(This article also includes a podcast discussion. Click the play button below, or subscribe and listen on your Apple or Google podcast app.)
(If you just want a big idea in order to read Part 3, read the section on Terms, the two main headings about Christ, and the section about Control)
In Part 1, we took an objective look at the origins of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the basics of their beliefs, and how they answer the “5 big questions about life.” In this article, we’ll take a deeper look at some important things worth knowing when we’re talking to them. The explanations will be as brief as possible, but this is definitely a long one. Unlike my previous coverage of Muslims or even Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses are so close to the truth that several beliefs require much closer examination so we can understand the subtle ways they change the gospel.
The goal of this article isn’t to make anyone an expert on Jehovah’s Witnesses. Instead, I want people to not only be familiar with some important concepts about the religion, but have a basic understanding of how we can gently respond to these issues as they come up. There is a lot of content here, so feel free to read it all, check parts that interest you, or just bookmark this as a future resource.
An important note on how Jehovah’s Witnesses redefine terms
When talking to Jehovah’s Witnesses, it can be easy to wonder if we really need to give them the gospel. They’ll make statements like:
- Jesus died for our sins and is the only way to receive salvation
- Christ is the son of God
- We live by faith
- The Bible is my source of truth
Those are all things that we not only agree with, but agree that they are absolutely crucial for salvation and living the Christian life. Yet as we’ll see, what they mean by these statements are wildly different from what we understand them to mean. That’s why it’s so important to not only look at their different beliefs but to ask questions about what they mean when they say certain things.
The basis for redefining terms, I believe, comes from a simple motivation. People are naturally attracted to new ways of seeing things, especially if that new way disagrees with what tradition has always taught. We love the feeling of new, almost secret knowledge that others don’t have. Jehovah’s witnesses don’t reinvent the wheel, they just change the meaning of everything we thought we knew. It’s a common tactic used by many cults.
As a result, this throws people off. It’s easy to get flustered when telling a Witness they need to trust Jesus for salvation, only for them to reply “But I do!” We are put on the defensive, and from there it’s easy for them to start teaching us why we misunderstand what the Bible says. Don’t be discouraged – we aren’t called to answer all their questions, but merely to be faithful to the truth of Christ.
Things worth knowing about Jehovah’s Witnesses
The New World Translation issues
Their primary source of truth is the Bible. While they’ll keep the King James Version on hand for talking to others, they believe the New World Translation is the superior translation. This version was released in 1950 and is what a Jehovah’s Witness will always use to prove their beliefs.
From several explanations on their website, the New World Translation (NWT) accomplishes a few things:
- It updates the language while staying true to the original text
- It accurately adds the true name, “Jehovah,” all throughout the Bible, especially in places where it was wrongly removed
- It translates the Bible literally, instead of following human traditions
There’s a good deal wrong with the claims made about this translation. Without getting too deep into translation and interpretation methods, the NWT fails some basic requirements.
First, it’s far from a literal translation. Much of the language is updated in such a way that it is more of a “thought for thought,” which is simply what’s necessary when taking a foreign language and making the choice between the translation being faithful (though difficult to read casually) or easier to read (while losing some original meaning).
Second, it’s hardly free from “human traditions.” The basic purpose of the NWT is to have a Bible that doesn’t have such glaring contradiction to the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Thus, a six-man committee came together and, by all indications, just rewrote the KJV and changed any areas that disagreed with their beliefs. What they called “faithfully translated” was really just making it more user-friendly.
Finally, the six translators knew almost nothing of the original languages. This is important to realize when the Witnesses own website claims that their version is true to the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic of the original versions. Five of the translators had absolutely no training in original languages whatsoever. The sixth translator had one year of Bible college, but during a court hearing with public records, he couldn’t even identify Greek letters on the page of a Greek Bible.
