Page 3: "IT" IS the good news of God's Kingdom. Truly, never before in human history has "this good news of the kingdom" been preached on the scale that we see today. - Matthew 24:14.
Note: The good news of the kingdom concerns Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the good news which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you; unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
Page 3: The power of the Kingdom good news is a major factor, for it is news about blessings that will come to mankind. These are blessings that all people yearn for - happiness, freedom from economic hardship, good government, peace and security, and something else that most dare not even consider - everlasting life!
Note: The power of the good news lies in being a Spirit-filled Jesus Witness.
Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Page 3: What, though, is the Kingdom being declared as good news? It is the Kingdom that millions have been taught to pray for in these familiar words: "Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth." - Matthew 6:9, 10.
Note: The spiritual kingdom of God comes upon people everyday in the name of Jesus Christ.
Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Page 3: It is the Kingdom spoken of by the Hebrew prophet Daniel over 25 centuries ago when he wrote: "The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite." - Daniel 2:44.
Correction: True Christians are in the spiritual kingdom of God.
Luke 17:20-21 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
Page 3: Thus, the good news is about the Kingdom, or government, by God that will eliminate all wickedness and then rule over all the earth in peace. It will bring to reality the Creator's original purpose for mankind and for the earth. - Genesis 1:28.
Correction: The good news of the kingdom concerns Jesus Christ.
Acts 28:23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.
Page 4: Nearly 2,000 years ago, the Kingdom good news was first declared publicly by a dedicated man whose appearance and manner commanded much attention. That man was John the Baptizer, son of Jewish priest Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth. John wore a garment of camel hair, with a leather girdle around his loins, in the manner of the prophet Elijah, who foreshadowed him. But it was his message that attracted the attention of many. "Repent," he proclaimed, "for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near." - Matthew 3:1-6.
Note: The spiritual kingdom of God was truly at hand.
John 1:35-37 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
Note: Will you start following Jesus Christ?
Page 4: At that time, many Jews were expecting the appearance of the promised Messiah, or Christ, and some were wondering about John: "May he perhaps be the Christ?" John, however, denied that he was instead directed them to someone else, of whom he said: "The lace of (his) sandals I am not fit to untie." (Luke 3:15, 16) Introducing Jesus to his disciples, John declared: "See, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!" - John 1:29.
Note: Are you pointing people to Jesus Christ or paradise earth?
Colossians 1:28 Him (not it) we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
Page 5: Those who responded to Jesus' message and exercised faith in the good news were highly blessed. John 1:12 says: "As many as did receive (Jesus), to them he gave authority to become God's children, because they were exercising faith in his name." Being children, or sons, of God, they were in line to receive the reward of everlasting life. - 1 John 2:25.
Note: Have you entered the spiritual kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ?
Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."
Note: Have you personally asked Jesus Christ to come into your life?
Page 5: But the privilege of receiving Kingdom blessings was not limited to people in the first century. As mentioned earlier, the good news of God's Kingdom is being proclaimed and taught in all the inhabited earth today.
Note: The Watchtower has placed Jehovah's Witnesses under a curse from God.
Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other good news to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
Page 5: THE Christian apostle Paul was fluent in certain major languages of his day. He had received the equivalent of a university education today. He enjoyed all the advantages and rights of a Roman citizen. (Acts 21:37-40; 22:3, 28) These credentials could have enabled him to become rich and famous. Yet, he said: "What things were gains to me, these I have considered loss on account of the Christ ... and I consider them as a lot of refuse, that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:7, 8) Why did Paul make such a statement?
Answer: He was born again by the Spirit of God.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Page 6: Previously, Paul's knowledge of God came largely from the sect of the Pharisees, of which he was a member. Their beliefs included much human philosophy and tradition. Because of religious prejudices, Paul's zeal and efforts were misdirected. Though he thought he was serving God, he was actually fighting against him. - Philippians 3:5, 6.
Note: True Christians are servants of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Page 6: Happily, Paul made the right choice, for he said: "I am not ashamed of the good news, it is, in fact, God's power for salvation to everyone having faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16) Paul became a zealous preacher of the good news about the Christ and the Kingdom.
Note: The New World Translation is a mistranslation of the Bible.
Romans 1:9-10 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the good news of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the good news of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Page 6: Many years later, Paul told his fellow Christians: "I do not yet consider myself as having laid hold on it; but there is one thing about it: Forgetting the things behind and stretching forward to the things ahead, I am pursuing down toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God by means of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13, 14)
Note: True Christians will be in heaven not by works but by Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:20-21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Page 6: Perhaps you have only recently heard the Kingdom good news. Does the hope of living forever in a perfect paradise appeal to you?
