The Ransom - Part 2 | doorwaychristianoutreach.info

A Corresponding Ransom - What Is It For?

This is Part 2 of a teaching series entitled, “A Corresponding Ransom”. I will be dealing with the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society’s (WT) translation and interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:5-6.

In Part 1, I talked about how the WT denies that faith in Jesus Christ is sufficient for our salvation. Instead, they teach one must take specific steps, stipulated by the WT Organization, in order to be acceptable to God. Full obedience to a special class of anointed Jehavah’s Witnesses (JWs) is a requirement to be saved. This is an important point to keep in mind when talking with JWs. They do not believe anyone can have full assurance of their salvation.

In this session called, “A Corresponding Ransom – What Is It For?”, I will be dealing with the differences between what the WT teaches and what the Bible teaches about the Ransom’s provision.

To watch a video presentation of this, click here.

Let’s take a look at 1 Timothy 2:5-6 from their NWT:

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all.

You’ll notice I highlighted the words “ransom for all”. The NWT has a footnote that identifies “all” here as, “all sorts of people.” This is so the reader will disassociate the “all” in verse 6 from the “men” in verse 5. I covered this in Part 1. But what this also does, is it misdirects the reader into thinking the “all” here means all-inclusive, as in everyone on earth.

There are a number of ways people interpret “ransom for all” in 1 Timothy 2:6. Let’s look at three of them:

1) The Ransom causes everyone to be saved.

2) The Ransom alone is the price that purchases all who are, and will be saved.

3) The Ransom gives everyone the opportunity to be saved through obedience.

I would agree with JWs’ rejection of number 1, since this teaches universal salvation… that everyone is saved no matter what. Number 2 is rejected by JWs, because they do not believe Christ’s death alone purchases anyone.

But what about number 3? Do JWs believe the Ransom gives everyone the opportunity to be saved through obedience? Yes. And to add to this, they believe obedience to God is only recognized through the theocratic organization of the WT. The WT teaches:

So let us continue to appreciate Jehovah’s wonderful theocratic organization and what it provides. In this way, we demonstrate our submission to Shiloh, who will reward all his obedient subjects with everlasting life. (Watchtower Magazine, October 1, 2002)

So when we look at 1 Timothy 2:6 through the eyes of a JW, “ransom for all” cannot have the meaning that Christ’s shed blood has the power in itself to save all who put their trust in Him. His death can have no power to save anyone, if everlasting life depends on obedience to a Governing Body. JWs do not believe a person can belong to God until they become a baptized member of the WT Organization. They teach:

Water baptism is a requirement for all who want to have a relationship with Jehovah God. (What Does the Bible Really Teach?, page 175)

We become Jehovah’s legal property when we dedicate our lives to him and get baptized. (Watchtower Magazine, March 15, 2005, page 17)

[See our page: Wash Your Sins Away! Is baptism required for sins to be washed away as some teach?]

What then did the Ransom do? According to the WT, it opened the way for people to get the opportunity to live on earth forever. The WT teaches:

Jesus’ ransom sacrifice opened the way for humans to live forever in Paradise on earth. (Bible Questions Answered – How Can You Live Forever?)

Now nowhere does Scripture describe Jesus Christ’s sacrifice as opening the way for salvation. It is the way. No one can belong to God through any sort of ritual performed by man. Baptism has no power to cleanse anyone. Only trusting in Christ’s shed blood has the power to change a sinner’s heart. And that is why Jesus came. At the last supper, Jesus said,

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28)

The old blood covenant, through the Levitical sacrificial system, covered sin, but could never change the hearts. But God promised through the new covenant, He will change people’s hearts to be acceptable to Him. God said,

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)

This was accomplished through the Ransom. The only way for you to be reconciled to God, is for God to make that change in you. You can try as hard as you want, but you will never change your own heart. That is God’s work. The Bible says,

The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

The Ransom’s purchase price was paid so that those who are bought by Christ are given new hearts, and are seen by God as new creatures in Christ.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

The ministry of reconciliation is the message that declares you must become reconciled to God by faith in Jesus’ death. That is the gospel message God has given those who have received new hearts to share with others. Notice God also said,

And a new spirit will I put within you. (Ezekiel 36:26)

In Romans 8:15 we read,

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15)

JWs have great fear of not making it through Armageddon unless they are continually obedient to their organization’s Governing Body. Those who have been bought by Christ’s blood however, have received a new spirit, where they can cry out to God as their intimate Father because God was pleased to adopt them.

Perhaps this illustration will help put this in perspective. Now no illustration can fully grasp the richness of what God has done for us, but sometimes they can help us get our minds on the right track, and at other times get our thinking off the wrong track.

Imagine that a rich man goes to a pet store where there are all sorts of dogs, and he tells the store owner he wants to buy some puppies, and that he will pay her well for the puppies of his choice. After he is shown all the pure breeds she has, he notices a mixed breed feeding her tiny litter in a corner of a room. He immediately has love and compassion for them, and decides right on the spot he wants to adopt those puppies along with their mother. He pays the store owner $100,000.00 for all.

How are we to understand this large payment “for all” in this story? That the man made a payment to give every dog in the store the opportunity to benefit from it based on their obedience?

Of course not! The man used the payment to adopt the litter of his choice out of his love for them.

Jesus loves and mediates on behalf of all those He purchased as His own possession. This is wonderful news! There is not one person that belongs to Jesus, who He fails to mediate on behalf of. Just as the puppies and their mother would have absolutely no comprehension of the cost that was paid for their adoption, neither do we, who have been purchased by His precious blood. It is far too wonderful to comprehend!