• According to the Mayflower Compact of 1620 the Pilgrims came to the New World to plant the first colony for the glory of God and for the advancement of the Christian faith.
• The Pilgrims were separatists who rejected the extra-biblical sacraments and church hierarchy found within the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches of Europe and England.
• Pilgrims emphasized the believer’s freedom and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It was for this reason they were persecuted and fled England for Holland, and ultimately the New World.
• The Pilgrims were Protestants who traced their theological heritage back to John Calvin and Calvinism. They believed in predestination, the election by God, before creation, of the saved and the lost. Pilgrims used John Calvin’s Geneva translation of the Bible.
• Pilgrims practiced only two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. They rejected any religious practice or tradition that did not have the support of Scripture.
• The Pilgrims practiced infant baptism. They believed that infant baptism removed the guilt of original sin and was a new covenant between God and believers, just as circumcision was in the Old Testament. For the Pilgrims, at least one parent must have been a believer for an infant to be baptized.
• The Pilgrims did not celebrate religious holidays like Christmas or Easter, as they viewed these as extra-biblical inventions of man. However, they strictly observed the weekly Sabbath day of rest on Sundays.
• While not all believers will agree with every theological distinctive of the Pilgrims, American Christians can be thankful that our original colonists were a people who valued the word of God and the great principles of the Reformation.

For more information on America’s spiritual heritage, please check out Jason Carlson’s lecture series, The Church in a Post-Christian Culture, available in our online store.

• The “Just War” tradition has been the dominant Christian viewpoint on war since the fourth century A.D. Two of the earliest Church fathers to formulate the Just War position were Ambrose of Milan and Augustine of Hippo (circa 300’s A.D.)
• The Just War Tradition historically focuses on eight guiding principles for determining when human governments may rightly engage in warfare.
• Just Cause – The only justifiable war is a defensive war. Wars of aggression, started for the purpose of gaining territory, promoting an ideology, or acquiring wealth are not considered just.
• Just Intent – The objective of a defensive war must always be the restoration of peace and the defense of innocent human life.
• Last Resort – All efforts at peace, negotiation, and compromise must have failed. Waging war should never be the first option.
• Formal Declaration of War – Only a properly authorized authority can declare war and a formal declaration of war must be clearly stated.
• Limited Objectives – Since peace is the ultimate goal of a just war, the unconditional surrender or total destruction of an enemy are not legitimate objectives.
• Proportionate Means – The weaponry used in warfare and the degree of force must be limited to what is necessary to secure a just peace.
• Noncombatant Immunity – The use of force should discriminate between combatants and noncombatants. Civilians and prisoners of war should be guaranteed immunity.
• Reasonable Hope for Success – A defensive war against aggression must have a reasonable hope of securing peace for it to be considered just.
• The reality of warfare is one of the tragic consequences of living in a fallen and sinful world. However, God promises us that a day is coming when “Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore” (Micah 4:3).
• Until that day, however, in those sad chapters of human history when warfare and terror are thrust upon us, the Just War Tradition provides a moral compass that can guide our governmental leaders when considering the possibility of war.

For more information on this and other important cultural issues, please check out the Apologetics Study Bible for Students, available in our online store.