Note: The Watchtower has placed Jehovah's Witnesses under a curse from God.
Galatians 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other good news to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
Page 6: So it is natural for us to hope for the time when people can live forever in peace and happiness. And that is what the Kingdom good news offers.
Correction: True Christians have placed their hope in Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,
Page 6: To make that hope a reality, however, you need to investigate and find out what the good news is about. The apostle Paul admonished: "Prove to (yourself) the good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2) So, like Paul, after gaining knowledge and understanding, you must make a choice.
Note: Have you given up on the Watchtower for the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord?
Philippians 3:8-9 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
Page 7: Religious leaders may promise us an eternal future. But unless that promise is based on the teachings of the Bible, it will not help us to gain the blessings of God's Kingdom. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus forcefully warned: "Not everyone saying to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will." - Matthew 7:21.
Note: Do you personally know Jesus Christ? Does Jesus Christ know you?
Matthew 7:23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
Page 7: Notice Jesus' emphasis on doing the will of his Father as the criterion for receiving the blessings of God's Kingdom. In other words, what may have the appearance of godliness is not necessarily approved by God.
Note: Are you doing the will of the Father? Have you placed your sincere belief in Jesus Christ?
John 6:40 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
Page 7: Clearly, the important thing is that we make sure that we accurately understand what the good news of the Kingdom really is and then act in harmony with it. - Matthew 7:24, 25.
Note: The good news of the kingdom concerns Jesus Christ.
Acts 28:30-31 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
Page 7: For more than 100 years, Jehovah's Witnesses have been preaching the good news of God's Kingdom. By means of the printed page and by word of mouth, they are helping people around the world to gain an accurate knowledge of what the Kingdom is, what blessings it will bring, and what one must do to gain such blessings.
Note: Beware of the error of the wicked Watchtower.
2 Peter 3:17-18 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Page 7: We encourage you to respond to the message being preached by Jehovah's Witnesses. By accepting and acting on the good news, you can receive grand blessings not only now but also in the future when God's Kingdom rules the entire earth. - 1 Timothy 4:8. Act now, for the blessings of God's Kingdom are at hand!
Correction: Have you accepted the good news of Jesus Christ through sincere belief?
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.
Page 9: ONE of the most astounding prophecies in the Bible is found at Acts 1:8. Shortly before he ascended to heaven, Jesus told his faithful followers: "You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will be witnesses of me ... To the most distant part of the earth." What an enormous undertaking this would prove to be!
Note: True Christians are Jesus Witnesses.
Page 9: To proclaim God's word throughout the earth must have seemed a daunting assignment to that handful of disciples who received it. Consider what was involved. They would have to help the people to understand the good news of God's Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14)
Note: That "daunting assignment" involved suffering for the name of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 24:9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake."
Page 9: Thus, despite the magnitude of the assignment and the relentless and violent efforts of opposers to silent them, the early disciples of Jesus successfully did what he had directed. It is a fact of history that cannot be denied.
Note: True Christians will suffer for the name of Jesus Christ.
John 15:21 "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me."
Page 9: The worldwide preaching and teaching campaign was an expression of God's love for those who did not know him. It gave them the opportunity to draw close to Jehovah and receive forgiveness of sins. (Acts 26:18)
Note: Have you drawn close to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins?
Acts 26:15-18 "So I said, 'Who are You, Lord (Jehovah)?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'"
Page 9: The commission to preach and teach also manifested God's love for those bearing the message, since it allowed them to express their devotion to Jehovah and display their love for fellow humans. (Matthew 22:37-39) The apostle Paul so valued the Christian ministry that he referred to it as a "treasure." - 2 Corinthians 4:7.
Note: The Watchtower has blinded Jehovah's Witnesses to the good news of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the good news of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Pages 9-10: The account of the early Christians, who were empowered by holy spirit, is both exciting and highly meaningful to us today. Jehovah's Witnesses are engaged in the same work of preaching and disciple making, only on a much larger scale.
Correction: True Christians will preach Jesus Christ not paradise earth.
2 Corinthians 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake.
Page 10: One way to examine the fulfillment of Acts 1:8 is to consider the expression "the word of Jehovah went on growing," a phrase that occurs, with slight variations, only three times in the Bible and all of which are found in the book of Acts. (Acts 6:7; 12:24; 19:20) "The word of Jehovah," or "the word of God," in these passages refers to the good news - the stirring message of divine truth, a living, powerful message that changed the lives of those who accepted it.
