SHORT CHRISTIAN READINGS SELECTED FOR FORMER JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Destroying the Mediatorship of Christ
Author Unknown
(edited)
The Watchtower Society always has tried to downgrade the person Jesus Christ and the atoning work of His death. Jehovah's Witnesses proclaim their belief that Jesus is not God but "a god", who was Michael the Archangel and possessed only some of the divine attributes. [1]
Since Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus is not God, they consider Him unworthy of their worship. While every Jehovah's Witnesses is taught to view God the Son in this manner, many Watchtower followers are surprised to learn of what former Jehovah's Witness, Duane Magnani, calls a "secret doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses" -- the teaching that Jesus Christ is not the savior and mediator for most Watchtower. [2]
Although hidden during earlier times, the WatchTower Society's teaching on Christ's mediation now has become clearer. First, the Watchtower claims that Jesus did not come on Earth as Christ the savior, but was given this role at age 30.
The Watchtower book, "Things In Which It Is Impossible For God To Lie", says on page 211: "As regards to Jesus, according to the angel's announcement at His birth in Bethlehem he was to become a 'Savior, who is Christ the Lord'. When did he become Christ or 'Anointed One'? Not at birth, but at thirty years of age Jesus became Christ or Anointed One."
Watchtower writers have given a new meaning to the angel's announcement by adding to the biblical text the word "become". Luke 2:11 clearly states that the angel announced "for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord." Scripture testifies that at his birth Jesus already was the Christ, not that he was to become the Christ.
However, the Nov. 15, 1979, Watchtower magazine, pages 24-27, emphasizes that Jesus Christ acts as a mediator only for a select few -- those the Watchtower regards as the 144,000 anointed Christians. Members of this group, who also are referred to as "spiritual Israelites", are those who, according to WatchTower teaching, will reign in the heavenly kingdom.
The April 1, 1979, Watchtower magazine, on page 31, stresses that in a "strict Biblical sense Jesus is the 'mediator' only for anointed Christians."
As one would expect, the WatchTower Society must twist God's Word to support this doctrine. Two distinct examples of how the organization has changed God's word are found in separate citations of 1 Timothy 2:5,6.
Watchtower writers said on page 26 of the Nov. 15, 1979, Watchtower: "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all (or, for all kinds of people, margin) -- this is what is to be witnessed to at its own particular time." Again, in the same article, the passage is cited and made to state, "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men (not all men), a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all."
As the WatchTower Society becomes more outspoken and dogmatic in its claim to be the sole channel for biblical truth, it also seeks to keep from its followers the fact that its founder, Charles T. Russell, openly taught that all Watchtower adherents belonged to this "anointed" group. Russell asserted: "Here I first saw that the great privilege of becoming joint-heirs with Christ and partakers with him of the divine nature was confirmed exclusively to those who would share with him in self sacrifice in the service of the truth." [3]
Hidden also from present-day Jehovah's Witnesses is Russell's teaching that Watchtower adherents would inherit the same divine nature possessed by Jesus. The October-November 1881 edition of Zion's Watch Tower says on page 297:
"We see then, that the Divine nature comes to the church, as to Jesus, as a reward from the Father Jehovah for the race of faith well run, for the crucifixion -- sacrifice, of human nature. We conclude then that the titles, Mighty God and Everlasting Father, are titles which fully understood, are very appropriate to Our Lord Jesus Christ. And we might add that so perfectly is his bride -- body -- church, associated with him, both in filling up the measure of the sufferings -- being joined in sacrifice and also in Glory that shall follow, that the same titles are applicable to the Church as his body -- for 'He that hath freely given us Christ, shall he not with him also freely give us all things?' ... 'Therefore all things are yours, and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's (el -- powerful one) to rule and bless the nations -- and the body with the head, shall share in the work of restoring the life lost in Adam, and therefore be members of that company which as a whole will be the Everlasting Father to the restored race."
"Pastor" Russell, in the following issue of his publication, again elevated his followers to Godhood. Announcing, "Ye are Gods," he concluded that "When we claim on the scriptural warrant, that we are begotten of a divine nature and Jehovah is thus our father, it is claiming that we are divine beings -- hence all such are Gods." Absent from Russell's assertion that we can become gods is any reminder of Satan's lie to eve in the Garden, "You will become like God!" (Genesis 3:5), Lucifer's fall from glory for wishing to be as God (Isaiah 14:14ff) and words from Yahweh Himself, stating that "The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens" (Jeremiah 10:11).
When membership began to increase during the late 1930s, the Watchtower Society began to stray from Russell's teaching regarding who belonged to the anointed class. By the time that the Aug. 15, 1945, issue of the Watchtower magazine was published, Jehovah's Witnesses were told that they could not all currently be regarded as children of God. On page 253 of that issue, it was written: "... he is not yet giving the 'other sheep' the standing of sons of his, sons of 'The everlasting Father' (Isaiah 9:6). But these faithful ones will become such during his thousand-year reign after Armageddon; and now, by virtue of the prospect of eventually becoming Jehovah's perfect sons, they address him prospectively as 'Our Father.'"
The Watchtower demonstrates its departure from biblical Christianity in its offering of little hope and no security of eternal life for the average Jehovah's Witness. With Christ Jesus' role as mediator greatly reduced, and more than 8 million Jehovah's Witnesses in need of a Savior, the Society can conveniently maintain its teaching of a "Christ class", an entire group of mediators. This doctrine was clearly warned against by Jesus when he cautioned that false Christs would arise (Matthew 24:24).