• This week many proud Americans celebrated Veteran’s Day (11/11/13), a national holiday honoring those who have served in our nation’s armed forces.
• While many Christians have participated in military service throughout history, the topic of the proper view of warfare in the Christian faith is one that has historically caused much consternation and debate. Four key biblical insights can give us some helpful guidance on this topic.
• First, death and violence were not a part of God’s original created order for humanity and will one day be done away with forever (Romans 5:12; Genesis 6:11-13; Revelation 21:3-5; Isaiah 2:4). In the meantime we live in a fallen world in which war is an unfortunate reality.
• Second, war is something that God has at times condoned, participated in, and will participate in again in the future (Exodus 15:1-18; 17:8-15; Numbers 31:1-3; Deuteronomy 2:26-31; 3:1-7; 20:1-4; Joshua 5:13-6:27; 2 Kings 19:32-36; Revelation 6:1-2; 19:11-21; 20:7-10). Thus, it cannot be said that all war is inherently evil.
• Third, in Exodus 20:13 the sixth commandment admonishes us, “You shall not murder.” What’s interesting to note about this commandment is that it is only directed against murder, the wrongful taking of another human life. Scripture assumes a distinction between murder and certain other forms of killing, such as capital punishment or warfare, which it allows for (Genesis 9:5-6; Exodus 21:12-14; and passages cited above).
• Fourth, in allowing for certain other forms of killing, God has ordained human governments, not private citizens, as the agents of justice, retribution, rewards and punishments (Matthew 5:38-39; Romans 12:17-13:7; 1 Peter 2: 13-17). Therefore, it may at times be appropriate and just for human governments to use deadly force to oppose evil.
• Based on the biblical insights listed above, Christians throughout the centuries have formulated some guiding principles as to how and when human governments may rightly participate in warfare. These principles have become known as the “Just War Tradition”, which we will examine further next week.

For more information on warfare in light of Scripture, please check out the Apologetics Study Bible for Students, available in our online store.

• First, Most Jehovah’s Witnesses have no hope of entering Heaven. Only the original 144,000 members of the Watchtower organization were promised Heaven. Today, the best a Jehovah’s Witness can hope for is to prove their worthiness to Jehovah so they might live in paradise on earth one day.
• Second, the average Jehovah’s Witness today will spend 8 to 10 hours a week going door to door witnessing. They do this not out of their great love for non-Jehovah’s Witnesses, but because their eternal destiny is connected to their obedience to the Watchtower organization.
• Third, Jehovah’s Witnesses have no experience of God’s grace. The Watchtower organization teaches that, “more than faith is needed” for salvation and Jesus’ death only saves us from the guilt of Adam’s original sin. This is why Jehovah’s Witnesses strive personally to prove their worthiness to Jehovah.
• Fourth, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been conditioned by the Watchtower organization to believe that anyone outside the organization is of the Devil. Most initial witnessing encounters leave true Christians frustrated because Jehovah’s Witnesses are often close-minded to considering anything from someone outside of their organization, no matter how good the arguments may be. Prayer, patience, and a commitment to ongoing dialogue are essential when witnessing to a Jehovah’s Witness.
• Lastly, and most importantly, remember, Jehovah’s Witnesses are lost souls. They are not the enemy. They are victims of the enemy.

For more information on the Jehovah’s Witnesses and how to reach them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, please check out the documentary DVD, Jehovah’s Witnesses: A Non-Profit Organization, available in our online store.

• Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the deity of Jesus Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity. They teach that Jesus was really Michael the archangel, the first creation of Jehovah God.
• When arguing this point, Jehovah’s Witnesses will often refer to passages like John 14:28 and say, “Jesus said, ‘The Father is greater than I.’ Therefore, Jesus is not God almighty.”
• This argument is a classic example of Jehovah’s Witnesses taking scriptural references out of context and ignoring the totality of the Bible’s revelation in order to support their false, man-made teachings.
• What’s really taking place in John 14:28 is that Jesus is giving respect to the Father. He’s simply showing a difference in position between himself, as the incarnate Son, and the Father who is in Heaven. Jesus is not, however, saying that he is intrinsically inferior to the Father.
• To illustrate the above point, have the Jehovah’s Witness read John 5:18 and ask them, “How could Jesus be equal to the Father if he thought himself inferior?”
• Some other helpful passages to highlight in response to this Jehovah’s Witness argument are John 1:18; 5:22-23; 10:30 and 20:28-29.
• John 20:28-29 in particular poses an interesting dilemma for the Jehovah’s Witness. Read this passage and ask them, “Why does Jesus affirm Thomas for calling him, ‘My Lord and my God’? Wouldn’t this have been a blasphemous statement if Jesus was simply a created being?”

