Jehovah's Witness

The 144,000

Witnesses believe that only 144,000 people will be truly born again and will be able to enter into heaven. Their believe comes from this passage:

Revelation 14:3-5 – and they sing, as it were, a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders, and no one was able to learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousands, who have been bought from the earth; these are they who with women were not defiled, for they are virgin; these are they who are following the Lamb whithersoever he may go; these were bought from among men – a first-fruit to God and to the Lamb – and in their mouth there was not found guile, for unblemished are they before the throne of God. (YLT)

This “little flock” that enters heaven is the Witnesses’ attempt to interpret the Bible’s symbol of the elite overcomers, but their interpretation is incorrect and inconsistent with the rest of God’s word. I covered this in The Barley Overcomers, as well as several other articles. These 144,000 are the first fruits that will take part in the first resurrection, and rule with Christ for 1,000 years. Remember these verses:

1 Corinthians 15:23-24 – and each in his proper order, a first-fruit Christ, afterwards those who are the Christ’s, in his presence, then – the end, when he may deliver up the reign to God, even the Father, when he may have made useless all rule, and all authority and power – (YLT)

Revelation 20:6 – Happy and hold [is] he who is having part in the first rising again; over these the second death hath not authority, but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (YLT)

The true three groups of God’s kingdom are represented by the symbols of the three harvests barley, wheat and grape. In summary:

1. Barley – represents the overcomers, the sons of God, the elite 144,000, the first fruits, virgins that brought extra oil, blameless, will rise from the dead in the first resurrection, will reign with Christ for 1,000 years, will be saved from the lake of fire, will receive no form of punishment whatsoever, and will take part in the judgment of the other groups

2. Wheat – represents the Christian believers, righteous, did good things, virgins that did not bring extra oil, will rise from the dead in the second resurrection, will be saved from the lake of fire, but will receive beatings with stripes based on how much they prepared

3. Grape – represents non-believers, unrighteous, did evil things, abominable, murders, whoremongers, sorcerers, will rise from the dead in the second resurrection, will be thrown into the lake of fire which is God’s judgment, will be purified until they become believers and realize the truth, due to the law of Jubilee

The Holy Spirit

The Jehovah’s Witnesses also believe that the Holy Spirit is an active force, which is neither alive, nor God Himself. This is how they explain it:

“The Scriptures themselves untie to show that God’s holy spirit is not a person but is God’s active force by which accomplishes his purpose and executes his will” – Aid to Bible Understanding, p. 1543

“The Holy Spirit is the invisible active force of Almighty God that moves his servants to do his will” – Let God Be True, p. 108

The deity of the Holy Spirit can be proved by the attributes in which the Bible describes it. Take a look at these verses:

Romans 15:19 – in power of signs and wonders, in power of the Spirit of God; so that I, from Jerusalem, and in a circle as far as Illyricum, have fully preached the good news of the Christ; (YLT)

Revelation 2:7 – He who is having an ear – let him hear what the Spirit saith to the assemblies: To him who is overcoming – I will give to him to eat the tree of life that is in the midst of the paradise of God (YLT)

Matthew 12:31 – Because of this I say to you , all sin and evil speaking shall be forgiven to men, but the evil speaking of the Spirit shall not be forgiven to men (YLT)

Acts 5:3-4 – And Peter said, Anaias, wherefore did the Adversary fill thy heart, for thee to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back of the price of the place? while it remained, did it not remain thine? and having been sold, in thy authority was it not? why [is] it that thou didst put in thy heart this thing? thou didst not lie to men, but to God; (YLT)

Romans 15 says that the Holy Spirit has power which is an attribute of God. Revelation 2 says that the Holy Spirit can speak and give knowledge to people, which proves it is alive. In Matthew 12, Jesus says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven. This is because the Holy Spirit is God. In Acts 5, Peter uses the Holy Spirit in verse 3, but uses God in verse 4, so we can determine that the two are interchangeable because they are the same being. It is pretty clear that the Holy Spirit is God Himself. Let us now move on to the trinity.

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