In light of current Watchtower doctrine, the unanointed Jehovah's Witness must look elsewhere for his salvation, and for someone to intercede for him. Unanointed Jehovah's Witnesses are taught they will get these blessings from the "Christ class" -- the remnant of the 144,000 now living on Earth today. [4]
The Nov. 15, 1979, Watchtower magazine says on page 27, "To keep in relationship with 'our Savior, God,' the 'great crowd' (made up of other Jehovah's Witnesses) needs to remain united with the remnant of spiritual Israelites."
The Aug. 1, 1981, Watchtower magazine addresses and defines the conditions for eternal life. On page 26, it states, "Your attitude toward the 'wheatlike anointed brothers' of Christ and the treatment you accord them, will be the determining factor as to whether you go into 'everlasting cutting-off' or receive 'everlasting life.'"
Further, a false basis for this "Christ class" teaching has been smuggled into God's Word by the twisted rendering of Scripture in the WatchTower Society's New World Translation. 2 Corinthians 5:20 has been distorted to say: "We are therefore ambassadors substituting for Christ, as though God were making entreaty through us. As substitutes for Christ we beg: 'Become reconciled to God.'".
The insider Watchtower publication, "Organized To Accomplish Our Ministry", on page 6, quotes this twisted passage and seeks to establish in the minds of Jehovah's Witnesses that the "anointed brothers seek to keep rank-and-file Jehovah's Witnesses enslaved to its wishes and direction. The WatchTower Society's leaders again have demonstrated that they will stop at nothing to propagate their "doctrines of demons."
The Bible is clear in its message. One does not need an organization to interpret God's Word, nor does anyone need to add to it to clarify its meaning. The eternal God, Creator of the universe, became man and dwelt among us. He freely offered his human life, shedding his blood in atonement for our sins.
The Apostle Paul clearly proclaims the Gospel that Christ was crucified, died, was buried, and on the third day arose from the grave. The sacrifice that Jesus made and his present mediatorship is not limited to a small number, but is available to all, with the added security that these have eternal life (John 5:24, 10:27,28).
Scripture is clear that there is only one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5,6). The Watchtower claims the man Jesus is dead and the Society's leaders must substitute for him. [5] Jesus is not dead, but fully alive and able to save completely those who come to God through Him (Hebrews 7:25).
FOOTNOTES:
1 The Watchtower, December 15, 1984, pp. 26-29. Let God Be True (Second Edition), pp. 31-41.
2 For photocopies of key Watchtower quotes concerning this doctrine, write: Duane Magnani, Witness, Inc., P.O. Box 597, Clayton, CA 94517. Please include $2.50 for printing and postage costs.
3 The Watch Tower, April 25, 1984 (special issue), pg. 111.
4 1984 statistics showed 9,081 of the anointed still alive. This figure is based on the number of Memorial Partakers -- those who partake of communion when it is served yearly to the local Watchtower congregations -- during 1984 as recorded in the 1985 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, pg. 31. See also Watchtower, January 1, 1985, pg. 25. For more information on the Watchtower's annual Memorial, see PFO Newsletter, Vol. 4, No. 2, pg.4.
5 Russell, Charles T., Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 5, pg. 454.
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Think About Eternity - Is Jesus Christ Your Mediator?
By Timothy Oliver
Many members of religious organizations have a shallow understanding of the real teachings of the group they are involved with. Often, this is because the members just don't study the group's doctrine very deeply. However, sometimes it is the result of deliberate policy by the organization's leaders. This seems especially true of non-Christian groups that claim to be not only Christian but also the only true Christianity.
The leaders of these groups are walking a delicate tightrope. They must, as much as possible, maintain a Christian image. Yet they cannot compromise on those core fundamentals that separate them from real, biblical Christianity without sacrificing their organization's distinctiveness and the reason for its existence.
No group could pretend to be Christian without giving some place in its doctrine to Jesus Christ, and to the idea that as a Mediator between sinful man and a holy God, He made some kind of atonement for sin. The hope of Christians is based upon that atonement, and so the hope offered by any pseudo-Christian group must also somehow be tied to the atonement. The counterfeit must appear genuine or it will not be accepted in place of the genuine.
The Christian believes that Jesus is the only mediator between God and men (1 Tim. 2:5). He confidently expects to enjoy eternal life in the presence of God as a "joint-heir" with Christ (Rom. 8:17) , with all the blessings of Christ given to him as a free gift, on the basis of the merits of Christ alone (1 Jn. 5:10-13).
However, counterfeit-Christian groups cannot allow such assurance without making their own existence unnecessary. They may refer to Christ as a Mediator, and to His atonement as indispensable. But they always falsify His role as Mediator, and deny the real power of His atonement, by maintaining a system of doctrine that makes the group itself as indispensable as Christ. The "all-sufficient" aspect of the power of the atonement is thus destroyed. The result is that these groups provide a clear example of what the Bible refers to as "having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof" (2 Tim. 3:5).
What power is left in the atonement must be supplemented by the member's own works, which are necessary to obtain the benefit of the atonement. The organization and its leaders are necessary to provide the member with the direction he needs to make the atonement effective for himself.
The leaders may not apply the specific terms "savior" or "mediator" to themselves. Yet the place and function given them in the group's doctrine actually constitutes them as much mediators as Christ. They stand between God and the rest of mankind, administering "authority" and "truth" essential to salvation. Apart from them no one can be saved.
