Did my aunt go to heaven?

Trojan72 · 03-10-2002, 09:11 PM

My great aunt died this afternoon. We weren't real close, but she was a devout Jehovah's Witness. I was just wondering basically what they believe (especially regarding Jesus and salvation) and if you guys think she's chillin with god right now.

Nate · 03-10-2002, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Trojan72
she was a devout Jehovah's Witness. I was just wondering basically what they believe (especially regarding Jesus and salvation) and if you guys think she's chillin with god right now.

As far as I know, Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God. They believe He is a God. I also think they believe that you must work to earn your salvation.

Judging from that, I find it hard to believe that any Jehovah's Witness is saved..... but I could be wrong.

Trojan72 · 03-10-2002, 09:24 PM

thanks for your help...anyone else?

Nate · 03-10-2002, 09:26 PM

Another interesting thing to note is that according to your aunt's beliefs.... she might not even be in heaven EVEN IF she was saved. Jehovahs Witnesses believe that only 144,000 elect will be in heaven... and the rest will dwell on the new earth.

Blindman · 03-10-2002, 11:32 PM

I don't think we should try to judge anyone else's salvation; that's something that God alone knows. It isn't our place to try to figure out who is going to heaven and who isnt.

brown07 · 03-10-2002, 11:41 PM

This is a difficult question. Particularly in a time of mourning, we instinctively look for hope for the salvation of our relatives. We all know that real hope is only found in Christ.

Regardless of your Aunt's religious commitments and affiliations (no matter how devout), the issue always comes down to the same issue - WHO IS JESUS?

None of us can truly know who your aunt understood Jesus to be. We can make guesses based on the doctrine of the religion she was affiliated with, but, there are plenty of people who don't know exactly what their religion entails - so it's a distinct possibility that your aunt did know Jesus as savior.

However, like I said, we can not know. What you can do, however, is look at her life and see if there is evidence of a relationship with Christ in her life. Christians are known by their fruit. So, check out your Aunt's life - look for a pattern of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It's the only measuring stick we've got. You may find that there is hope in Christ for her after all.

My sympathies for your loss.

Jay42 · 03-11-2002, 09:10 AM

Well said brown07. I must ditto it!

I think non-Christians who read these boards want us to have a kneejerk reaction and immediately cry out, "Your aunt is in hell" but the truth is we do not know her or her heart and the chronology of her life and if she, in as best as she understood how, asked Jesus Christ to come and save her.

frostydv · 03-11-2002, 01:21 PM

JW's believe Jesus was created.

the Witnesses cannot be classified as Christians, because they deny two dogmas without which Christianity would not exist: the Holy Trinity and Jesus' divinity, as the incarnate Son of God.
also identify Jesus with Michael the arcangel-- a created creature

But only God can judge your Aunt and what she believed and decide where she will go.