Jehovah's Witnesses: What do they believe?
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As Jehovah’s Witnesses returned to knocking on doors this month after a 2½-year hiatus due to the pandemic, here’s a quick look at the history, beliefs and worldwide reach of the organization culled from the denomination’s official website, jw.org:
How did the Jehovah's Witnesses begin?
Jehovah's Witnesses started in 1870 when Charles Taze Russell led Bible studies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Jehovah's Witnesses movement came out of the Bible Student movement, also founded by Russell. When he started to dispute some traditional Christian views, the Jehovah's Witnesses were born.
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Where did the name Jehovah's Witnesses come from?
As stated on the website, “Jehovah is the personal name of God, as found in the Bible. (Exodus 6:3; Psalm 83:18) A witness is a person who proclaims views or truths of which he is convinced. Thus, our name Jehovah’s Witnesses designates us as a group of Christians who proclaim the truth about Jehovah, the Creator of all things. (Revelation 4:11)”
Belief in God and the Bible
According to the website: “We worship the one true and Almighty God, the Creator, whose name is Jehovah. (Psalm 83:18; Revelation 4:11) He is the God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. — Exodus 3:6; 32:11; John 20:17.
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“We recognize the Bible as God’s inspired message to humans. (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16) We base our beliefs on all 66 of its books, which include both the ‘Old Testament’ and the ‘New Testament.’”
What is the Jehovah's Witnesses' view on Jesus?
The website states, “We follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ and honor him as our Savior and as the Son of God. (Matthew 20:28; Acts 5:31) Thus, we are Christians. (Acts 11:26) However, we have learned from the Bible that Jesus is not Almighty God and that there is no Scriptural basis for the Trinity doctrine. — John 14:28.”
What is the Jehovah's Witnesses' view on salvation?
According to the website: “Deliverance from sin and death is possible through the ransom sacrifice of Jesus. (Matthew 20:28; Acts 4:12) To benefit from that sacrifice, people must not only exercise faith in Jesus but also change their course of life and get baptized. (Matthew 28:19, 20; John 3:16; Acts 3:19, 20) A person’s works prove that his faith is alive. (James 2:24, 26) However, salvation cannot be earned — it comes through “the undeserved kindness of God.”— Galatians 2:16, 21.”
Global presence
Worldwide, the faith group claims 8.6 million adherents in its congregations, known as Kingdom Halls, across 239 countries, said Ivan Fernandez, Tampa-based state spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Florida.
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Nationally, there are 1.3 million adherents attending about 12,800 Kingdom Halls in the United States, typically for twice weekly and weekend gatherings, he said.
In Florida, there are 137,000 Witnesses in 1,100 congregations that meet in approximately 400 Kingdom Halls, Fernandez said. That total includes roughly 3,200 members in Volusia County that represent 30 congregations meeting in 10 Kingdom Halls.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Jehovah's Witnesses: What do they believe, how did they start?
