The Jehovah’s Witnesses are striving to get eternal life in the future by taking in [accurate] knowledge of God and Jesus Christ now! That might sound very strange to a Christian, but that is a fact. The Scripture they misapply is:
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3)
In their Bible, The New World Translation, instead of reading there the word “know,” it is changed to “knowledge.” The way it is taught by their leaders is that eternal life comes through taking in knowledge about God, which can only be dispensed through the Watchtower, who they think is “Jehovah’s Organization.” Hence, they believe any and all hope of gaining eternal life in the future means they must stay with their organization so they can take in knowledge!
Another important point about this is, they are misled about the present tense possession of eternal life, which true followers of Jesus now have. A powerfully clear passage, which reveals this fact and their folly, is this one:
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13)
Ask them this question: “Are you of the group which has the Son or the group which does not have the Son?” They will answer, they are of the group which has the Son. Then make this clear observation from 1 John 5:11-13, “If you have the Son, then you also have eternal life NOW, according to that Scripture.” That is plain, indisputable, irrefutable Christian truth, but in violent contrast to their doctrine.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses know nothing about the true Biblical plan of salvation and getting set free from their sin addictions. Many have never even thought about sincerely, humbly and repentantly asking God for mercy because of their many sins (Lk. 18:13,14). Their doctrines won’t allow them to ask Jesus for living water (John 4:10). Hence, they refuse to go to Jesus for eternal life (John 5:40). Their darkened understanding of Scripture disallows them to rely on the Lord Jesus alone for their personal salvation and they remain a slave to the Watchtower Society, a Bible-defined false prophet. Sadly, they remain in darkness and death with Bibles in their hands, as they claim to be God’s witnesses! Imagine that!
