Ko su Jehovini svedoci i kakva su njihova verovanja?

Sekta koja je danas poznata kao Jehovini svedoci je započela svoju delatnost u Pensilvaniji 1870. godine kao biblijski čas koji je započeo Čarls Tejz Rasel. Rasel je nazvao svoju grupu "Biblijska grupa Milenijumskog praskozorja." Čarls T. Rasel je je započeo da piše seriju knjiga koje je nazvao "Proučavanje Svetog Pisma," koja je stigla do šest tomova do kraja njegovog života i koja sadrži većinu teologije u koju Jehovini svedoci danas veruju. Posle Raselove smtri 1916, Sudija J.F. Raderford, Raselov prijatelj i naslednik, napisao je sedmi i poslednji tom u seriji "Proučavanje Svetog Pisma", "Završena Misterija," 1917. godine. Biblija Kule stražara i Traktatorsko društvo su osnovani 1886. i ubrzo su postale mehanizam kroz koji je pokret "Proučavanje Svetog Pisma" započeo da širi svoj pogled na druge. Grupa je bila poznata kao “Raseliti” do 1931 kada, zbog raspada u organizaciji je dobila drugo ime “Jehovini svedoci.” Grupa od koje iz koje je rascep nastao, je postala poznata kao “Biblijski studenti.” U šta veruju Jehovini svedoci? Iscrpno ispitivanje njihove doktrinalne pozicije na temu Isusovog božanstva, Spasenja, Trojstva, Svetog Duha, Otkupljenja, itd., pokazuju bez sumnje da oni ne drže ortodoksno hrišćansko verovanje po pitanju ovih stvari. Jehovini svedoci veruju da je Isus arhanđel Mihailo, najuzvišenije stvoreno biće. Ovo je suprotno Pismu koje jasno kaže da je Isus Bog (Jovan 1:1,14; 8:58; 10:30). Jehovini svedoci veruju da se spasenje dobija kombinacijom vere, dobrih dela i poslušnosti. Ovo je takođe u suprotnosti sa bezbroj stihova u Pismu koji tvrde da se spasenje prima po veri (Jovan 3:16; Efescima 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). Jehovini svedoci odbacuju trojstvo, verujući da je Isus stvoreno biće i da je Sveti Duh u osnovi samo Božija sila. Jehovini svedoci odbacuju koncept po kome je Hrist umro umesto nas da nas otkupi, i umesto toga veruju u teoriju otkupljenja, po kojoj je Isusova smrt bila otkupljujuća cena za Adamov greh. Na koji način Jehovini svedoci opravdavaju ove nebiblijske doktrine? (1) Oni tvrde da je crkva, tokom vekova iskvarila Bibliju i (2) oni su iznova preveli Bibliju u ono što oni zovu Prevod Novog Sveta. Biblija Kule stražara i Traktatorko društvo su zamenili biblijski tekst da bi se slagao sa njihovom lažnom doktrinom – radije nego da svoju doktrinu zasnuju na onome što piše u Bibliji. Prevod Novog Sveta je prošao kroz nebrojeno edicija, kako su Jehovini svedoci otkrivali sve više i više suprotnosti sa svojom doktrinom. Jehovini svedoci su se brzo pokazali kao kult koji se samo malo dotiče Pisma. Kula stražara zasniva svoje verovanje i doktrine na originalima i proširenom učenju Čarlsa Tejs Rasela, Sudije Josifa Franklina Raderforda i njihovih naslednika. Organ upravljanja Biblije Kule stražara i Trktatorskog društva je jedino telo u kultu koje tvrdi da ima autoritet da tumači Pismo. Drugim rečima, ono što Organ Upravljanja kaže o bilo kom delu Pisma je poslednja reč i nezavisno mišljenje je izuzetno nepoželjno. To je u direktnoj suprotnosti sa Pavlovim savetom Timoteju (kao i svima nama) da se potrudi da se pokaže vrstan pred Bogom kao radnik koji ne mora da se stidi , koji pravo upravlja Rečju istine. Ovo upozorenje, koje se nalazi u Drugoj Timoteju 2:15, je jasno uputstvo od Boga svakom pojedinom Njegovom detetu u Telu Hristovom da budu kao Verijski hrišćani i da istražuju Pismo svakodnevno, da vide da li ono čemu ih uče se slaže sa onim što piše u Njegovoj reči po pitanju date teme. Jehovine svedoke treba pohvaliti zbog njihovih “evangelizatorskih napora.” Verovatno ne postoji religijska grupa koja je vernija od Jehovinih svedoka u širenju njihove poruke. Na žalost, poruka je iskrivljena, puna obmane i lažne doktrine. Neka Gospod da otvori oči Jehovinim svedocima za istinu evanđelja i istinsko učenje Božije reči.