Summed up, the NWT just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Words are added or removed in places like
- John 1:1 (saying Jesus “was a god”)
- Colossians 1:15-20 (adding other to imply Christ was created, such as verse 16: “because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth…”)
- Luke 1:35 (removing the from the Holy Spirit and not capitalizing His name because they don’t believe He is an actual being: “In answer the angel said to her: ‘Holy spirit will come upon you…’”)
But in the Greek, these added words can’t be found, while words that are removed are definitely there.
Christ was created and isn’t Jehovah
Jehovah’s Witnesses will go to a few places to prove that Christ is a god, but not the God of the Bible. There’s a few verses they’ll use to demonstrate this.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god (John 1:1, New World Translation)
As discussed, this problematic verse was changed in the 1950s. In Part 3, we’ll discuss why not changing the next few verses in the NWT actually creates a huge conundrum. Regardless, this verse is used to show that God first created Christ, then created everything else.
I and the Father are one. (John 10:30 New World Translation)
Though unchanged, their online commentary explains this “oneness” as unity, rather than sharing the same divine essence. So, they would argue, Christ and the Father are “one” in their purpose.
Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to YOU, Before Abraham came into existence, I have been.” (John 8:58 New World Translation)
Note that in any other translation, the bolded text says “I AM,” and is a crystal clear reference to Christ’s presence as God in the burning bush in Exodus 3. Again, this is a case of changing the original wording with no Greek manuscripts to support it.
You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I am. (John 14:28 New World Translation)
This verse is used to show that Christ’s being is lesser than the Father’s, while Christians for the past 2,000 years have always understood it as the Son’s willing submission to the Father’s will (as in Luke 22:42)
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15 New World Translation)
This is the go-to verse to show that Christ was the first creation. And while it may appear to say that on the surface, this is an example of language changing over time. As we see throughout the Bible, being “firstborn” isn’t a matter of creation order, but a position. The firstborn was unique in the rights and responsibilities they would inherit. They were set apart. This the actual word here doesn’t mean Christ was a first creation, but something completely unique and one-of-a-kind. And when the context of this verse describes how Christ is the exact representation of God as well as the creator, ruler, and sustainer of the universe, it makes sense why Paul would use “unique” to describe Him.
Like any bad theology, Jehovah’s Witnesses need to isolate and redefine individual verses to support their beliefs. Yet the deity of Christ is difficult to fully scrub from the Bible. Because our entire salvation is only possible because Christ is the eternal God, the Bible has much to say about it.
- Hebrews 1 goes to great lengths to show that Christ is nothing at all like angels. Hebrews 1:8-9 makes the blunt statement of the Father outright referring to the Son as “God”
- Romans 9:5 references Christ, then immediately refers to Him as “God”
- Colossians 2:8 tells us that the fullness of God dwells in Christ
Although Witnesses are trained to answer these passages, often through the use of rabbit trails, it’s very difficult to stay focused on clear verses like these and be able to defend the belief that Christ isn’t God.
Christ is an archangel?
Although it requires a massive leap in logic, the best way that Jehovah’s Witnesses can explain Christ is to say He’s the archangel Michael. This isn’t necessary to argue against because there’s simply no biblical support for it, but know why they say it can keep us from getting flustered.
Their primary support comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:16 in claiming that Christ’s shout is an archangel’s shout. There is only one archangel in the Bible, thus Christ and Michael are the same. Likewise, the Bible has references to “Christ and His angels” (see 2 Thessalonians 1:7), implying that Christ leads them as a higher version of what they are – as an archangel.
If a Witness insists on getting hung up on this point and ignoring things like Hebrews 1, all 1 Thessalonians 4:16 requires is pointing out that there’s no indication that it’s Christ is the one shouting, giving the archangel command, or blowing the trumpet. The language here is simply saying that Christ’s arrival will be accompanied by these things, similar to how a bride walks down the aisle with the sound of a wedding march. She’s not playing the song, but it’s accompanying what she’s doing.
