Jehovah's Witnesses
A movement founded in the 1870s by Charles Taze Russell and led today by the Governing Body of the Watch Tower Society. It denies the Trinity and the deity of Christ, and teaches that salvation comes through faithful obedience to its organization.
Jesus is a created being, not God
Jesus is the eternal Word who was with God and was God. He was not created; all things were created through him.
John 1:1-3; John 8:58; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:8; Titus 2:13
Jesus is Michael the archangel
The Son is far greater than the angels. God commands all the angels to worship him, something never said of any angel.
Hebrews 1:4-8; Hebrews 1:13; Jude 9; Philippians 2:9-11
The Holy Spirit is an impersonal force
The Holy Spirit is a person who speaks, teaches and can be grieved, and lying to him is lying to God.
Acts 5:3-4; Acts 13:2; John 16:13-14; Ephesians 4:30
The Trinity is a pagan teaching
There is one God, who exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All three are named together as the one God we are baptised into.
Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 20:28
Jesus rose as a spirit, not in his body
Jesus rose bodily from the grave. He showed his wounds, ate food and said a spirit does not have flesh and bones as he did.
Luke 24:39-43; John 2:19-21; John 20:27; 1 Corinthians 15:17
Salvation is earned by obedience to the organization
Salvation is a free gift received by faith in Christ alone, not earned by works, door-to-door preaching or loyalty to any group.
Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Romans 4:5; John 6:28-29
Only 144,000 go to heaven and are born again
Every believer must be born again and is a child of God. Heaven is promised to a great multitude from every nation, not a select few.
John 3:3; Galatians 3:26; Revelation 7:9; Philippians 3:20
The Watchtower is God's only channel of truth
Christ is the only mediator between God and people. The Watchtower has made failed predictions, such as for 1914 and 1975, and Scripture says such a prophet is not from God.
1 Timothy 2:5; Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Acts 17:11; 1 John 2:27
The soul ceases to exist at death and there is no hell
The soul continues after death. Believers go to be with Christ and unbelievers face eternal, conscious punishment.
Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:22-24; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23
Blood transfusions are forbidden by God
The command concerns eating blood, not receiving medical care. God values human life, and refusing life-saving treatment is not required of believers.
Leviticus 17:10-12; Acts 15:20; Mark 3:4; John 15:13