Same Old False Teaching
Recently, another family received a handwritten note (it looks personal but was copied) from a Jehovah's Witness (that they do not know). Accompanying the letter was a Watchtower publication. This particular one is dated (presumably January) 2020. The printed copies of this issue have reached more than 93 million and is available in 357 languages. The title is, "The Search for Truth," although it is an established fact that they reject the truth as it is recorded in the Bible. This 16-page booklet contains pictures and about six short articles. On pages 10-11, they repeat their long-debunked doctrine that Jesus never claimed to be God! How can anyone so misread the New Testament (unless they are trying to)?
How can Jehovah's Witnesses possibly miss that Jesus was crucified because He did teach that He is the Son of God. The high priest asked Him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" Jesus answered, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven" (Mark 14:61-62). What is there about I am that is ambiguous? Furthermore, this was not the first time Jesus made that claim. In John 5:17, He stated, "My father has been working until now, and I have been working." Notice that He did not say, "Our Father," or "The Father." He said, "My Father." Jehovah's Witnesses may not catch the significance of those words, but the Jews did. "Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God" (John 5:18), which He was.
The article states on page 11 that true worshippers will worship the Father (John 4:23). They do not believe Jesus should be worshipped. In red letters on page 10, they state: "Jesus is not God." Yes, He is. Only God can be worshipped. If Jesus can be worshipped, then He is God. Jesus was worshipped (Matt. 9:18), and He did not refuse the homage paid Him as Peter did in Acts 10 or the angel in Revelation 19:10. Furthermore, He forgave someone's sins—something that only God can do (Matt. 9:2-3; cf. Mark 2:1-12). They accused Jesus of blasphemy for doing what only God can do. If He was not actually God, He would have been wrong to forgive sins.
Of course, Jehovah's Witnesses are wrong about the kingdom, also. They erroneously cite Matthew 24:7, 14 as signs that the end is near. They have, more than once, predicted the end of the world, which they obviously failed at. The first part of Matthew 24 describes the earth prior to the Destruction of Jerusalem, which one can discern from reading the context. They claim the kingdom will be here on earth in the future (13), but Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). Jehovah's Witnesses are undaunted, however. They have been in error on these teachings for more than 100 years.