Debunking Christ’s creation with Genesis 1:1
(A note to the reader: This next bit isn’t necessary to understand. I hope you’ll consider it because it gives a more glorious understanding of how Christ is eternal, but if you’re bouncing off of the words then feel free to move on to the next section)
The Bible’s direct statements aren’t the only thing that reinforces Christ’s deity. There are two logical reasons He must absolutely be the same essence as God, though still a separate person. One reason will be covered in Part 3, but the other is found in Genesis 1:1.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
For anything to exist, it requires 3 things: matter (for it to be made of), space (everything must exist somewhere), and time (because existence is marked by going from one moment to the next). You’ll notice that all three are present in Genesis 1:1. We have time (in the beginning), space (heavens), and matter (earth).
Why does this matter? Because if Christ was, indeed, created before everything else, then that means God must have created Him before Genesis 1:1 since all other things were made through Christ (according to the NWT translation of Colossians 1). So let’s quickly break down why this is impossible.
Without getting too far into logic and physics, for God to create time/space/matter, He must exist outside of them. Yet if He created Jesus outside of them as well, then God would have to exist in some kind of space so that He could share His room with His son. Therefore, if Christ had a beginning, then He had to be created in a certain location, with some kind of matter (even if He’s just an angel), at a certain point in time.
But here’s the issue you may notice: If God created everything else through Christ, then He had to create matter/space/time through Him. But He couldn’t, because those three essentials had to be created before Christ could exist. It’s an absolute impossibility.
Thus, it only makes sense that for everything to be made through Christ, Christ must have existed eternally with the Father and the Holy Spirit. It’s also the only way we can rightly understand verses like John 17:5 and John 17:24.
If that’s too heavy, it’s okay. The Bible itself attests to Christ being God, but just know that the Bible also requires our logic to be consistent, and Christ being a created being is completely inconsistent.
The Holy Spirit isn’t a person (plus general issues with the Trinity)
As we’ve discussed, the Holy Spirit had His name completely altered in the New World Translation, removing anything marking Him as a person and forcing Him to be thought of as a power. Jehovah’s Witnesses are very adamant that Jehovah is one God, and that believing in a Trinity (or just believing Christ is also God) actually makes us no different than pagans who worship multiple gods.
Although this is a secondary issue to the gospel, a comparison of passages like John 14:16-17 show the lengths required to change God’s word in order to keep the Jehovah’s Witness beliefs intact (I’ve bolded the words that clearly mark the Holy Spirit as a person):
I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.(New American Standard Bible)
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (King James Version)
And I will ask the Father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever, the spirit of the truth which the world cannot receive, because it neither sees it nor knows it. You know it, because it remains with you and is in you. (New World Translation)
The reason every other translation puts uses those pronouns for the Holy Spirit is because He is described with them. It’s not a matter of “It could be ‘he’ or ‘it,’” because words like “whom” are very obviously present in the original text.
The purpose of Christ’s death and our faith
Christ died on a torture stake to pay a ransom for the innocent life Adam lost. By repenting of sin and calling upon the name of Jehovah (not Christ), a person is saved. For now. But this salvation isn’t granted easily, but is gained by works that demonstrate a person’s faith.
That’s the core of the Jehovah’s Witness understanding of salvation. It’s a free gift from God, but it can’t be obtained (and kept) without doing things to prove we have faith. They claim this isn’t salvation by works, but that the works prove a person’s faith. Yet there is still hope for those who aren’t part of the Jehovah’s Witnesses
Based on their understanding of Acts 24:15, both the righteous and unrighteous will be granted some form of resurrection. They also state that those who are alive can still serve God and gain salvation. Based on other beliefs that salvation requires baptism into the Jehovah’s Witnesses, it’s unclear whether non-Witnesses can truly be saved.
Let’s quickly address the major issues with this understanding of salvation, with a deeper discussion in Part 3.
