constantly trying to convince me that I have to go out on a "mission" from door to door, trying to save others or I will be guilty by God's standards and sent to hell.  Now really, that's how you think you'll be saved, by going door to door?
She pointed out a Bible verse (I forget which now) that expressed this commandment to share your faith and I know that it's true: other than your own salvation, nothing is more important than bringing others to Christ, saving them from condemnation.  That's part of the reason I started this blog.  I don't have a lot of interaction with the world outside of our home, so it's my way of sharing my faith.

I really wanted to be prepared for the next visit, so I read the wiki on Jehovah's Witnesses to find out more about their faith.  According to the wiki, JWs believe that "only Jehovah's Witnesses 'have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system', but that God decides who will survive. Those whom God chooses to save—survivors and resurrected individuals—will have the opportunity to live forever in an earthly paradise, ruled by Christ and 144,000 humans raised to heaven."  Hmm...   Does this seem like an arbitrary system to you?  Does it make sense?  Why did Christ die for us if God ultimately chooses those 144,000 select who get to live forever?  And, the ultimate question, why are Jehovah's Witnesses so bent on recruiting more Jehovah's Witnesses when it decreases the likelihood of their own chance of living eternally in heaven with Jesus?

I admit I don't have the intellect to completely understand God - no one does.  All we can do is interpret the Bible the best we can, but this seems a very poor interpretation to me.  1 John 5:11-12 says "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this eternal life."  Doesn't this verse alone completely break down the validity of the JWs beliefs?

But there's a better way to handle this the next time these wonderfully nice and sincere ladies come to my door - I'm going to try sharing the gift of salvation the way Jesus would.  Have you heard of Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron and their ministry, Way of the Master?  If you haven't, I'll give you a simple break down of the way they share their faith and seek to save the lost.

When conversing with someone who is lost, instead of going on and on about how Jesus has brought love and happiness to their lives, Ray and Kirk, ask that person if they think they're a good person.  Most people really think they are.  Do you think you're a good person?  You've never killed anyone, right?  There are lots of people who are worse than you.  But try holding yourself to the ten commandments.  If you've ever told a lie, even a teeny weensy white lie, God considers you a liar.  If you've ever had impure thoughts about someone, you've committed adultery already in you're heart.  So by God's standards, the ten commandments laid out in the Bible, you are guilty.

Now, the God I know, the perfect and just God of the Bible, is not going to let sin go unpunished (are you listening, Jehovah's Witnesses?).  So those that are guilty are condemned to hell.  We are all sinners. We are all condemned.   Here's where Jesus comes in.  By living a perfect life, like an unblemished lamb, and then suffering and dying on the cross, he was sacrificed and therefore paid the fine for all the world's sins, for your sins.   You were sentenced to hell by a just God, but if you repent of your sins and have faith in Jesus, he will step in as though paying your fine so that you'll be cleared of all charges.

Ray and Kirk's way of teaching, "seeking and saving the lost the way Jesus did", so they say is the most in line with Biblical principles that I've found.  It makes sense.  You have to know you're a sinner before you even want to seek salvation.  It's what Jesus taught. For a great video that goes more into detail on what Ray and Kirk do, please click this link: "Hell's Best Kept Secret".  If you don't have time to watch the whole thing (almost 40 minutes) at least watch part of it.  You won't be disappointed.

So back to the Jehovah's Witnesses.  I really believe they're breaking the second commandment by believing the things they do.  They're making up their very own nonsensical God, holding so much importance on their own interpretation of the Bible, which doesn't seem to hold up to me.  I think, also, that a lot can be said about a particular belief by how they treat each other.  Jehovah's Witnesses shun non-believers and sinners.  Okay, this is a little cliche, but "What would Jesus do?"  He did exactly the opposite - he preferred to spend his time with the most shameful of sinners.  They are also in the practice of "disfellowshipping" members who do not follow certain protocol.  Another very un-Jesus-like thing to do.

Now, I am not trying to judge here.  I'm just attempting to examine this faith logically, and hopefully come up with something that will help these nice ladies to choose to be saved.  The God Jehovah's Witnesses worship is only going to choose 144,000 of use to live eternal with Jesus in the end.  He's going to pick his "favorites" during the end out of all the Jehovah's Witnesses only.  Deuteronomy 32:4 says "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he."  A perfect God would not act arbitrarily.  He would also never send his only begotten son as a sacrifice where none was needed and he was just going to do what he wants in the end.  I just cannot see how the Bible could be interpreted this way.

It seems the Jehovah's Witnesses are trying to get to heaven by good works, like most religions, and I'm sorry to say they'll be lost in the end.  The truth is that we do not get to heaven by deeds, because even though God is just and would condemn us, rightfully, to hell, he loves us so very much that he sent his only son as a sacrifice to pay for our sins so that we could be saved.  That's what Way of the Master teaches, and that's in line with the Bible - God's Word.  Now, with God's help, I'll be able to get that message across the next time these nice (but not good) ladies coming knocking at my door.  Pray for them and please share your thoughts if you think I'm out of line.

Love & Blessings,