“Salvation is the theme of the Bible. Truths set forth here concern issues that were settled ‘before the creation of the world’ but remain as relevant as today’s top new story. No other issue deserves our time and attention more than this one.”
(Charles R. Swindoll)
Salvation is broken up into three phases. This article will demonstrate the first phase that of salvation itself, and the prerequisite of Jehovah to receiving His gift. My next article will address the other two phases – sanctification and glorification.
The Promise Of God
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NASB)
God made mankind a promise. In John 3:16, He communicated how eternal salvation is to be received. Vitally important, however, is to glean what God did not say. Let us focus our attention on what is missing in John 3:16, and in so doing, we will discover what the Holy Spirit was communicating.
God The Father did not enumerate a list of things to do before one could receive eternal salvation, as the Watchtower boldly asserts below:
“come to Jehovah’s organization for salvation” WT 11-15-1981, p.21
“ … persons … will not be assured of everlasting life until they prove faithful against a final attack by Satan the Devil.” (Life … Purpose, p.177)
“Jesus is the mediator only for anointed Christians … The ‘great crowd’ … is not in that new covenant.” (WT 4/1/1979, p.31)
Jehovah never communicates Watchtower dogma (quoted above) in Scripture. Rather, Jehovah promises to give eternal life to anyone who believes in His Son without any other condition.
Fellowship with Christ is essential, but is not a prerequisite to receiving salvation. Discipleship comes after salvation is received. I will elaborate on that subject in a coming article, when I address phases two and three.
Before I continue, let me say that all my articles are written to rebut Watchtower doctrine. Because the Organization fails to accurately teach biblical theology, thereby leading millions to their eternal state (not heaven but eternal punishment), I am compelled to categorically refute their doctrine in written form. This is the ministry Jehovah has given me, and one I truly enjoy. Let me now continue:
The simplicity of God’s Word is extremely profound. To help us truly grasp what the antidote is for eternal life, the Apostle John, writes:
“If we receive the witness men give, the witness God gives is greater, because this is the witness God gives, the fact that he has borne witness concerning his Son. The [person] putting his faith in the Son of God has the witness given in his own case. The [person] not having faith in God has made him a liar, because he has not put his faith in the witness given, which God as witness has given concerning his Son. And this is the witness given, that God gave us everlasting life, and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has this life; he that does not have the Son of God does not have this life. I write you these things that you may know that you have life everlasting, you who put your faith in the name of the Son of God.” (1John 5:9-13, NWT)
“The thrust of the paragraph is the testimony of God Himself concerning His Son (5:9), and the one who believes this testimony has an inner persuasion or testimony in his heart. On the other hand, the one who does not believe it says, in effect, that God lies (5:10).
What is the ‘content’ of God’s testimony? That is answered in 5:11-12: ‘God has given us eternal life, and this life in is His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does have the Son of God does not have life.’
The essence of God’s testimony to us is that He gives eternal life to those who trust in His Son. Why did John write ‘these things’ about believing His Son? So that ‘you may know that you have eternal life’ (1John 5:13).’ This is a strong word of assurance of eternal life to those who believe in the Son of God. This, too, parallels what Jesus said in John 5:24: ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting live.’” (Salvation, Earl D. Radmacher, pg. 212)
Faith in Christ alone is Jehovah’s prerequisite for life eternal. Mans doctrines are of no consequence. In other words, if you believe in Jehovah’s Son, you are saved.
Sanctification / Glorification
My next article will focus on phases two and three, sanctification and glorification. I will also discuss the importance of having fellowship with Christ.
Here Is Something I Want You To Think About
A text without context becomes a pretext for a proof-text.
In other words, it becomes an erroneous text.
Because the Watchtower practices this kind of methodology (pulling a text from its original context and building their own Bible doctrine), my next article will demonstrate how they do this and how to guard against this attack on God’s Word.
Tags: 144.000, Bible, Bible vs. Watchtower, Christian, Christianity, Christianity 101, Cochise Pendleton, Cults, Ex Jehovah's Witnesses, Faithful and Discreet Slave, Jesus Christ
The Bible vs. The Watchtower 
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