By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his undeserved kindness. (Ephesians 1:7 New World Translation)
For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one person many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19 New World Translation)
Verses like these are used to show that Christ entered into some kind of hostage negotiation. This is how the idea of sin and Christ’s sacrifice are understood:
- Jehovah gave Adam a perfect life
- When Adam sinned, His perfect life meant we all lost a perfect life
- Christ came to give up His own perfect life and was resurrected as a spirit
- At the torture stake, Christ was tortured because Satan said no man would remain faithful to Jehovah under torture (quoting Proverbs 27:11 as evidence)
- When Christ returned to Heaven, He gave Jehovah the value of His perfect physical life to pay for the loss of Adam’s life (this is why He his resurrection couldn’t be physical)
- By accepting Jehovah’s gift of salvation, we can live a perfect life again. Our sins are forgiven, we can have a guilt-free conscience through continued forgiveness of sin, and if we remain faithful we can live forever
The greatest error is the complete misunderstanding of why Christ had to die. The idea that Christ simply had to restore what Adam had lost makes it necessary for us to work to earn our salvation. After all, Christ didn’t pay for our sins, He just gave us a way to seek forgiveness for when we mess up.
Instead, it’s important to remember that Christ didn’t just make a token sacrifice, but that the wrath of God was poured out on Christ for every individual sin we’ve committed. The debt Christ paid for us was specific, like paying exactly $5,000 on a $5,000 credit card debt. Payment was owed, and Christ paid it all.
Because the Bible must agree with itself, here are some areas this idea of a “ransom” is better clarified:
Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:4)
All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. (Isaiah 53:6)
and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. (1 John 2:2)
having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (Colossians 2:16)
Note the language of the bolded statements. It has nothing to do with Adam’s sin only. Christ was our substitute on the cross. Every lie we’ve told, He paid for. Every moment of anger was punished. Sin isn’t just some ambiguous cloud that was swept away – it as a specific, mounting debt that we could never pay for.
This is why works can’t possibly save us. If Christ only hit the reset button on Adam’s sin, then all He accomplished was giving us a chance to save ourselves. Yet if He took the punishment for every sin, then we already have Christ’s righteousness because He has already taken away all the filth of our sin.
The reality of Christ’s sacrifice leaves no room for the Jehovah’s Witness understanding of salvation.
- Christ didn’t die so He could trade His life for Adam’s; He died directly and specifically to pay for our individual sin
- We don’t call on the name of Jehovah for salvation; Acts 4:8-12 is very clear that there is no name except Jesus Christ that saves us
- We don’t work to show our faith; James 2:14-18 is clear that faith comes first, and works are just a natural result of genuine faith. Faith isn’t something we conjure up by our own efforts (Galatians 5:22-23 is another example of faith coming first and good things naturally following from being filled with the Holy Spirit)
Other facts worth knowing
While the previous information dealt with important doctrine, the remainder of this helps us understand the worldview we’re confronting. These may not come up in actual conversation but are important to bear in mind as we choose our words.
Control through isolation, shunning, and dis-fellowshipping
A common theme running through the stories of ex-witnesses is the absolute control the religion has on its members. Although they give lip service to people being able to leave if they choose, the reality is that growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness often means you have minimal life skills, no friends outside of other Witnesses, and an inbuilt fear of anything not directly related to truth as approved by the Governing Body.
Not only do families regularly create an “us vs. them” worldview, but the practices of the church reinforce the idea that they hold the only safe place. This can regularly be seen at our very doorsteps – Witnesses are encouraged to do and say things that will set them apart from others, encouraging people to treat them with hostility and mockery. They are regularly encouraged to go out and be rejected by the world because of their beliefs. When that happens, the only place to find safety and acceptance is with other Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Yet even if someone wants to leave the Jehovah’s Witnesses, or live a life that goes against their teachings, there is a heavy price to pay. Not only do members have no contact with people outside their religion, but leaving the faith will result in two terrifying consequences. First, leaving the faith is to give up your salvation until you return. Second, every single Jehovah’s Witness must absolutely reject and ignore your existence, including your own parents and siblings.
It becomes obvious how much control is held over members of this religion. Not only must you stay with the religion, but you must completely and unquestioningly follow the teachings of the Governing Body or risk being “dis-fellowshipped,” or kicked out of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The consequences of that term are the same as leaving the religion voluntarily, resulting in a loss of salvation and being rejected by people you’ve known all your life. What gets you disciplined and potentially disfellowshipped?