Note: The good news of Jesus Christ is powerful, living, and life changing.
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Page 11: This numerical growth was largely by conversion. The religion was new - but it was dynamic. Far from being passive church members, the disciples were fully devoted to Jehovah and his Word, having sometimes learned the truth from those who were viciously persecuted.
Note: True Christians are fully devoted to Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Page 11: Those who accepted Christianity did so as the result of a reasoned, conscientious decision. (Romans 12:1)
Correction: True Christian conversion is from the heart.
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
Page 11: Persecution in Jerusalem scattered the disciples to regions throughout Judea and Samaria. The result? "Those who had been scattered went through the land declaring the good news of the word." (Acts 8:1, 4)
Note: The good news of the word is Jesus Christ.
Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
Page 11: Philip was directed to witness to a man who, after being baptized, took the message to Ethiopia. (Acts 8:26-28, 38, 39)
Note: The Christian message is Jesus Christ.
Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.
Page 12: When Peter observed the holy spirit manifesting itself in the Gentile Cornelius, he said: "For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him." (Acts 10:34, 35) Yes, the good news was and is a message for all peoples, and the geographical growth of the word of God gave peoples everywhere an opportunity to respond to God's love. In this 21st century, the word of God has spread to literally all parts of the earth.
Note: Christendom is preaching Jesus Christ throughout the world.
Acts 10:36-38 "The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord of all; that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."
Page 12: The third reference to the growth of God's word occurs at Acts 19:20: "In a mighty way the word of Jehovah kept growing and prevailing." The original Greek word that is translated "prevailing" conveys the idea of "exerting strength."
Note: The word of God magnifies the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 19:17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
Page 12: Still, those early Christians recognized that the success of their ministry did not depend on their efforts alone. They had a divine commission to carry on their work, and they had divine support to accomplish it. Spiritual growth comes from God. The apostle Paul acknowledged this in his letter to the congregation in Corinth. He wrote: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God kept making it grow. For we are God's fellow workers." - 1 Corinthians 3:6, 9.
Note: The foundation of Christian spiritual growth is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Page 13: Would the apostles tremble with fear before such an imposing and hostile assembly? Not at all! Holy spirit empowered Peter and John to speak with such boldness that their opponents were filled with wonder, and "they began to recognize about them that they used to be with Jesus." (Acts 4:8, 13)
Note: The Holy Spirit will empower true Christians to fearlessly preach Jesus Christ.
Acts 4:9-12 "If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Page 13: When the spirit was poured out on Cornelius, his relatives, and his intimate friends, the apostle Peter recognized that uncircumcised Gentiles could qualify to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:24, 44-48)
Correction: The Gentiles were baptized immediately upon conversion.
Acts 10:47-48 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Page 13: Later, the spirit played a key role in appointing Barnabas and Saul (the apostle Paul) for missionary activity and in directing where they should and should not go. (Acts 13:2, 4; 16:6, 7) It directed the decision-making process of the apostles and older men in Jerusalem.
Correction: The Holy Spirit is never referred to as an impersonal it or force.
John 14:16-17 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you."
Page 13: Holy spirit also guided the appointment of overseers in the Christian congregation.
Note: Christendom acknowledges Jesus Christ as God.
Acts 20:28 "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."
Page 14: In all, the expression "holy spirit" occurs 41 times in the book of Acts. Clearly, genuine Christian growth in the first century was closely linked to the power and guidance of the holy spirit.
Note: Christian conversion is in the name of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Page 14: Satan the Devil could not silence the early Christians. Instead, he countered the impact of the good news by another means - apostasy. Jesus had foretold this development in his parable of the wheat and the weeds. (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)
Note: Watchtower "weeds" do not suffer for the name of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
Page 14: The apostle Peter had also warned that false teachers would arise within the congregation, bringing in destructive sects. (2 Peter 2:1-3)
Note: The Watchtower false teachers never promote the majesty of Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
Page 14: Similarly, the apostle Paul had specifically warned that apostasy would precede the day of Jehovah. - 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3.
Note: The Watchtower apostates never glorify the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Page 14: Following the death of the apostles, the good news came to be overshadowed by pagan teachings and philosophies. As foretold, false teachers distorted and polluted the pure message of truth. Gradually, true Christianity was eclipsed by a counterfeit called Christendom.