An example of the falsification of Christ's role as the Mediator, with the exaltation of the organization and its leaders to the function and role of mediator, is found in the teaching of the Jehovah's Witnesses. The case also demonstrates how religious leaders deliberately obfuscate doctrines to maintain the appearance of Christianity. It is likewise a case where very few of the group's members actually understand important teachings of the organization.
The Biblical View of Christ as Mediator
To really understand this issue one must first have a clear understanding of the biblical view of Christ's role as Mediator, and of the covenant that He mediates. First, as mentioned above, Christ is the onlymediator between God and men (1 Tim. 2:5) .The covenant that He mediates is through His blood, i.e., through His death (Mat. 20:28; Mark 10:45; Col. 1:20; Heb. 9:25-28).
Second, this new covenant is for the forgiveness of sins (Rom. 3:24-25; Mat. 26:28; Eph. 1:7; Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:12; 10:17) . Forgiveness is required because man has sinned against God and is "at variance" with Him. Forgiveness that upholds God's law cannot exist without atonement for sin.
A mediator is necessary because nothing a man can do can atone for his own sin. Atonement requires a perfect sacrifice. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. As High Priest, His offering up of Himself in sacrifice made Him our Mediator -- mediating forgiveness of sins and eternal life. It cannot be stated too clearly or too often -- forgiveness of sins cannot exist, nor eternal life be given, apart from a Mediator.
Third, God covenants that He Himself will write His laws into our hearts (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10; 10:16). That is, He is at work for all those brought into the new covenant to change their innermost being. Believers can be assured that He is going to cause them to become conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:28, 29).
Fourth, it is sin that brought about death (Rom. 5:12) and put a barrier between Man and God (Isa. 59:2) . In the New Covenant God has promised (as shown above) to both forgive and remove sin from our lives. Therefore death is abolished for all those in the new covenant. They can now enter the presence of God and live there forever (Rom. 6:23; 2 Tim. 1:10; 2:10; Jn. 14:2-3; Jer. 31:33-34; Heb. 8:10-11; 10:19-22).
Last, it must be pointed out that the roles of Christ as Mediator and as High Priest cannot be arbitrarily separated. They are virtually one and the same thing. The function of the High Priest -- his job -- was to mediate. Christ is our Mediator because He is our High Priest. As High Priest, He mediates. Mediation for Man -- fully and inexorably effective for bringing in all the blessings of the covenant for all those who are in the covenant -- that is what Jesus does as High Priest (Heb. 8:1; 9:11-15, 24-28).
The scripture speaks of no work of Christ or blessings provided by Him, as High Priest, other than those provided by His work as Mediator, and belonging to the covenant He mediates. Likewise, the scripture speaks of no one receiving covenant blessings without being adopted into the covenant.
The Watchtower's View of Christ As Mediator
What does the Watchtower teach about the Mediatorial role of Christ? First, the Watchtower teaches that Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the new covenant (Insight on the Scriptures, vol. 2, p. 360). Out of all human history, those who are in the covenant, "spiritual Israel", are supposed to number only 144,000 (Ibid., p. 362) . And Watchtower material says expressly, "... Jesus' mediatorship operates solely toward those in the new covenant ..." (Ibid, p. 362; emphasis added).
Jesus is Mediator, then, for only these 144,000. And only they will ever be together with Jesus in heaven. For it is only, "By means of this covenant [that] it became possible for them to gain heavenly lifewith Christ ..." (Survival Into A New Earth, p.72; bracketed word and emphasis added).
Out of the 8 million current members of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization, only a few thousand are considered to be among the 144,000 of the new covenant, with a "heavenly hope". Thus it is expressly declared that for the great mass of Watchtower members, Jesus is not their Mediator, and they can never expect to be with Him in heaven.
This sounds truly dismal to Christians, who may ask, "How can they attract or hold on to their members?" One answer seems to be that though they don't regard themselves members of the 144,000, still they are somehow under the mistaken impression that Jesus is their Mediator. And though they can never expect to be in heaven, they still hope someday to have a better life than this one, here on earth.
Why this confusion about Christ's mediatorship? And what is the basis of this "earthly hope"? The Jehovah's Witnesses' confusion is probably not just ignorance. The fact is that Watchtower leaders have deliberately obfuscated the issues by arbitrarily, and without any scriptural warrant, separating Jesus Christ's being Mediator from His being High Priest (Insight, vol. 2. p. 362-363).
Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are blessings scripture declares integral to the New Covenant. But the Watchtower says they are also available to those outside the covenant. The possibility of forgiveness of sins and eternal life for those in the Covenant is the result of Christ's work as Mediator. The possibility of the same blessings for those outside the covenant is said to be the result of His work as High Priest (Ibid., pp. 362-363).
The idea that forgiveness of sins (a blessing of the Covenant) can be obtained by those outside the covenant is urged on the basis of 1 Jn. 2:2, which says that Jesus, "is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world." This does not mean, however, that forgiveness is available for people outside the New Covenant. Rather, it means the value of the atonement was not limited, but was of infinite worth. People presently outside the covenant (and people from all nations, not Jews only) can still be adopted into the Covenant, and thus receive forgiveness of sins.
The Watchtower says the "other sheep" that Jesus refers to in John 10, "... are persons who are not in the covenant who are being gathered within Jehovah's provision for eternal life on the basis of their faith in the sacrificial value of Jesus' blood. They are the same as the "great crowd" of Rev. 7:9, 10, 14, and so they have the prospect of surviving the coming great tribulation -- they are included in the great crowd of prospective survivors of the coming day of divine wrath" (Survival,pp.73, 80; emphasis added). They are said to be, "putting faith in the merit of his ransom sacrifice" (Insight, vol. 2. p. 363; emphasis added). These, of course, are the Jehovah's Witnesses not included in the 144,000.
