Is My Jehovah’s Witness Friend a Christian?

This post explores why Jehovah’s Witnesses do not align with the historical, biblical faith of Christianity, especially regarding their understanding of Jesus Christ. Historic Christianity centers on Jesus as the divine Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, whose life, death, and resurrection reveal God fully and form the foundation of our faith.

Christians across various denominations may interpret Scripture differently, yet they hold to core doctrines preserved for centuries. These doctrines deepen our relationship with God and our understanding of His character. However, some groups, like Jehovah’s Witnesses, diverge from these fundamental beliefs. They believe Jesus is not equal to God, viewing Him as a created being, not part of the Triune Godhead. Instead, they claim Jesus is the archangel Michael and that His resurrection was purely spiritual. They also teach that salvation is achieved by following their teachings and being part of their organization, which is a significant departure from orthodox Christian beliefs.

The Bible offers clear insights into Jesus’ true nature. For instance, Daniel 7 speaks of the “Ancient of Days” and the “Son of Man,” suggesting that God appears in human form and grants authority to the Son. Although Daniel doesn’t explicitly name Jesus, Christians understand Jesus to be this divine revelation of God, an interpretation supported by John 1, which describes Jesus as eternal and the agent of creation. Paul, too, affirms this in Colossians 1:15, calling Jesus the “image of the invisible God.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses, however, reject the idea that Jesus is God. This belief resembles an ancient heresy called Arianism, which the early church rejected because it undermines the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice for salvation. If Jesus is not fully God, His sacrifice would be inadequate to redeem humanity.

Our purpose in clarifying these differences is to help others understand the true, historic faith and to engage respectfully and lovingly with those who may have been taught otherwise. We aim to share the truth of Jesus as the Son of God who alone can save us, equal to God the Father and the Holy Spirit. While we reject Arianism’s influence today, we reach out to those affected by it with compassion, sharing a faith grounded in love and truth.