Back to Jehovah's Witnesses Overview Doctrine

Jehovah, the divine name, Christ's presence, the ransom, the soul, blood, the cross, and the kingdom.

Bible Student and Witness doctrine is a coherent system built on the divine name Jehovah, the invisible presence of Christ, and the coming kingdom. It includes a strict monotheism, the teaching that Christ's death was a ransom for all, the belief that the soul dies rather than survives in hell, the command to abstain from blood, the rejection of the cross in favor of a stake, and the promise of an earthly paradise. Each doctrine has Scripture texts, a history of development, and a history of dispute with other Christians.

Bible Student ClaimThe Bible teaches the true name of God, Jehovah; the invisible kingdom of Christ; the ransom sacrifice; the death of the soul; and the restoration of paradise earth for the faithful.

Main ReceiptsDivine Plan of the Ages (1886), The At-one-ment Between God and Man (1899), The New Creation (1904), New World Translation.

Live DisputeMainstream churches teach the Trinity, the conscious immortality of the soul, the cross as the instrument of salvation, and a heavenly destiny for all the saved; Witnesses deny each, making the doctrines a boundary rather than a bridge.

Component Map

6 pieces that have to be kept distinct.

Jehovah and the Divine NameGod's personal name, rendered Jehovah in English, is the center of worship; the Tetragrammaton appears in the Hebrew text thousands of times and was restored in the New World Translation.

Christ's Invisible PresenceChrist returned invisibly in 1914, not visibly at the end; his presence is demonstrated by world events and spiritual rule rather than by seeing him.

The RansomChrist's death was a corresponding ransom for Adam's life, paying the price of human sin and opening the way to everlasting life on earth for obedient mankind.

Soul Death and AnnihilationThe soul is the whole person and dies at death; the wicked are not tortured forever but are annihilated, and the hope of the dead is resurrection.

Abstinence from BloodGenesis, Leviticus, and Acts prohibit eating blood; since 1945 the society also opposes blood transfusions, regarding them as a violation of God's law.

The Cross, the Stake, and the KingdomJesus died on a single stake rather than a two-beam cross; the cross is rejected as pagan. The kingdom of God, established in 1914, will soon replace human governments and restore paradise.

Receipt Trail

Start here before drawing conclusions.

The Divine Plan of the AgesRussell's first volume covering the plan, ransom, and the ages.

The At-one-ment Between God and ManRussell's volume on the ransom and reconciliation.

The New CreationRussell's volume on the church, the 144,000, and the new creation.