Correction: Only one half of Christendom is counterfeit.
Mat 25:1-2 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Matthew 25:11-13 "Afterward the other (foolish) virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."
Note: Do you personally know Jesus Christ? Does Jesus Christ know you?
Page 14: A clergy class arose that tried to keep the Bible out of the hands of the common people. Though the numbers of those who called themselves Christians increased, their worship was not pure. Christendom grew geographically and became a powerful institution and a dominant force in Western culture, but it had neither God's blessing nor his spirit.
Note: The apostle Paul disagrees with the Watchtower false teachers.
Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Pages 14-15: Men who copied the Bible took pains to do so accurately. Thus, the Bible itself remained intact, though its message was perverted by many who professed to have the authority to teach it. Over the centuries such scholars as Jerome and Tyndale bravely translated and distributed God's Word.
Correction: Both Jerome and Tyndale were Trinitarians with popular followings.
Saint Jerome: In 379 he was ordained a priest. He then spent three years in Constantinople with the Easter church father, St. Gregory of Nazianzus. In 382 he returned to Rome, where he became secretary to Pope Damasus I and gained much influence. Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia, Volume 15, page 31.
William Tyndale: He traveled to Germany, where he met Martin Luther, espoused Reformation principles, and, in Cologne, began (1525) the printing of his English version of the New Testament. Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia, Volume 26, page 129.
Page 15: Eventually, as foretold in the book of Daniel, 'the true knowledge became abundant.' This has occurred in "the time of the end" - the time in which we are now living. (Daniel 12:4) Holy spirit has led lovers of truth worldwide to an accurate knowledge of the true God and his purpose.
Note: The Watchtower has been spiritually polluted by the world.
2 Peter 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
Page 15: Even after centuries of apostate teaching, God's word prevails! Today, the good news is being proclaimed everywhere, pointing people to the hope of a delightful new world.
Correction: The good news concerns Jesus Christ not paradise earth.
Romans 15:18-19 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient; in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the good news of Christ.
Page 15: In the late 19th century, Bible truth galvanized a small group of Bible Students, known today as Jehovah's Witnesses. By 1914 the Bible had come alive to them.
Correction: These "Bible Students" were encouraged not to read the Bible.
Watchtower 9/15/1910, page 298. Furthermore, not only do we find that people cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the SCRIPTURE STUDIES aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years - if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the SCRIPTURE STUDIES with their references, and had not read a page of the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of the two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures.
Page 15: Further, they realized that "the times of the Gentiles" had already ended, signaling that the time was near for God's Kingdom government to bring about blessings for mankind. (Luke 21:24, King James Version) What glorious good news! These dynamic truths were to be shared with everyone, everywhere. Lives were at stake!
Correction: Jesus Christ did not return to the earth in 1914.
Luke 21:27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Pages 15-16: The word of God has also spread geographically, for Jehovah's Witnesses are found in 235 lands. Furthermore, Bible truth has exerted power, prevailing over all obstacles, religions and otherwise. This global preaching activity adds to the irrefutable proof that Jesus is present in Kingdom power. - Matthew 24:3, 14.
Correction: Jesus Christ has been present with true Christians since the first century not 1914.
Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Page 16: Just as historians remarked on the astounding growth of Christianity in the first century, many scholars have commented on the growth of Jehovah's people in modern times. In the United States, two scholars jointly wrote: "During the past 75 years the Jehovah's Witnesses have sustained an extraordinary rate of growth ... And have done so on a global scale."
Correction: Two unnamed "scholars" does not constitute many scholars.
Page 16: A primary reason that God's word prevails today is that Jehovah's spirit is powerfully at work, just as it was in the first century. Jesus said: "No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him." (John 6:44)
Note: Have you been taught by God? Have you heard from Jesus Christ through Scripture?
John 6:45 "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me."
Page 17: Today, we clearly discern what the prophet Malachi foretold long ago: "You people will ... Wee the distinction between a righteous one and a wicked one, between one serving God and one who has not served hem." - Malachi 3:18.
Note: True Christians are servants of Jesus Christ.
John 12:26 "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor."
Page 17: Jehovah's Witnesses today are not passive churchgoers. They take an active part in the evangelizing work. Like the early Christians, they present themselves willingly to do God's will, seeking to help others learn about Jehovah's Kingdom promises.