To speak of "putting faith in the merit of his ransom sacrifice" and "the sacrificial value of Jesus' blood" not only sounds Christian, it naturally leads many Jehovah's Witnesses to think of Jesus as their Mediator. That so many Jehovah's Witnesses think this way is, in fact, testimony to the real truth that forgiveness of sins cannot exist nor eternal life be given apart from a mediator. Those blessings are provisions of the Covenant, mediated by Jesus' blood, "the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins" (Mat. 26:28).
To speak of Christ providing people these blessings as High Priest while denying He is their Mediator is nonsense. It ignores all the biblical facts concerning the role of the High Priest and the nature of his work -- to mediate. It also contravenes the Jehovah's Witnesses own definition of a mediator: "One who interposes between two parties who are at variance to reconcile them; an intercessor; an intermediary agent or go-between" (Insight, vol. 2, p. 360; emphasis added).
If Jesus forgives the sins of those who are in the "great crowd", then He certainly has "interposed between" them and God, "two parties at variance, to reconcile them." He has become their "intercessor". By their own definition this makes Him their Mediator. Yet they say, "... Jesus' mediatorship operates solely toward those in the new covenant ..." (Ibid., p. 362; emphasis added).
To say Jesus is Mediator only for the 144,000 is actually to deny the possibility of forgiveness of sins for any others. To claim forgiveness of sins for the "great crowd" is to deny the claim that Christ is Mediator for only the 144,000. Forgiveness is impossible without a Mediator. This morass of confusion is still not the worst of Watchtower doctrine on the subject.
The 144,000 As Mediators
Since it is denied that Jesus is the mediator for all but the 144,000, Watchtower doctrine has elevated these 144,000 to the position of being mediators themselves. Note carefully again the last phrase of the Watchtower's definition of a mediator: "an intermediary agent or go-between." Then read their statements about the 144,000, below:
"With Christ they make up the agency by means of which blessings will be extended to all other obedient ones among mankind" (Survival, p.65; emphasis added). "Being made kings and priests by reason of the new covenant that he [Jesus] mediated, they will share in administering the blessings of Jesus' sacrifice [such as forgiveness of sins] and of his Kingdom rule to all the nations of the earth. Christ's mediatorship, having accomplished its purpose by bringing 'the Israel of God' into this position [go-between], thus results in benefits and blessings to all mankind" (Insight, vol. 2, p. 363; emphasis, words in brackets, added).
In direct blasphemous contradiction to the Word of God (1 Tim. 2:5), these statements unequivocally class the 144,000 as mediators for the rest of humanity surviving Armageddon, according to the Watchtower's own definition of the word, mediator, quoted above.
The Watchtower As Mediator
It might seem that 144,000 mediators would be enough. But there is still one more: the Watchtower Society itself, and its leaders. To be sure, the leaders do not dare call themselves mediators; rather, "the faithful slave class." But their role is as "an intermediary agent or go-between", providing "meat in due season." Meat in due season means teaching and instruction the Jehovah's Witness cannot do without if he is to be "reconciled" to Jehovah God.
"All who want to be marked as having God's approval must accept the instruction that Jehovah is providing through that 'slave' class and become true worshippers of Jehovah" (Survival, p. 96). The role they have assigned themselves unmistakably qualifies as a "mediator" according to their own definitions.
The Final Irony
When Christ alone is not enough, the multiplication of those things deemed necessary to obtain salvation becomes endless. As was noted earlier, the great majority of Jehovah's Witnesses, the other sheep, are only "prospective survivors" of Armageddon (Ibid., p. 80) . Whether or not they will be actual survivors depends upon their own attributes (virtues), attitudes (values) and achievements (works). Watchtower members can never know for certain in this life if they have been good enough or done enough to inherit life everlasting on even this earth.
Hope is dangled before them by the use of intentionally vague terms like "persons of godly devotion" (Ibid., p. 52) , and "right-hearted people" (Ibid., p. 86) . Perhaps they will qualify! But if they do everything that is required, their only hope is for life on this earth, apart from God, Christ and the 144,000 mediators. They have no heavenly hope, and to attain even their earthly hope, "No less faithfulness is required of them than of those who are spirit-anointed Christians" (Ibid., p. 67; emphasis added) , the 144,000 who do go to heaven.
Evidently, God is not an "equal opportunity employer". The Watchtower member dies and gets no pay at all if he does not meet all the requirements. If he does meet them, then for the same work in this life as the 144,000, he receives unequal pay -- for all eternity.
What must the Jehovah's Witness really do to receive even this unequal pay? Is there any concrete standard by which "godly devotion" and "right-heartedness" will be gauged? Actually there is. The standard is, "... full harmony with Jehovah's requirements" (Ibid.; emphasis added) . Obviously, any sin would not be full harmony.
Important Questions to Share With Jehovah's Witnesses
The King commands us not to sin (Isa. 1:16; Mat. 5:48). "Are you truly submitting to his authority as King?" (Ibid., p. 64; emphasis added) . Do you give Jehovah your exclusive devotion, allowing nothing to infringe on the place that he should hold in your heart?" (Ibid., p. 92; emphasis added) . Remember, "Jesus Christ, who is Jehovah's executioner today, cannot be tricked" (Ibid., p. 60; emphasis added) . Will he execute you?
Is There Any Hope?