For more helpful information on witnessing to Jehovah’s Witnesses, please check out Dr. Carlson’s book, Fast Facts on False Teachings, available in our online store.

• Last week we looked at the common Jehovah’s Witness argument that the doctrine of the Trinity is unbiblical because the word “Trinity” is not found anywhere in the Bible.
• Another argument Jehovah’s Witnesses often employ against the doctrine of the Trinity is this, “The Trinity is unreasonable. It doesn’t make sense!”
• In responding to this argument it is first helpful to point out that just because a concept is hard to understand doesn’t mean it’s unreasonable. For example, ask the Jehovah’s Witness to explain how electricity works, or radio waves, or how light travels, or Quantum Physics. These might be difficult concepts to grasp, but that doesn’t make them unreasonable. Explain that the same holds true with the doctrine of the Trinity.
• Second, carefully define the doctrine of the Trinity for the Jehovah’s Witness. Assure them that the Christian belief in the Trinity is not a belief in three gods. Rather, as Christians we affirm that within the nature of the One God there are three eternal Persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• Third, walk the Jehovah’s Witness through the biblical case for the Triune nature of God. Highlight passages that speak to the full deity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as well as those affirming the truth that there is only One God (we’ve shared some helpful passages in recent Fast Facts).
• Lastly, sometimes illustrations can help illuminate the concept of the Trinity for the Jehovah’s Witness. While no illustration for the Trinity is perfect, one of our favorites is an experiment from Physics called, “The Triple Point of Water”. In this experiment, water in a vacuum tube is cooled, and pressure is applied, causing the water in the tube to coexist as liquid, solid (ice), and gas simultaneously.

For more helpful teaching on the doctrine of the Trinity, please check out Dr. Carlson’s lecture, What is God Like? available in CD or MP3 in our online store.

• When witnessing to a Jehovah’s Witness a common argument you will hear from them is, “The term ‘Trinity’ is unbiblical; it’s not found anywhere in Scripture.” The Jehovah’s Witness makes this point attempting to refute the validity of this central doctrine of biblical Christianity.
• While it is true that the term “Trinity” is not found in the Bible, as we have demonstrated in previous Fast Facts, the concept of the Trinity is taught throughout the Scriptures.
• There are many other terms that are not mentioned in Scripture either, but that doesn’t mean these terms don’t convey a legitimate biblical truth. For example, the term “incarnation” is not found anywhere in Scripture, yet the doctrine of God taking on human flesh is taught throughout the Bible.
• Ask the Jehovah’s Witness, “Are the terms ‘theocracy’ or ‘theocratic kingdom’ found anywhere in Scripture?” They aren’t. So ask them, “Does this mean the Watchtower’s teachings are unbiblical?”
• Another common word used by Jehovah’s Witnesses that is also not found in any original Hebrew or Greek manuscripts is the name “Jehovah”. Again, applying the Watchtower’s logic regarding the term “Trinity”, suggest to them, “Since ‘Jehovah’ is not found in any original manuscripts maybe this term shouldn’t be used either?”

For more help in sharing your faith with a Jehovah’s Witness, please check out Dr. Carlson’s lecture, Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Trinity, available in CD or MP3 in our online store.

