What can you do if you are a
Jehovah's Witness who desires to live for God and Christ and yet are unsure about what you
have been taught?
First, if you are a Jehovah's Witness, don't be discouraged.
Don't give up on God because someone lied to you. Perhaps you accepted the Watchtower's
claims without first testing them carefully. Possibly your own doubts and discouragement
will become the means by which God leads you into the truth and into a personal
relationship with Him.
Second, realize that you aren't alone. Former worldwide
Governing Body board member Raymond Franz estimates that between 1970 and 1979 over
750,000 Jehovah's Witnesses were disfellowshipped or left the Watchtower organization.1
Third, take the initiative: get at the truth for yourself.
The Watchtower has told you before that "sincere seekers for the truth want to know
what is right."2 If you study the Bible on your own, in humility before
God, God says He Himself will show you the truth.
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who
gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to Him. . . .Draw
near to God and He will draw near to you." (Js. 1:5; 4:8)
Ask Him, and He'll help you. Believe and obey His Word, don't
alter it, and you will know the truth and as Jesus promised "the truth will make you
free" (Jn. 8:31,32).
Fourth, accept God's loving and free gift of salvation in
Christ Jesus (no works to earn it!). God never intended for you to spend your life in a
hopeless, never-ending attempt to earn your own salvation by measuring up to His standard
of perfection. He has already told us it's impossible for any person to do so. Because of
your fallen nature, you'll never be able to do it (Rom. 8:3). "But because of His
great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were
dead in transgessions--it is by grace you have been saved" (Eph. 2:4,5 cf Rom. 8:3)
The really good news that God gives to all of us is:
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who
are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1).
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still
powerless, Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6).
"But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord" (Rom. 6:23).
"However, to the man who does not work [for salvation]
but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness"
(Rom. 4:5).
"So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we
may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the
law no one will be justified. . . .I do not set aside the grace of God, for if
righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Gal.
2:16,21).
Fifth, God wants you to confess your sins and accept the
forgiveness He provided through Christ's shed blood. Read Is. 55:1-3 and see how eagerly
God longs for you to come to Him to rest. Do you long for eternal life? God's Word says
you can know that you have it:
The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in
himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed
in the witness that God has borne concerning His Son. And the witness is this, that God
has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has
the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 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 (1 Jn. 5:10-13, emphasis added).
You can receive the gift of salvation, and know that you have
eternal life, right now by praying sincerely:
"Dear God, I'm confused. But I long to know You and
serve You as You really are. Please reveal Yourself to me. I confess that I'm a sinner and
incapable of earning merit in Your eyes. I believe Jesus' words, "You must be born
again." I now receive Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. I receive Him as
my God. I commit myself to Him and to Your Word. Please help me to understand it
correctly. Amen."
FOR
SPECAIL OFFERS CONCERNING JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, PLEASE VISIT OUR SPECIALS
PAGE.
FOOTNOTES
1. Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, (Atlanta, GA:
Commentary, 1983), p. 31.
2. Is This Life All There Is?
(WBTS, 1974), p. 99.
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