Do you recognize your need of forgiveness for your sins? Do you want everlasting life? Those are blessings available only through a Mediator. If Jesus Christ is not your mediator then you have none; you will not receive forgiveness of sins or life everlasting. Would you not rather accept Jesus now as your Mediator than face Him later as your "executioner"?
Stop trusting in your own devotion and right-heartedness! Put all your trust on Jesus as your Savior, your Mediator. He will forgive your sins. He will also credit to your account His own perfect righteousness. Covered by His righteousness you will have everything you need to be able to stand in the presence of God. He will take you to the place He has prepared for you there.
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WHO ALL ARE THE "MEDIATORS" FOR JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES?
Author Unknown
(edited)
THE BIBLICAL VIEW OF CHRIST AS MEDIATOR
To really understand this issue one must first have a clear understanding of the biblical view of the Mediatorship of Christ, and of the covenant which He mediates.
According to the Bible, Christ is the ONLY mediator between God and man. (I Timothy 2:5). The covenant which He mediates is through His blood, i.e., through His death. (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; Colossians 1:20-22; Hebrews 9:15-17, 25-28)
This covenant offers certain blessings to all those who enter into the covenant. First of all, the new covenant provides forgiveness of sins. (Romans 3:24,25; Matthew 26:28; Ephesians 1:7; Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:12; 10:17)
Forgiveness is required because man has sinned against God. Forgiveness that upholds God's law cannot exist without atonement for sin.
Atonement requires a PERFECT sacrifice. Therefore, there is nothing that an imperfect, sinful man can do to atone for his own sin.
A mediator is necessary. Under the old covenant, the work of the High Priests was to mediate for the people by offering sacrifices for sin. However, this role was only a type of the Mediator who would come.
In the new covenant, Jesus became our permanent High Priest, mediating for us by offering the perfect sacrifice of His own sinless life in atonement for our sin, thus providing forgiveness of sins.
In the new covenant God promises that He Himself will write His laws on our hearts.(Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10, 10:16) He is at work for all those brought into the new covenant to change their innermost being. Believers can be assured that He is going to conform them to the image of His Son. (Romans 8:28,29)
The new covenant provides eternal life with God. It is sin that brought about death (Romans 5:12; 6:23) and put a barrier between man and God (Proverbs 28:9; Isaiah 59:2). In the new covenant God has promised to both forgive and remove sin from our lives.
By His resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven Jesus demonstrated that His sacrifice had been accepted. Sin had been successfully atoned for. (Romans 4:25) The wages of sin - death - was now abolished for all those in the new covenant; they can now enter the presence of God and live. (Romans 6:23; II Timothy 1:10, 2:10; John 14:2,3; Jeremiah 31:33,34; Hebrews 8:10,11, 10:19-22)
It must be pointed out that the roles of Christ as Mediator and as High Priest CANNOT be arbitrarily separated. They are virtually one and the same thing. The function of the high priest - his job - was to mediate.
Christ is our Mediator because He is our High Priest. Mediation for man before God - fully and inexorably effective for bringing in all the blessings of the covenant - that is what Jesus does as High Priest.(Hebrews 8:1, 9:11- 15, 24-28)
The Scriptures speak of no work of Christ or blessings provided by Him as High Priest, other than those provided by Him as Mediator. The blessings of the atonement and the blessings of the new covenant are one and the same, mediated to us by our High Priest, Jesus Christ.
Similarly, the Bible speaks of no one receiving covenant blessings without being adopted into the covenant. To receive covenant blessings is to be adopted into the covenant, and vice versa.
It cannot be stated too clearly or too often: forgiveness of sins cannot exist, nor eternal life be given, apart from a Mediator.
THE WATCHTOWER'S VIEW OF CHRIST AS MEDIATOR
What does the Watchtower teach of the mediatorship of Christ? First, the Watchtower teaches that Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the new covenant. (). Out of all human history, those who are in the covenant, "spiritual Israel," are supposed to number only 144,000.(Insight, Vol. 2, p.362) And Watchtower material says expressly, "Jesus' mediatorship operated solely toward those in the new covenant."(Insight, Vol. 2, p. 362)
They also state:
"Are the 144,000 there mentioned ( Rev. 7: 3-8) only natural Jews? ... Definitely not, they are members of the spiritual Israel of God, all of them associates with Christ in the spiritual seed of Abraham." -- WT 2-1-95 p. 10.
This is a glaring misunderstanding of the Biblical view of 'the seed of Abraham.' Galatians 3:16 expressly states that there is only ONE seed -- Jesus Christ:
"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."
Jesus is Mediator, then, for only those 144,000. And only they will ever be together with Jesus in heaven. For it is only "by means of his covenant [that] it became possible for them to gain heavenly life with Christ." (Survival Into a New Earth, p.72) Out of the several million currently registered Jehovah's Witnesses organization, only a few thousand are considered to be among the 144,000 of the new covenant, with a "heavenly hope."
Thus, it is expressly declared for the great mass of Watchtower members, Jesus is NOT their mediator and they can never expect to be with him in heaven:
"... Jesus is the "mediator" only for anointed Christians ...The "great crowd" of "other sheep" that is forming today is not in that new covenant." -- WT 4-1-79 p.31.
"There is one God, and one mediator between God and men [not all men], a man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all. (I Tim. 2: 5,6)" -- WT 11-15- 79 p.26. (Notice the WT imposed words "not all men" in brackets. This is done to reinforce their teaching that Jesus is the mediator for only the 144,000. But also note the word "corresponding" which is NOT placed in brackets. The word is not in the original Greek text so it also reflects a Watchtower bias towards its belief that Jesus died just for Adam's sins.)
