QUESTION: Why do the Witnesses believe that ONLY those who are part of the organization will be the ones who make it through Armageddon? Do you believe that one must be a part of the organization in order to make it through Armageddon? A recent WT stated that ONLY the incorrigibly wicked would be destroyed. Are the Witnesses the only ones who fall into that category?
ANSWER: First, I assume you meant to ask if ‘Witnesses are the only ones who do NOT fall into that category?’
According to Jesus Christ, most people are on the broad road that leads to destruction and only a comparative few are on the narrow path that leads to life.
And Christ also indicated that even most people who consider themselves to be Christians are not really Christians at all. Jesus stated: “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. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
Is it not obvious that Jesus had in mind the masses of churchgoers today who confess belief in the deity of Jesus? In stating that he never knew them Jesus is indicating that he does not recognize them as his followers – regardless of their confession. Really, how could any common churchgoer ever be recognized by Jesus, when the truth is, the great religious systems of Christendom embrace virtually every lie the Devil has ever fabricated?
One of the common lies that the many on the broad road leading to destruction believe is that everyone who receives salvation goes to heaven. Most religions of the world, such as Hindu, Islam, Catholics, Protestants, etc., believe that humans are endowed with an immortal soul that lives on after death in another dimension.
God’s purpose, though, is for people to live forever on the earth. Only a relative few are chosen to be with Christ in heaven, whereas the vast majority who will live on earth will be resurrected from among the dead (such as the thief who died alongside Jesus). However, Jehovah’s Witnesses recognize that God also intends to save some of mankind through the fiery end of the world, through Armageddon, as the questioner words it.
But, now, here is something to consider: Since a great crowd is going to come out of the great tribulation alive, how likely is it that the masses who do not even believe that such a thing is possible will be included among them? Would it not be reasonable that since Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only ones who are actively inviting people to embrace their hope of living through the coming end of the world that they would be the people who will ultimately make up the great crowd?
(Just a word on the great crowd: People who pretend to know something about the Bible insist that the great crowd described in the 7th chapter of Revelation goes to heaven because they are depicted as standing before the throne. However, the expression “standing before the throne” does not mean they are literally in God’s presence. To be before the throne means to come under God’s judgment. That is made evident by what Jesus said at Matthew 25:31: “When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.”
In the passage above all the nations are described as being gathered before Christ when he sits down upon his throne. Are we to suppose that the masses of people whom Jesus has never known and who do not accept him as their king will be transported to heaven to stand before the judgment throne? Of course not. The prophecy of Malachi asks the question: “But who will be the one standing when he appears?” So, to remain standing before the throne means to receive a favorable judgment. And that is why the great crowd is depicted as standing before the throne. (See YouTube video Is the Great Crowd in Heaven?)
Another thing, too, is the fact, that, the chosen ones who receive a heavenly resurrection are said to experience the “first resurrection.” And according to the 20th chapter of Revelation, the second death has no authority over those who receive the first resurrection. That is because those who are resurrected to heaven become immortal. They cannot be destroyed by any means. They will have life within themselves, which means they will not need anything from God.
But as regards the great crowd Revelation says: “the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them, and will guide them to fountains of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.” Obviously, those 144,000 immortals that will rule with Christ will not need to be shepherded and guided to the fountains of waters of life. But those who survive the tribulation will need to be.
Furthermore, regarding the great crowd, it says that God will spread his tent over them and wipe away their tears. Those concepts are restated in the 21st chapter of Revelation, but there it clearly states that God will spread his protective tent over mankind and they will be his people. So, clearly, the great crowd is composed of people from among mankind who survive Armageddon.)
Another thing to consider is that God grants salvation to those who call upon the name of Jehovah. Do churchgoers call upon that name? Of course not. As a matter of fact, the most popular Bible versions among the masses on the broad road have removed the personal name of God.
Some even have been deceived into imagining that Jehovah changed his name to Jesus. Others insist that Jehovah is not the true pronunciation, which of course is true. But apparently, that does not matter. God accepts our calling upon his name in the pronunciation that is commonly accepted in the language that we speak. For example, obviously, if a person speaks Japanese they will not pronounce God’s name the same as a person who speaks English. Or an African tribesman is not going to pronounce it the way a person does who speaks Hindi, or whatever.
And then there are those ex JW’s and others who insist on calling God YHWH. But YHWH is basically an abbreviation. How do you pronounce a name like that with no vowels? Do people actually pray to God by sounding out the consonants that were used in Hebrew? That is silly. Obviously, those who push YHWH as a legitimate pronunciation cannot call upon the name intelligently.
So, if salvation is only extended to those who call upon the divine name in their language, doesn’t that narrow it down to Jehovah’s Witnesses?
But as far as being part of the Watchtower organization, that is a different matter, which I have discussed at length in various articles. The big test that will determine whether or not Jehovah’s Witnesses will keep standing before the throne is if they abandon the Watchtower when the time comes – when the authentic parousia begins. And that opens up the possibility of salvation to some presently outside of the Watchtower Society who are waiting for Jehovah to set matters straight.
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