Jehovah's Witnesses publicly declare that, among all Christian faiths, they alone come closest to how Christianity was practiced in the 1st C. However, is there any real truth in such a claim? Are Jehovah's Witnesses right to dismiss all other Christians on earth, holding themselves up as the only ones pleasing God?

The Bible is very explicit in it's recording of 1st C Christian practices. The book of Acts alone is bursting with stories of how the followers of Jesus Christ behaved, how they preached, what they preached, what they believed and in whom their faith was placed.

Because Jehovah's Witnesses believe and teach via their door-to-door ministry and printed publications that they most closely match the 1st C Christian congregation, let's consider 8 beliefs and practices of Christians in the 1st C:

• followers of Christ became known as 'Christians', not Jehovah's Witnesses (Acts 11:24)

• followers of Christ declared the good news of 'the Lord Jesus' (Acts 11:21), this good news was all about Jesus' death and resurrection (Acts 4:33, 1 Cor 2:2), not about billions of people being snuffed out by Jehovah at Armageddon [sidenote: Armageddon is only mentioned once in the Bible and never in the Gospels or in any of the epistles to the the 1st C Christian congregations, therefore how important was Armageddon to Christians in the 1st C?]

• followers of Christ gave him the same honour as they gave the Father (John 5:22,23) and went so far as to call Jesus God and even gave him worship, as do the angels in heaven (John 9:38, John 20:28, Heb 1:6) [excellent reference on the Greek word rendered either 'worship' or 'obeisance' in the New World Translation]

• followers of Christ realised that the Holy Spirit would teach them all they would need to know about God (John 14:26, Acts 1:8)

• followers of Christ understood, believed and preached that there is only one mediator between God and men and that through this mediator alone can one receive forgiveness of sins and that this mediator is accessible to all (1 Tim 2:5,6)

• followers of Christ put faith in his name, extolled his name, preached his name, believed in his name and cried out in his name. They bore his name. They did not put faith in, extoll, preach, believe in or cry out in/to the name 'Jehovah'. They recognised that the name Jesus was elevated above every name and in that name alone could one receive salvation and eternal life (see previous point about only one mediator) (John 14:34, Acts 3:16, Acts 4:12,Acts 4:18, Romans 10:9,10)

• followers of Christ saw him as 'the Truth'

• followers of Christ did not claim to have knowledge of his return. Yes, they wondered when it would be, but Jesus put them straight in Acts 1:7

Even a cursory read through of the Christian Greek Scriptures reveals the startling truth; Christians in the 1st C put their faith fully and completely in one man - Jesus Christ. They were proud to bear his name, to preach his name, even to die for his name. They would perform miracles in his name. They raised the dead in his name!

Do Jehovah's Witnesses put the same emphasis on the name Jesus Christ as the 1st C Christians did?

Do Jehovah's Witnesses blanche at the thought of giving Jesus the same honour as they give Jehovah? Would a Jehovah's Witnesses even consider worshipping Jesus?

Do Jehovah's Witnesses see Jesus as 'the Truth' and do they take Jesus at his words in John 14:26 and rely on the Holy Spirit alone when searching for Scriptural truths?

If you are a Jehovah's Witness reading this, please carefully consider your beliefs.

Where do you place Jesus in your worship? Where does Jesus come in the 'theocratic pecking order'? Is he given equal place with Jehovah, as the Bible clearly shows that he should?

Or have you dangerously relegated him to a position below the 'faithful and discreet slave' class?

At the weekly Watchtower Study, how often do you see Jesus being held up as our best and only exemplar when compared with the likes of King David? At the weekly Watchtower Study, how often are you taught to place your full confidence and trust in Jesus Christ, relying on him alone for salvation, going to him alone as your mediator? As a Jehovah's Witness, did you know that Jesus is not your mediator unless you're one of the 'little flock' of 144,000? Doesn't that completely contradict what the Bible actually teaches?

And as a Jehovah's Witness, how do you feel reading these things? Do you feel uncomfortable at the thought of Jesus being so important in the faith and worship of the 1st C Christians?

If so, think very carefully as to whether you, as a Jehovah's Witness are as close to 1st C Christianity as you thought you were.

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