In the meetings of the Jehovah's Witnesses is currently examined, the booklet published by the Watchtower, "Live With Jehovah’s Day in Mind" in the meeting book studies. While reading a statement attracts attention that at first time is appearing very positively, and that is a statement about the justification by faith.
On page 25 of the booklet is said in paragraph 17:
... "as for the righteous one, by his faithfulness he will keep living." (Habakkuk 2:4) Those words must be really important for us, since the apostle Paul quoted them in three books of the Christian Greek Scriptures. (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38)
Und auf Seite 187, Absatz 20 wird gesagt:
"As for the righteous one, by his faithfulness he will keep living." (Habakkuk 2:4) Be sure to fix that deeply in mind and heart. It is one of the Bible's central truths. Paul pointed to that scripture three times ... Yes, Jesus will shine forth with healing.
In the first moment one might think that the Governing Body finally would like to feature the justification or righteousness by grace in faith, just as Paul has done it on the basis of Romans 1:17 and Romans 3:24: "... justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus ... in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.".
Indeed it is not explained more in the publication at the referred passages the "central biblical teaching". But one might assume that a Bible reader can find out and understand, what would Paul is conceptually developing: Justification by grace, by unmerited goodness, without merit, without any form of works or works righteousness.
God justifies those who have faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, for whom Christ is the Lord. Why does He not probably take charity, zeal, humility, mercy or any other aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) for foundation? Because with this came into play again own performance, the own works-righteousness. It would signify: Christ, yes, but one must also show works in order to be justified and therefore saved. But faith in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus has the basis, that the man knows his own incapacity and unworthiness before God to be fair. He can not submit anything to God, not reach "the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) ... that no flesh should boast before God (1. Corinthians 1:29 - see also Ephesians 2:8-9). Justification without any merit, but by grace! That is the essence of the good news, the gospel of Christ. And that the Jehovah's Witnesses should also understand, if they inquire about this "central doctrine" in the Bible. But will they do it? The "faithful and discreet slave" has already communicated to them that he disapproves reading the Bible that is collective and independent of him. So they will wait for his explanation. Is there any evidence in his own way of interpretation, and does this differ from the clear biblical statement?
It is interesting that the New World Translation the word "belief" reflects generally with "practice / execute / exercise faith". Here, already is given the impression that faith is intimately associated with works. But it is at this point about the justification. Of course a Christian is encouraged to do good works, but they do not cause in any way his justification before God. They are rather the result of his justification by faith.
A vine blooms and bears fruit, because it is in the grapevine; it doesn't come in the grapevine, because it diligently blooms on its own and bears fruit on its own (John 15:4). Under no circumstances anyone can be justified before God by works of the law or by other works. Significantly, The Kingdom Interlinear Translation, an English translation of the New Testament published by the Organization, is giving the Greek word for "belief", in the intermediate lines reading ever accordingly. But the final reading again says "exercise faith." Should we not assume here that the idea is established that for justification and salvation it was necessary to do something to contribute something onto the sacrifice of Jesus to earn salvation?
Does this appear too far-fetched, afflicted with prejudices? The organization uses in the publications issued by it, insofar as they are to be viewed and discussed in their meetings, "studied", to provide to the paragraphs at the foot of the pages questions that are asked at these considerations. Let us read the question to page 187, paragraph 20, which speaks of the biblical central teaching.
The question is:
"What a great reward we can receive when we exercise faith?"
Here the thoughts of the witnesses are not only guided to exercising of faith, as discussed earlier, but it is spoken clearly by wage. But what does Paul say about wage? "Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." (Romans 4:4-5; see also Galatians 2:16).
Therefore, the conclusion of Paul, according to Romans 3:28: "... that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law", and without other works. Wage is expected as beeing payed for merit; if we expect the justification, the righteousness which avails before God, of God as a reward, it would be something that God "owes" us. Then grace would no longer be grace! But God owes us nothing, none of us! That is the central biblical teaching! God gives us in Jesus and his sacrifice the justice that is valid in front of him as a gift, as a donation.
However, the Governing Body gives its believers to think that they get their rescue from merit, receive it as wage; and thus we come again to the by many witnesses frequently asked question: "Am I really doing enough to be saved?" - No, no one can do enough for this; but he doesn't need to do so. But who thinks this, who is instructed in that way, has he the same central doctrine like Paul? Where Paul speaks in the context of justification by faith ever of wage, of merit?
The question asked in the publication makes recognize the true thoughts of the "faithful and discreet slave" and its Governing Body. The doctrine of justification by faith through the free grace of God is distorted; one expects a reward! Here is again: works-righteousness, self-righteousness. Is this still the gospel of the Bible or is it a different gospel? (Galater 1:6-9). Didn't they really here fall out of grace?