- Using “apostate” study methods (studying the original languages, using non-Witness commentaries, etc)
- Questioning the teachings and beliefs of the Governing Body
- Going to a secular college
- Enjoying too much non-spiritual entertainment
- Putting yourself in a compromising position with the opposite sex (regardless of whether misconduct is proven)
- Not putting in enough time in service to your local “Kingdom Hall”
In other words, it’s very much a case of “our way or the highway.” You work to not only prove yourself to God, but to other Jehovah’s Witnesses who are busy trying to prove themselves to you. Is it any wonder, then, why Jehovah’s Witnesses seem so reluctant to listen to reason? We’re all apostates, people who misrepresent the truth of Jehovah. Listening to false Christians like us would be like us believing the teachings of Islam – despite any supposed similarities, they’re far too different for us to even consider them.
Study materials must be approved
Jehovah’s Witnesses are encouraged to be diligent students of the Bible. Yet they aren’t allowed to study the Bible independently, nor can they use outside information. The Governing Body are the only ones capable of accurately understanding what’s taught in the Bible, thus only material created by them can be used to understand the Bible.
To be clear, things like the Watchtower magazine are put on the same level of truth of the Bible, perhaps even more so. You can read the Watchtower without opening your Bible, but you absolutely cannot study God’s word without having approved material nearby.
They believe they’re the true church
When reading past their politeness, Jehovah’s Witnesses consider themselves the only true church of Jesus Christ. They believe Christianity split from the teachings of Jesus and the apostles almost immediately, and that it has only corrected itself with the founding and spread of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Thus, it’s incredibly difficult to convince them of our own beliefs while they still cling to the teachings of the Governing Body because every other form of biblical Christianity is labeled as “apostate,” and we are often considered the “great whore of Babylon” as we work with Satan to lead the world to a false religion.
The bigger implication of this is what it means for salvation. Jehovah’s Witnesses aren’t saved by grace through faith. When Armageddon comes, they won’t be “remembered” based on the forgiveness of their sins. Instead, what matters most is that they die in good standing with the Jehovah’s Witness organization. Regardless of personal holiness, their greatest hope of salvation is not found in the grace of God but at the mercy of the Governing Body.
Huge emphasis on death and the “Kingdom”
Much of the literature and talk of Jehovah’s Witnesses revolves around the permanence of death and the glory of being part of Christ’s Kingdom. A lot of their recruitment is very centered around the fear of death. There’s little talk of our guilt before a holy God and our need for a perfect savior. Instead, it’s about what we get if we repent and pursue good lives. But of course, this is jsut the first step as people are drawn further into dependence on Jehovah’s Witnesses, not Jesus Christ, for their growth and continued salvation.
Explaining the 144,000
Anyone with a basic understanding of math is often curious about the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the 144,000 they talk about. If there are millions of Witnesses around the world, aren’t the odds against an individual? And why try converting so many people and risking your own position?
The reality is that few Witnesses have any hope for being one of the 144,000. They just want to maintain their salvation so they can be part of the “great crowd” who get eternal life on Earth. Where do they get this?
And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel: (Revelation 7:4 New World Translation)
After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. And they keep shouting with a loud voice, saying: “Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10 New World Translation)
The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it (Psalm 37:29 New World Translation)
Summed up, God will choose exactly 144,000 faithful Christians, called the “anointed,” to serve in Heaven as rulers of the Earth. The estimates have fluctuated over time, but the general idea seems to be that there was a large amount of anointed in the early church, a few scattered about here and there, then a great number were called as God’s true church grew and spread across America and the world.
There is no formal way of knowing someone is anointed. According to the Governing Body, if someone fits the criteria of a faithful Jehovah’s Witness and wonder if they’re anointed, then they aren’t. Someone who is anointed simply knows they are, and only the anointed are allowed to take communion.
