# JW's believe ransom but not divinity of Christ



## Javilo (Jul 5, 2009)

So are they saved ? Since they are trusting in Christ's atonement it would
seem so. Although they believe that Christ lived as a sinless human being.
Does God take it further than that and ask a person about their theology
after death, "Is my Son Jesus Christ, God almighty?"
Or is the answer a mystery?


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## Grillsy (Jul 5, 2009)

Since they believe in a false Christ. I would say no.
It is also important to note that for the satisfaction to be made
we must have faith in the man-God Jesus Christ.
The two natures are important here. Especially when dealing with
active obedience, the atonement and other such issues.


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## Idelette (Jul 6, 2009)

The issue is that they do not rest in the atonement of Christ for their salvation. They teach that the ransom is simply a means to make salvation available to us, but ultimately they rest on their works for salvation. They see the atonement of Christ as insufficient to meet God's requirements, thus they need to be in "good standing" to earn their place in the Kingdom. It is simply another works-based religion, that diminishes the cost of the atonement of Christ!


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## A.J. (Jul 6, 2009)

Javilo said:


> So are they saved ? Since they are trusting in Christ's atonement it would
> seem so. Although they believe that Christ lived as a sinless human being.
> Does God take it further than that and ask a person about their theology
> after death, "Is my Son Jesus Christ, God almighty?"
> Or is the answer a mystery?



Jehovah's Witnesses believe in a false Christ. They can't be saved unless they trust in the Christ of the Bible for salvation. I believe that the Reformed Confessions are clear that a man must believe Christ for Who He really is before he can be saved. Notice the language of the Heidelberg Catechism. 



> Lord’s Day 5
> 
> 12. Since then, by the righteous judgment of God, we deserve temporal and eternal punishment, how can we escape this punishment and be again received into favor?
> God demands that His justice be satisfied,1 therefore we must make full satisfaction, either by ourselves or by another.2
> ...



Observe that the message of the gospel is inseparable from the satisfaction for sin obtained for believers by the the Lord Jesus Christ, and from the Biblical truth that He is both true God and true Man.


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## Reformed Thomist (Jul 6, 2009)

If a member of the Watchtower cult happens to be saved (Christ happened to atone for his or her sin on the Cross two-thousand years ago), it is safe to assume that he or she will eventually leave this organization following regeneration.


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## A.J. (Jul 6, 2009)

Reformed Thomist said:


> If a member of the Watchtower cult happens to be saved (Christ happened to atone for his or her sin on the Cross two-thousand years ago), it is safe to assume that he or she will eventually leave this organization following regeneration.


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## VilnaGaon (Jul 6, 2009)

JWs are idolaters. They trust in a Christ fashioned after their perverted doctrines and mistranslated Scriptures. They like Mormons and Roman Catholics have made unto themselves another Jesus who ultimately cannot save. The only True Saviour is the Lord Jesus Christ presented in the Bible only.


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## toddpedlar (Jul 6, 2009)

Javilo said:


> So are they saved ? Since they are trusting in Christ's atonement it would
> seem so. Although they believe that Christ lived as a sinless human being.
> Does God take it further than that and ask a person about their theology
> after death, "Is my Son Jesus Christ, God almighty?"
> Or is the answer a mystery?



The horse is already dead, but let me add my voice. NO, they are not saved, if they believe what the Watchtower cult teaches. They do NOT believe in the Christ of Scripture, who is indeed God almighty and must be trusted in as such (nobody who believes Christ was merely human can be saved, period), nor do they believe in His atoning work on the Cross. Their Christ is a false construct - their only path to salvation is through their own works - hence they truly do not have peace. If you ever talk to the JW's and query them in-depth on their own future, you'll very likely find this out. They cannot be sure of anything because they have no certain atonement, and no sure means of salvation. Theirs is a religion of bondage.


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## Grillsy (Jul 6, 2009)

I am actually glad this subject came up in the forum
During my undergrad work I went around and around with
a professor of mine (Campbellite) who insisted that Mormon's
were saved because they believed in "Jesus" and are baptized. He did not
see that their perception of just who or what Jesus was has an effect on their faith and therefore their salvation.
I know this post is about JWs but the point I am trying to make
is relevant.
We tend to separate our theological views from our moral ones. As if the two things are mutually exclusive. Then what do we have? An epidemic of professing Christians who fail to see that espousing poor or heretical theology is sinful. This becomes even more difficult in dialog with the larger Cults because they use the same vocabulary as us only with a varied meaning.


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## Reformed Thomist (Jul 7, 2009)

Just to add...

Questions like "Are [_insert Christian or pseudo-Christian denomination here_] saved?" sound weird to my ears. Hang around churches of the most orthodox, vibrant Christian denomination in the world and you will, consciously or unwittingly, come across lots of _members_ who aren't saved. There are regenerate or soon-to-be regenerate believers currently in the RCC, JW cult, LDS, etc. (who will, we trust, eventually find their ways to proper churches), just as there are reprobates in good, conservative Presbyterian denoms and Baptist churches (who will probably eventually fall away, get booted, and/or join false churches). Which ecclesial body one does or does not patronize guarantees nothing. What guarantees everything is what Christ accomplished on the Cross before any of us were born.


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