• When witnessing to a Jehovah’s Witness one of the common arguments you will often hear from them is, “In order to be saved you must use the proper name for God, Jehovah.”
• The fact of the matter is, though, Jehovah’s Witnesses place undue emphasis on the name “Jehovah”; an emphasis which simply isn’t justified based on the most contemporary and accurate biblical scholarship.
• The overwhelming majority of legitimate Bible translations do not use the name “Jehovah” for God. This is a term used almost exclusively by the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
• Even the King James Version, which is officially recognized by the Watchtower Organization, only rarely uses the name “Jehovah” for God.
• The original Hebrew Old Testament uses the name “Yahweh” or “YHWH” to refer to God. “Jehovah” is one rendering of the Hebrew “YHWH” but not the most likely. The most likely rendering is “Yahweh”.
• Thousands of original Greek New Testaments never use the name “Jehovah” in reference to God, but the Jehovah’s Witnesses New World Translation uses it exclusively.
• When witnessing to a Jehovah’s Witness it is fine to acknowledge and use “Jehovah” as a legitimate name for God. However, their claim that this is the only correct and proper name for God is simply not justified.

For more information on witnessing to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, please check out Dr. Carlson’s book, Fast Facts On False Teachings, available in our online store.

• Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the biblical revelation of the person and work of Jesus Christ. In last week’s Fast Facts we detailed how Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus is really a created being, Michael the Archangel, the first creation of God.
• Not only do Jehovah’s Witnesses err on the person of Jesus Christ, but they also deny the biblical revelation of the full sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work on the cross for our salvation.
• The Watchtower organization of the Jehovah’s Witnesses teaches its members that salvation is partly through Christ’s death on a stake (not a cross) and partly through identification (and works) with the Watchtower organization.
• Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that Jesus’ death only saves us from the guilt of Adam’s original sin and that more than faith is needed. The Watchtower tells its followers that we must prove the sincerity of our faith to Jehovah God through our works (this is why the average Jehovah’s Witness will spend 8-10 hours a week in door to door witnessing).
• The true biblical doctrine of Jesus’ atoning work reveals a far different message from what the Watchtower teaches. The Bible reveals that Jesus’ atoning death on the cross was wholly and totally sufficient for our salvation (1 John 1:7-9; Revelation 12:10-11; Hebrews 10:10, 18-23).
• Furthermore, the true biblical doctrine of salvation teaches that we are saved by God’s grace through faith and nothing more (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 6:28-29; John 1:12; 1 John 5:1, 11-13; 1 John 2:23).
• Jesus plus anything else is not the biblical gospel.

For more information on the Jehovah’s Witnesses and responding to their false, man-made teachings, please check out the documentary DVD, Jehovah’s Witnesses: A Non-Profit Organization, available in our online store.

• As mentioned last week, the theology of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is essentially a theology of denial. Jehovah’s Witnesses deny or redefine all of the fundamental doctrines of biblical Christianity. The doctrine of the person and work of Jesus Christ is no exception.
• As to the person of Jesus Christ, Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught by the Watchtower organization that Jesus is really Michael the Archangel, the first creation of God. They believe he was only a man when on earth, possessing no divine nature.
• The biblical doctrine of the person of Jesus Christ is far different though. For one, as we saw last week, Scripture reveals that Jesus Christ is God and part of the Trinity (Revelation 1:8; 21:5-7; 22:13-16; also Luke 1:35; Matthew 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 13:14).
• Furthermore, the Bible nowhere implies that Michael the Archangel is Jesus Christ. In fact, the testimony of Scripture is clear that Michael does not possess the same authority as Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God (see Jude v. 9 as compared to Matthew 4:10-11).
• The Bible also reveals that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is superior to the angels and is to be worshipped by them (Hebrews 1:4-6).
• Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the biblical doctrine of the person of Jesus Christ because they have been taught by the Watchtower organization that Jehovah alone is God. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not worship Jesus Christ. They have denied his deity and have turned him into a mere creation of Jehovah. Thus, they believe to worship Jesus is idolatry.
• Interestingly though, and unbeknownst to most Jehovah’s Witnesses today, prior to 1954 the Watchtower did promote the worship of Jesus Christ. However, they became fiercely anti-Trinitarian during the 1950’s with the release of their false, man-made Bible, The New World Translation.

For more information on refuting the false theology of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, please check out Dr. Carlson’s lecture, Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Trinity, available in MP3, CD, or DVD in our online store.