What is the difference between a mainstream Christian and a Jehovah's Witness?

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses are christians. We look only to Jesus Christ as our king and redeemer, the only mediator between God and man, and the only possible means of salvation. The door to door preaching work is done in imitation of Jesus and in obedience to his command to his true followers to preach.(Matthew 28:19,20)

We view him as God's only begotten son as The Bible says he is, and look to him as our leader and the head of our christian congregation.

FURTHER...

While, contrary to some denominations, Jehovah's witnesses believe Jesus not to be Almighty God but god's son, we believe him to be of divine nature and having been with God in heaven prior to his life on earth, rightly identified as a god. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that it was by means of Jesus, that God created all things. So, they recognise Jesus as the "chief agent for life", saviour, King, model, and master worker in creation and feel it fitting and proper to be thus identified as Christians.

FURTHER....

Both mainstream Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses claim to believe and follow the bible, however there are marked differences between both groups.

*Mainstream Christians believe Jesus to be Almighty God while

JW believe Jesus to be the Son of God (Luke 3:21-22)

*Mainstream Christians believe in a trinity (three Gods in one) while

JW believe there to be only One True God and Creator (Deut 6:4)

*Mainstream Christians believe God tortures the wicked forever in hellfire

JW believe God is love and that eternal burning in hell is not a biblical teaching (Jer 7:21)

*Mainstream Christians rarely refer to God by his personal name (Yawheh/Jehovah)

The Jehovah's Witnesses believe that God's name should be Sanctified, honoured and praised at every opportunity (Math 6:9)

*Mainstream Christians Generally do not preach the gospel

Jehovah's Witnesses are well known for their public ministry (Math 28:19:20)

*Most mainstream Christians have no objection to participating in War or politics

Jehovah's Witnesses insist on remaining politically neurtral (John 15:19)

*Mainstream Christian religions teach the "immortality of the soul"

Jehovah's Witnesses believe the soul can be destroyed (Matthew 10:2

*Mainstream Christians usually have a human leader (a pope, an deacon, a Bishop)

JW only recognise Jesus as their leader (Mat 23:10)

*Mainstream Christians have many pagan rituals incorporated into their religious rituals

Jehovah's Witnesess reject all celebrations and ceremonies with pagain origins (2 Cor 6:15)

*Many mainstream Christians churches use a lot of idols in their worship and they venerate the cross

JW reject the use of idols (1 Cor 1:14)

*Mainstream Christians have a clergy/laity class of ministers

JW consider all their members ministers and all partake in preaching and teaching (Matthew 23:9)

*Mainstream Christians have no formal system to ensure their churches are free from members that are unscriptural.

Jehovah's Witnesses apply the bible principle of removing unrependent members that insist on living contrary to scriptural norms (1 Cor 6: 9, 10)