"Today, 1900 years later, there is a remnant of "the Israel of God" whose members give evidence of having been taken into the new covenant ..." -- WT 9-1-84 p. 14.
"He is the Mediator between his heavenly Father, Jehovah God, and the nation of spiritual Israel, which is limited to only 144,000 members." -- Worldwide Security Under the Prince of Peace, 1986, p.10
JESUS CHRIST IS BOTH MEDIATOR AND HIGH PRIEST
Watchtower leaders have arbitrarily and unscripturally separated Jesus Christ's being Mediator from His being High Priest (Insight, Vol. 2, pp. 362,363).
Forgiveness of sins and eternal life, blessings the Scripture declares are integral to the new covenant, are then said to be available to those outside the covenant.
The possibility of forgiveness of sins and eternal life for those in the covenant is the result of Christ's work as Mediator. The possibility of the same for those outside the covenant is said to be the result of His work as High Priest. (Insight, p.362,363)
The idea that forgiveness of sins (a blessing of the covenant) can be obtained by those outside the covenant is promulgated by the Watchtower's use of I John 2:2.
But when the scripture says that Jesus "is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world," it is not saying that forgiveness of sins is available for people outside the new covenant. Rather, it means the value of the atonement was of infinite worth. People presently outside the covenant can still be adopted into the covenant, and thus receive forgiveness of sins.
According to the Watchtower, the "other sheep" referred to by Jesus in John ch. 10 "are persons who are not in the covenant ... who ... are being gathered within Jehovah's provision for eternal life on the basis of their faith in the sacrificial value of Jesus' blood. They are the same as the "great crowd" of Revelation 7:9,10,14 and so they have the prospect of surviving the coming great tribulation ... they are included in the great crowd of prospective survivors of the coming day of great wrath." (Survival, pp. 73,80) They are said to be "putting faith in the merit of his ransom sacrifice." (Insight, Vol. 2, p.363) These, of course, are the Jehovah's Witnesses not included in the 144,000.
Speaking of "putting faith in the merit of his ransom sacrifice" and "the sacrificial value of Jesus' blood" not only gives the appearance of being Christian, it naturally leads many Jehovah's Witnesses to falsely suppose that Jesus is their Mediator. But if the Watchtower Society is correct, Jesus cannot be their Mediator unless they are part of the 144,000.
That so many Jehovah's Witnesses think of Jesus as their Mediator is, in fact, testimony to the real truth that forgiveness of sins cannot exist nor eternal life be given apart from a Mediator. Those are provisions of the covenant, mediated by Jesus' blood, the "blood of the new testament [covenant], which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:28)
Speaking of Christ providing these blessings as High Priest and not as Mediator totally ignores all the biblical facts concerning the role of the High Priest and the nature of his work -- to mediate.
It also contravenes the Jehovah's Witnesses' own definition of a mediator: "One who interposes between two parties who are at variance to reconcile them; an intercessor; an intermediary agent or go-between." (Insight, Vol. 2, p.360)
If Jesus forgives the sins of ordinary Jehovah's Witnesses, those who are in the "great crowd," then, He certainly has "interposed between" them and God, "two parties at variance to reconcile them. He has become their "intercessor." By their own definition, this makes Him their Mediator.
Yet they say, "... Jesus' mediatorship operates solely toward those in the new covenant, i.e., the 144,000.(Insight, Vol. 2, p.362) This is actually to deny the possibility of forgiveness of sins for all others. To claim forgiveness of sins for the "great crowd" is to deny that Christ is the Mediator for only the 144,000.
Forgiveness is impossible without a Mediator.
Already, the Jehovah's Witness is faced with a choice. He can believe that the Watchtower Society's teaching is true, or he can have forgiveness of sins through the Mediator of the new covenant. He cannot rationally believe the former and at the same time hope for the latter, unless he is part of the 144,000. But this morass of confusion is still not the worst of Watchtower doctrine on the subject.
THE 144,000 AS MEDIATORS
Since the WatchTower Society denies that Jesus is the mediator for all but the 144,000, Watchtower doctrine has elevated these 144,000 to the position of being mediators themselves. Note carefully again the last phrase of the Watchtower Society's definition of a mediator: "an intermediary agent or go-between." Then read the following statement about the 144,000:
"With Christ they make up the agency by means of which blessings will extended to all other obedient ones among mankind." (Survival, p.65)
"Being made kings and priests by reason of the new covenant that he [Jesus] mediated, they will share in administering the blessings of Jesus' sacrifice [such as forgiveness of sins] and of his Kingdom rule to all the nations of the earth. Christ's mediatorship, having accomplished its purpose by bringing the 'Israel of God' into this position [as "intermediary agents"] thus results in benefits and blessings to all mankind." (Insight, Vol. 2, p.363)
In direct and blasphemous contradiction to the word of God (I Timothy 2:5), these statements unequivocally class the 144,000 as mediators for the rest of humanity surviving Armageddon.
THE WATCHTOWER AS MEDIATOR
It might seem that 144,000 mediators would be enough. But there is still an additional group of leaders -- the Watchtower Society itself. To be sure, WatchTower Society leaders don't dare call themselves mediators; but instead, "the faithful slave class." However, their role is as "an intermediary agent or go-between," providing "meat in due season." According to them, meat in due season means teaching and instruction the Jehovah's Witnesses cannot do without if he is to be "reconciled" to Jehovah God: "All who want to be marked as having God's approval must accept the instruction that Jehovah is providing through that 'slave' class and become true worshippers of Jehovah." (Survival, p.96) The role they have assigned to themselves unmistakably qualifies as a "mediator' according to their own definitions:
"To keep in relationship with "our Savior, God," the "great crowd" needs to remain united with the spiritual remnant of Israelites." -- WT 11-15-79 p. 27.