Again, most Witnesses know they aren’t anointed and they’re perfectly content with that. They will still avoid death and be remembered by God as one of the “great crowd.” However, there is one glaring issue with this entire doctrine (well, one that is more obvious).
Notice the last two passages above. In Revelation 7:9-10, the crowd is in Heaven. Yet the Proverbs passage they use, as well as their general teaching, is that this crowd will only be on Earth.
Failed prophecies and how they’re explained away
Jehovah’s Witnesses have such a history of failed prophecies that they’ve actually had to make a statement on it. There have been several attempts to predict the return of Christ and the Armageddon of the world. The anointed had their numbers sealed in 1935, possibly after the Governing Body did the math and realized they had to hit the maximum number of anointed.
These are often handwaved away within the religion itself, with outside scoffers ignored. The official statement is that these were just estimates, not legitimate prophecies. The biggest prophetic blunder was in 1914, where the Jehovah’s Witnesses declared that Christ had indeed set up His kingdom, just not like they thought He would.
In a similar attempt to save face, after the anointed were sealed the Governing Body realized its members were dying off and needed to elect new anointed to keep releasing teachings through Watchtower. Thus, despite declaring that God had reached His 144,000, the Jehovah’s Witnesses declared the anointed “unsealed” once again.
Paganism: Holidays, birthdays, and religious symbols
If you see ex-Witnesses sharing a picture of their life outside of the religion they grew up with, you’ll often see them doing one of three things: drinking alcohol, celebrating a holiday, or blowing out the candles on their very first birthday cake.
A lot of what drives Jehovah’s Witnesses to abstain from any behavior is the fear of paganism. There are countless Watchtower articles explaining why they’re so different always boils down to them rejecting any hint of pagan roots in what they do. And to a degree, we should respect that as Christians.
The only holiday a Jehovah’s Witness recognizes is a memorial of Christ’s death that occurs around Passover. This is the time when the anointed are allowed to share in communion. Otherwise, things like Easter and Christmas are completely ignored, with children banned from even participating in them during school.
According to the Governing Body, God is not pleased with birthdays. This is because it allegedly has pagan roots, but also because the Bible and early church say nothing about celebrating birthdays. The FAQ on their website even features quotes from children who express gratitude that they don’t have, or need, birthday celebrations.
Finally, Witnesses reject all forms of religious symbols in their worship. This is a result of the commands to flee from idolatry, along with Christ’s command to be identified by our love, not our symbols. Jehovah’s Witnesses are also very insistent that Christ didn’t die on a cross, and that using a cross is actually using a pagan sex symbol. Instead, Christ died on a “torture stake,” which was basically a large pole set in the ground. This is because the term used for “cross” can also be translated “tree.”
Blood transfusions
Because the Bible forbids ingesting blood (Leviticus 17:10, Acts 15:28-29) Jehovah’s Witnesses absolutely refuse to allow blood transfusions for its members. There are stories of church leaders sitting in a hospital with someone to remind them to stay strong in their faith and refuse life-saving transfusions so that they can continue to honor God. Unsurprisingly, there are a heartbreaking number of stories of people who lost their lives on an operating table, or slowly felt their system shut down as their body refused artificial blood substitutes.
That’s all, but there’s so much more
What I’ve written here are only the things that seem most important to know when talking to a Jehovah’s Witness and sharing the gospel, or are curiosities that everyone wonders about. There is much more to discover about how they change basic doctrine and beliefs, control their members, and use bad Bible reading methods to create their rules.
In the end, I hope it’s clear how much Jehovah’s Witnesses truly need the good news of Christ. Much of a Witness’s life is spent in fear of Jehovah or the Governing Body taking away their salvation for the slightest infraction. They do so much to prove that they have faith, only finding comfort and acceptance from people who are doing them the greatest harm.
As we discuss the gospel in Part 3, I hope it remains clear that these people do care about the things of God, they just need to truth of Jesus Christ in order to be truly forgiven of their sins, regardless of works, so they can enjoy the peace freedom found in our God and Savior.