Correction: True evangelizing work involves the good news of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 3:6-7 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the good news, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
Page 18: We cannot fail to be impressed by the similarity between Jehovah's Witnesses today and those who embraced true Christianity in the first century. Equally striking is the contrast between Jehovah's Witnesses and Christendom today.
Correction: Christians of Christendom are dying for Jesus Christ in the Sudan & Timor today.
Acts 21:13 Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
Note: Jehovah's Witnesses are not suffering for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Page 18: The very features that Christendom lacks abound among Jehovah's Witnesses! Theirs is a living faith, a genuine faith, and a faith that is based on Bible truth that they feel impelled to share with all who will listen. - 1 Timothy 2:3, 4.
Correction: True Christians will testify of the truth in Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 2:5-7 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle; I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying; a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
Page 18: Jesus took his ministry very seriously, making it his primary concern. He said to Pilate: "For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth." (John 18:37) God's people feel as Jesus did. With Bible truth in their heart, they endeavor to find ways to share it with as many as possible.
Correction: True Christians will testify of the truth in Jesus Christ.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
Page 19: The growth of God's word in all the earth is closely linked to the ransom sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Like the ransom, the preaching work is an expression of Jehovah's love for people everywhere. The apostle John was inspired to write: "God loved the world (of mankind) so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life." - John 3:16.
Note: The Watchtower followers stand condemned.
John 3:18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Page 19: Think about the love Jehovah showed in providing the ransom. For aeons, God had enjoyed a close relationship with his cherished, only-begotten Son, "the beginning of the creation by God." (Revelation 3:14)
Note: The phrase "only-begotten" refers to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Acts 13:33-34 "God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You.' And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: 'I will give you the sure mercies of David.'"
Note: Jesus Christ began and finished the creation of the universe.
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
Note: Jesus Christ did not create Himself.
Page 19: Having provided the legal basis for salvation at great cost to himself, Jehovah wants as many as possible to take advantage of it. The apostle Paul wrote: "'Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.' However, how will they call on him in whom they have not put faith? How, in turn, will they put faith in him of whom they have not heard? How, in turn, will they hear without someone to preach?" - Romans 10:13, 14.
Note: Jesus Christ is Jehovah. Have you called out to Jesus Christ?
Romans 10:8-13 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
1 Corinthians 1:2-3 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
Page 19: And remember that what we see being accomplished worldwide gives convincing evidence that Jehovah God will soon fulfill his promise to usher in the glorious "new heavens and a new earth" in which "righteousness is to dwell." - 2 Peter 3:13.
Note: The Watchtower is in violation of the Word of God.
Acts 1:7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority."
Page 21: It is not Christian to disregard what others think, and never would we want our actions to have a damaging effect on other people. (Matthew 7:12; 1 Corinthians 8:12)
Note: The Watchtower is not Christian.
Page 15: Millions of people were exposed to the Bible and to a form of Christianity, counterfeit though it was.
Page 31: Obedience not only brings happy family relations and other lifelong benefits but also provides the foundation upon which can be built the most vital relationship of all - that between a person and his Creator. As the "Grand Creator" with whom is "the source of life," Jehovah God rightfully deserves our complete obedience. - Ecclesiastes 12:1; Psalm 36:9.
Note: Do you love Jesus Christ? Are you keeping the word of Jesus Christ?
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."
Page 31: The word "obey" in its various forms occurs more than 160 times in the Bible. Additionally, there are hundreds of references to God's laws, orders, commandments, judicial decisions, and regulations, all of which call for submission.
Correction: Christian obedience is founded upon sincere belief in Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 3:18-19 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Page 31: We are left in no doubt that God views obedience as a requirement for enjoying his approval. Yes, obedience is an indispensable ingredient for building a relationship with Jehovah.
Correction: A relationship with the Father is through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.
John 8:19 Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also."
Page 31: A confirmation of this promise is found at Proverbs 3:1, 2: "My son, my law do not forget, and my commandments may your heart observe, because length of days and years of life and peace will be added to you." The grand reward for those who obey is a personal relationship with Jehovah now and everlasting life in a peaceful new world. - Revelation 21:3, 4.
Correction: A relationship with the Father is through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 3:21-26 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Backcover: THE greatest gift that God has given to fallen mankind is the provision for their recovery by means of his only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The death of Jesus, our Ransomer, makes possible everlasting life on a paradise earth. At Luke 22:19, we are commanded to memorialize his death.
Note: True Christians obey the words of Jesus Christ and partake of the memorial supper.
Matthew 26:27-28 "Take, eat; this is My body." Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you."