BibleAsk
Published: August 28, 2025
Table of Contents
- The Beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses About Jesus
- The Bible’s Testimony About Christ’s Divinity
- The Importance of Christ’s Divinity
- The Jehovah’s Witness Rejection of the Trinity
- Why People Are Drawn to This Belief
- Biblical Warnings About False Teachings
- Conclusion
Among the many religious groups in the world today, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are one of the most active in spreading their message. They are known for going door to door, handing out literature, and offering free Bible studies. Because of their boldness and persistence, they have gained millions of followers worldwide. Yet their beliefs are not the same as historic Christianity, and one of the most significant differences is their view of Jesus Christ.
Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the full divinity of Christ. While they honor Jesus as a great teacher and God’s Son, they do not acknowledge Him as fully God, co-eternal and co-equal with the Father. Instead, they teach that Jesus is a created being, the first and greatest creation of Jehovah God, who later came to earth as a man. This belief puts them outside the boundaries of biblical Christianity, which affirms the eternal deity of Christ.
This article will explore the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses regarding Jesus, contrast them with what the Bible clearly teaches, and show why denying Christ’s divinity undermines the gospel. We will examine their view of Jesus, the biblical evidence for His deity, and the consequences of rejecting His divine nature.
The Beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses About Jesus
Jehovah’s Witnesses are part of an organization officially known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Their teachings about Jesus differ from traditional Christian doctrine in several ways:
- They teach that Jesus is a created being. According to their interpretation, Jesus was the first creation of Jehovah God, identified as Michael the Archangel before His birth.
- They deny that Jesus is equal with God the Father. In their belief, Jesus is powerful but not Almighty God. They consider Him a “god” in a lesser sense but not the eternal, self-existent Lord.
- They interpret John 1:1 in a way that diminishes Christ’s deity. Their translation, the New World Translation, says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.” This wording suggests that Jesus is only a lesser divine being, not the same as Jehovah God.
- They reject the Trinity. Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the doctrine of the Trinity is a false, pagan idea that dishonors God. For them, Jehovah is one person, Jesus is another separate being, and the Holy Spirit is not a person but an impersonal force.
These beliefs show clearly that Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the full divinity of Christ. While they speak of Jesus respectfully, they do not worship Him as God.
The Bible’s Testimony About Christ’s Divinity
The Bible, however, consistently teaches that Jesus is fully divine, equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Let us consider some of the most important passages that demonstrate His deity.
John 1:1-3
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
This verse affirms that Jesus, the Word, existed from the very beginning and was God Himself. Jehovah’s Witnesses alter the text to say, “the Word was a god,” but this translation is not faithful to the original Greek. The correct understanding is that the Word shares the very nature of God.
John 8:58
“Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’”
Here, Jesus identified Himself with the divine name “I AM,” which God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. The Jewish leaders understood His claim, which is why they attempted to stone Him for blasphemy. Jesus did not merely say He existed before Abraham but claimed the eternal name of God.
Colossians 1:15-17
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses use the word “firstborn” to argue that Jesus was created. But in biblical language, “firstborn” often refers to status or rank, not literal birth. For example, Israel was called God’s “firstborn” nation (Exodus 4:22), meaning the most honored, not the first to exist. In this passage, Paul makes it clear that Jesus is the Creator of all things, not part of creation.
Hebrews 1:8
“But to the Son He says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.’”
Here, God the Father directly addresses the Son as God. This verse leaves no room for misunderstanding. Jesus is God, reigning eternally.
Revelation 1:17-18
“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.’”
Jesus calls Himself “the First and the Last,” a title used for Jehovah in Isaiah 44:6: “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.’” By using this title, Jesus identified Himself as the eternal God.
Thomas’s Confession
In John 20:28, when Thomas saw the risen Christ, he declared, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus did not rebuke him but accepted the worship, showing that this acknowledgment was true.
These verses, along with many others, prove that the New Testament consistently presents Jesus as fully divine.
The Importance of Christ’s Divinity
Denying the deity of Christ has serious consequences because it undermines the very foundation of the gospel. Let us consider why Christ’s divinity is essential.
Only God Can Save Us
Psalm 49:7-8 says, “None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him—for the redemption of their souls is costly.” No human or created being could provide redemption for the sins of the world. Only God Himself could accomplish such salvation. If Jesus were merely a created being, His death could not atone for all humanity.
Jesus as the Perfect Sacrifice
Because Jesus is both fully God and fully man, He was able to represent humanity and bear our sins, while His divine nature gave infinite value to His sacrifice. Hebrews 9:14 says, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
The Object of Worship
The Bible consistently shows that Jesus is worshiped. Angels and humans are forbidden to receive worship (Revelation 19:10), but Jesus receives it without rebuke. If He were not God, worshiping Him would be idolatry. But since He is God, worshiping Him is right and necessary. Philippians 2:10-11 declares, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Assurance of His Presence
Jesus promised in Matthew 28:20, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Only God can be present everywhere at once. The divine nature of Christ makes His promises trustworthy.
The Jehovah’s Witness Rejection of the Trinity
Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the doctrine of the Godhead (Trinity), teaching that it is a false belief that dishonors God. However, the Trinity is not a pagan invention but a biblical truth that reveals the mystery of God’s nature. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct persons, yet one God.
While the word “Trinity” is not found in the Bible, the concept is seen throughout Scripture. At Jesus’ baptism, the Father spoke from heaven, the Spirit descended like a dove, and the Son stood in the water (Matthew 3:16-17). Jesus commanded His disciples to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). These passages show that all three persons are united in one divine name.
By denying the Trinity and the deity of Christ, Jehovah’s Witnesses reduce Jesus to a created being and the Spirit to an impersonal force, stripping the gospel of its power.
Why People Are Drawn to This Belief
Despite its serious errors, many are drawn to the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses because of their zeal, dedication, and sense of community. They offer simple answers and emphasize God’s name, Jehovah. However, zeal without truth can be dangerous. Romans 10:2 warns of those who “have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.”
Biblical Warnings About False Teachings
The Bible repeatedly warns believers to beware of false teachings. Second Corinthians 11:3-4 says, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached…you may well put up with it!”
Denying Christ’s divinity is presenting another Jesus, not the true one revealed in Scripture. First John 2:22-23 declares, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”
This warning is clear: those who reject the true identity of Jesus separate themselves from the Father.
Conclusion
Yes, Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the divinity of Christ. They teach that He is a created being, not the eternal God. Their beliefs about Jesus contradict the Bible’s clear testimony that He is the eternal Word, the I AM, the Creator, and God Himself.
True faith requires believing in Jesus as He is revealed in Scripture: fully God and fully man, our Redeemer, Lord, and Savior. Denying His deity undermines salvation and strips the gospel of its power. Christians must remain firm in the truth, recognizing that only the eternal Son of God could pay the price for our sins and give us eternal life.As John 14:6 reminds us, Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” To deny His divinity is to reject the very foundation of salvation.