"Just as the anointed "branches" of the "true vine" must remain in union with Christ, the "other sheep" must remain in close union with "the faithful and discreet slave," Christ's anointed "brothers." Only thus can they hope to inherit the Kingdom prepared for them from the founding of the world." -- WT 8-15-83 p. 23.
The teachings of the Watchtower Society regarding the mediatorship of Christ are radically at odds with the Bible. And surprisingly as it may be to many Jehovah's Witnesses, the Watchtower's teachings, if true, leave virtually all living Jehovah's Witnesses without a mediator, and therefore without hope of forgiveness of sins and life everlasting.
THE FINAL IRONY
When Christ alone is not enough, the multiplication of those things deemed necessary to obtain salvation becomes endless.
As was noted earlier, the great majority of Jehovah's Witnesses, the other sheep, are only "prospective survivors" of Armageddon. (Survival, p.80) Whether or not they will be actual survivors depends upon their own attributes (virtues), attitudes (values) and achievements (works).
Jehovah's Witnesses can never know for certain in this life if they have been good enough, or done enough, to inherit life everlasting.
THE WITNESSES MUST SAVE THEMSELVES
Shamefully and erroneously, the WatchTower Society teaches that the average Jehovah's Witness is not adopted into the new covenant and into God's family as one of His sons until some time during the millennial period:
"That is, he is not yet giving the 'other sheep' the standing of sons of his, ... But these will become such during the thousand-year reign after Armageddon ..." -- WT 8-15-45 p.253.
"The 'great crowd' of survivors of the 'war of the great day of God the Almighty' will then be on their way to gaining absolute righteousness and perfection in the flesh .... For this reason they will not be justified or declared righteous either now or then as the 144,000 heavenly joint heirs ..." -- Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God, 1966, p. 391.
Notice from the above quote that the Jehovah's Witness must GAIN their own salvation. The "great crowd" of mankind will be declared righteous at the end of the Millennium as a result of their own merit - a system of "works righteousness.":
"To get ones name written in that book of life will depend on one's works ..." -- WT 7-1-47 p.204.
"Hence, before adopting them as his free sons through Jesus Christ, Jehovah God will subject all these perfected human creatures to a thorough test for all time." -- Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God, 1966, p.398.
"Jehovah God will justify, declare righteous, on the basis of their own merit, all perfected humans who have withstood that final decisive test of mankind." -- Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God, 1966, p.400.
"Will they be worthy to have God grant them the right to everlasting life? ... the kingdom subjects will be tested ..." -- The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, 1968, p.112.
Section Title: "Working Hard For The Reward of Eternal Life" -- WT 8-15-72 p.491
"However, more than faith is needed. There must also be works to demonstrate what your true feelings are about Jehovah." -- You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, 1982, p.250.
"Thereafter, when the final test is past and all those then rebelling have been destroyed, Jehovah will lovingly adopt as his sons through Christ all perfected humans who have proved loyal." -- WT 2-1-84 p.17.
"God has arranged for the "good news of the kingdom" to be proclaimed so that each individual will have the opportunity to work out his own salvation." -- WT 2-1-85 p.5.
"These of the "great crowd" are also tested as to their integrity. Their continued faithfulness now and on through the Thousand Year Reign and the final test will result in Jehovah declaring them righteous as perfect humans." -- WT 10-15-85 p.31.
(Keywords of behavioral expectations): "holy acts," "deeds," "warrant," "done more," "work hard enough." WT 9-15-91 p.18.
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The Second Class Citizens of the Watchtower Society
By Jeffery M. Schwehm
(edited)
The Jehovah's Witnesses teach that there are two destinies for humans with regard to where they will spend eternal life. They teach that 144,000 humans will have the hope of living forever in heaven with Jesus Christ. The book "United In Worship of the Only True God", on page 115, refers to this group of individuals as the "Little Flock". In addition, the book "You Can Live Forever In Paradise on Earth" says the following on page 124:
"So rather than all good people going to heaven, the Bible reveals that only 144,000 tried and faithful persons will be taken to rule with Christ."
The Watchtower Society also teaches that the vast majority of mankind will live forever in paradise on earth. The book "You Can Live Forever In Paradise on Earth", on page 126 says:
"But there will be many more who make up the 'new earth' including persons who survive the end of the wicked system of things."
Also, the book "United In Worship of the Only True God", on pages 103-109, says that those with the hope of living forever on earth are represented in the Bible by the "Great Multitude" or "Great Crowd" of Revelation 7:9-17, the "other sheep" of John 10:16, and the "sheep" that are separated from the "goats" of Matthew 25:31-46.
So you might say that there really is no difference between these two groups of people except where they will spend eternity. But is this really the case? Consider the following.
The Different Meanings of Jesus' Sacrifice for the 144,000 and the Great Multitude
The 12/1/85 "Watchtower", on pages 8-18, goes into great detail explaining how Jesus' ransom applies to both of these groups of people. On page 11 of this magazine it explains the following:
"There are two aspects to justification, or the declaration of righteousness:
(1) God's accounting that person guiltless
(2) God's declaring that person perfect and worthy of everlasting life on earth
The 144,000 anointed Christians are declared righteous in both respects. They sacrifice their human life rights and are begotten as spiritual "sons" called to become kings and priests with Christ in the 'new heavens.'"
