a. To be saved a person must:
1. Take in knowledge.9
2. Believe in Jesus Christ.10
3. Repent.11
4. Dedicate himself to Jehovah.12
5. Turn around.13
6. Recognize the Watchtower Society as "God's organization."
14
7. Conduct his life in harmony with the teachings and activities of
the Watchtower Society.15
8. Maintain integrity to Jehovah and to his earthly organization.16
9. Endure faithfully to the end.17
b. One need not be born again to be saved.18
c. It is presumptuous for a Christian to say that he has been saved.19
d. A Christian awaits future salvation.20
e. A Christian has no assurance of salvation. 21
* * *
Q1. What is the condition before God of the unsaved?
Matt 8:22-But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me; and allow the dead
to bury their own dead."
Matt 10:6-"but rather go to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel."
Luke 13:1-5-Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported
to Him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with
their sacrifices, and He answered and said to them, "Do you suppose
that these Galileans were [greater] sinners than all [other] Galileans,
because they suffered this [fate]? I tell you, no, but unless you repent,
you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen
on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, were worse culprits
than all the men who lived in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but, unless
you repent, you will all likewise perish."
Luke 15:24-"for this son of mine was dead, and has come
to life again; he was lost, and has been found."
Luke 19:10-"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that
which was lost."
John 3:16-"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal
life."
John 3:18-"he who does not believe has been judged already"
John 3:36-"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he
who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of
God abides on him."
Rom 5:10-For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to
God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we
shall be saved by His life.
Gal 4:9-But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known
by God...[The unsaved are unknown by God.]
Eph 2:3-Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh,
indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature
children of wrath, even as the rest.
Col 2:13-And when you were dead in your transgressions...
2 Thess 1:7-9-and [to give] relief to you who are afflicted and to us
as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty
angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not
know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from
the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.
Rev 20:15-And if anyone's name was not found written in the book
of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Q2. How can one be saved?
Matt 19:26-And when the disciples heard [this], they were very astonished
and said, "Then who can be saved?" And looking upon [them] Jesus
said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God
all things are possible."
1 Pet 2:24-and He [Jesus] Himself bore our sins in
His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness;
for by His wounds you were healed.
Q3. To whom must one turn for salvation?
See RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST, Q3
Q4. What must a person do to be saved?
John 3:14-16-"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes
may in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave
his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish,
but have eternal life."
John 3:36-"He who believes in the Son has eternal life;
but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God
abides on him."
John 6:47-"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal
life."
Acts 13:38-39-"Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that
through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone
who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be
freed through the Law of Moses."
Acts 13:48-And when the Gentiles heard this, they [began] rejoicing
and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed
to eternal life believed.
Acts 16:29-31-The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling
before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs,
what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe
in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household."
Rom 10:9-10-if you confess with you mouth Jesus as Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall
be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness,
and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
Rom 10:13-"Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord [Jesus]
will be saved."
Rev 3:20-"Behold, I [Jesus] stand at the door and knock; if
anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him,
and will dine with him, and he with Me."
Q5. Must one be born again to be saved?
See BEING BORN AGAIN, Q2
Q6. Is it proper for a Christian to say that he has been saved?
John 3:36-"He who believes in the Son HAS eternal life;
but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God
abides on him."
John 5:24-"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word, and
believes Him who sent Me, HAS eternal life, and does not come into
judgment, but HAS passed out of death into life."
John 6:47-"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes HAS eternal
life."
Rom 5:11-Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation
Rom 8:1-2-There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are
in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit HAS set you free from
the law of sin and of death.
Eph 2:5-...when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive
together with Christ (by grace you HAVE BEEN saved)...
Eph 4:32-God in Christ also HAS forgiven you.
Phil 4:3-and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names ARE
in the book of life.
2 Ti 1:8-9-God, who HAS saved us, and called us with a
holy calling
Heb 10:19-Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter
the holy place by the blood of Jesus...
1 Pet 1:23-For you HAVE BEEN born again, not of perishable
seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word
of God.
1 John 3:14-We know that we HAVE passed out of death into life,
because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.
1 John 5:11-And the witness is this, that God HAS given us eternal
life, and this life is in His Son.
1 John 5:13-These things I have written to you who believe in the name
of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you HAVE eternal
life.
Q7. How does a Christian know that he has been saved?
Rom 8:16-The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that
we are children of God
Eph 1:13-In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth,
the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in
Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.
1 John 5:13-These things I have written to you who believe in
the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you
have eternal life.
Q8. Can one test himself to see whether or not he has been saved?
2 Cor 13:5-Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the
faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about
yourselves, that JESUS CHRIST IS IN YOU-unless indeed you fail the test?
Q9. Does a Christian await future, bodily salvation?
Rom 5:9-10-Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood,
much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if
while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of
his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved
by his life.
Rom 8:11-But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells
in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life
to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.
Eph 4:30-And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were
sealed for the day of redemption.
1 Pet 1:4-5-you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until
the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last
time.
Q10. Does a Christian have assurance of salvation?
John 5:24-"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes
him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he
has crossed over from death to life."
John 10:28-"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
no one can snatch them out of my hand."
Rom 8:1-2-Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are
in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit
of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:11-But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead
dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also
give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.
Eph 1:13-14-In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth,
the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in
Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of
our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of [God's own] possession,
to the praise of His glory.
Eph 4:30-And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were
sealed for the day of redemption.
Phil 4:3-and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are
in the book of life.
Col 3:3-4For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in
God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed,
then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
Heb 10:35-Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which
has a great reward.
1 John 5:13-I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son
of God, that you may KNOW that you HAVE eternal life.
* * *
Summary:
a. To be saved one must:
1. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
b. One must be born again to be saved.
c. One can test himself to see whether or not he has been saved. If
Jesus Christ is in him, he has been saved. If He is not in him, he has
not been saved.
d. The indwelling Holy Spirit gives the Christian assurance of salvation.
e. It is proper for a Christian to say that he has been saved.
f. A Christian awaits future, bodily salvation.
* * *
Scriptures commonly used by Jehovah's Witnesses:
Phil 2:12-13-...work out [not FOR] your salvation with
fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and
to work for [His] good pleasure.
Endnotes:
9. Watchtower, 6/15/68, p. 359
10. Watchtower 12/1/85, p. 9
11. Aid to Bible Understanding, p. 1386
12. The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life, p. 182
13. Aid to Bible Understanding, p. 1388
14. Watchtower, 6/15/68, p. 359
15. Ibid.
16. Watchtower, 12/1/85, p. 18
17. Ibid.
18. Watchtower, 2/15/86, p. 14
19. Reasoning from the Scriptures, p. 360
20. Ibid., p. 358
21. Ibid.
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