Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses
So What's the Difference?
The Bible Students association is the
outgrowth of the events of the early nineteenth century. As you probably know, it was at
that time that Bible Societies came into being. Their work of printing and distributing
the Scriptures was unprecedented in both volume and geographical reach. Even those of
meager means were enabled to have the Word of God. This resulted in much personal study of
the Bible as well as a great deal of international Christian sharing through various
publications.
One area of renewed interest was the
Second Coming of our Lord. This gave birth to the Second Adventist movement (not to be
confused with the Seventh Day Adventist movement). At that time the Christian world
largely ignored this doctrine being almost exclusively Post Millenialist in its prophetic
understanding. (The churches believed they would convert the world for Christ and then He
would return). Renewed study of the scriptures regarding the second coming revived the
historic Reformation doctrine of pre-millenialism. Thus premillenialism is a comparatively
recent phenomenon. There is a direct line of heritage through the Second Adventist leaders
to Pastor Charles Taze Russell.
Pastor Russell was not the founder of
the Jehovah's Witnesses. He was the founder of the Bible Students' Associations in the
1860s. In 1879 the Watch Tower publishing house was established by Charles Taze Russell.
Following his death in 1916 Joseph Rutherford forcibly seized control of the Watch Tower.
He dismissed the majority of the Board of Directors, began to instill a revisionist
theology and established dictatorial authority. Within the first year of his takeover one
fourth of the Bible Students left Rutherford and remained true to the teachings of the
late Pastor Russell.
Aggressive promotions by Rutherford
resulted in a large increase in new members but generated opposition from the Bible
Students remaining from Pastor Russell's era. In response to this opposition Rutherford
embarked on a campaign from the years 1925 to 1931 to purge Pastor Russell's followers.
Thus, by 1931, over three quarters of those associated with the Bible Student movement in
Pastor Russell's day separated from Rutherford to remain faithful to the teachings
promulgated by Charles Russell. The lineage of today's Bible Students congregations traces
back through these separatists to Pastor Russell their founder.
In 1931, fifteen years after Pastor
Russell's death, Jehovah's Witnesses was founded. Its founder, Joseph Rutherford,
presented a startling resolution entitled A NEW NAME which was adopted at their
international convention on July 26, 1931. The resolution first observed that neither
"Russellites" nor "Bible Students" were any longer appropriate names
(over 75% of Bible Students from Pastor Russell's era had already separated. Thus there
was little opposition to Rutherford's resolution). Henceforth they would call themselves
"Jehovah's Witnesses."
The separation between Bible Students
and Jehovah's Witnesses was, and still is, rigidly enforced by the Watchtower leadership.
Today, Jehovah's Witnesses can read the writings of Baptists, Methodists, Catholics &
etc., however, some have been excommunicated and ostracized for reading, studying and
agreeing with the writings of Charles Taze Russell.
Recent history has not been kind to
Pastor Russell, as he is his name is synonymous with the Jehovah's Witnesses. This, as can
be seen from the above history (which is well documented), is not so - it is a well known
misconception.
Bible Student congregations today are
autonomous. There is no central authority or publishing house. There are no membership
rosters. There is no solicitation for funds. We meet as an association and strive for the
organizational simplicity of the early church. We find our head or central authority in
our one Lord and Master, Christ Jesus.
We acknowledge that there are a few
similarities of belief between Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses. As well, one might
speak with a Roman Catholic regarding their doctrine and then with a Presbyterian. There
would be obvious similarities; but to say that the two are the same because of their
obvious similarities is inaccurate.
The major doctrinal difference
between the Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses regards the breadth of salvation.
Shortly after Rutherford founded the Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931, they developed a
"narrow salvation" theology similar to that taught by evangelical Christians.
Both of these groups teach that one must accept Jesus now (through the "window"
of their doctrinal systems) or else be eternally lost. That means that comparatively few
of the groaning billions of earth's humanity may expect to enjoy the salvation our God has
provided in His son. This places evangelical Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses poles
apart from Pastor Russell's and the Bible Students' "Broad Salvation" theology
which will extend to all.
Another major difference between
Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses is in regard to the Jewish People. Joseph
Rutherford claimed that his Jehovah's Witnesses replaced the Jewish people as such. All
the promises of future blessing to Israel after the flesh were "confiscated" and
applied to Rutherford's organization. (Interestingly, the Jehovah's Witnesses
"Replacement Theology" follows the pattern of the Christian church's historic
anti-Semitic position regarding the Jewish People). Pastor Russell taught and the Bible
Students still teach that the Jewish people have a separate and distinct destiny from the
Christian Church that the Jews are still in covenant relationship with God. We are sharply
criticized by both Jehovah's Witnesses and evangelicals for our beliefs regarding the Jews
which, of course, we trust are in fullest harmony with the word of God.
There are many more areas of
difference between the Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses regarding Justification,
Sanctification, Salvation, Prophecy and Christian living. Some of the differences are
vast, some are subtle but important.
We hope that this information is
helpful to you. We realize the unfounded stigma associated with the name of Pastor Russell
but choose not to delete his name from such works as THE DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES. The
message must stand on its own Scriptural merit and sometimes the Lord permits tests of
association "can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" If you haven't already
done so, we hope that you will take time to read the book. It presents the Plan of God in
beautiful clarity. May the Lord be with you and thank you for visiting.
Sincerely in Christ
The Bible Students