Also, the book "United In Worship of the Only True God", says on page 115, the following:
"And his shed blood serves a two fold purpose cleansing from sin those humans who exercise faith in it, also making operative the new covenant between God and the congregation of spiritual Israel, which is composed of spirit-anointed Christians (1 John 1:7; 1 Cor. 11:25; Gal 6:14-16) It is these precious provisions that make it possible for the members of the 'Little Flock' to be declared righteous by God, actually having human perfection credited to them."
Does Jesus' ransom apply in the same way to those with the earthly hope?
The 12/1/85 "Watchtower" says the following on page 18:
"By faith in 'the blood of the Lamb', the 'other sheep', are given an approved standing before Jehovah and are thus declared righteous for friendship with him and for survival during the 'great tribulation'. They will attain perfection by the end of the Millenium. After the final test they will be declared righteous for life."
This same "Watchtower" article says on page 17:
"That the 'other sheep' are God's friends and even now have a relatively righteous standing before him is also made clear in Jesus' prophecy on the 'sign of his presence', which includes the illustration of the sheep and the goats. Because the 'sheep' do good to the remnant of Christ's 144,000 "brothers" still on earth, they are blessed by Jesus' Father and are called 'righteous ones'. Like Abraham, they are accounted, or declared righteous as friends of God."
So let's compare the different ways Jesus' ransom applies to these two groups of people. If you are a member of the heavenly class, Jesus' ransom declares you righteous for everlasting life NOW and you are adopted as a "SPIRITUAL SON" of God. If you are a member of the earthly class, Jesus' ransom declares you righteous as a "FRIEND OF GOD" (not a spiritual son) and you only receive a relatively righteous standing before God which will only save you through the great tribulation and you must go through one more test before you can be declared righteous for life. Tell me, which group do you think is more highly favored by God?
What Does the Bible Mean to the "Little Flock" compared to the "Great Crowd?"
The book "United In Worship of the Only True God", on page 111, says the following:
"... and nearly all the inspired letters in the Christian Greek Scriptures are primarily directed to this group of Kingdom heirs -- 'the holy ones', 'partakers of the heavenly calling.'"
The 5/1/70 "Watchtower" adds on page 284:
"However, unlike those with the heavenly hope, the 'great crowd' do not have human perfection imputed to them and are not reckoned in the Scriptures as 'holy ones'."
So it is clear that the Watchtower Society teaches that the Christian Greek Scriptures of the Bible were written by God primarily to be used by his "holy ones", those with the heavenly calling. Why are these ones considered holy and able to use the Bible as if it were written directly for them? Because, according to the Watchtower Society, these ones are the only ones who are considered to have human perfection in God's eyes due to Jesus' ransom. Does this mean that the Bible was not written for those with the earthly hope? If one reads the material in the Watchtower publications it is clear that they believe that the Bible was not written primarily with those of the earthly hope in mind. These ones are not considered "holy" according to the Watchtower Society, and are not viewed by God as being declared righteous for life now. Why would God write a book only for 144,000 of his children and leave out millions who would like to be his "spiritual sons and daughters" also?
Does Jesus Mediate for Both Groups of People?
The answer to this is an unqualified "NO". The book "Worldwide Security Under the Prince of Peace", on page 10 says:
"Likewise, the Greater Moses, Jesus Christ, is not the Mediator between Jehovah God and all mankind. He is the mediator between his heavenly Father, Jehovah God, and the nation of spiritual Israel, which is limited to only 144,000 members."
So, Jesus is mediator only for those of the heavenly calling. This is in contrast to what 1 Timothy 2:5 says:
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus," (NWT)
Those of the Earthly Calling Are No Longer Being Gathered by God
Recently, the 10/15/95 "Watchtower", on pages 18-28, has made it clear that the "sheep" (those of the earthly calling) of Jesus parable at Matthew 25:31-46 are no longer being gathered by God at this time. This article says on page 22 that:
"Nothing indicates that at that time, or for that matter since, Jesus sat to judge the people of all the nations finally as sheep and goats."
They say this now, in spite of the comment that they made in the book "United In Worship of the Only True God", on page 112, with regard to how they discovered that the gathering of those with the heavenly calling probably ended in the year 1935. It says:
"When we consider what has actually occurred, it seems evident that the heavenly calling in general was completed by about the year 1935 C.E., when the earthly hope of the 'great crowd' was clearly discerned. Since then there have been brought into association with the comparatively few thousand remaining ones of the heavenly class millions of worshipers of Jehovah who are earnestly hoping to live forever right here on earth."
So according to the 10/15/95 "Watchtower" those with the earthly hope are not only no longer being gathered, they were never gathered to God to begin with. In effect, the Watchtower Society can no longer acknowledge them as a separate group within the organization because they were never separated. Yet, they use the existence of the earthly class since 1935 to say that the heavenly hope is no longer available to those who believe in Jesus' ransom today!
Does this situation not remind you of what Jesus said of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:13?
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men: for you yourselves do not go in, neither do you permit those on their way in to go in." (NWT)
Think about it, those in the Watchtower organization with the heavenly calling are the only ones declared righteous for life now, the only ones who can read and use the Bible as if it were written primarily for them, the only ones who Jesus mediates for, and now they are the only ones who have been officially gathered to God at this time.
From this one can see that those with the earthly calling are truly the second class citizens of the Watchtower Society.