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Who are the Jehovah’s Witnesses and what are their beliefs?

The sect known today as the Jehovah’s Witnesses started out in Pennsylvania in 1870 as a Bible class led by Charles Taze Russell. Russell named his group the “Millennial Dawn Bible Study,” and those who followed him were called “Bible students.” Charles T. Russell began writing a series of books he called “The Millennial Dawn,” which stretched to six volumes before his death and contained much of the theology Jehovah’s Witnesses now hold. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society was founded in 1886 and quickly became the vehicle through which the “Millennial Dawn” movement began distributing their views. Group members were sometimes disparagingly called “Russellites.” After Russell’s death in 1916, Judge J. F. Rutherford, Russell’s friend and successor, wrote the seventh and final volume of the “Millennial Dawn” series, “The Finished Mystery,” in 1917. That was also the year that the organization split. Those who followed Rutherford began calling themselves “Jehovah’s Witnesses.” What do Jehovah’s Witnesses believe? Close scrutiny of their doctrinal position on such subjects as the deity of Christ, salvation, the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, and the atonement shows beyond a doubt that they do not hold to orthodox Christian positions on these subjects. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Jesus is Michael the archangel, the highest created being. This contradicts many Scriptures which clearly declare Jesus to be God (John 1:1,14, 8:58, 10:30). Jehovah’s Witnesses believe salvation is obtained by a combination of faith, good works, and obedience. This contradicts countless scriptures which declare salvation to be received by grace through faith (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the Trinity, believing Jesus to be a created being and the Holy Spirit to essentially be the inanimate power of God. Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the concept of Christ’s substitutionary atonement and instead hold to a ransom theory, that Jesus’ death was a ransom payment for Adam’s sin. How do the Jehovah’s Witnesses justify these unbiblical doctrines? First, they claim that the church has corrupted the Bible over the centuries; thus, they have re-translated the Bible into what they call the New World Translation. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society altered the text of the Bible to make it fit their false doctrine, rather than basing their doctrine on what the Bible actually teaches. The New World Translation has gone through numerous editions, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses discover more and more Scriptures that contradict their doctrines. The Watchtower bases its beliefs and doctrines on the original and expanded teachings of Charles Taze Russell, Judge Joseph Franklin Rutherford, and their successors. The governing body of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is the only body in the cult that claims authority to interpret Scripture. In other words, what the governing body says concerning any scriptural passage is viewed as the last word, and independent thinking is strongly discouraged. This is in direct opposition to Paul’s admonition to Timothy (and to us as well) to study to be approved by God, so that we need not be ashamed as we correctly handle the Word of God. This admonition, found in 2 Timothy 2:15, is a clear instruction from God to each of His children to be like the Berean Christians, who searched the Scriptures daily to see if the things they were being taught lined up with the Word. There is probably no religious group that is more faithful than the Jehovah’s Witnesses at getting their message out. Unfortunately, the message is full of distortions, deceptions, and false doctrine. May God open the eyes of the Jehovah’s Witnesses to the truth of the gospel and the true teaching of God’s Word.